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Nevada Man Dubbed the “Fedora Bandit” is Charged with Serial Bank Robbery

2012-01-27T17:28:00.000-08:00

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that David Griffith Osborne, 74, of Carson City, Nev., was charged by felony complaint on Tuesday with seven counts of armed bank robbery in the Eastern District of California.

The case is the product of an investigation by the FBI with the assistance from police departments in Grass Valley, South Lake Tahoe, Gridley, and Paradise; the Sheriff’s Offices in Placer and Sacramento Counties; and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. It was the collaborative effort and cooperation of the agencies involved in the investigation that ultimately led to Osborne’s identification and the filing of federal charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

According to the complaint, Osborne robbed the following California banks:

■December 22, 2009, Bank of the West, 736 Taylorville Road, Grass Valley;

■February 18, 2010, Bank of the West, 2160 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe;
■March 9, 2010, Bank of the West, 200 Bear Street, Kings Beach;
■March 31, 2010, Bank of the West, 736 Taylorville Road, Grass Valley;
■April 26, 2010, Bank of the West, 34 East Gridley Road, Gridley;
■June 3, 2010, American River Bank, 9750 Business Park Drive, Rancho Cordova;
■June 29, 2010, Chase Bank, 6669 Clark Road, Paradise.

In addition, according to court documents, Osborne also committed the April 12, 2010 armed robbery of the Bank of the West’s Carson City branch at 2976 North Carson Street in Nevada.

Osborne is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison for each armed bank robbery. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges in the complaint are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Robbery of Century Bank Branch in Santa Fe

2012-01-27T17:26:00.000-08:00

The FBI and Santa Fe Police Department are investigating a bank robbery that occurred Thursday (1/26/2012) at Century Bank, 1790 St. Michael’s Dr., in Santa Fe.

The male suspect wore a black ski mask, a tan or dark jacket, and pants. He is about 5’7” to 6’ tall and had a small to medium build.

Witnesses say the suspect walked into the bank at about 10:30 a.m. and used a handgun to demand money.

The suspect left with an undisclosed amount of money.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and the penalty increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Albuquerque FBI Office at (505) 889-1300 (24 hours) or Santa Fe Police Department (505) 955-5033.

Extradition of Fugitive Oscar Martinez-Hernandez from Venezuela

2012-01-27T17:23:00.000-08:00

SAN JUAN, PR—Today, Oscar Martínez-Hernández, also known as “Cali,” age 39, was extradited from Venezuela to Puerto Rico. On January 4, 2012, Martínez-Hernández was arrested by Venezuelan law enforcement authorities in the city of Maracaibo, Venezuela. Martínez-Hernández is being extradited based on an INTERPOL Red Notice which was issued in an attempt to locate him.

Martínez-Hernández has been a fugitive for the past 12 years, when he fled awaiting a jury verdict on state murder and weapons charges. On July 15, 1999, he was sentenced in absentia to life imprisonment by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Martínez-Hernández is one of the Police of Puerto Rico’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives.

In addition, Martínez-Hernández is the subject of four separate set of federal charges issued by a federal grand jury (FGJ) from the District of Puerto Rico. These charges are as follows:

■In March 1994, a FGJ charged Martínez-Hernández with possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine.

■In November 1999, a FGJ charged Martínez-Hernández with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
■In May 2001, a FGJ charged Martínez-Hernández with allegedly importing approximately 780 kilograms of cocaine from South America to the United States.
■In June 2011, a FGJ charged Martínez-Hernández for allegedly being the leader and supplier, as well as the individual who oversaw the transportation of multi-kilogram quantities of narcotics.

These cases are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys George A. Massucco, Carmen Marquez, Jenifer Y. Hernández and Myriam Y. Fernández.

The successful capture of this fugitive was primarily based upon a collaborative effort by the FBI, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, the Diplomatic Security Service, and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Service (ICE).

“The arms of justice are long and world-wide; thanks to our international law enforcement partners. No matter how much time and effort it takes, these individuals who try to flee will eventually be apprehended and face justice for their crimes,” said Joseph S. Campbell, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI-San Juan Field Office.

“Puerto Rico’s Police Department continues to work hand in hand with all local, state and federal security agencies, in order to ensure and provide our communities with greater public safety. The arrest of such a criminal is proof of the joint efforts between law enforcement agencies in Puerto Rico, the United States and countries in the fight against drug and weapons trafficking. Without a doubt we are working towards the right direction in order to win back our communities from those who think that can contaminate our future generations. We are defending the security of the decent and brave citizens who reside in this Island and who most certainly deserve to live in peace,” stated the Superintendent of the Police of Puerto Rico Emilio Díaz Colón.

“The arrest of Oscar Martínez-Hernández demonstrates that no matter how many connections or resources a fugitive may have to escape prosecution, it is only a matter of time before he is found and brought to justice. This was an excellent example of international law enforcement cooperation,” said Orlando Rivera, U.S. Marshal for the District of Puerto Rico.

“The DEA in conjunction with FBI, ICE, and the Puerto Rico Police Department joined forces and resources, and are glad to announce the capture of one of the most wanted fugitives in Puerto Rico and notorious drug traffickers in the Caribbean; Oscar Martínez-Hernández. Martínez-Hernández has been a fugitive for the past 11 years, and, because of his drug distribution activities, has caused violence, bloodshed, and terror in the streets of Puerto Rico. This sends a clear message to all fugitives that no matter how long it takes, we will not rest until they are brought to justice,” said Pedro Janer, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the DEA-Caribbean Field Office.

“The success of this law enforcement operation is an excellent example of cooperation among both our fellow federal law enforcement agencies and international partners,” said Scott Bultrowicz, Director of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service. “Working together we bring more criminals to justice.”

The public is reminded a criminal indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

FBI Seeks Female Bank Robbery Suspect

2012-01-27T16:21:00.000-08:00

On January 26, 2012, at approximately 11 a.m., a bank robbery occurred at North Star Bank which is located at 1820 North Lexington Avenue, Roseville, Minnesota. The robber, who was described as a white female, entered the bank and approached the teller counter. She handed the victim teller a note demanding cash. After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the robber fled from the bank.

The robber was described as a white female, approximately 5’4” in height, with a thin build. She was wearing a three-quarter length coat, blue jeans, a dark “hoodie” sweatshirt over a dark cap with a brim, and dark fabric gloves. She was also described as having pale skin and a “facial bandage” which covered approximately 50 percent of her face.

If anyone has any information regarding this robbery, they are requested to contact the FBI at (612) 376-3200 or the Roseville Police Department.

Vermont Man Faces Up to Life in Federal Prison in Armed Robbery of West Greenwich Bank

2012-01-27T16:19:00.000-08:00

PROVIDENCE, RI—Louis R. Peters III, 22, of West Topsham, Vt., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence on Wednesday to his participation in the armed robbery of a West Greenwich, R.I., bank on May 28, 2011. Employees were bound and held at gunpoint as they readied the bank to be opened for business. Peters faces up to life in federal prison when he is sentenced on April 13, 2012, having plead guilty to charges of conspiracy, bank robbery and use of a firearm in relation to the commission of a bank robbery.

Peters and a co-defendant, Craig A. Carey, 42, of Fall River, Mass., were arrested by West Greenwich Police and Rhode Island State Police within minutes of the robbery. The pair was allegedly preparing to flee the area of the bank when they were located and detained.

Peters’ guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Acting West Greenwich Police Chief Craig S. Barone; Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office.

At Wednesday’s change-of-plea hearing, Peters admitted to the court that he was one of two masked men that accosted a bank manager at gunpoint as she arrived at the bank. Peters admitted once inside the bank the manager was ordered to open the vault, but that they were informed by the manager that it took two bank employees to open the vault. As other employees arrived for work, Peters admitted that they were instructed to lie on the floor and that he bound their hands and their feet with zip ties.

According to information presented to the court, when a second manager arrived at the bank she explained to the robbers that there was a 15-minute delay between the opening of the outer and inner bank vault doors. Upon learning that fact, the armed robber threatened the bank employees and then demanded that they empty the contents of all of the cashier drawers into a black bag provided by the robber. The two managers complied with that request, turning over approximately $82,000 to the robbers. Both robbers eventually left the bank.

According to information presented to the court, a witness called police to report that he observed two masked men exit from the bank. The witness called police again a few minutes later to report that he again saw the same two individuals walk out of a wooded area adjacent to the bank and cross a roadway towards the rear of an industrial building. One of them was carrying a black duffle bag.

According to information presented to the court, West Greenwich officers and a Rhode Island State Police trooper located Peters inside and behind the wheel of a vehicle bearing a Vermont registration plate. Shortly after Peters was taken into custody, a second person later identified as Craig Carey was located in the same area and was taken into custody. Keys later identified as the keys to the bank that had been robbed and keys to the bank manager’s vehicle were allegedly located in Carey’s pocket. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of a black duffle bag in the trunk containing a revolver, a large sum of cash and clothing matching the description of clothing worn by the robbers.

Peters and Carey have been detained since their arrest. Carey, who pled not guilty on June 28, 2012, to a federal indictment charging him with conspiracy, bank robbery and use of a firearm in relation to the commission of a bank robbery, is awaiting trial.

An indictment is merely an allegation and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen G. Dambruch and Kenneth P. Madden.

Federal Grand Jury Returns Indictments

2012-01-27T16:17:00.000-08:00

MADISON, WI—A federal grand jury in the Western District of Wisconsin, sitting in Madison, returned the following indictments today. You are advised that a charge is merely an accusation and that a defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Lodi Man Charged with Armed Robbery of Pharmacy

Anthony Carriola, 28, Lodi, Wis., is charged with robbing a pharmacy at gunpoint. The indictment alleges that on January 10, 2012, he took morphine pills from Eannelli’s Pharmacy in Prairie du Sac, Wis., by force. Carriola also is charged with brandishing a firearm, specifically a .44 caliber revolver, during a crime of violence.

If convicted, Carriola faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the robbery count, and a mandatory minimum penalty of seven years on the brandishing a firearm count, which would be served consecutively to any other prison term imposed. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Sauk County Sheriff’s Department, Sauk Prairie Police Department, Dane County Sheriff’s Department, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Rita M. Rumbelow.

Sparta Man Charged with Arson

Bradford White, 38, Sparta, Wis., is charged with destroying by means of fire a building and personal property used in activity affecting interstate commerce, specifically Fast Eddies, located in Sparta. The indictment alleges that he did so on December 10, 2011.

If convicted, White faces a mandatory minimum penalty of five years in federal prison, and a maximum penalty of 20 years. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Sparta Police Department; Monroe County Sheriff’s Office; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigation, State Fire Marshal’s Office. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Altman.

Mondovi Man Charged with Gun Crime

William Ernest Ziemer, 47, Mondovi, Wis., is charged with being a felon in possession of three firearms. The indictment alleges that on September 7, 2011, he illegally possessed a semi-automatic rifle, a 12 gauge shotgun, and a .270 caliber rifle.

If convicted, Ziemer faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Chippewa County Sheriff’s Department; Polk County Sheriff’s Department; and St. Croix County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Munish Sharda.

Madison Man Charged with Distributing Heroin

Gary C. Mays, 47, Madison, Wis., is charged with six counts of distributing heroin. The indictment alleges that he distributed heroin on November 15, 16, 22, and December 5 and 16, 2011, and January 6, 2011.

If convicted, Mays faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on each count. The charges against him are the result of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Dane County Narcotics and Gang Task Force. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul W. Connell.

Middleton Man Charged with Gun Crime

Joshua Allen Schaaf, 25, Middleton, Wis., is charged with being a felon in possession of three firearms. The indictment alleges that on October 13, 2011, he illegally possessed a .38 caliber revolver and two .380 caliber pistols.

If convicted, Schaaf faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Dane County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter M. Jarosz.

Inmate Charged with Possessing Marijuana

Donte Adams, 37, an inmate of the Federal Correctional Institution at Oxford, Wis., is charged with possessing a prohibited object. The indictment alleges that he possessed marijuana on October 16, 2011.

If convicted, Adams faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison. The charge against him is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Special Investigative Services at FCI-Oxford. The prosecution of this case has been assigned to Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Reinhard.

Operation Red Wolf Yields Charges Against 20 for Drug Trafficking

2012-01-27T13:36:00.001-08:00

BOSTON—Today, federal and state indictments were unsealed against 20 individuals charged with drug and firearm violations following a two-year investigation dubbed Operation Red Wolf.

A total of 16 individuals were arrested early this morning. Two defendants are currently in state custody, on unrelated charges, and two others are still at large. The charges are the product of a coordinated, joint federal and state investigation into illegal firearm sales, drug trafficking and related gang activities in Fitchburg. Of those arrested, 14 have been charged in federal indictments, and six have been charged by the Worcester County District Attorney’s Office.

The following were arrested on federal indictments today:

■Benjamin Batista, 32, charged with being a felon unlawfully in possession of a handgun, possession of an unregistered silencer and other crimes. He faces up to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000;

■Junior Barclay, aka “Mouse,” 30, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million;

■Jose E. Bruno, 46, charged with several counts of distributing heroin. He faces up to 30 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million;

■Danny Diaz, 25, charged with several counts of distributing cocaine base. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million;

■Andre Dorzin, aka “Wish,” 24, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million;

■Orlando Garcia, 31, charged with being a felon unlawfully in possession of a handgun and/or ammunition and being a felon in possession of body armor. He faces up to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000;

■Shawn McWhorter, aka “Kaeshaun,” 38, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million;

■Hector Rodriguez, aka “Bolo,” 31, charged with distribution of cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $8 million;

■Charles Simmons,aka “B,” 21, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million; and

■Luis R. Vasquez, aka “Joker,” 41, charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and other crimes. He faces up to 40 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million.

Two additional defendants have been charged federally in connection with the operation; however, they are presently in state custody at the Worcester County House of Corrections.

■Juan R. Rodriguez, aka “Cuba,” 67, charged with several counts of distributing cocaine base. He faces up to 30 years in prison to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million.

■Marlon Guardado, 26, charged with seven counts of being a felon unlawfully in possession of a handgun and/or ammunition. He faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.

Federal charges were also filed against two other individuals who are still at large.

Those charged by state indictment include:

■Paul Morin, 31—On 4/29/10, possession of incendiary device, possession of ammunition; on 4/30/10, possession of incendiary device (six counts);

■Orlando Opio-Vasquez, 28—On 2/15/11 Trafficking B 28-100 grams (cocaine), Dist A (heroin);

■Jonathan Acosta, 22—On 6/15/11 Trafficking B 28-100 grams (cocaine);

■Lazaro Paulino, 36—On 1/14/10 Trafficking B 28-100 (cocaine); On 4/8.10 Trafficking B 28-100 (cocaine);

■Donald Aho, 30—On 9/8/10 Dist B cocaine—2nd and sub; and

■Luis Berdecia, 26—On 8/25/10 Dist A (heroin); On 10/27/10 Dist A (Heroin).

According to the federal affidavit filed today, a number of the defendants are members or associates of street gangs operating in Fitchburg, including the United Blood Nation. It is further alleged that a number of these defendants have been convicted of crimes of violence and narcotics felonies and face enhanced sentences.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz said, “There are communities like Fitchburg who are working to restore their neighborhoods. It is critical that we continue to take an aggressive approach to investigating and prosecuting those who wreak havoc through their illegal use, possession or distribution of guns and drugs. The law abiding citizens of Fitchburg deserve nothing less, and we will not stand by and let a handful of criminals endanger lives and neighborhoods in this community.”

“We are ever vigilant in working with our law enforcement partners and together we attempt to do everything we can to improve the quality of life for the people in our cities and towns,” said Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr. “When the FBI and U.S. Attorney’s Office proposed this investigation, we jumped at the opportunity to partner with them to get violent criminals, drugs and guns off the streets of these neighborhoods.”

Fitchburg Police Chief Robert A. DeMoura stated, “Our Police Department along with the Massachusetts State Police and federal agencies will continue our strong partnerships that result in taking these influential criminals out of our and surrounding communities. Operations like these have been ongoing since I’ve been Chief and they will continue. Fitchburg will not tolerate enterprising career criminals tearing at the fabric of our City.”

“Two years ago, more than 100 state, local and federal officers arrested approximately two dozen individuals on a variety of state and federal drug and firearm offenses allegedly tied to gang activity in the Fitchburg area,” said Richard DesLauriers, the Boston’s FBI Special Agent in Charge. “The dozens of individuals arrested today are those who allegedly decided to fill the vacuum left by their predecessors. Today, the consequences of their actions became apparent. The FBI, and its federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, will maintain a laser-like focus on gang activity in Fitchburg and surrounding communities to do everything possible to ensure those communities are safe from fear and violence.”

“DEA and our law enforcement partners are committed to working together to make our communities safer for our citizens,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Lane, Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “This investigation is a great example of cooperative law enforcement between federal, state, and local law enforcement targeting a drug trafficking organization which is now out of business. DEA will continue to target the most significant drug traffickers.”

Worcester County Sheriff Lew Evangelidis said, “Today’s arrests were the result of many months of surveillance and collaboration between the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Attorney, Worcester County District Attorney and local law enforcement. Our gang surveillance unit is constantly gathering information inside the House of Correction and working closely with local law enforcement to build intelligence on gangs throughout Worcester County.”

Evangelidis added, “With these suspects behind bars, a major drug distribution ring in Worcester County has been broken up and we will assist in the full prosecution of these suspects.”

U.S. Attorney Ortiz; District Attorney Early; SAC DesLauriers; Acting SAC Lane Chief DeMoura; Guy Thomas, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Marian McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Sheriff Evangelidis made the announcement today. The case is part of an OCDETF joint investigation lead by the FBI, ATF, DEA through the Central Massachusetts HIDTA Task Force, the Massachusetts State Police, the Fitchburg Police Department, and the Worcester County Sheriff’s Department.

The federal cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cory S. Flashner, David Hennessy and Karin M. Bell of Ortiz’s Worcester Branch Office. The state cases are being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Sarah Richardson and David P. Feraco of Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early, Jr.’s Office.

The details contained in the indictments and the affidavit are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

For inquires related to the state defendants, please contact Tim Connolly, Communications Director, Worcester County District Attorney’s Office, (508) 368-7236.

Former Prince George’s County, Maryland Detention Officer Indicted for Death of Ronnie White

2012-01-27T13:34:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON—The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Md., has indicted Anthony McIntosh, 48, a former corrections officer at the Prince George’s County Detention Center in Upper Marlboro, Md., on three charges related to the in-custody death of a pretrial detainee, Ronnie White, on June 29, 2008, and McIntosh’s subsequent attempts to cover-up his involvement in White’s death. Earlier today, McIntosh was arrested in New York City by the FBI.

McIntosh is charged with a federal civil rights violation for deprivation of rights under color of law in connection with the death of White. It is alleged in the indictment that McIntosh discovered White in his cell, unresponsive and in apparent need of emergency medical care, and walked away without providing medical care or notifying PGDOC personnel of the emergency, thereby acting with deliberate indifference to a substantial risk of harm to White.

McIntosh also is charged with two counts for destruction, alteration or falsification of records in a federal investigation, specifically for falsifying an incident report and a witness statement regarding White’s in-custody death.

McIntosh faces a maximum penalty of life in prison for the civil rights offense. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count of falsification of records in a federal investigation. The maximum fine for each count is $250,000.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the Baltimore Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Special Litigation Counsel Forrest Christian and Trial Attorney Carroll McCabe of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice.

Alleged “Puffy Coat Bandit” Indicted

2012-01-27T13:32:00.000-08:00

Steven Dwayne Paulson, 46, the suspected “Puffy Coat Bandit,” was indicted today by a federal grand jury for seven counts of bank robbery. The Puffy Coat Bandit was linked to seven bank robberies that occurred between 12/20/11 and 1/9/12. Paulson was arrested on January 10, 2012, after a detective with the Upland Police Department detained a driver matching the description of the suspect who was driving a vehicle described by witnesses as a getaway vehicle used by the suspect. Further investigation resulted in Paulson’s arrest and he is currently being held in federal custody.

The FBI investigates bank robberies jointly with police and sheriff’s departments that have jurisdiction for cities in which bank robberies occur. This case was worked jointly by the FBI, the Upland Police Department, the Riverside Sheriff’s Department, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Corona Police Department, Rancho Cucamonga Police Department, and the Glendora Police Department.

Paulson will be prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Central District of California (Los Angeles).

Two Beloit Men Convicted in Federal Court of Conspiracy to Distribute Heroin

2012-01-26T23:02:00.000-08:00

MADISON, WI—John W. Vaudreuil, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Maurice D. Vaughn, 38, and Maurice C. Lockhart, 37, both of Beloit, Wis., were convicted yesterday of conspiracy to distribute heroin, following a three-day jury trial before Chief U.S. District Judge William M. Conley in Madison.

At trial, witnesses testified that during the summer of 2010, Vaughn supplied 50 to 80 bags of heroin each day to Maurice Lockhart and Carlos Ford, who then distributed it in the Beloit area. Customers contacted Vaughn to arrange the heroin deals, then Vaughn would arrange for Ford or Lockhart to deliver the heroin to those customers.

Ford pleaded guilty to a federal heroin charge in early 2011 and was sentenced in August 2011 to five years in prison. The investigation began when Beloit Police became concerned in the summer of 2010 that there had been a number of heroin overdoses.

Chief Judge Conley scheduled sentencing for Maurice Vaughn on March 29, 2012 and Maurice Lockhart on April 9, 2012. Vaughn faces a minimum mandatory term of 10 years in prison, to a maximum of life, because of a prior felony drug conviction, and up to a $4 million fine. Lockhart faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five years in prison, to a maximum of 40 years in prison, and up to a $2 million fine.

The charges against Vaughn and Lockhart were the result of an investigation conducted by the Rock County Safe Streets Task Force, which consists of the Beloit Police Department, Rock County Sheriff’s Office, and Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution of the case has been handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert A. Anderson.

Barrio Azteca Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Texas to Racketeering Conspiracy

2012-01-26T22:57:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON—A Barrio Azteca (BA) gang member currently serving a jail sentence on Texas state murder charges pleaded guilty today for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas, FBI Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division Kevin Perkins, and Administrator Michele M. Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Hector Galindo, 37, aka “Silent,” of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norbert Garney in the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, to racketeering conspiracy. A sentencing date has not yet been set by the court. At sentencing, Galindo faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

According to court documents, the Barrio Azteca gang began in the late 1980s as a violent prison gang and has expanded into a transnational criminal organization. The BA is primarily based in West Texas; Juarez, Mexico; and throughout state and federal prisons in the United States and Mexico.

According to court documents, members and associates of the BA have engaged in a host of criminal activity committed since Jan. 1, 2003, including drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, kidnapping, and murder, including the March 13, 2010, murders in Juarez of U.S. consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of a U.S. consulate employee.

The BA profits by importing heroin, cocaine, and marijuana into the United States from Mexico. Gang members and associates also allegedly charge a “street tax,” or “cuota,” on businesses and criminals operating in their turf. These profits are used to support gang members in prison by funneling money into prison commissary accounts of gang leaders and to pay for defense lawyers or fines. The “cuota” profits also are allegedly reinvested into the organization to purchase drugs, guns, and ammunition.

According to information presented in court, Galindo was a member of the Barrio Azteca gang. Since 1992, he has been serving a 25-year sentence for murder in the state of Texas. While imprisoned, he participated in the BA’s activities by distributing narcotics, including heroin, into and within the prison system. He also helped direct extortion funds collected by BA members outside of prison to the commissary accounts of fellow BA members in prison.

Thirty-five members and associates of the BA gang, including Galindo and 17 others who have pleaded guilty, were charged in a third superseding indictment unsealed in March 2011 with various counts of racketeering, murder, drug offenses, money laundering, and obstruction of justice. Trial is set to begin April 6, 2012.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Brian Skaret of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Texas - El Paso Division. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico provided significant assistance in this case, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Davenport. Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s El Paso Field Office. Special assistance was provided by the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, N.M., Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico.

Eleven People Indicted for Drug Trafficking

2012-01-26T22:53:00.000-08:00

POCATELLO—A federal grand jury in Pocatello on Tuesday returned an indictment charging 11 people with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, announced U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson. Four defendants were arrested earlier today; six others currently in state custody will be transferred into federal custody tomorrow.

The defendants named in the indictment are Samuel Nevarez-Ayon, 25, and Fabiola Esmerelda Marin-Castro, 24, of Rexburg, Idaho; Guadalupe Meraz, 40, of Medara, California; Ana Rosa Valdez-Ceja, 25, Juan Ortiz, Jr., 27, and Antonio Javier Mendoza, 27, of Shelly, Idaho; Isidoro David Herrera, 30, Daniel Quiroz, 24, Everado Tapia Torres, Jr., 29, Ricardo Garcia Lopez, 34, and Nicolas Levi Olsen, 28, of Idaho Falls, Idaho. Nevarez-Ayon, Torres, Olsen, Valdez-Ceja, Mendoza, Quiroz, Herrera, Ortiz, Marin-Castro, and Meraz are scheduled to be arraigned on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Ronald E. Bush. An arrest warrant has been issued for Lopez, who is considered a fugitive.

Federal drug trafficking charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $8 million, and a minimum term of five years of supervised release.

The charges are the result of a nine-month investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), including the Idaho State Police, Bonneville County Sheriff’s Office, Idaho Falls Police Department, Madison County Sheriff’s Office, Rexburg Police Department, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).

The OCDETF program is a federal multi-agency, multi-jurisdictional task force that supplies supplemental federal funding to federal and state agencies involved in the identification, investigation, and prosecution of major drug trafficking organizations.

An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Last Person Arrested in Meth Trafficking Case

2012-01-26T22:29:00.000-08:00

POCATELLO—All 11 people indicted in a federal drug trafficking case on Tuesday are in custody this morning after Ricardo Garcia Lopez, 34, was arrested last night in Idaho Falls, Idaho. Arrested with Garcia was Jenny Flores-Leal, 36, on state charges of harboring a fugitive.

The federal defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. Arraignments are scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. today in United States District Court in Pocatello.

Garcia is charged with co-defendants Samuel Nevarez-Ayon, 25, and Fabiola Esmerelda Marin-Castro, 24, of Rexburg, Idaho; Guadalupe Meraz, 40, of Medara, California; Ana Rosa Valdez-Ceja, 25, Juan Ortiz, Jr., 27, and Antonio Javier Mendoza, 27, of Shelly, Idaho; Isidoro David Herrera, 30, Daniel Quiroz, 24, Everado Tapia Torres, Jr., 29, Ricardo Garcia Lopez, 34, and Nicolas Levi Olsen, 28, of Idaho Falls, Idaho.

Federal drug trafficking charges are punishable by up to 10 years in prison, a fine up to $8 million, and a minimum term of five years of supervised release.

An indictment is a means of charging a person with criminal activity. It is not evidence. The person is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Isabella Man Indicted for Robbing Lake Bank in Two Harbors

2012-01-26T22:26:00.000-08:00

MINNEAPOLIS—Earlier today in federal court, a 25-year-old man from the northern Minnesota community of Isabella was indicted for robbing The Lake Bank Super One Branch in Two Harbors on Christmas Eve. Robert Kenneth Moore was charged with one count of bank robbery.

The indictment alleges that on December 24, 2011, Moore stole approximately $6,669 from the bank. According to a law enforcement affidavit filed in the case, at approximately 9:45 a.m., a man, later identified as Moore, walked into the bank and placed a demand note on the counter. The note stated that the man had a gun. It also ordered the teller to quietly put the money in a bag. After receiving the cash, the man reportedly left the premises.

On Christmas Day, the Two Harbors Police Department received a tip that the robber was in an apartment in Proctor. At 1:15 a.m. on December 25, 2011, officers were allowed in the apartment, where they allegedly found Moore hiding in the bathroom. Authorities also allegedly discovered cash sealed in a Lake Bank strap.

If convicted, Moore faces a potential maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. All sentences will be determined by a federal district court judge. This case is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Two Harbors Police Department, with assistance from the Proctor Police Department, the St. Louis County Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Laura M. Provinzino.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by a defendant. A defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.

Birmingham Man Gets Life Plus 40 Years in Prison for Violent Business Robberies

2012-01-26T22:24:00.000-08:00

BIRMINGHAM—A federal judge today sentenced one Birmingham man to life plus 40 years in prison and a second to almost 29 years in prison as the last of five defendants sentenced in connection to a series of violent robberies in the Birmingham area between December 2009 and March 2010, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance, ATF Special Agent in Charge Glenn Anderson and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley.

U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced OMARI ELLIOT, 30, for violent robberies at two businesses within a one-week span in the spring of 2010. In separate trials last year, one federal jury convicted Elliot for armed robbery and using a firearm during a crime of violence for the March 16, 2010, robbery of a Cash America store on Parkway East in Birmingham. Judge Coogler sentenced Elliot to 20 years for that robbery and to life for the use of a firearm during a crime of violence in that case. A second jury found Elliot guilty of the March 22, 2010, armed robbery of the Diamond World jewelry store in Hoover. The judge sentenced him to another 20 years for that robbery.

In recommending a life sentence for Elliot, the government noted in its sentencing memorandum that he has “consistently been involved in the criminal justice system throughout his entire adult life,” and that the crime at the Diamond World store “was extraordinarily serious because it caused significant harm to the victims.”

According to court records, Elliot struck two of the store employees in the head with a hammer before using it to smash a display case and steal about $60,000 worth of diamond earrings. Elliot struck a female worker in the head with the hammer three times, severing an artery in the back of her head. He also broke her collarbone as he forcibly pulled her out from behind a counter.

Judge Coogler sentenced DERRICK CRAIG, 28, to 28 years and 10 months in prison for his role in the Diamond World robbery. Craig pleaded guilty in August to armed robbery and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection to that robbery. According to court documents, Craig had helped case the business five days before the robbery, bought the hammer that Elliot used and drove a rented SUV that was used in the robbery.

“Omari Elliot and Derrick Craig were members of a dangerous group willing to use violence to take what was not theirs,” Vance said. “They did serious harm to innocent people who were working for a living at the businesses they robbed. Thanks to the committed and cooperative work of law enforcement, the violent members of this group no longer threaten our communities,” she said.

“I want to extend my personal thanks to the Birmingham and Hoover police departments and the agents involved in this investigation. The citizens of North Alabama can be assured that the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to remove these types of violent criminals from our streets,” Maley said.

“Elliot and Craig will spend decades in federal prison for their vicious criminal activity. Choosing firearms and an everyday tool like a hammer to rob and attack innocent people is horribly disturbing,” Anderson said. “Fortunately, this case is another example of how ATF and our law enforcement partners focus on stopping violence and ultimately incarcerating offenders who insist on violent crime as a way of life,” he said.

Elliot and Craig were indicted last year along with ANTOINE JAMAR HARPER, 29, AARON THOMAS, 34, and KENDRA NESHELL BOWIE, 27, all of Birmingham. They were indicted for the series of robberies that were similar in nature, occurred within a short time frame and were part of a larger scheme. Thomas was charged in five robberies; Harper in four; Elliot in two and Craig and Bowie in one.

On Jan. 11, Judge Coogler sentenced Harper to 39 years and three months in prison and Thomas to 72 years and seven months.

Harper pleaded guilty last year to the Diamond World armed robbery, separate armed robberies in January 2010 and March 2010 at a Cash America store on Parkway East in Birmingham, and a January 2010 attempted armed robbery at the BB&T Bank on Red Lane Road in Birmingham. He also pleaded guilty to brandishing a gun during a crime of violence at both the Diamond World robbery and the attempted bank robbery.

Harper committed the January 2010 Cash America robbery and the attempted BB&T Bank robbery with Thomas. Thomas pleaded guilty to those charges and to brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence in both cases. Thomas also pleaded guilty to armed robberies at the Shoe Show on Parkway East and at the Church’s Chicken on First Avenue North in Birmingham in December 2009. He pleaded guilty to discharging a firearm during a crime of violence in the Shoe Show robbery, and pleaded guilty to being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in connection to a Jan. 4, 2010, robbery at a Dollar General Store on Parkway East.

Bowie pleaded guilty to being an accessory after the fact and was sentenced in December to 26 months in prison.

The ATF, FBI and the Birmingham and Hoover police departments investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph P. Montminy and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Johnson prosecuted the offenses committed by Elliot, Craig, Harper and Bowie. Assistant U.S. Attorney Enid Dean Athanas assisted Montminy with the Thomas prosecution.

Two Men Sentenced for Racially Motivated Assault in New Mexico

2012-01-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

First Defendants Charged Under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

WASHINGTON—Paul Beebe and Jesse Sanford of Farmington, N.M., were sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Santa Fe, N.M., on federal hate crime charges related to a racially motivated assault on a 22-year-old developmentally disabled man of Navajo descent, the Department of Justice announced. Beebe was sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison followed by three years’ supervised release. Sanford was sentenced to five years in prison followed by three years’ supervised release. A third defendant, William Hatch, of Fruitland, N.M., previously pleaded guilty in June 2011 to conspiracy to commit a federal hate crime. Hatch has not yet been sentenced.

Beebe, Hatch, and Sanford were indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2010 on one count of conspiracy and one count of violating the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Shepard/Byrd Act). They were the first defendants ever to be charged under this law, which was enacted in October 2009. Beebe pleaded guilty to one count of violating the Shepard/Byrd Act, and Sanford pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit a violation of the Shepard/Byrd Act.

“The sentence imposed today by the court reflects the hateful and heinous nature of the defendants’ actions, and serves as a reminder of courage of the victim who survived those acts and reported these crimes,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department will not tolerate violent racially motivated assaults and will continue to work cooperatively with our state and local partners to aggressively enforce the Shepard/Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act.”

“Today the court sentenced Paul Beebe and Jesse Sanford to significant terms of imprisonment for the inexcusable crime of assaulting, branding, and scarring a young man simply because he happened to be a Native American,” said Kenneth J. Gonzales, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Mexico. “Violence motivated by racial or ethnic hatred exacerbates fear and tears at the fabric of our society. Here in New Mexico, where we celebrate our ethnic, racial, and cultural diversity, I will continue to work with the FBI to vigorously investigate and prosecute acts of violence that are motivated by hatred of another’s race or ethnic heritage.”

“Today’s sentencing is the result of the hard work of FBI special agents and our law enforcement partners, who were committed to pursuing justice until the perpetrators of this hate crime answered for their actions. But the fight against acts of hatred and intolerance goes on,” said Carol K.O. Lee, Special Agent in Charge of the Albuquerque Division of the FBI. “The Albuquerque FBI Division will continue to work with our federal, state and local law enforcement colleagues to investigate hate crimes, the number one priority of our civil rights program.”

During their plea hearing in August 2011, Beebe and Sanford admitted that Beebe took the victim to his apartment, which was adorned in racist paraphernalia, including a Nazi flag and a woven dream catcher with a swastika in it. After the victim had fallen asleep, the defendants began defacing the victim’s body by drawing on him with blue, red, and black markers. Once the victim awoke, Beebe branded the victim, who sat with a towel in his mouth, by heating a wire hanger on a stove and burning the victim’s flesh, causing a permanent deep impression of a swastika in his skin. The defendants used a cell phone to create a recording of the victim in which they coerced him to agree to be branded.

The defendants also admitted that they defaced the victim’s body with white supremacist and anti-Native American symbols, including shaving a swastika in the back of the victim’s head and using markers to write the words “KKK” and “White Power” within the lines of the swastika. The defendants further mocked the victim’s heritage by drawing an ejaculating penis and testicles on the victim’s back, telling him that they were drawing his “native pride feathers,” all the while recording the incident on a cell phone to later play for law enforcement, as “proof” that the victim consented to their acts.

The prosecution of these defendants was the result of a cooperative effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico, the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division and the San Juan, N.M., County District Attorney’s Office. This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI in cooperation with the Farmington Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Roberto Ortega for the District of New Mexico and Special Litigation Counsel Gerard Hogan and Trial Attorney Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division.

Two Mexican Mafia Members and 117 San Diego County, California Street Gang Members and Associates with Ties to the Mexican Mafia Charged with Racketeering Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking Violations, and Firearms Offenses

2012-01-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

119 Individuals Charged in Three Countywide Law Enforcement Operations

SAN DIEGO—A federal grand jury in San Diego has handed up 17 indictments and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California has filed eight criminal complaints charging a total of 119 defendants with federal racketeering conspiracy, drug trafficking violations, and federal firearm offenses, announced U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of California Laura E. Duffy.

U.S. Attorney Duffy said, “The cases unsealed today make communities stronger and safer. The United States Attorney’s Office is committed to an anti-gang, anti-violence strategy built on close coordination between federal, state and local officials. This coordination provides better intelligence about street gangs and violent crime within our communities. And better intelligence means better law enforcement and prosecutions.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Keith Slotter commented, “Today’s arrests mark one of the largest single takedowns in San Diego FBI history. The FBI and our law enforcement partners stand unified in our efforts to protect this county from the violence, drug trafficking and extortion schemes employed by the Mexican Mafia and its affiliates. San Diego is inherently safer today because of the cooperation between our agencies working together to disrupt and dismantle the criminal activities of these dangerous individuals.”

“This is a traditional case of dishonor amongst thieves,” commented San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore. “Gangs were made to pay ‘taxes’ in order to facilitate their trafficking and violent behavior. We answered with a one-two punch: a strong and experienced multi-agency investigation, armed with the RICO statute. The results speak for themselves.”

The charges stem from three investigations entitled, “Operation Notorious County,” “Operation Carnalismo,” and “Operation 12-Step.”

“Operation Notorious County”

The indictments are the result of an 18-month-long investigation entitled, “Operation Notorious County,” led by the North County Regional Gang Task force. Eight indictments charging 51 individuals, including one charging 40 defendants with participating in a federal Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy were unsealed today. All five indictments were handed up by a federal grand jury sitting in San Diego on Jan. 19, 2012. The RICO conspiracy alleged in the indictment involves the commission of both state and federal crimes, including attempted murder, kidnapping, robbery, extortion, money laundering, and drug trafficking violations. As set forth in the indictment, the defendants are members, associates and facilitators of violent street gangs operating primarily in north San Diego County under the auspices of the Mexican Mafia or “La Eme.” The gangs named in the indictment include the Diablos and West Side gangs, based in Escondido, Calif., as well as the Varrio San Marcos and the Varrio Fallbrook Locos. The individuals named in the indictment were involved in a long-standing criminal enterprise used to extort money by threat or violence. The money was then sent on to high-ranking members of the Mexican Mafia, including defendant Rudy Espudo. The indictment alleges that Espudo is a validated member of the Mexican Mafia who oversees their activities throughout much of northern San Diego County.

“Operation Carnalismo”

In “Operation Carnalismo,” led by the Violent Crime Task Force-Gang Group, a group of federal, state, and local law enforcement agents led by the FBI, five indictments charging 36 individuals were unsealed today. Eight defendants are charged in one indictment with a conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity (RICO), violent crime in aid of racketeering (VCAR), distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and heroin and criminal forfeiture. Four additional indictments, charging 28 defendants were also unsealed. These related indictments charge distribution and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and criminal forfeiture. All five indictments were handed up by a federal grand jury sitting in San Diego on Jan. 24, 2012, and unsealed today. The RICO indictment charges the criminal enterprise was run by Mexican Mafia member Salvador Colabella. Colabella and his associates conspired to distribute methamphetamine and heroin, extorted and robbed others, and laundered drug-trafficking proceeds. Colabella and his associates collected the extortion payments through the threat of violence and the commission of violence. According to the indictment, the Mexican Mafia has about 200 members, but its reach extends to thousands of Hispanic street-gang members in Southern California. A Mexican Mafia member is the highest level one can attain in the Mexican Mafia. A member, also called “Brother” or “Carnal” or “Tio,” controls, exploits and profits from the criminal activity conducted by street-gang members and others. This control over the criminal activity is enforced through acts of violence or the threat of violence.

“Operation 12-Step”

This year-long investigation, known as “Operation 12-Step,” was led by the East County Regional Gang Task Force, a group of federal and state law enforcement led by the FBI and the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department. Operation 12-Step focused on gang-related methamphetamine distribution activities in San Diego County. Today four indictments and eight complaints were unsealed charging 32 individuals with conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. According to court records, individuals charged in this investigation belong to nine different criminal street gangs including Varrio Chula Vista, East Side Piru, Old Town National City, Shelltown, National City Locos, Imperial Beach Imperials, Paradise Hills, Varrio Encanto Locos and National City Block Boys. Between Feb. 22, 2011, and Dec. 13, 2011, law enforcement made more than 20 methamphetamine and heroin seizures in connection with this investigation. In addition, search warrants were executed at eight residences in San Diego; Spring Valley, Calif.; National City, Calif.; Imperial Beach, Calif.; and Chula Vista, Calif..

U.S. Attorney Duffy praised the coordinated effort of the law enforcement agencies of the Violent Crimes Task Force-Gang Group, the East County and North County Regional Gang Task Forces under the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) for the coordinated team effort culminating in the charges filed in these cases. The OCDETF program was created to consolidate and utilize all law enforcement resources in this country’s battle against major drug trafficking.

The cases are being investigated by the FBI, the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the National City, Calif., Police Department; the San Diego Police Department; the Escondido, Calif., Police Department; the Carlsbad, Calif., Police Department; the U.S. Marshals Service; the La Mesa, Calif., Police Department; the El Cajon, Calif., Police Department; the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office; the U.S. Bureau of Prisons; the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation; the San Diego County Probation Department; Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations; Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations; and Customs and Border Protection-United States Border Patrol.

The cases are being prosecuted in San Diego federal court by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter Mazza, Jaime Parks, Fred Sheppard and Tara McGrath.

An indictment or a complaint are not evidence that the defendants committed the crimes charged. The defendants are presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP U.S. Border Patrol Nabs Illegal Alien Wanted in Connection with Negligent Manslaughter

2012-01-26T20:42:00.001-08:00

Tucson, AZ. – Tucson Sector Border Patrol agents apprehended a 37-year-old male from Michoacan, Mexico, with an active felony warrant yesterday.

Agents assigned to the Casa Grande station arrested the man for illegally entering the United States. During processing, the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System, alerted agents to an active warrant from 1996 issued from the Marion County (Oregon) Sherriff’s Office for negligent vehicular manslaughter. In addition, record checks revealed a 1991 conviction for sodomy in Marion County for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

He is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for re-entry of an aggravated felon. Following federal prosecution, he will be turned over to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to face the manslaughter charges.

The Tucson Sector Border Patrol is committed to keeping dangerous criminals from entering our communities. All individuals apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo a criminal history check using IAFIS, allowing agents to quickly identify and classify violent criminals and wanted persons.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity to the Border Patrol and remain anonymous by calling (877) 872-7435 toll free.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Alleged Members of Native Mob Charged in Sweeping Racketeering Indictment

2012-01-26T18:21:00.000-08:00

MINNEAPOLIS—A 47-count federal indictment unsealed in part late yesterday charges 24 alleged members of the Native Mob gang with conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity and other crimes. The Native Mob is a regional criminal gang that originated in Minneapolis in the early 1990s. Members routinely engage in drug trafficking, assault, robbery and murder. Membership is estimated at 200, with new members, including juveniles, regularly recruited from communities with large, young, male, Native American populations. Association with the gang is often signified by wearing red and black clothing or sporting gang-related tattoos.

Six defendants made their initial federal court appearances late yesterday afternoon. They were apprehended earlier Tuesday, during a take-down conducted by between 100 and 150 local, state, federal, and tribal law enforcement officials. Arrests were made on the White Earth, Mille Lacs, and Leech Lake Indian reservations as well as in the Twin Cities. Of the 18 remaining defendants, 12 are presently in jail or prison on other charges, while six continue to be sought by law enforcement. The six individuals arrested yesterday remain in custody pending their next hearings, scheduled for Jan. 26 and 27.

Earlier today, U.S. Attorney B. Todd Jones said of the investigation, “This investigation exemplifies the law enforcement cooperation we are fortunate to experience here in Minnesota. Local, state, federal, and tribal investigators worked side by side to take down some of the most violent criminals in our state and, in the process, disrupt an extremely dangerous gang that diminishes the quality of life for those who live and work in Native American communities. We owe a debt of gratitude to everyone involved in the investigation. Their efforts have made our streets and communities much safer.”

The indictment alleges that since at least the mid-1990s, the defendants named in this case and others have conspired to conduct criminal activity through an “enterprise,” namely, the Native Mob, in violation of the federal Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. The indictment alleges that the primary objective of this “enterprise” is to preserve, protect, promote and enhance the Native Mob’s power, territory, and financial gains.

To that end, gang members purportedly distribute illegal drugs, from crack cocaine to ecstasy. They also reportedly provide monetary support to other members, including those incarcerated; share with one another police reports, victim statements and other case discovery; hinder or obstruct officials from identifying or apprehending those wanted by the law; and intimidate witnesses to Native Mob crimes. Moreover, they purportedly maintain and circulate firearms for gang use and commit acts of violence, including murder, against individuals associated with rival gangs.

Those arrested yesterday, along with their last known residence, include:

■Dale Wesley Ballinger, Jr., 20, Isle, Minn.;

■Damien Lee Beaulieu, 20, Onamia, Minn.;
■Aaron James Gilbert, Jr., 24, Minneapolis;
■Cory Gene Oquist, 22, Bemidji, Minn.;
■Dale John Pindegayosh, 29, Cass Lake, Minn.; and
■Justen Lee Poitra, 26, Cass Lake.

In addition to the racketeering charge filed against all 24 defendants, other charges were levied against some of the defendants. Those charges include conspiracy to use and carry firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence; the use and carrying of firearms during and in relation to a crime of violence; assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering; attempted murder in aid of racketeering; felon in possession of ammunition; felon in possession of a firearm; armed career criminal in possession of a firearm; possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and a crime of violence; conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance; distributing a controlled substance; and tampering with a witness. (See the attached chart for a breakdown of charges by defendant. Note, until such time as defendants make their initial appearances in federal court, their names and the specific charges levied against them will not be disclosed.)

If convicted, the defendants face a potential maximum sentence of between 20 years and life in federal prison. Since the federal justice system does not have parole, prison terms would be served virtually in entirety. All sentences will ultimately be determined by a federal district court judge.

This case is the result of a long-term, cross-jurisdictional investigation conducted by local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement officers dedicated to making our streets and communities safer. They include the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension; the Carlton County, Minn., Sheriff’s Office; the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration; the FBI-funded Headwaters Safe Trails Task Force; the Mille Lacs Tribal Police Department; the Minneapolis Police Department; the Minnesota Department of Corrections; and the Paul Bunyan Drug Task Force.

These agencies investigated this case with assistance from—in alphabetical order—the Becker County Sheriff’s Office, the Beltrami County Sheriff’s Office, the Carlton County Attorney’s Office, the Cass County Attorney’s Office, the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, the Crow Wing County Sheriff’s Office, the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office of Wisconsin, the Duluth Police Department, the Fon du Lac Tribal Police Department, the Fridley Police Department, the Itasca County Sheriff’s Department, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, the Hubbard County Sheriff’s Office, the Leech Lake Tribal Police Department, the LCO Reservation Police Department, the Lower Sioux Tribal Police Department, the Mahnomen County Sheriff’s Office, the Minnesota State Patrol, the Mille Lacs County Attorney’s Office, the Mille Lacs County Sheriff’s Office, the New Brighton Police Department, the North Central Drug Task Force, the Prior Lake Police Department, the Red Lake Tribal Police Department, the Redwood County Sheriff’s Office, Richfield Police Department, the Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office, the St. Paul Police Department, the U.S. Marshal’s Service, the Minneapolis Violent Offender Task Force, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the White Earth Tribal Police Department.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew R. Winter and Steven L. Schleicher.

U.S. Marshals Task Force Tracks Down Wooster Police Murder Suspect in Mississippi

2012-01-26T17:56:00.000-08:00

Akron, OH – The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) Akron Division and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) arrested Lashaun Reed, age 23. Reed was wanted by the Wooster, Ohio Police Department on charges of murder.

Reed’s charges stem from the shooting death of Clifford Johnson, 21, of Wooster, that occurred on the evening of December 10, 2011. Johnson was shot in the back in a front yard of a residence on E. North St. in Wooster. At the time of the murder Reed was on bond awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to felonious assault and assault charges. Those charges stem from a June 12, 2011 stabbing of two individuals in the 600 block of N. Buckeye St. in Wooster, OH.

In December 2011, directly after the incident, the Wooster Police Department referred the case to the NOVFTF for assistance with locating and apprehending Reed. The NOVFTF Akron and Richland County Divisions along with the Wooster Police Department spent numerous man hours on this case over the course of their investigation. When it was determined that Reed was believed to be in Mississippi, the NOVFTF requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals GCRFTF.

Earlier today, GCRFTF Task Force Officers spotted Reed in the 400 Block of Inez St. Greenville, MS. Task Force Officers conducted surveillance of the area until back up arrived. At approximately 4:00 p.m. today, Task Force Officers along with Officers of the Greenville Police Department jumped into action and apprehended Reed who was found hiding in a closet. Reed was arrested at a boarding house on the 400 block of Inez St, where he was renting a room. Reed was apprehended without incident, and transported to the Greenville Police Department Jail, Greenville, Mississippi. Reed is awaiting an extradition hearing to return back to Ohio to answer his charges.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Great job by our investigators in Ohio and by the officers in Mississippi, working together to locate and safely apprehend this dangerous fugitive. This is a fine example of what we can accomplish working with our fugitive task force network across the nation.”

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of a known fugitive is encouraged to contact the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force at: 1-866-4-WANTED or text keyword WANTED and the tip to 847411(tip411). Tipsters may remain anonymous and a cash reward may be available. The Task Force’s “Dangerous Dozen” fugitives can be viewed at http://www.usmarshals.gov/district/oh-n/fugitives/pdf/dangerous_dozen.pdf, which is updated monthly.

The NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies: Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Bath Township Police Department Boston Heights Village Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Copley Township Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hinckley Police Department, Kent Police Department, Medina Police Department, Montville Township Police Department, New Franklin Police Department, Northfield Village Police Department, Norton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Ravenna Police Department, Reminderville Police Department, Stow Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Twinsburg Police Department, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, University of Akron Police Department, Wadsworth Police Department.

Former Prince George’s County, Maryland, Detention Officer Indicted for Death of Ronnie White

2012-01-26T17:53:00.001-08:00

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury in Greenbelt, Md., has indicted Anthony McIntosh, 48, a former corrections officer at the Prince George’s County Detention Center, in Upper Marlboro, Md., on three charges related to the in-custody death of a pretrial detainee, Ronnie White, on June 29, 2008, and McIntosh’s subsequent attempts to cover-up his involvement in White’s death. Earlier today, McIntosh was arrested in New York City by the FBI.

An indictment is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.

CBP, ICE Release Report on 2011 Counterfeit Seizures

2012-01-26T17:51:00.000-08:00

Washington – Theft of American intellectual property is a serious crime, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement announced today that their vigorous, ongoing efforts to protect America from the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods during fiscal year 2011 resulted in 24,792 seizures, a 24 percent increase over 2010.

Many fake goods seriously threaten the health and safety of American consumers and our national security. With this in mind, CBP and ICE continued to step up enforcement against these dangerous products resulting in a 44 percent increase in the number of seizures of health and safety products that could have harmed Americans. The value of these seizures soared to more than $60 million due to increases in pharmaceutical and perfume seizures.

Despite the significant increase in the number of seizures, the domestic value for seizures in fiscal year 2011 decreased by five percent to $178.9 million and the manufacturer’s suggested retail price declined slightly to $1.1 billion. This is primarily due to a shift toward using international mail, express courier and consolidated shipping services to import counterfeit and pirated goods.

“The growth of websites selling counterfeit goods directly to consumers is one reason why CBP and ICE have seen a significant increase in the number of seizures at mail and express courier facilities,” said Acting CBP Commissioner David V. Aguilar. “Although these websites may have low prices, what they do not tell consumers is that the true costs to our nation and consumers include lost jobs, stolen business profits, threats to our national security, and a serious risk of injury to consumers.”

“I'm very proud of the unrelenting efforts of the ICE-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and our law enforcement partners," said ICE Director John Morton. "IP enforcement is a high priority for ICE and CBP because the trade in counterfeit and pirated goods robs Americans of jobs and puts their safety at risk, costs legitimate businesses billions of dollars in revenue, and fuels criminal activity. In fiscal year 2012, ICE and CBP will continue to focus on keeping these goods off the streets and bring those responsible for producing and distributing them to justice."

China continues to be the number one source country for counterfeit and pirated goods seized, accounting for 62 percent or $124.7 million of the total domestic value of seizures.

For the first time since FY 2005, footwear was not the top commodity seized in fiscal year 2011. Consumer electronics were the top commodity seized, and approximately one-third of this category was represented by IPR infringing cellular phones.

The top 10 categories of IPR-infringing products seized were pharmaceuticals, health/personal care, eyewear/parts, critical technology components, electronic articles, cigarettes, perfumes/colognes, batteries, exercise equipment and transportation/parts.

As the federal agency responsible for the management, control and protection of U.S. borders, CBP is on the frontline of IPR enforcement. The men and women of CBP protect our nation’s economy, the safety of its people, and our national security against harm from counterfeit and pirated goods. The continued vigilance of CBP personnel protects U.S. citizens and businesses every day.

As the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, ICE Homeland Security Investigations plays a leading role in targeting criminal organizations responsible for producing, smuggling, and distributing counterfeit products. ICE HSI focuses not only on keeping counterfeit products off our streets, but also on dismantling the criminal organizations behind such illicit activity.

The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center is one of the U.S. government's key weapons in the fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy. The IPR Center uses the expertise of its 19 member agencies to share information, develop initiatives, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft. Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and the war fighters.

To report IP theft or to learn more about the IPR Center, visit IPR Center.

The annual IPR seizure report is now available on the CBP and ICE web sites.

B-roll video related to CBP's IPR seizures can be found on the DVIDS service.

Barrio Azteca Gang Member Pleads Guilty in Texas to Racketeering Conspiracy

2012-01-26T16:48:00.000-08:00

A Barrio Azteca (BA) gang member currently serving a jail sentence on Texas state murder charges pleaded guilty today for his participation in a racketeering conspiracy, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas, FBI Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division Kevin Perkins and Administrator Michele M. Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

According to court documents, members and associates of the BA have engaged in a host of criminal activity committed since Jan. 1, 2003, including drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, kidnapping and murder, including the March 13, 2010, murders in Juarez of U.S. consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of a U.S. consulate employee.

The BA profits by importing heroin, cocaine and marijuana into the United States from Mexico. Gang members and associates also allegedly charge a “street tax” or “cuota” on businesses and criminals operating in their turf. These profits are used to support gang members in prison by funneling money into prison commissary accounts of gang leaders and to pay for defense lawyers or fines. The “cuota” profits also are allegedly reinvested into the organization to purchase drugs, guns and ammunition.

Thirty-five members and associates of the BA gang, including Galindo and 17 others who have pleaded guilty, were charged in a third superseding indictment unsealed in March 2011 with various counts of racketeering, murder, drug offenses, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Trial is set to begin April 6, 2012.

Texas Jury Convicts Zeta Hitman “Cachetes”

2012-01-25T20:32:00.000-08:00

Testimony Outlined Murders and Links to Gulf Cartel and Zetas

LAREDO, TX—The federal jury in Laredo, Texas, hearing the case of Gerardo Castillo-Chavez, aka “Cachetes,” aka Armado Garcia, has just returned guilty verdicts on all counts, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Castillo-Chavez, 25, who hails from Miguel Aleman, Tamaulipas, Mexico, was convicted of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, interstate travel in aid of racketeering (ITAR), and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime or a crime of violence.

Jury selection began on Jan. 17 before U.S. District Judge Micaela Alavarez and, after four-and-a-half days of trial testimony and approximately six hours of deliberation, the jury returned its unanimous verdicts just moments ago.

The charges stem from a Feb. 17, 2010, superceding indictment charging Castillo-Chavez and 33 others with 47 counts of conspiracy to kidnap and murder U.S. citizens in a foreign country, drug conspiracy, kidnapping conspiracy, firearms conspiracy, money laundering conspiracy, use of juveniles to commit a violent crime, accessory after the fact, solicitation, as well as substantive money laundering, drug trafficking, and ITAR charges.

During the week-long trial, jurors heard testimony from several Zeta hitmen who committed murders in Laredo, Texas, as well as Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, and Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico. In addition, several defendants testified as witnesses for the government and detailed cocaine and marijuana trafficking from Mexico to Dallas, Texas, and New York City. Further testimony outlined murders and attempted murders committed by “sicario” (assassin) cells in Laredo between June 2005 and April 2006. The United States also presented telephone interceptions which described in detail the gruesome murders and disposal of the bodies of two U.S. citizens kidnapped and killed in Nuevo Laredo.

Testimony of several witnesses, including three co-defendants, tied Castillo-Chavez to the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas between November 2005 and May 2009. Their testimony implicated “Cachetes” in the double murder of two males on April 2, 2006, the attempted murders of two others in March 2006 and in the grenade attack of a nightclub in Monterrey, Mexico, where four people were killed.

Of those originally charged in relation to the case, 14 have now been convicted, with some already receiving significant sentences, such as 40 years, 60 years and one life sentence. Five others are still pending sentencing. In addition, four others have also been convicted in separate indictments resulting from the same investigation.

Castillo-Chavez himself faces up to life imprisonment and a $4 million fine for the drug conspiracy conviction. He also faces an additional $250,000 fine and a maximum of 20 years for each of the ITAR charges relating to the attempted murders and up to life for the firearms charges in addition to a fine of $250,000 relating to the same attempted murders. He has been in custody since Feb. 5, 2009, when he was arrested in Houston where he will remain in pending his sentencing hearing, set for April 30, 2012.

The case against Castillo-Chavez was a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force investigation dubbed Operation Prophecy spearheaded by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Laredo Police Department with the assistance of Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Border Patrol, U.S. Marshals Service, Webb County Sheriff’s Office, and the Webb County District Attorney’s Office. The investigation targeted various cells of the Gulf Cartel and the Zetas with a primary focus on the sicario cells that carried out executions of targeted rival drug members on both sides of the border.

The case was prosecuted in Laredo federal court by Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) José Angel Moreno with assistance throughout the case from AUSAs James Hepburn and Jimmy Ustynoski, who is now with the Northern District of Florida.

U.S. Attorney John Walsh Issues Letter Discussing FBI Investigation Into the Law Enforcement Shooting Death of Spencer Posey on the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Reservation

2012-01-25T20:30:00.000-08:00

DURANGO, CO—U.S. Attorney John Walsh this afternoon released a letter discussing his review of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) findings in the law enforcement shooting death of Spencer Posey, an enrolled member of the Ute Mountain Ute Indian Tribe. The evidence established that the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) officer fired a single shot in self-defense when Posey yelled that he would kill the officer, and charged him, wielding a hatchet. Posey ultimately died as a result of the gunshot wound. Based on a review of the FBI’s investigation, including a review of the facts, applicable law, and forensic evidence, U.S. Attorney John Walsh concluded that no criminal charges may properly be filed against the BIA officer.

The conclusion of the U.S. Attorney’s review of the shooting is outlined in a letter which was written to Gary Hayes, Chairman of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribal Council.

East Bay Marijuana Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years in Jail

2012-01-25T20:28:00.001-08:00

Defendant Ran Multiple Grow Houses in Suburban Neighborhoods

OAKLAND, CA—Peng Li was sentenced last week to 10 years in prison for distributing and conspiring to distribute more than 1,000 marijuana plants, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

Li was convicted in September on two drug trafficking charges after a trial by jury. During the trial, evidence showed that Li and his associates operated three indoor marijuana grow houses in suburban residential neighborhoods in Antioch, Pinole, and Bay Point, Calif., as well as a marijuana processing location in Oakland. According to the evidence offered at trial, Li and his associates rented the houses, constructed elaborate electrical bypasses to power their growing lights with stolen electricity, used voluminous amounts of chemical fertilizers, and destroyed walls and ceilings inside the houses to build ventilation and hydration systems. According to witnesses at trial, Li and his associates grew approximately 3,000 marijuana plants in this manner over multiple grow cycles. The evidence at trial also showed that at least one of the houses in a residential area of Pinole appeared to have been burglarized by unknown parties.

“Indoor marijuana grow operations are illegal under federal law,” U.S. Attorney Haag said. “Moreover, they threaten the safety of our residential neighborhoods by greatly increasing the risk of burglaries, environmental damage and fires.”

Li, 29, of Antioch, was originally indicted by a federal grand jury on July 15, 2008. He was charged with manufacturing, distributing, and possessing with intent to distribute marijuana, and conspiring to do the same.

The case was the result of a multi-year operation dubbed Operation Triple Stack, led by the San Francisco office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a multi-agency task force that coordinates long-term narcotics trafficking investigations. The San Francisco Police Department, Oakland Police Department, and U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration also participated in Operation Triple Stack, which targeted a group of ecstasy and marijuana traffickers. The investigation was conducted in coordination with related ecstasy-trafficking investigations in Sacramento and Denver, resulting in the apprehension of more than 50 individuals nationwide.

The 10-year sentence was handed down by U.S. District Court Judge Phyllis J. Hamilton on Jan. 18, 2012. Judge Hamilton also sentenced the defendant to a four-year period of supervised release, and ordered the seizure of a Rolex watch that prosecutors said was worth approximately $6,000 and was purchased using illegal drug proceeds.

North Platte Investigation Results in Arrests for Drug Distribution and Gun Charges

2012-01-25T19:34:00.000-08:00

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that on January 24, 2012, Shane Allen Reed, 24, of North Platte, was sentenced to 70 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm in March of 2011. Following the term of imprisonment, Reed will be on supervised release for three years.

On March 22, 2011, Shane Reed was found lying in the middle of a North Platte street with a bullet wound in his leg which Reed claimed was the result of a drive-by shooting. Based on the lack of a bullet hole in Reed’s pants and the location, position, and nature of the wound, it was determined that the gun was inside Reed’s pants when it went off. Reed told officers he knew he could not possess a gun due to past felony convictions. In 2008, Reed was convicted of felony theft and burglary charges in Lincoln County District Court.

This case was investigated by the North Platte Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Additional assistance was provided by the Lincoln County Attorney’s Office.

Amarillo Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography

2012-01-25T19:32:00.001-08:00

AMARILLO, TX—Todd Wayne Ellis, 44, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Mary Lou Robinson to 120 months in federal prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, following his guilty plea in October 2011 to one count of possessing child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Ellis has been in custody since his arrest on a criminal complaint by FBI agents in September 2011.

According to documents filed in the case, in May 2011, a special agent with the FBI, working in an undercover capacity investigating the distribution of child pornography, identified a computer that was using a peer-to-peer program to share images of child pornography. The undercover agent downloaded 32 files, many with names indicative of child pornography, from the shared folder of an individual, later determined to be Ellis. The investigation revealed that 21 of those files depicted child pornography.

Ellis was home when FBI agents executed a federal search warrant at his residence in Amarillo on September 7, 2011, and admitted that he had used peer-to-peer sites frequently and was online during the same time period that the agent was online in the peer-to-peer site. Ellis further admitted that he received, and made available to others through file-sharing sites, images of child pornography involving minors from toddlers to older children.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section ( CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov

The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy L. Drake of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Amarillo.

(VIDEO) FBI Offers Reward in Armored Car Robbery

2012-01-25T19:29:00.000-08:00

The FBI Charlotte Division is offering a reward of up to $20,000 for information which leads to the identification and successful prosecution of the person responsible for robbing an armored car and shooting a Loomis employee outside an ATM on Fairview Road in the Foxcroft Shopping Center in Charlotte, NC, on January 23, 2012.

Witnesses describe the robber as a black male, 15-25 years old, with a small build. He was wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, black t-shirt, grey sweatpants, black Nike shoes with a white swoosh, and a baseball cap with a silver sticker on the brim. He had a white glove on his right hand; it can be seen in surveillance video as he runs away with a gun in his hand.

The FBI is investigating this robbery and shooting in partnership with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department. Anyone with information should call FBI Charlotte at 704-672-6100 or the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600.

Tucson Man Convicted of Interstate Stalking After Pursuing Victim for 18 Years

2012-01-25T15:16:00.001-08:00

TUCSON, AZ—Moses Antonio Shepard, 47, of Tucson, was found guilty last week, by a federal jury in Tucson, of two counts of interstate stalking. Shepard is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson on April 2, 2012.

“President Obama has proclaimed January 2012 as National Stalking Awareness Month,” said Ann Birmingham Scheel, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Arizona. “Unfortunately, for a variety of reasons, many victims of stalking forego reporting the crime. This case demonstrates that victims of stalking can rest assured that the law enforcement community will vigorously pursue those who engage in stalking. I would like to thank the FBI and the West Hartford, Connecticut Police Department for their investigation of this case.”

The evidence at trial showed that Shepard met the victim in a running club in New York City in 1992. Shepard pursued the victim over the next two decades despite her repeatedly telling him she was not interested in him, and despite her requests that he leave her alone. Shepard continuously contacted the victim by telephone, mail, and e-mail, and managed to track her down as she moved across the country, attempting to conceal her whereabouts from him. On a number of occasions, Shepard traveled to the victim’s home, school, or place of work. He also contacted and harassed the victim’s family members during his relentless pursuit. In 2007, Shepard traveled from Tucson to Connecticut, where he waited near the victim’s home for two days in an attempt to meet with her. From 2009 to 2010, Shepard sent the victim dozens of e-mails, some of which were threatening in nature.

A conviction for interstate stalking carries a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, or both. In determining an actual sentence, Judge Jorgenson will consult the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the West Hartford (Connecticut) Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

FBI and San Diego Sheriff’s Department Seek Public’s Assistance to Identify Pacific Western Bank Robber

2012-01-25T14:35:00.000-08:00

The FBI and San Diego Sheriff’s Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the Pacific Western Bank, 9955 Mission Gorge Road, Santee, California, on Monday, January 23, 2012.

On Monday, January 23, 2012, at approximately 1:35 p.m., the Pacific Western Bank, 9955 Mission Gorge Road, Santee, California was robbed by an unknown male. At the time of the robbery, the robber walked into the bank, approached the victim teller and made a verbal demand for money. The teller complied with the robber’s demands and provided him with a sum of money. The robber was last seen walking southbound on Mission Gorge Road. This robber is believed to be the same individual who robbed the same bank on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

Witnesses describe the robber as follows:

Sex: Male

Race: White
Age: Approximately 40 years old
Height: Approximately 6’0” tall
Weight: Approximately 180 lbs.
Build: Medium
Eyes: Unknown
Hair/Coloring: Grey scruffy beard
Clothing: White t-shirt, blue jeans, navy blue jacket with zipper, and baseball hat

Anyone with information concerning this robbery is asked to contact the FBI at telephone number (858) 565-1255 (san.diego@ic.fbi.gov) or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-TIPS (8477). You may remain anonymous by calling the FBI or Crime Stoppers.

FBI and Chula Vista Police Department Seek Public’s Assistance to Identify North Island Federal Credit Union Robber

2012-01-25T14:32:00.001-08:00

The FBI and Chula Vista Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the North Island Federal Credit Union, located at 45 North Broadway, Chula Vista, California, on Tuesday, January 17, 2012.

On Tuesday, January 17, 2012, at approximately 3:20 p.m., the North Island Federal Credit Union, located at 45 North Broadway, Chula Vista, California, was robbed by an unknown male using a demand note. At the time of the robbery, the robber walked into the bank and approached the victim teller’s window. The robber then placed a manila envelope with writing on it in front of the teller. The writing on the envelope demanded money and indicated the robber was armed with a gun. The teller placed the money in the envelope at which time the robber grabbed the envelope and walked out of the bank. As the robber walked out of the bank, he was observed opening the lobby door with his right forearm while leaning on a cane he held in his left hand. No injuries were reported and no weapon observed.

Witnesses describe the robber as follows:

Sex: Male

Race: Hispanic
Age: Late 40s to early 50s
Height: Approximately 5’7” tall
Weight: Approximately 140 to 160 lbs.
Build: Medium
Eyes: Rectangular sunglasses
Hair/Coloring: Short, black light beard with stubble
Clothing: Dark baseball hat with the letters “SD” printed on the front, short sleeve light blue t-shirt with a “Dickies” logo printed on the chest, and light blue long tennis shoes with white laces
Miscellaneous: Ring on left ring finger

Bloods Gang Member Sentenced to 105 Months for Murder Plot

2012-01-25T14:30:00.001-08:00

NEWARK, NJ—A member of the Fruit Town and Brick City Brims set of the Bloods street gang was sentenced today to 105 months for conspiring to murder a rival gang member in April 2009 and illegally possessing firearms, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Samad McCallum, 24, of Elizabeth, N.J., previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and one count of possession of two firearms while a convicted felon. McCallum previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, who also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

McCallum admitted that he conspired with other Fruit Town and Brick City Brims members, including Gerard Jennette, 27, a/k/a “Swizzy,” and Thomas Haskins, 26, a/k/a “Tommy Gunz,” to kill a rival gang member, identified in court documents as “M.B.” They believed M.B. was responsible for ordering the murder of two Fruit Town and Brick City Brims members in Jersey City, N.J. Haskins and Jennette have both previously pleaded guilty; Haskins was sentenced to 10 years in prison, Jennette is awaiting sentencing.

On April 27, 2009, McCallum, Jennette, and Haskins were arrested in Jersey City in a van with a loaded Kahr 9-mm handgun, a loaded Intratech Luger 9-mm semi-automatic Tec-9, and three ski masks.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Chesler sentenced McCallum to three years of supervised release.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward; law enforcement officers from the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Frank X. Schillari; the Jersey City Police Department, under the direction of Police Director Samuel Jefferson and Chief Thomas Comey; and the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Edward J. De Fazio

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Melissa Jampol, Lisa Colone, and Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Michael Pedicini Esq., Morristown, N.J.

Fresnan Sentenced for Interstate “Medical” Marijuana Shipments

2012-01-24T22:21:00.000-08:00

FRESNO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner, Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams, and Fresno County Sheriff Margaret Mims announced today that U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Bounepheng Savongsy, aka Boyne Pheng Savongsy, 51, a resident of Fresno and Murfreesboro, Tenn., to three years and one month, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to distribute marijuana.

According to court documents, Savongsy and his co-defendants—Phousangkhy Phanthadeth, aka Phou, 38; Manop Souksavath, 39, both of Fresno; Ernson Merisier, 27, of Holbrook, Mass.; Marquis Allen Meca, 27; and Ruddys A. Pimentel, 29, both of Roslindale, Mass.—were involved in the interstate shipment and distribution of marijuana grown in agricultural fields in Fresno County. The fields were posted with medicinal marijuana recommendations from medical doctors, but Savongsy, Phanthadeth, and Souksavath conspired to ship and did ship the marijuana to Merisier, Meca, and Pimentel in the Boston area, where the drug was sold for about $3,000 per pound, about three times what it sells for in California. The State of Massachusetts has not legalized marijuana for medicinal purposes.

According to court documents, on November 4, 2010, Phanthadeth and Souksavath were arrested in Utah following a traffic stop of their vehicle, which contained about 184 pounds of marijuana. Law enforcement officials then supervised the delivery of the marijuana to Merisier, Meca, and Pimentel in Roslindale, Mass., who paid about $66,000 in cash as partial payment for the total price—$570,400—of the marijuana. Law enforcement officers then executed multiple search warrants in locations in Fresno, Cedar City, Utah, and Roslindale, Mass., resulting in the seizure of approximately 4,620 live marijuana plants, approximately 3,563 pounds of processed marijuana, 11 firearms, a 2006 Dodge Charger, and $113,151 in cash.

Savongsy is the last defendant to be sentenced in this case. Phanthadeth was sentenced to five years in prison, Merisier and Pimentel were sentenced to two and a half years in prison, and Meca was sentenced to two years in prison.

This case is the product of an investigation by the DEA offices in Fresno, Salt Lake City, and Boston, and the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the FBI, California Department of Justice Central Valley Marijuana Investigation Team, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, Utah Highway Patrol, Boston Police Department, and North Attleboro Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Karen A. Escobar prosecuted the case.

Seeking Information on Three Explosions at Oklahoma Gas and Propane Business

2012-01-24T22:10:00.000-08:00

OKLAHOMA CITY—James E. Finch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI, Oklahoma City Division, announces that three explosions occurred this morning at the Anderson Gas and Propane Company located at the intersection of Highway 51 and Highway 59, Stilwell, Oklahoma.

Between the hours of 3:00 and 4:00 this morning, law enforcement received phone calls advising three separate explosions had taken place at the Anderson Gas and Propane Company in Stilwell, Oklahoma. At this time, law enforcement believes these explosions were intentional and not an accident. The explosions caused minor property damage. No injuries were reported.

Oklahoma City FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Stilwell Police Department, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and Adair County Sheriff’s Office are investigating.

Anyone with information regarding these explosions is urged to immediately contact the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI at (405) 290-7770 (24-hour number). You may remain anonymous.

Searching for Man Who Robbed First People’s Bank Branch in Knoxville

2012-01-24T22:06:00.001-08:00

The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Chief David Rausch of the Knoxville Police Department (KPD) are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the man who robbed a Knoxville bank today.

At approximately 2:20 p.m. today, the suspect entered the First People’s Bank located at 7100 Kingston Pike in Knoxville; brandished a dark-colored, semi-automatic handgun; and demanded money. Witnesses described the suspect as a white male, approximately 35 to 45 years old, approximately 5’8” to 5’10” tall, and weighing approximately 140 and 150 to pounds. The suspect was wearing a plain, black baseball hat; a black, zip-up style hoodie; blue jeans; and tennis shoes. The tennis shoes were possibly Nike brand, white background with dark-colored swoosh. After obtaining an undetermined amount of money, the suspect left the scene on foot headed West on Kingston Pike.

A reward is being offered for information which leads to the arrest of this individual. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 865-544-0751 or the KPD at 865-215-7212. This matter is being investigated jointly by the FBI, KPD, and KSCO, as part of the Safe Streets Task Force, and the KPD Major Crimes Unit.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bad Wig Bandit Dons Tacky Disguise

2012-01-24T20:53:00.000-08:00

The FBI Bank Robbery Task Force needs your help in identifying the man who donned a bad woman’s wig while robbing a Houston area bank earlier today. The robbery occurred at the Properity Bank, address 4065 Bellaire Boulevard in Houston, Texas. The man and his tacky disguise were captured in photographs taken by the bank’s security cameras.

At approximately 12:20 p.m., the man entered the bank and approached a teller. He verbally demanded money, then lifted his shirt to reveal a pistol secured in his waistband. The teller provided the man with some cash. He stuffed it in his pockets and fled the bank on foot. No one was physically hurt during the robbery.

The bank robber is described as a white male, mid 30s, 5’7” tall, 175-180 pounds, with a medium build and a medium complexion. He wore a black, long-haired woman’s wig during the robbery. He also wore jeans and a blue jean-colored sweatshirt with a zipper on the top.

Crime Stoppers of Houston is offering up to $5,000 for information leading to the charging and arrest of this robber, or any felony suspect. If you have information about this crime, please call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 713-222-TIPS (8477), or the Houston office of the FBI at 713-693-5000.

Four East Haven, Connecticut, Police Officers Charged with Civil Rights Offenses

2012-01-24T20:24:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that a federal grand jury sitting in Bridgeport, Conn., returned an indictment charging four East Haven Police officers with conspiring to violate, and violating, the civil rights of members of the East Haven community. This morning, Sergeant John Miller and Officers David Cari, Dennis Spaulding and Jason Zullo were arrested without incident. The indictment was unsealed today.

According to allegations contained in the indictment, from approximately 2007 through 2011, Miller, Cari, Spaulding and Zullo, while acting under color of law, conspired to injure, oppress, threaten and intimidate various members of the East Haven community in violation of their constitutional rights.

The indictment alleges that Miller and others maintained and perpetuated an environment in which the use of unreasonable force and unreasonable searches and seizures was tolerated and encouraged. It is alleged that Cari, Spaulding and Zullo engaged in unreasonable searches and seizures, including unlawful searches of premises and arrests of individuals without probable cause or based on false and misleading information, and that Miller, Spaulding, Zullo and another officer used unreasonable force during lawful and unlawful arrests.

It is alleged that this unreasonable force was used when victims were unarmed, neither resisting nor interfering with the police, but rather securely under the control of the police or otherwise cooperative. In some cases, the victims were handcuffed with their hands behind their backs when officers assaulted them. Some of the victims were particularly vulnerable because they were undocumented aliens or otherwise marginalized, having little perceived standing in the community, and thus unlikely to raise objection to the abuse.

The indictment further alleges that Spaulding and Zullo intimidated, harassed and humiliated members of the Latino community and their advocates. Spaulding and Zullo also allegedly conducted unreasonable and illegal searches at Latino-owned businesses, and Spaulding allegedly intimidated and harassed advocates who worked to defend the rights of members of the Latino community.

The indictment alleges more than 30 overt acts by the four defendants and others in furtherance of the conspiracy, including:

A July 2007 incident during which Miller and another officer used unreasonable force against a victim in the vicinity of the Saltonstall Parkway;

A November 2008 incident during which Spaulding used excessive force against an individual in the parking lot of a Latino-owned restaurant and bar. Spaulding then arrested the individual under false pretenses to cover-up the assault and prepared a false report to justify the false arrest;

A January 2009 incident in the same parking lot during which Spaulding and Zullo arrested three individuals under false pretenses and with Miller and Cari present. Zullo then used excessive force against two of the individuals in the EHPD station, and Spaulding prepared a false report to justify the arrests;

A February 2009 incident during which Spaulding, Cari and other officers illegally searched a vehicle parked outside of a Latino-owned grocery store. Inside the store, Cari and Spaulding, under Miller’s supervision, then arrested a religious leader, who is also an advocate for Latinos, on false pretenses. At Miller’s direction, Cari, Spaulding, Zullo and others conducted an illegal search of the back room of the store in an effort to unlawfully seize the store’s video recording equipment. In the days following the arrest, Cari drafted various false versions of an arrest report to cover up the false arrest of the religious leader. In the months following the incident, Spaulding engaged in behavior intended to intimidate the religious leader and others;

A January 2010 incident during which Miller used excessive force against an individual in the vicinity of Thompson Avenue, and then reprimanded a fellow officer who witnessed the assault and reported it to a supervisory sergeant;

Intimidation and harassment of East Haven Police Commissioners who were attempting to investigate the arrest of the religious leader and other alleged misconduct involving Miller;

Intimidation of EHPD personnel, including threatening statements about an EHPD officer who was believed to be cooperating in an investigation of EHPD.

Each of the four defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy against rights, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Miller, Spaulding and Zullo are also charged with one count of use of unreasonable force by a law enforcement officer, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Additionally, Spaulding is charged with two counts and Cari with one count of deprivation of rights for making arrests without probable cause. Each of these counts carries a maximum sentence of one year in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Finally, Spaulding is charged with two counts and Cari with one count of obstruction of a federal investigation for preparing false reports to justify the false arrests. Each count carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

An indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter is being investigated by the Civil Rights Squad of the FBI’s New York Field Office. New York FBI Special Operation teams, including its SWAT Team, assisted with today’s arrests. Deputy U.S. Attorney Deirdre M. Daly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Krishna R. Patel are prosecuting the case with assistance from the Criminal Section of the Civil Rights Division.

Three Houston Men Get Lengthy Sentences for Baytown Bank Robbery

2012-01-24T20:19:00.000-08:00

HOUSTON—Jose Matilde Quintanilla, 27, Paul Glenn Ballard, 52, and Carl Edward Malone, 50, have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the armed bank robbery of Community Bank in Baytown, Texas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal sentenced Quintanilla, Malone, and Ballard to 151, 121, and 120 months in prison, respectively, less than an hour ago.

Quintanilla, Ballard, and Malone pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery on July 27, 2011, admitting that they were responsible for the robbery of the Community Bank on Highway 146 in Baytown, a federally insured institution.

At time of their guilty pleas, the men admitted they entered the bank together at approximately noon on June 7, 2010, wearing dark clothing. Ballard, brandishing a gun in his hand, ordered everyone to the ground, while Quintanilla, wearing a blue bandana around his face, restrained the employees with a “zip tie” or “flex cuff.” The suspects took the money from the teller drawers and placed some of it into a lunch box-type container they brought with them into the bank. They also used a clear plastic bag from inside the bank in which they put the rest of the money.

The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and Baytown Police Department (BPD), who responded to the scene of the robbery, were notified by police dispatchers almost immediately following the bank robbery that they had received information the suspects were heading west on Interstate 10 through the city of Baytown. In response, BPD ordered officers to stop all west bound traffic on Interstate 10. Shortly thereafter, a BPD officer saw an older model Dodge Intrepid with dark tinted windows matching the description of the bank robbers’ getaway vehicle stopped on the interstate. The officer observed a large amount of money in a clear plastic bag and ordered the occupants—Quintanilla, Ballard, and Malone—out of the car and were taken into custody. A further search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery and seizure of a loaded 9 mm Hi Point semiautomatic pistol, a lunch box type container filled with currency, numerous checks and a number of items of dark clothing including a blue bandana.

The three men have been in custody since their arrest where they will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the FBI, CCSO, and BPD. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case.

A Byte Out of History - 1930s Gangsters

2012-01-24T20:18:00.000-08:00

Closing in on the Barker/Karpis Gang

In January 1935—77 years ago this month—more than a dozen Bureau agents surrounded a quaint two-story home on Lake Weir, Florida. Within moments, a fierce shoot-out erupted. It didn’t go well for the heavily armed criminals inside.

For the Bureau of Investigation—just six months away from being renamed the FBI—the firefight was a continuation of a busy year of battling gangsters. In 1934, notorious public enemies like John Dillinger, “Pretty Boy” Floyd, and “Baby Face” Nelson had fallen at the hands of Bureau agents. Heading into 1935, the top priority was to put a dangerous gang—led by the wily Alvin “Creepy” Karpis and a pair of Barker brothers—out of business.

The gang got the Bureau’s attention through two high-profile kidnappings. The second targeted a wealthy banker named Edward George Bremer, Jr., who was snatched in St. Paul, Minnesota on January 17, 1934. Bremer was released three weeks later after his family paid $200,000 in ransom. Although he couldn’t identify the culprits, Bremer provided many clues. A key break came when the fingerprint of Arthur “Doc” or “Dock” Barker, a known criminal, turned up on an empty gas can found by a local police officer along the kidnapping route. Soon, a number of Barker’s confederates—including his brother Fred, Karpis, Harry Campbell, Fred Goetz, Russell Gibson, Volney Davis, and others—were linked to the crime.

The hunt was on, but the gang had a head start. They had split up and begun crisscrossing the country—with some even fleeing to Cuba. Three went as far as to undergo back-room plastic surgeries to conceal their fingerprints and identities. Others passed the ransom loot back and forth and looked for ways to launder the bills.

In late September, Fred Barker and Campbell registered under fake names at the El Commodore Hotel in Miami. Joining them was Fred’s mother—Kate “Ma” Barker, who was known to help her criminal sons. When Fred asked for a quiet place to live, the hotel manager told him of a friend’s cottage for rent on the nearby Lake Weir. The Barkers moved there in November.

In December, Doc Barker was tracked by Bureau investigators to a home in Chicago. On January 8, Doc was arrested without incident. Later that night, several associates of Russell Gibson were also apprehended. Heavily armed and wearing a bullet-proof vest, Gibson tried to fight it out but was mortally wounded. Searching the apartment, agents found powerful firearms and loads of ammunition. And, tellingly, a map of Florida—with Lake Weir circled. Agents soon located the cottage hideout.

Shortly after 5 a.m. on January 16, 1935, a group of agents led by Earl Connelly surrounded the house and demanded the Barkers’ surrender. No response. They waited 15 minutes and called again. Again, no answer. Following another call for surrender and more silence, agents shot some tear gas grenades at the windows of the house. Someone in the house shouted, “All right, go ahead,” then machine-gun fire blasted from the upstairs window.

The agents responded with volleys of their own; more gunfire erupted from the house. Over the next hour, intermittent shots came from the home, and agents returned fire. By 10:30 a.m., all firing had stopped. Both Ma and Fred, it was soon learned, were dead.

The Barkers were history, but the cunning Karpis was still on the loose. How we caught up with him is another story that we’ll tell in the coming months.

The Bremer Investigation

A total of 25 individuals were convicted in connection with the Edward Bremer kidnapping, including seven who harbored members of the Barker/Karpis gang. Six of those convicted received life sentences, and three were killed resisting arrest, including Russell Gibson, Fred Barker (above), and Kate “Ma” Barker.

Gang Member Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison and Ordered to Pay $14,000 in Restitution

2012-01-23T22:09:00.001-08:00

United States Attorney Deborah R. Gilg announced that Jose Espinoza, 33, of Omaha and Grand Island, Nebraska, was sentenced on January 19, 2012, to 27 years in prison by the Honorable United States District Judge Richard G. Kopf, for distributing more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine and transferring a firearm to a felon. In addition to his prison term, Espinoza will serve five years of supervised release following his release from prison, and he was ordered to pay $14,000 in restitution to the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force.

Espinoza was one of the 14 people arrested in the Grand Island area on November 18, 2010, in a multi-agency gang related investigation. On a few occasions between February and September of 2010, Espinoza sold methamphetamine and a firearm to a government informant. Espinoza entered a guilty plea on July 25, 2011.

While numerous agencies assisted with the arrests of the 14 defendants and executing various search warrants on November 18, 2010, the principal agencies involved in the investigation were the Central Nebraska Drug and Safe Streets Task Force and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Twelve Arrested in Buffalo Narcotics Roundup

2012-01-23T22:08:00.001-08:00

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that 10 people have been charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine and cocaine.

Under arrest are DeWayne Gray, Jr., 27; Justin P. Cotton, 21; John P. Evans, 28; Shirley A. Covington, 27; Philip T. Brown, 19; John K. Hayward, 28; Joseph A. Martin, 24; Dijaon M. Bland, 22; Demario Devon Nance, 29; and Alexis L. Mills, 29, all of Buffalo. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine.

Also arrested are Dayshawn Brazier, 20; Erika Gray, 30; and Kiara MacNamee, 20, all of Buffalo.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys George C. Burgasser and Charles B. Wydysh, who are handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, the defendants sold crack cocaine and cocaine throughout the Buffalo area between July 2011 and January 2012. Some of those arrested are alleged to be members of the LRGP Gang.

“Today’s law enforcement operation is just the latest example of the commitment of this office to target gangs or those who would engage in organized criminal activity in our region,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “Let this and the successful prosecution of other such cases serve as yet another indication of our commitment to identify and remove from our streets any who would seek to harm the citizens of this community.”

The criminal complaint is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota. The task force includes members of the Buffalo Police Department, Amherst Police, Cheektowaga Police, Hamburg Police, the Erie County Sheriff’s Department, the Erie County Probation Department, NYS Police, NYS Parole, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigation. Additional assistance was provided by Tonawanda Police, Lewiston Police, the Niagara County Sheriff’s Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the United States Marshals Service and United States Probation. U.S. Attorney Hochul also thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys JP Kennedy and Joseph Guerra for their work on the case.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Two Convicted on Armed Carjacking and Robbery Charges

2012-01-23T22:07:00.000-08:00

Joyce White Vance, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama, and Patrick J. Maley, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that a jury returned a guilty verdict against ERNEST LASHAWN STARKS, 27, of Huntsville, Alabama, and CAMERON RASHUN BYRD, 19, of Birmingham, Alabama, on charges of carjacking and using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. The trial, which began on January 16, 2012, was presided over by District Court Judge Karon O. Bowdre. Both men were convicted of carjacking. STARKS was convicted of one of the additional firearms charges, and BYRD was convicted of two additional firearms charges.

Evidence presented during the trial established that on May 11, 2011, STARKS and BYRD carjacked a victim’s vehicle from the parking lot of Liquor Express located on University Drive in Huntsville. BYRD forced the victim to drive the vehicle away while holding a gun to his head from the backseat. BYRD and STARKS threatened the life of the victim while brandishing firearms. On the same evening, STARKS drove BYRD and others in a different vehicle to the Victory Food Mart on Pulaski Pike in Huntsville, where BYRD used the handgun to commit a robbery by holding the gun to the cashier’s head while he emptied the register.

Thomas Omar FLOWERS, 19, of Brundage, Alabama, who also participated in the carjacking and the robbery of the Victory Food Mart, pled on January 20, 2010 to the carjacking before District Judge C. Lynwood Smith, Jr. On January 12, 2012. All three defendants were arrested on the night of the carjacking and robbery.

According to United States Attorney Vance, “These were two extremely dangerous and violent crimes. The investigation and prosecution shows how cooperation between federal and local law enforcement agencies leads to swift and sure justice.”

“I want to thank the Huntsville Police Department and the agents involved in this matter for their diligent efforts in bringing these dangerous criminals to justice.” Patrick J. Maley, FBI Special Agent in Charge

The crime of carjacking carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. The crime of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. BYRD’s second conviction for the crime of using, carrying, or brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison and the same fine.

BYRD’s and STARKS’s sentencing hearings have been set before Judge Bowdre on April 26, 2012. FLOWERS’ sentencing hearing has not yet been set.

This case was investigated by special agents of the FBI and officers of the Huntsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Terence M. O’Rourke and Russell E. Penfield prosecuted the case for the government.

Dangerous Felon Arrested, Sentenced to Prison

2012-01-23T17:00:00.000-08:00

Tucson, Ariz. – A 20-year-old Mexican male from Iguala, Guerrero, Mexico, apprehended by Tucson Station Border Patrol agents in May 2011, was sentenced Jan. 6, 2012 to 37 months in prison.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Israel Toyayo-Morales following his May apprehension for attempting to illegally re-enter the United States. During processing at the Tucson Station, the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System revealed that Toyayo-Morales was convicted in 2010 in Illinois for attempted first degree murder and aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. He was sentenced to two years in prison on each count. Record checks also revealed he was removed from the U.S. through Hidalgo, Texas.

Following initial processing, the Border Patrol submitted Toyayo-Morales’ case to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for re-entry of a felon. He will be formally removed from the U.S. following his 37-month incarceration and is now banned for life from all legalization processes.

All illegal immigrants apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using IAFIS. This vital tool accesses criminal records throughout the United States, thereby assisting agents to quickly identify violent criminals and wanted persons.

In January 2011, the Tucson Sector Border Patrol enhanced the Consequence Delivery System as an integral component of its enforcement strategy. CDS centers on delivering a targeted consequence to illegal immigrants, disrupting the smuggling cycle, and ensuring consequences are upheld to the full extent of the law.

Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity and remain anonymous by calling the Border Patrol at (877) 872-7435 toll free.

Carlsbad Man Arrested in “Dying Son Bandit” Bank Robbery Investigation

2012-01-23T16:57:00.000-08:00

Keith Slotter, Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego FBI Office, announces the arrest of Steven Craig Hart, age 49, of Carlsbad, California, on bank robbery charges. Hart was arrested as a result of a multi-jurisdictional investigation conducted in the “Dying Son Bandit” bank robbery investigation.

Hart was arrested on Saturday, January 21, 2012, at approximately 12:30 a.m. at his Carlsbad residence, without incident. Hart self-surrendered after the Carlsbad Police Department SWAT team surrounded his residence. Hart was called out of his residence, at which time he was taken into custody by Carlsbad police officers, San Diego County sheriff’s deputies, and FBI agents. Hart’s residence was subsequently searched pursuant to a court authorized search warrant. Items of evidence authorized pursuant to the search warrant were seized in support of the ongoing investigation. Investigators credit a recent tip from the public that led to Hart’s arrest.

Hart was subsequently booked into the Vista Detention Center, 325 South Melrose Drive, Vista, California. Hart will remain in custody at the Vista Detention Center pending his arraignment in State Superior Court.

The “Dying Son Bandit” bank robbery series involves seven completed bank robberies and three attempted robberies. Below is a list of robberies in this series. Robberies with an asterisk denote an attempted robbery.

■November 14, 2011 Navy Federal Credit Union, 1824 Marron Road, Carlsbad, CA

■December 16, 2011 California Bank and Trust, 135 Saxony Road, Encinitas, CA
■*December 31, 2011 Citibank, 4120 Oceanside Boulevard, Oceanside, CA
■December 31, 2011 Bank of America, 4150 Oceanside Boulevard, Oceanside, CA
■January 5, 2012 U.S. Bank, 33621 Del Obispo, Dana Point, CA
■*January 5, 2012 Citibank, 23652 El Toro Road, Laguna Hills, CA
■*January 6, 2012 Comerica Bank, 110 South El Camino Real, Encinitas, CA
■January 6, 2012 Citibank, 740 South Rancho Santa Fe, San Marcos, CA
■January 13, 2012 Wells Fargo Bank, 10707 Camino Cruz, San Diego, CA
■January 20, 2012 Citibank, 24221 Calle De La Louisa, Laguna Hills, CA

This series was dubbed the “Dying Son Bandit” series because the robber told victim tellers that he had a dying son and needed money for his son. The robber also told the tellers that he was armed with a gun and threatened to shoot them if they did not comply with his demands for money. Investigation to date has determined that references to a dying son are false.

Investigation in this matter involved officers and deputies from the following agencies: Carlsbad Police Department, San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, Oceanside Police Department, Orange County Sheriff’s Department, San Diego Police Department, and FBI agents from the Los Angeles and San Diego Offices.

Anyone with information concerning the “Dying Son Bandit” bank robbery series is asked to contact the FBI at telephone number (858) 565-1255, or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

An arrest is not absolute proof that the defendant committed the crimes charged. The government still has the responsibility to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Eagle Pass Border Patrol Agents Capture Man Wanted for Capital Murder

2012-01-23T16:39:00.000-08:00

Del Rio, Texas – On Saturday afternoon, U.S. Border Patrol agents, patrolling a rural highway near Eagle Pass, detained a Mexican national who was found to be in the country illegally.

During processing at Eagle Pass North Station, a check of government databases revealed that the subject, Francisco Arazate-Avalos, 36, was wanted in Harris County on an active warrant for capital murder.

Arazate-Avalos was transferred to the Val Verde County Jail pending extradition to Harris County.

Superseding Indictment Returned by Federal Grand Jury Against Fairbanks-Area Men for Conspiracy to Kill Federal Officers

2012-01-23T16:37:00.000-08:00

ANCHORAGE—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced today, January 23, 2012, that a federal grand jury in Anchorage has returned a superseding indictment against three Fairbanks area residents charging them with additional federal offenses, including conspiracy to kill federal officers and employees.

Named as defendants in the superseding indictment are Fairbanks area residents Francis Schaffer Cox, age 27, Coleman L. Barney, age 36, and Lonnie G. Vernon, age 57. Each of these defendants had previously been charged in an earlier indictment with participating in a conspiracy to receive and possess unregistered prohibited weapons, including hand grenades and firearms silencers. In addition, Cox had previously been charged with possessing unregistered illegal weapons, including a machine gun and a silencer, and with unlawfully making a silencer. Both Cox and Barney had also earlier been charged with possessing illegal hand grenades and other destructive devices, and with carrying firearms during a crime of violence.

The superseding indictment returned by the grand jury includes all of the previous charges, and includes the additional charge against all three defendants for conspiracy to kill federal officers and employees. In addition, Cox is charged with soliciting Barney and Vernon to murder federal officers. Finally, Cox , Barney and Vernon are all charged with additional counts involving the carrying of firearms during a crime of violence. In addition to these charges, the indictment includes criminal forfeiture allegations relating to several seized firearms, silencers, and destructive devices.

All of the defendants are presently in custody and are awaiting trial. A trial in the case is presently set for February 6, 2012, in Anchorage.

Assistant United States Attorneys Steven Skrocki, Yvonne Lamoureux, and Joseph Bottini, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a sentence of up to life in prison. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The FBI, ATF, the United States Marshals Service, the Alaska State Troopers, and the Fairbanks Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case. An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Philadelphia Man Convicted for Role in Violent Home Invasion Robberies of Business Owners in Four States

2012-01-23T16:33:00.000-08:00

Six Co-Defendants Have Pleaded Guilty

WASHINGTON – A Philadelphia man has been convicted for his participation in a conspiracy to commit violent home invasion robberies of successful Asian business owners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Zane David Memeger of the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and George Venizelos, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Philadelphia Division.

After a four-day trial, a federal jury in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania found Tahn Le, 44, guilty on Jan. 20, 2012, of conspiracy to interfere with interstate commerce through multiple home invasion robberies and related firearms violations. To date, six co-defendants have pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy: Teo Van Bui, Buu Huu Truong, Thach Van Nguyen, Den Van Nguyen, Denise Novelli and Sidney Biggs.

According to evidence presented at trial, Le and his co-defendants targeted successful Asian business owners in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland and Virginia for home invasion robberies because they believed that the business owners stored significant amounts of business proceeds in their homes. In carrying out the robberies, the defendants brandished handguns, tied up and in some instances beat their victims, and stole business proceeds as well as expensive jewelry.

Le faces a maximum possible sentence of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing hearings for him and his co-defendants are scheduled for April 2012.

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys John S. Han and Robert Livermore of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section.

The case was investigated by the FBI; the Poconos Township, Penn., Police Department; the Freehold Borough, N.J., Police Department; the Monroe Township, N.J., Police Department; and the Fairfax County, Va., Police Department. Additional assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

ATF Offers $5,000 Reward for Information on Shooting of Macomb County Correctional Officer

2012-01-23T14:10:00.000-08:00

DETROIT – The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of individual (s) responsible for the homicide of Macomb County Correctional Officer, Clarence Hammond, said David McCain, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the ATF Detroit Field Division

On Jan. 14, at approximately midnight Macomb County Correctional Officer Clarence Hammond was fatally shot in the parking lot of his apartment complex, 31597 Harlo St., Madison Heights, Mich. According to witnesses Hammond was approached in an apparent robbery attempt, then struck with a firearm and shot once in the head. None of Hammond’s belongings were taken in this crime. A gray mini-van was identified as a possible vehicle at the scene. At the time of the shooting, Hammond was wearing his Michigan Department of Corrections uniform.

In addition to the ATF reward, the Michigan Corrections Organization is offering $5,000 and Crime Stoppers is offering $3,500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual (s) responsible for the homicide, bringing the total reward to $13,500.

“This cowardly act of violence against a law enforcement officer or any person in our community will not be tolerated,” said McCain. “This heinous act coupled with an armed suspect still at large precipitated our offer of assistance to the Madison Heights Police Department.”

ATF, the Madison Heights Police Department and Crime Stoppers are asking for the public’s assistance in bringing the person or persons responsible for this crime to justice. Anyone with information is encouraged to call ATF at 1-800 ATF-GUNS (1-800- 283-4867), the Madison Heights Police Department at 248- 585-2100, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-SPEAKUP (1 800- 773-2587)

This is a joint investigation between ATF and the Madison Heights Police Department.

ATF is the federal law enforcement agency at the frontline combating violent crime with jurisdiction for investigating firearms related crimes and violent crimes. More information on ATF and its programs can be found at ATF.gov. Follow ATF on Twitter at Twitter.com/ATFHQ.

Five Members of the MS-13 Street Gang Indicted for Murder, Conspiracy, Assault, and Armed Robbery

2012-01-23T14:07:00.000-08:00

Charges Include the November 2009 Murder of 15-Year-Old Christopher Hamilton and the August 2010 Obstruction of Justice Murder of Rigoberto Gomez

EARLIER TODAY, A —count indictment was unsealed at the U.S. Courthouse in Central Islip, New York, charging five members of La Mara Salvatrucha street gang (the MS-13) with murder in aid of racketeering, assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, armed robberies, firearms offenses, and related conspiracy charges.1 Two of the defendants, Jose Alvarenga, also known as “Fosforo,” and Hector Torres, also known as “Smiley,” are charged with the murder of 15-year-old Christopher Hamilton in 2009, and the murder of Rigoberto Gomez in 2010, both in Brentwood, New York. All five defendants are in custody. Alvarenga and Torres will be arraigned later today before United States District Judge Joseph F. Bianco, and the other three defendants will be arraigned later this week. When Torres was arrested, law enforcement authorities recovered a defaced 9mm semi-automatic handgun, 9mm ammunition, .22 caliber ammunition and 12 gauge shotgun shells.

The charges were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Edward Webber, Acting Commissioner of the Suffolk County Police Department.

As detailed in the indictment and the government’s detention letter filed earlier today, on November 20, 2009, Alvarenga, the leader of the Brentwood Locos Salvatruchas (BLS) clique of MS-13, ordered several MS-13 gang members to attack suspected rival gang members at a house party on American Boulevard in Brentwood. After arming the MS-13 members with a .22 caliber rifle and a semi-automatic handgun from the BLS clique’s arsenal, Alvarenga led them the American Boulevard house. Minutes after arriving, at least three rifle shots were fired by gang members into a crowd of people outside the house—one of them striking Christopher Hamilton in the temple, killing him. Alvarenga is the fifth MS-13 member involved in the Hamilton murder to be charged federally, including the shooter who was a juvenile at the time of the murder and whose case remains under seal.

The indictment and detention letter also allege that in August 2010, members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13 suspected that MS-13 member Rigoberto Gomez was cooperating with local law enforcement. As a result, the Sailors put a “green light” on Gomez, authorizing other MS-13 members to kill Gomez on sight. In the early morning hours of August 31, 2010, defendant Hector Torres, then second in command of the BLS clique, together with a Sailors clique member, who has also been charged federally, spotted Gomez as they drove through Brentwood. They lured Gomez into the car, inviting him to smoke marijuana with them at the nearby Freeman Avenue Park. After exiting the car, Torres stepped behind Gomez and fired a bullet from a .357 caliber revolver into the back of Gomez’s head, and fired a second shot into Gomez’s head after the victim fell to the ground. Torres then handed the gun to the other MS-13 member, who fired a third shot into Gomez’s head.

The indictment also charges Alvarenga and Francisco Ponce, also known as “Spoiler,” with a non-fatal shooting that took place on July 24, 2008, in Timberline Park in Brentwood; Ponce, Freddy Fuentes-Gonzalez, also known as “Pitufo,” and Joyser Velasquez, also known as “Baby Boy,” with the February 15, 2009, conspiracy and armed robbery of the Pollo Campero restaurant in Lindenhurst, New York; Ponce and Velasquez with the December 19, 2009, conspiracy and armed robbery of the Wilson Express Corp., a check-cashing and money transfer business in Patchogue, New York; and Velasquez with a January 20, 2010, conspiracy to rob a McDonald’s restaurant in Smithtown, New York.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. In addition, Alvarenga and Torres, who are charged with the Hamilton and Gomez murders, respectively, each face mandatory life in prison, or the death penalty.

“The MS-13 thrives on violence—violence directed at suspected rivals, as in the Hamilton murder and Timberline Park shooting, violence against its own members, as demonstrated in the Gomez murder, and violence directed at innocent, hard-working Long Islanders, as demonstrated in the armed robberies charged in this indictment,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “Today we mark the latest product of the tenacious investigations conducted by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office for its assistance in this case.

FBI Assistant Director in Charge Fedarcyk stated, “The indictment illustrates two ongoing themes. MS-13 continues to use violence, including cold-blooded murder, to intimidate rivals and enforce discipline within its own ranks. Charges include the point-blank execution of an MS-13 member suspected of cooperating. And, the FBI and the Long Island Gang Task Force will continue to make cases and arrest MS-13 leaders and members.”

“Gangs are like a cancer on our communities, and unless we deal with them directly, effectively and immediately they will continue to grow,” said Suffolk County Police Department Acting Commissioner Webber. “We will steadfastly work with our local and federal law enforcement partners to put an end to their violent criminal acts.”

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John J. Durham and Raymond A. Tierney.

The charges announced today are the latest in a series of indictments by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York against members of the MS-13, a violent international street gang. Over the past decade, more than 150 MS-13 members, including the leaders of a number of the MS-13 cliques on Long Island, have been arrested and convicted on federal felony charges in this district, including federal racketeering and murder charges. These prosecutions are the result of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, comprising agents and officers of the FBI, Suffolk County Police Department, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and the Suffolk County Probation Department.

The Defendants:

JOSE ALVARENGA (a/k/a “Fosforo”) Age: 22
FREDDY FUENTES-GONZALEZ (a/k/a “Pitufo”) Age: 28
FRANCISCO PONCE (a/k/a “Spoiler”) Age: 29
HECTOR TORRES (a/k/a “Smiley”) Age: 20
JOYSER VELASQUEZ (a/k/a “Baby Boy”) Age: 27

1 The charges contained in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

(VIDEO) $100,000 Reward for Fugitive Robert William Fisher

2012-01-23T14:03:00.000-08:00

Robert William Fisher is wanted for allegedly killing his wife and two young children and then blowing up the house in which they all lived in Scottsdale, Arizona in April of 2001.

Fisher is physically fit and is an avid outdoorsman, hunter, and fisherman. He has a noticeable gold crown on his upper left first bicuspid tooth. He may walk with an exaggerated erect posture and his chest pushed out due to a lower back injury. Fisher is known to chew tobacco heavily. He has ties to New Mexico and Florida. Fisher is believed to be in possession of several weapons, including a high-powered rifle.

An undated video shows him walking with a small child. Fisher has been on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list since 2002, and the FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading directly to his arrest.

Seeking Fugitive Bank Robber

2012-01-23T10:34:00.001-08:00

Last Seen in Kendall

Cedrick Deon Swasey is wanted for his alleged involvement in the armed robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank at 1901 Alton Road in Miami Beach, Florida, on September 21, 2011.

He was last seen this morning, January 20, 2012, in Kendall, Dade County, Florida, driving what appeared to be a gray four-door Kia (no tag number available).

Swasey is approximately 6’2” tall and weighs approximately 240 lbs. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

The FBI continues to seek other suspects and persons of interest in connection with this crime. Anyone with information should call the FBI in Miami at (305) 944-9101 or Crimestoppers.

Guilty Pleas in Four Block Gang Indictment

2012-01-21T19:31:00.001-08:00

ALBANY, NY—United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian announced that on January 19, 2012, Curtis Perkins, 24, and Jose Serrano, 21, both of Schenectady, pled guilty to conspiracy to violate the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act before United States District Court Judge David N Hurd. They face up to 20 years in federal prison when sentenced by Judge Hurd in Utica, New York on June 22, 2012.

Perkins and Serrano were indicted in May, 2011 with 17 others for the crime of conspiracy to violate the RICO Act, which charged the defendants with being members and associates of a criminal organization in Schenectady, New York, known as the “Four Block Gang,” whose members and associates engaged in acts involving attempted murder, travel in interstate commerce in furtherance of racketeering activity, and drug trafficking. Thomas Caldwell, Shaquan Hayes, and Philip Moore have previously entered guilty pleas to this charge.

Charges are pending against the remaining 14 defendants and trial is scheduled for March 12, 2012 in Utica.

Contact:

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Storch at (518) 431-0247
Assistant U.S. Attorney Terrence Kelly at (518) 431-0247

Two Charged in Kansas City, Kansas Bank Robbery

2012-01-21T19:29:00.001-08:00

KANSAS CITY, KS—Two Kansas City, Kan., residents have been charged with bank robbery, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Jason Ham, 21, Kansas City, Kan., and Holly Lindsey, 29, Kansas City, Kan., were charged with one count of bank robbery .

Ham and Lindsey were charged in a criminal complaint filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. An agent’s affidavit alleges that on Jan. 17, 2012, Ham robbed Bank Midwest, 4600 Shawnee Drive in Kansas City, Kan., while Lindsey waited in a car. Ham gave the teller a note saying, “This is a robbery. Give me everything.” He left the bank and drove away with Lindsey.

Police got a tag number of the getaway vehicle from a witness and used it to locate Ham and Lindsey. They were found at the home of Ham’s mother in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon Patton is prosecuting.

Latest Billboard Campaign Leads to the Arrest of Serial Bank Robber Dubbed the “Ball Cap Bandit”

2012-01-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

At approximately 7:45 this morning, William Steven Curtis, age 40, of Knoxville, Tennessee, was arrested without incident, by members of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), the Knoxville Police Department, and Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Curtis is facing federal bank robbery charges for three bank robberies, including the robbery of the Home Federal Bank in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, on 08/24/2011; the TN Bank of Oak Ridge in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, on 11/14/2011; and the Tennessee State Bank in Jefferson City, Tennessee, on 01/04/2012.

The matter was a joint investigation of the Knoxville FBI- SSTF, the Jefferson City Police Department, the Oak Ridge Police Department, and the Pigeon Forge Police Department.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.