Former Security Guard Sentenced to Prison for Making Hoax Bomb Threats to Secaucus, New Jersey NBA Office

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NEWARK, NJ—A private security guard contracted by NBA Properties, Inc. (NBA Properties), an affiliate of the National Basketball Association (NBA), was sentenced today to six months in prison and six months of home detention with electronic monitoring for making several hoax bomb threats to a Secaucus, N.J., NBA Properties office, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

José Quesada, 20, of Elizabeth, N.J., previously pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with knowingly providing false information indicating that malicious damage by means of an explosive would take place. The defendant—who had been hired to provide office security for the building—entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge José L. Linares, who also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to the Information to which Quesada pleaded guilty and statements made in Newark federal court:

Quesada made several calls to the NBA Properties office from his cell phone over a twoday period beginning July 26, 2010, leaving multiple voice-mail messages saying that he was going to blow up the building and kill people. In one July 26 call, Quesada stated: “. . . I put a bomb outside. . . Gonna kill all the NBA. . . . There’s a bomb outside the complex in the parking lot. I put a bomb outside in the bush. No way out. Gonna blow up at 9:00 o’clock in the morning. Good luck. . . If you come out, it will blow up . . . ”

Due to Quesada’s actions, the building was evacuated while law enforcement and K-9 units searched the area for hours. No explosive devices were discovered. Additional security measures were put in place following the threats.

In addition to the prison term and home detention, Judge Linares sentenced the defendant to serve five years of supervised release.

U.S. Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, and the Secaucus Police Department with the investigation. He also praised the Hudson County and Secaucus Offices of Emergency Management for their response to the threat.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce M. Malliet of the U.S. Attorney’s Office National Security Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Donald J. McCauley Esq., Newark

Seeking the Public’s Assistance in Locating Javaris Crittenton

ATLANTA—Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Brian D. Lamkin, in conjunction with Assistant Director in Charge Steven M. Martinez, Los Angeles FBI, requests the public’s assistance in the following matter:

Javaris Crittenton, age 23, of Fayetteville, Georgia, is wanted by the Atlanta Police Department on murder charges stemming from the August 19, 2011 fatal shooting of 22 year old Julian Jones. On that date, officers responding to a shooting found Ms. Jones with multiple gunshot wounds. She was transported to a nearby hospital where she was pronounced dead. Witnesses in the matter stated that a dark colored SUV vehicle drove by the location firing an assault type rifle.

Crittenton, a former National Basketball Association (NBA) player, is believed to have traveled to the Los Angeles, California area where he is known to have family and friends. Investigators learned that on August 24th, Crittenton purchased and traveled on a one way airline ticket to Los Angeles.

On Monday, August 29, 2011, the Atlanta Office FBI obtained a federal Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution (UFAP) arrest warrant for Crittenton.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of this individual should contact their local law enforcement agency, the Atlanta FBI Office, tel. (404) 679-9000, or the Los Angeles FBI Office, tel. (310) 477-6565.

World Cup Biathlon Concludes in Maine

CBP and Partners Keep Border, Athletes and Spectators Safe

Fort Kent, Maine - Today, Customs and Border Protection officers and agents at the Fort Kent Port of Entry, Van Buren Border Patrol Station and Houlton Air Branch thank their partners on both sides of the border for their assistance with logistics and border security during the World Cup Biathlon which was held in Fort Kent Feb. 10-13.

The World Cup Biathlon was compared to the followership of the Super Bowl and was expected to have more than 120 million spectators viewing events from Europe. With also 300 athletes, coaches and support staff from 22 nations around the world, and thousands of spectators focusing their attention to the physical and mentally demanding endurance sport of marksmanship and cross-country ski racing, it was up to CBP and their partners to ensure the safety of the participants and the spectators and secure the border during this high profile event.

CBP officer working with Canadian officials in Clair, New Brunswick, Canada aligning parade participants and checking for proper documentation for participation in the International Lights Parade.

Over the last couple of months, CBP worked with their local, state, federal and international partners with logistics and border security as they prepared for increased cross-border activity due to the events of the World Cup Biathlon and the International Lights Parade.

Agents and officers maintained high visibility during the four-day operation, in an effort to deter illegal cross-border activity and prevent any potential acts of terrorism. To assist CBP with border security, law enforcement agencies in Canada conducted enhanced patrol and worked with U.S. agencies with timely intelligence which greatly enhanced the effectiveness of border security during this high profile event.

Enhanced land and frozen water boundary line watch operations were conducted by agents from the Van Buren Border Patrol Station, Houlton Office Homeland Security Investigations, constables from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Integrated Border Enforcement Team Division (U.S. and Canada law enforcement agencies), CBP officers from Fort Kent, Madawaska and Van Buren ports of entries, as well as their Canada Border Services Agency counterparts. Aerial support and surveillance was conducted by agents from the Houlton Air Branch.

CBP officers in the Fort Kent area also worked with the World Cup committee and law enforcement agencies on both sides of the border, implementing a vetting procedure for participants involved with the International parade. Pre-vetting included filling out an application form with a digital photo, and having a passport or WHTI-compliant document. Once the pre-vetting process was completed, participants were given a float number and passes. This assisted the CBP officer’s inspection process, allowing the participants to cross the international border seamlessly during the parade. On the day of the event, CBP officers were allowed to enter Canada to work with their Canadian partners to ensure each float met the height and width requirements to traverse the Port’s inspection processing equipment and participant had the necessary documentation for the parade.

The International Lights Parade, which took place on Feb. 11, joined two countries for one spectacular event. With 72 floats and approximately 600 participants, the parade started in Clair, New Brunswick, Canada, with participants then walking across the International Bridge, spanning the St. John River, and through Fort Kent, Maine.

To kick off the parade, Maine’s CBP Honor Guard Unit walked to the center of the bridge with Maine Governor Paul LePage and his wife, from the U.S. side, to the boundary line to meet with Canadian officials. Once at the boundary line, the CBP Honor Guard rendered salute to the Canadian flag, performing a pinwheel about face and took over the lead of the parade, leading participants into the United States. CBP Field Operations and Border Patrol each had a lead vehicle and an end of parade vehicle. Both Canada and the United States took turns with a fireworks display at the conclusion of the parade. Also in attendance was celebrity Scottie Pippen, former NBA player and Basketball Hall of Fame inductee.

Officers also increased manpower to assist with higher than normal cross-border traffic. CBP officers from Van Buren and Madawaska assisted with security and crowd control during the International Lights Parade at the port of entry and in town.

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.