Lake in the Hills Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Acquiring and Possessing Deadly Neurotoxin

ROCKFORD—A former Lake in the Hills man, Edward F. Bachner, IV, was sentenced today to serve seven years and eight months in federal prison for one count of wire fraud and one count of possession of a neurotoxin, Tetrodotoxin (TTX), with the intent to use it as a weapon. Bachner pleaded guilty on August 2, 2011, to engaging in a scheme to obtain money from insurance companies, admitting that he fraudulently purchased a $20 million life insurance policy on an unnamed individual. Bachner planned to profit from the death of the individual by collecting the life insurance proceeds. In addition, Bachner also admitted to posing as “Dr. Edmund Backer” and obtaining TTX, the deadly neurotoxin, in order to use it as a weapon.

Bachner, 39, was ordered to serve the 92-month sentence by U.S. District Judge Frederick Kapala in federal court in Rockford. Bachner as also ordered to serve 64 months’ imprisonment on one count of filing a false tax claim, with the sentences to be served concurrently. Judge Kapala also ordered Bachner to pay restitution of $512,396 to the United States Treasury Department.

The sentence was announced today by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William C. Monroe, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Thomas Jankowski, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division.

Bachner has remained in federal custody since he was arrested on June 30, 2008.

He was indicted in August 2008 for unlawfully acquiring and possessing Tetrodotoxin to use as a weapon on five separate occasions between November 7, 2006, and June 30, 2008, and possessing TTX in a quantity that was not reasonably justified by a prophylactic, protective, bona fide research or other peaceful purpose. According to court documents, Tetrodotoxin is a neurotoxin that has no known antidote and can only be treated with supportive therapy in an attempt to lessen the severity of the symptoms. Tetrodotoxin is naturally found in certain animal species, including puffer fish, and consumption of these animals can result in natural poisoning.

Dependent largely upon the amount of poisoning, Tetrodotoxin has a historical fatality rate of 50-60 percent. If death occurs, it is usually due to respiratory paralysis and can occur within six to 24 hours.

A superseding indictment in June 2009 charged Bachner with new counts, including wire fraud alleging that Bachner engaged in a scheme to obtain TTX to kill an individual to collect $20 million in life insurance proceeds; soliciting another in 2005 to commit a federal felony involving the use of force; using an interstate facility for murder for hire in 2005; and filing false claims for federal income tax refunds.

In pleading guilty, Bachner also acknowledged filing false federal income tax returns for tax years 2005, 2006, and 2007 and obtaining fraudulent tax refunds in excess of $300,000.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Rockford Office of the IRS-Criminal Investigation Division. The Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is comprised of FBI special agents, officers from the Chicago Police Department, and representatives from approximately 20 other federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted in federal court by Assistant United States Attorneys Mark T. Karner and Michael D. Love.

Three Defendants Arrested for Allegedly Transporting Minor Girls from Iowa to Chicago to Engage in Prostitution

CHICAGO—Three defendants have been arrested in Iowa and Ohio on federal charges filed in Chicago for allegedly engaging in sex trafficking of three minor girls they transported earlier this year from Iowa City to Chicago for prostitution, federal law enforcement officials announced today. The defendants were each charged with one count of conspiracy to transport minors across state lines to engage in prostitution in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The charges allege that the defendants knew that coercion, force, and the threat of force would be used to cause the victims to engage in commercial sex acts.

Defendant Malik McKee, 19, and his sister, Shuntina McKee, 23, both of Iowa City and formerly of suburban Country Club Hills, Illinois, were arrested yesterday in Iowa City. The third defendant, Willie Woods, 41, of Toledo, Ohio, and formerly of Iowa City, was arrested Friday in Toledo. The government is seeking to have all three defendants transferred to Chicago in custody to face the charges here.

The arrests and charges were announced by Gary S. Shapiro, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William C. Monroe, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The FBI and CPD conducted the investigation, in coordination with the Cook County Human Trafficking Task Force. Federal prosecutors and law enforcement authorities in the Southern District of Iowa and the Northern District of Ohio also provided assistance.

According to the complaint, the investigation began on April 25, 2012, when one of the victims—Minor A, who was 14 at the time—snuck out of a room at a hotel in the 9100 block of South Cottage Grove Avenue in Chicago after others were asleep and called her mother in Iowa. The girl’s mother called the Chicago Police and officers responded to the hotel and contacted federal authorities.

The complaint states that online advertisements posted on various Internet sites in Chicago and elsewhere, hotel records, bus records, and other evidence show that the defendants acted as pimps and posted online ads promoting prostitution of the three victims—Minors A, B, and C, all from Iowa and ages 14, 16 and 16, respectively, at the time. In April this year, Malik McKee and Woods allegedly purchased bus tickets for the victims and transported them from Iowa City to Chicago to engage in prostitution. All three defendants allegedly benefitted financially from the charged conspiracy.

The government is being represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Megan Church and Bethany Biesenthal.

Sex trafficking of minors carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine. If convicted, the court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and are entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Robbery of Charter One Bank Branch in Chicago

An armed robbery occurred at approximately 10:20 a.m. this morning at the Charter One Bank branch located at 102nd and Ewing in Chicago. A lone male entered the bank, brandishing a handgun. He demanded cash and once provided with cash, he fled the bank on foot. There were no injuries reported in connection with the robbery.

Witnesses described the robber as a black male with a medium complexion, mid-20s, approximately 5’6” tall, and 150 pounds. He was wearing a light-colored hoodie, baseball cap, and gloves. The bottom half of his face was covered by a mask.

Photos of the robber have been posted to www.bandittrackerchicago.com.

Anyone with information regarding this takeover-style bank robbery is asked to call the Chicago Office of the FBI at 312-421-6700 or the Chicago Police Department.

Nineteen Charged in Humboldt Park Drug Sweep

Nineteen Chicago-area men, many suspected members or associates of the of the Imperial Gangsters street gang, were arrested yesterday by FBI special agents and Chicago Police officers assigned to the FBI’s Joint Task Force on Gangs, culminating a nearly three-year long investigation that targeted illicit drug and firearms sales in and around the Humboldt park area on Chicago’s near northwest side.

Yesterday’s arrests were announced by Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), who was joined by Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD); Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Anita Alvarez, Cook County State’s Attorney; Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General; and Michael Witz, Chief of the Franklin Park Police Department.

Some of the charges were contained in 12 separate criminal complaints filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, which were unsealed yesterday and which charged 13 current or former Chicago-area residents with distribution of a controlled substance or violating federal firearms laws. Six others were charged with violating state drug or firearms laws in charges filed in Cook County and Whiteside County Circuit Court.

According to the federal complaints, between December 2009 and May 2012, eight defendants identified below intentionally distributed a controlled substance, either cocaine or heroin, in amounts ranging from 28 to 62 grams. Five others, also identified below and all of whom have prior felony convictions, are alleged to have possessed various makes and models of firearms, both handguns and assault type rifles between December 2009 and November 2011.

The investigation leading to the charges announced today was conducted by the Chicago FBI’s Joint Task Force on Gangs, which is comprised of FBI special agents and officers from the Chicago Police Department. Officers from the Franklin Park Police Department and the Sterling Police Department also assisted. The charges announced today are part of an ongoing and coordinated effort by the FBI and CPD’s Organized Crime Bureau and Gang Investigations Division to identify those responsible for supplying illicit drugs and firearms to Chicago’s criminal element, which are often used in street violence.

Investigators made extensive use of undercover and controlled purchases of illegal narcotics and firearms and court-authorized electronic surveillance of telephones utilized by some of the defendants in this case, both of which helped lead to the filing of the charges announced today. During the course of the investigation, over a kilogram of crack cocaine, over 250 grams of powder cocaine and approximately 125 grams of heroin were recovered. In addition, 31 firearms, approximately $4,000 in cash and three vehicles were seized.

In announcing the charges, Mr. Grant reaffirmed a commitment to investigate and prosecute those who engage in activities that threaten our communities. “Yesterday’s arrests should serve as a warning to those who persist in endangering our communities through the sale of drugs and guns. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to find you, to hold you accountable, and to make our neighborhoods safe for the many innocent residents who often pay a huge price for the acts of a few.”

“The street gang targeted in this mission is a violent, organized criminal organization with a history of violence in our city, including the shooting of a Chicago Police officer,” said Superintendent McCarthy. “This investigation especially highlights the entrenched relationship between gangs, guns, and drugs, and demonstrates that the Chicago Police and our federal law enforcement partners are committed to confronting and eradicating the problem,” he added.

Regarding the combined efforts that led to the charges, Attorney General Madigan said, “These arrests demonstrate how effective coordination between law enforcement agencies at all levels can produce significant results in fighting drug dealing and gang activity.”

Those arrested yesterday who were charged with violating federal drug laws are identified as:

■Victor Arroyo, age 30, 2333 North Ashland, Chicago

■Richard Cruz, age 29, 2831 North Kostner, Chicago

■Jose Hernandez, age 40, 4351 West Palmer, Chicago

■Faisal Khan, age 26, 2202 North Rockwell, Chicago

■Oscar Montanez, age 33, 2710 South Lombard, Berwyn

■Rogelio Perez, age 37, 4840 West Henderson, Chicago

■Sergio Sanchez, age 25, 1643 North Parkside, Chicago

■Lawrence Wade, age 41, 0 South 041 Page Street, Winfield

Those arrested yesterday who were charged federally with felon-in-possession of a firearm are identified as:

■Jaime Corral, age 32, 880 Joyce, Leyden Township

■Lazaro Corral, age 29, 920 North Roberta Avenue, Melrose Park

■Martin Murillo, age 29, 2433 West Arthington, Chicago

■Miguel Pedraza, age 30, 1935 North Central Park Avenue, Chicago

■Ismael Velasquez, 31, 2139 North Keystone, Chicago

Those arrested on state charges are identified as:

■Julio Collaza, age 42, 5918 West Waveland, Chicago

■Craig Hartman, age 26, 1507 East 14th Street, Sterling

■Elvis Lebron, age 39, 2528 N. Linder, Chicago

■Ramon Marrero, age 31, 4321 South Paulina, Chicago

■Catalino Soto, age 55, 5729 South Trumbull, Chicago

■Francisco Wolf, age 32, 23 King Arthur Court, Northlake

Those arrested on federal charges appeared yesterday before Magistrate Judge Nan R. Nolan in Chicago, at which time they were formally charged. All were ordered held until their next scheduled court appearances. If convicted, those charged with possession of on excess of 50 grams of crack cocaine face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ incarceration; those charged with possession of in excess of five grams of crack cocaine face a mandatory minimum sentence of five years’ incarceration; and those charged with felon-in-possession of a firearm face a possible sentence of up to 10 years’ incarceration.

Those arrested on state charges were scheduled to appear in bond court at dates and times to be determined. If convicted, they face possible sentences of up to 30 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Chicago Murder Suspect Added to FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives List

A former Chicago resident wanted for the brutal sexual assault and murder of one woman and the beating and sexual assault of a second woman has been added to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, announced Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Chicago Office. Joining Mr. Grant in making this announcement are Garry F. McCarthy, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department (CPD); Cook County Sheriff Thomas J. Dart; and Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez.

Fidel Urbina, age 37, whose last known address was in the 2100 block of South Fairfield, has been the subject of a nationwide manhunt since 1999 after being charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago with unlawful flight to avoid prosecution following the aggravated criminal sexual assault of a Chicago woman.

In March 1998, Urbina was arrested by the CPD and later charged with kidnapping, brutally beating, and raping a woman in Chicago. Subsequent to his arrest, Urbina was released on bond pending his trial in Cook County Circuit Court. While out on bond, Urbina was also suspected of assaulting and bludgeoning to death 22-year-old Gabriella Torres. Her body was found in the trunk of an automobile, which had been abandoned in an alley in the 2300 block of West 50th Street in Chicago. The vehicle had been set on fire and Torres’ body was badly burned. Urbina has since been charged with this crime as well. Attempts to locate and apprehend Urbina by local police were unsuccessful, as he had apparently fled the state.

On July 20, 1999, a federal arrest warrant was issued for Urbina and on August 26, 2006, a provisional arrest warrant was signed by a Mexican Federal Magistrate. Despite extensive investigation, including the case being profiled nationally on “America’s Most Wanted” and locally on “Chicago’s Most Wanted,” Urbina remains at large and his whereabouts are unknown. As such, the FBI is renewing its request for assistance from the public in locating and apprehending this wanted fugitive.

In making this announcement, Mr. Grant noted the continued threat to the community that Urbina poses. Said Mr. Grant, “Fidel Urbina is wanted for his alleged role in two brutal attacks directed against innocent women. These crimes have demonstrated his violent nature and the need to locate and apprehend Urbina before he can strike again. We are hoping that the publicity associated with this case, along with the significant reward being offered, will lead to his arrest.”

Urbina, who is a Mexican national, is described as a Hispanic male, 37 years of age, 6’0” tall, having a medium build, and weighing approximately 170 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes, and a severely pockmarked right cheek. He has been known to use numerous aliases, including the names Lorenzo Maes, Fernando Ramos, and Fidel Urbina Aquirre.

The search for Urbina is being coordinated by the Chicago FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force (VCTF), which is comprised of FBI special agents, detectives from the Chicago Police Department, and Cook County Sheriff’s Police investigators.

Urbina is the 497th person to be placed on the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list, which was established in 1950. Urbina replaces Adam Christopher Mayes, who was wanted for the murder of a woman and her daughter and the kidnapping of her two small children from their home in Tennessee.

A reward of up to $100,000 is being offered for information leading to the location and arrest of Urbina. Anyone recognizing him or having any information as to his current whereabouts is asked to call the Chicago FBI at (312) 421-6700 or the nearest law enforcement agency.

Given the nature of the charges filed against him, Urbina should be considered armed and dangerous.

Additional information about this case and the FBI’s Ten Most Wanted Fugitives program can be found online at www.fbi.gov.

The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.