Federal Jury Finds John Doe Guilty of Aggravated Identity Theft and Fraud Charges Involving United States Navy and Jaxport

JACKSONVILLE, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces today that a federal jury has found “John Doe,” a/k/a Leroy, a/k/a L.T.H., guilty of seven counts of aggravated identity theft, six counts of falsely representing a Social Security number, and one count of passport fraud. As of yet, law enforcement has not affirmatively identified John Doe. He was arrested on a federal warrant while he was in state custody for fraud charges. John Doe faces a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in federal prison for each aggravated identity theft charge, up to five years in federal prison for each charge of falsely representing a Social Security number, and a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison for the passport fraud. He remains in the custody of United States Marshals Service pending his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for August 27, 2012 at 10:30 a.m.

According to court documents and evidence presented during trial, John Doe assumed the identity of a living victim and had been living under that assumed identity for approximately 22 years. Using the Social Security number of the victim, he obtained at least 23 government-issued forms of identification in the name of the victim. These forms of identification included among other items, a passport, two Mayport Naval Station Military contractor identification cards, three Florida identification cards, and six replacement Social Security cards. The Mayport Naval Station identification cards allowed John Doe to have unescorted access on at least five different Navy vessels. He also used the victim’s personal identification information at JAXPORT to fraudulently obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWIC) badge issued by the Transportation Security Administration. The TWIC badge allowed John Doe to have unescorted access to secure areas of JAXPORT, including the Blount Island Marine Terminal.

This case was investigated by the Coast Guard Investigative Services, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Department of State-Diplomatic State Security, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Florida Highway Patrol-Bureau of Intelligence and Investigations, Social Security Administration-Office of Inspector General, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin C. Frein and Kathleen O’Malley.

Members of Drug Smuggling Organization Sentenced

TAMPA, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces that earlier this week, U.S. District Judge Elizabeth A. Kovachevich sentenced Elias Estupinan Rengifo (48, Colombia, South America) to 135 months in federal prison for conspiring with others to possess with intent to distribute five or more kilograms of cocaine on board vessels subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Rengifo pled guilty on October 12, 2011.

Rengifo had three co-conspirators—Horacio Aguirre Perea (42), Vicente Aguirre Perea (45), and Wilson Vallejo (41)—all of Colombia, South America. All three were arrested in Colombia, extradited to the United States, subsequently pled guilty to the same drug conspiracy charge, and were previously sentenced.

Horacio Aguirre Perea was arrested in Colombia on August 5, 2009 and pled guilty on October 27, 2010. On January 28, 2011, he was sentenced to 235 months in federal prison.

Vicente Aguirre Perea was arrested in Colombia on August 6, 2009 and pled guilty on January 26, 2011. On April 13, 2011, he was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison.

Wilson Vallejo was arrested in Colombia on March 16, 2010 and pled guilty on March 29, 2011. He was sentenced on June 17, 2011 to 135 months in federal prison.

According to court documents, Rengifo and his co-conspirators were knowing and willing participants in an on-going maritime cocaine smuggling organization operating along Colombia’s southern coast. Between 2005 and 2009, Rengifo and his co-conspirators organized multiple maritime cocaine smuggling trips, including: (1) the stateless go-fast vessels interdicted by the United States in the Pacific Ocean on February 19, 2005 and December 2, 2006; and (2) the stateless self-propelled semi-submersible (SPSS) vessels interdicted by the United States in the Pacific Ocean on March 1, 2008 and June 16, 2008. Coast Guard officers seized more than 1,000 kilograms of cocaine from both of the interdicted go-fast vessels. The SPSS vessels were also carrying cocaine, but were scuttled before Coast Guard officers could recover any cocaine. The mariners on the four interdicted vessels were first brought into the United States in the Middle District of Florida.

This case was investigated by OCDETF’s Panama Express Strike Force South. The strike force includes agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, and Joint Interagency Task Force South. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Christopher F. Murray.

U.S. Marshals Task Force and Cleveland Police S.W.A.T. Corner "Dangerous Dozen" Fugitive

Cleveland, OH – Yesterday evening at approximately 6:15 p.m., members of the U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF), along with the Cleveland Police S.W.A.T., arrested fugitive Julius Webster, age 25, at a residence located on the 3500 block of E. 135th Street in Cleveland. Webster was wanted since October 2011 by the Ohio Adult Parole Authority for escape. Webster has a violent criminal history and is one of the leaders of the Heartless Felons gang. Webster was released from state prison on parole in August 2011 and failed to report upon his release.

The Ohio Adult Parole Authority referred the investigation to the NOVFTF in November 2011. The NOVFTF worked diligently on the search for Webster. The NOVFTF were not able to pin Webster down but continued to develop information that he was in the Cleveland area and was known to carry a firearm. In December, the NOVFTF added Webster to their most wanted “Dangerous Dozen”.

Yesterday, members of the NOVFTF were able to track Webster to the residence on E. 135th Street in Cleveland. Task Force members surrounded the residence and attempted to call out Webster. Webster refused to answer and remained in the residence. The NOVFTF requested assistance from the Cleveland Police S.W.A.T., who immediately responded. After approximately 2 hours of no contact, Webster exited the residence and surrendered. Webster was transported to the Cuyahoga County Jail.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “This was a dangerous fugitive with a history of violent crimes. We are thankful that this situation ended peacefully and that is a credit to our task force personnel and the Cleveland Police S.W.A.T.”

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 Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, Euclid Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Linndale Village Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, U.S. Marshals Service, and the Westlake Police Department.

Multi-Ton Cocaine Seizure from Interdicted Drug Smuggling Vessel

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TAMPA, FL—United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces the recovery of an estimated 6,700 kilograms of cocaine from a submerged drug smuggling vessel in the Caribbean Sea. The vessel, a self-propelled semi-submersible vessel, or SPSS, was interdicted by the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) MOHAWK on September 30, 2011, in international waters of the Caribbean some 110 miles off of the coast of Honduras. The vessel sank during the interdiction, and USCGC MOHAWK detained the four crew members, who were later transferred to Tampa for prosecution.

Shortly after the interdiction, a multi-agency effort began to recover the suspected drug cargo of the sunken SPSS. This effort included the deployment of the FBI Laboratory’s Technical Dive Team, located in Quantico, Virginia, which conducted dive operations at the site of the submerged vessel from USCGC CYPRESS. These operations yielded evidence including packages of cocaine totaling an estimated 6,700 kilograms from the SPSS.

Today, this evidence arrived at Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg aboard USCGC CYPRESS, where it will be transferred to the custody of investigators of the Panama Express Strike Force. The crew of the SPSS (Jorge Colomer, 47, of Honduras; Guilforth Romero, 24, of Honduras; Manuel Cuero, 30, of Colombia; and Marcos Salazar, 30, of Colombia) have been indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida for violation of the Drug Trafficking Vessel Interdiction Act of 2008 and are being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa. If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.

A similar recovery operation earlier this year yielded over 6,000 kilograms of cocaine from an interdicted SPSS that also sank in the Caribbean. The crew of that vessel is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Tampa.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case is being investigated by OCDETF’s Panama Express Strike Force, comprised of agents and analysts from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, United States Coast Guard Investigative Service, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Joint Interagency Task Force South. It will be prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Austin Shutt.

Twenty-Five People Charged in "Operation Iron Chef" Accused of Distributing Powder and Crack Cocaine

Twenty-five people were charged in a 59-count indictment, accused of distributing powder and crack cocaine throughout Cleveland, Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, and Stephen D. Anthony, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Cleveland office, announced today.

The indictment charges three separate but related drug trafficking organizations with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack). Most of the people indicted were arrested this morning.

"Once again, law enforcement in Northeast Ohio worked together to take down large organizations that brought drugs from outside the region into Cleveland," Dettelbach said.

This sting was dubbed "Operation Iron Chef" because one of the men indicted frequently cooked powder cocaine into crack cocaine from a house on

Willowhurst Road

in Cleveland.

"Today's arrests in 'Operation Iron Chef' demonstrates the continued successful effort by federal, state and local law enforcement to stop those drug trafficking organizations here in Cleveland and around the country that are targeting our communities," Anthony said. "This investigation revealed that the drug trafficking organizations here in Cleveland were being supplied by traffickers in Detroit, Oakland and East Chicago, Indiana."

Count 1 of the indictment charged 10 people for their participation in a drug ring lead by Donte Harris from January through August 2010. This group received cocaine from Oakland, California and elsewhere and distributed it throughout Cleveland, according tot he indictment.

On June 8, 2010, police stopped Kevin Lanier, a member of the drug ring. The vehicle fled and eventually crashed into a porch on

Ostend Road

in Cleveland. Lanier and the driver ran away and police recovered about 13 grams of crack cocaine from around the crash site, according to the indictment.

Count 2 of the indictment charged seven people for their participation in a drug ring lead by Ramone Thomas. From May 2010 through August 2010, this group distributed powder and crack cocaine throughout Cleveland, according to the indictment.

The organization utilized a house on

Hampton Road

in Cleveland as part of their operation, according to the indictment.

Count 3 of the indictment charged nine people for their roles in a drug ring lead by Shawn Fears. From August through October 2010, this group brought cocaine from East Chicago, Indiana and elsewhere to Cleveland and distributed it throughout the area, according to the indictment.

Those indicted are: Shawn Fears, 41, of Euclid, Ohio; Ramone Thomas, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio; Donte Harris, 27, of Euclid, Ohio; Kevin Lanier, 27, of Cleveland, Ohio; Christopher Brownlee, 28, of Cleveland, Ohio; David Beasley, 41, of Cleveland, Ohio; Anthony Coleman, 31, of South Euclid, Ohio; David Porter, 24, of Cleveland, Ohio; Markettia Harris, 24, of Cleveland, Ohio; Michelle Lee Harris, 22, of Cleveland, Ohio; Jermaine Hilliard, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio; Ladarius Davis, 22, of Cleveland, Ohio; Darnell Horton, 34, of Cleveland, Ohio; Carlos Hibbit, 26, of Cleveland, Ohio; Secarius Dillar, 36, of Cleveland, Ohio; Lidon Porter, 33, of Cleveland, Ohio; Albert Sandidge, 54, of Cleveland, Ohio; Lamont Jackson, 49, of East Chicago, Indiana; Marvin Tolbert, 37, of Cleveland, Ohio; Walter Winnick, 57, of Cleveland, Ohio; Percy Wells, 29, of Cleveland, Ohio; Arketa Willis, 40, of Twinsburg, Ohio; Marco Parra, 30, of Bedford Heights, Ohio; Dushawn Harris, 35, of Cleveland, Ohio, and Preston Charles Thompson, 20, of Cleveland, Ohio.

If convicted, the defendants' sentences will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendants' prior criminal record, if any, the defendants' role in the offense and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases the sentences will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases they will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Teresa L. Dirksen and Roger Bamberger, following an investigation by the Northern Ohio Law Enforcement Task Force (NOLETF).

The NOLETF is a long standing multi-agency task force comprised of investigators from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority (CMHA), Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service, Cleveland Division of Police, Cleveland Heights Police Department (CHPD), Cuyahoga County Sheriff's Office (CCSO), Euclid Police Department (EPD), Regional Transit Authority (RTA) Police Department, Strongsville Police Department (SPD), University Heights Police Department (UHPD) and Shaker Heights Police Department (SHPD). The NOLETF is also one of the initial Ohio High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) initiatives. The HIDTA Program supports and helps coordinate numerous Ohio drug task forces in their efforts to eliminate, or reduce drug-trafficking in the State of Ohio.

An indictment is only a charge 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.

One of Puerto Rico's Most Wanted Jailed in Cleveland

Cleveland, OH – Wanted fugitive Roberto Rivera-Amezquita, age 27, was arrested early this morning at approximately 7:15 am on Cleveland’s west side. Rivera-Amezquita had been on the run and eluding law enforcement since December 2007. Rivera-Amezquita was wanted out of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico on charges of murder and weapons law violations. It is alleged that in October of 2006, Rivera-Amezquita and another suspect brutally beat Pablo Rivera-Rivera with an aluminum baseball bat leaving him unconscious. At the time, Rivera-Amezquita was originally charged with assault and battery charges. The victim subsequently died a few months later as a result of the beating turning the assault charge into a murder charge. Rivera-Amezquita immediately fled and became a fugitive from justice.

The U.S. Marshal Service in Puerto Rico became involved in the case and through its investigation eventually uncovered information leading Rivera-Amezquita to the Cleveland area. The information was relayed to the U.S. Marshal’s led Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force and the investigation continued locally. It was discovered that Rivera-Amezquita had assumed the identity of his brother Martin Rivera-Amezquita who is currently incarcerated in Puerto Rico. It is not known exactly how long Roberta Rivera-Amezquita had been living in Cleveland until his arrest this morning; however he was arrested on a drug charge in 2009 under his brother’s identity. The Deputy Marshals and task Force Officers tracked the subject and were able to narrow their search for Rivera-Amezquita settling on a residence located at 2168 W. 104th Street in Cleveland. The Task Force was able to gain entry into the residence and Rivera-Amezquita surrendered peacefully. Rivera-Amezquita was transported to the Cuyahoga County Justice Center for booking and to be held pending his extradition back to Puerto Rico.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “This was a great example of cooperation between our task force and the task force in Puerto Rico. This fugitive will now finally be brought to justice.”

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. Callers may remain anonymous.

The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force – Cleveland Division is composed of the following federal, state and local agencies: U.S. Marshals Service, Bratenahl Police Department, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Chagrin Falls Police Department, Cleveland Police Department, Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office, Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority Police Department, Euclid Police Department, Lakewood Police Department, Linndale Village Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Ohio State Highway Patrol, Westlake Police Department, Department of Housing and Urban Development – Office of Inspector General, Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the U.S. Secret Service.

This article was sponsored by Police Books.

CGIS returns to NCIS

Posted by: Christopher Lagan

Back in March, we introduced you to Abigail Borin, a fictional Coast Guard Investigative Service special agent portrayed by actress Diane Neal on the hit drama NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service).  Well, Borin is back in tomorrow night’s episode, “Ships in the Night,” as CGIS joins the NCIS team in the investigation of a murder on a dinner boat cruise on the Potomac.

Last week, Coast Guard Compass reached out to longtime NCIS writers Reed Steiner and Chris Waild to learn more about why they brought the CGIS character back and whether fans of the Coast Guard can expect to see more of the obvious chemistry between Borin and Gibbs as the season unfolds.

“The decision to bring back CGIS Special Agent Abigail Borin (wonderfully portrayed by the very talented and beautiful Diane Neal) was a given,” said Steiner. ”The character, first introduced by writer Lee David Zlotoff last season in the episode “Jurisdiction”, was a natural fit — putting the Coast Guard and the “Navy” together on a joint jurisdictional water/ship related crime.”

On the chemistry between Gibbs and Borin.

“There was a natural and instant chemistry between Mark Harmon’s “Gibbs” character and Diane’s CGIS “Agent Borin”  from the get-go,” said Waild. “Gibbs and Borin could butt heads, yet work together seamlessly to solve the crime at hand.  Not only was “Jurisdiction” a great episode, the viewers really seemed to welcome the newfound partnership between agencies and agents.”

(Interesting side note: The CGIS Agent Borin was written to be a “female version of Gibbs”.)

What does the future hold for more appearances by CGIS?

“Will we see Agent Borin in the future?  We sure hope so,” said Waild. ”Not only did we, as writers, enjoy the concept of the Coast Guard and NCIS working together, we all (the entire NCIS cast and crew alike), love working with Diane.  We’d hope, like ships in the night, CGIS and NCIS will cross paths once again.”

Tune in to your local CBS affiliate tomorrow night at 8/7c to watch “Ships in the Night.”