Bexar County Sheriff's Office and FBI Seeking Information Into Missing Northside High School Student

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and the San Antonio Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) are seeking information from the public about the disappearance of Maarib Al Hishmawi, a 16-year-old female high school student who was last seen on Jan. 30, 2018.

The Bexar County Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation shortly after Maarib’s disappearance. The FBI has now joined in the search for Maarib and the two agencies are pursuing the matter as a joint investigation.

Maarib is described as 5'5", 150 lbs, with light complexion, black hair, and brown eyes. She was last seen around 12:30 p.m. on Jan. 30 leaving William Howard Taft High School at 11600 Culebra Road, San Antonio, Texas. Maarib may have been wearing jeans, a white jacket with black piping, light colored pump style heels, and a black and white floral hijab (headscarf) which covered her head and neck.

It is important to note, the investigation has revealed allegations that Maarib was physically abused by someone she knew. Authorities are therefore not only focused on recovering Maarib, but also on ensuring that she is in a safe environment.

Anyone with information about Maarib is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 210-224-STOP (7867). Tips can also be submitted online at tips.fbi.gov. Anyone providing information may remain anonymous.

Grafton Chemical Bank Robber Arrested

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Grafton Police Department announce the arrest of Matthew J. Kroffke, 37 years old, for armed bank robbery.

On February 23, 2018, the Chemical Bank located at 351 North Main Street, Grafton, Ohio was robbed by a lone white male that brandished a black handgun as he entered the bank ordering everyone to show their hands. The suspect pointed the handgun in the faces of the bank employees while counting backwards from 30 as tellers obtained money from the teller drawers to provide to the suspect per his demand. The suspect fled in a possible blue Ford Escape parked nearby.

According to the criminal complaint filed in United States District Court Northern District of Ohio, a blue Ford SUV was stopped by law enforcement at 11 a.m. on February 23, 2018 in the vicinity of the victim bank. However, Grafton Police Department did not have the full details of the bank robbery at the time of the traffic stop. Upon full knowledge of the bank robbery and the details involved, the traffic stop was brought to the attention of the assigned investigators and the driver that had been identified as Matthew Kroffke. The police report’s vehicle description matched photos that had been taken of the suspect’s getaway from the bank.

On February 26, 2018, at approximately 7 p.m., Kroffke was taken into custody by FBI agents assigned to the Toledo Resident Agency without incident. Kroffke was held on local charges in Lucas County and then transported to Lorain County. This morning Kroffke was transferred to federal custody by FBI agents assigned to the Cleveland FBI field office.

Kroffke will have an initial appearance today in Magistrate Judge Thomas M. Parker’s courtroom. A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI, 216-522-1400 or Vicki.Anderson@ic.fbi.gov.

Texas Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Hate Crime Assault Based on Victim’s Sexual Orientation

Chancler Encalade, 20, was sentenced yesterday to 10 years in prison for assaulting a man because of the victim’s sexual orientation, announced the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas, and U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives’ Dallas Division.

According to the plea agreement, Encalade admitted he, Nigel Garrett, and another co-defendant, used Grindr, a social media dating platform for gay men, to arrange to meet the victim at the victim’s home. Upon entering the victim’s home, the defendants restrained the victim with tape, physically assaulted the victim, and made derogatory statements to the victim for being gay. The defendants brandished a firearm during the home invasion, and they stole the victim’s property, including his motor vehicle.

A federal grand jury previously returned an eighteen-count superseding indictment that included charges for hate crimes, kidnappings, carjackings, and the use of firearms to commit violent crimes. The indictment also charged the defendants with conspiring to cause bodily injury because of the victims’ sexual orientation during four home invasions in Plano, Frisco, and Aubrey, Texas, from Jan. 17 to Feb. 7, 2017. Garrett, their other co-defendant, and Encalade subsequently pleaded guilty to hate crime charges from this indictment. Garrett was recently sentenced to 15 years in prison.  

“The defendant targeted his victim with violence because of his sexual orientation, and used the internet to facilitate this crime,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Civil Rights Division. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to vigorously prosecute hate crimes such as this one.”

“The defendant not only broke in, but he did it specifically to intimidate individuals because of their sexual orientation,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph D. Brown for the Eastern District of Texas. “This is the kind of case where federal and local law enforcement should come together, and that happened effectively here.”

The investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Plano Police Department, and the Frisco Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tracey Batson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.