Fresno Villa Posse Criminal Street Gang Leader Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison

FRESNO, Calif. – United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that United States District Court Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Curtis Hendrix, 38, of Fresno, today to 30 years in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute cocaine base and distribution of cocaine base.

According to court documents, Hendrix coordinated and directed a series of drug sales and purchases over a two-month period in 2008. In Hendrix's plea agreement on file with the court, he admitted that he was one of the leaders of the Villa Posse criminal street gang and in that position he operated the sale of cocaine base, methamphetamine, and marijuana. Hendrix admitted that he was assisted in his drug trafficking operation by a number of individuals who either sold narcotics to Hendrix and his co-conspirators, or picked up the narcotics, broke them down, packaged them for sale, and also sold the narcotics. The admissions in the plea agreement also detail that much of the drug trafficking activity occurred at the Best Budget Motel in Fresno, an area Villa Posse claimed as their territory. Hendrix admitted to being assisted by "lookouts" to watch for police and rival gangs.

In sentencing, Judge O’Neill noted the damage that selling heavy narcotics and gang affiliation does to the community.

U.S. Attorney Wagner said: “By sending a dozen drug traffickers of the Villa Posse gang off to prison, this prosecution will make a real difference in terms of public safety in Fresno.”

This investigation was part of the Project SAFE Neighborhoods initiative, aimed at addressing gang and firearms crimes through cooperative efforts among local, state and federal agencies. The case was the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Fresno Police Department, the California Department of Justice Special Services Unit, the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and Fresno County Probation. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly Sanchez prosecuted the case.

Hendrix is the last of 13 defendants to be sentenced in this case. The other defendants and their sentences are as follows:

•Keonie McGrue – sentenced on 4-23-10 to 4 years in prison;

•Damien Witherspoon – sentenced on 4-23-10 to 4 years in prison;

•Edward Hatcher – sentenced on 8-7-09 to 2 ½ years in prison;

•Jonathan Greenwood – sentenced on 4-17-09 to 3 years in prison;

•Lester Gant – sentenced on 4-10-09 to 4 years in prison;

•Melvin Wilburn – sentenced on 5-15-09 to 4 years in prison;

•Gene Rios – sentenced on 6-25-10 to 30 months in prison;

•Aaron Muldrew – sentenced on 12-11-09 to 6 years and 5 months in prison;

•Ernest Panoo – sentenced on 10-30-09 to 4 years and 7 months in prison;

•Jernell Beasley – sentenced on 10-8-09 to 4 years in prison;

•Jerome Williams – sentenced on 11-25-09 to 8 years in prison;

•Allison Jones – sentenced on 9-18-09 to 3 years and 1 month in prison.

Parole has been abolished in the federal system, and each defendant will be require to serve at least 85 percent of the prison time imposed.

Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative Nets Four Grand Jury Indictments for Illegal Firearms Possession

FRESNO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned indictments today charging Dara Seun, 30, of Fresno, California; Cory MacDonald, 28, of Fresno, California; and Anthony Ebaniz, 31, of Turlock, California with being felons in possession of a firearm; and Carlos Hernandez, 45, of Fresno, California with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

The Seun case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department. The Hernandez and MacDonald cases are the product of investigations by Homeland Security Investigations, the Fresno Police Department, and the Multi–Agency Gang Enforcement Consortium. The Ebaniz case is the product of an investigation by ATF, the Stanislaus County District Attorney’s Office, and the Turlock Police Department. All of the cases are being investigated and prosecuted as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is an initiative under which local, state and federal law enforcement agencies join forces to combat gang and gun violence.

The prosecutions reenforce the message sent by state and federal law enforcement agencies recently that they continue to be committed to coordinating their efforts targeting gang and gun violence in the Fresno area.

The indictments allege the following:

•— On March 28, 2012, defendant MacDonald was in possession of a Sig Sauer P220 semi–automatic pistol and a Smith and Wesson SW40V semi–automatic pistol. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendant has a prior felony conviction for robbery. According to court documents, police served a search warrant at the defendant’s residence, found the guns, and the defendant admitted to having purchased the guns for protection.

•— On March 14, 2012, defendant Seun was in possession of a revolver and .22 caliber ammunition. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendant has prior felony convictions for possession of a controlled substance and infliction of corporal injury on a spouse or cohabitant.

•— On March 11, 2012, defendant Hernandez was in possession of a Charter Arms .38 caliber revolver. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendant is an illegal alien unlawfully present in the United States. According to court documents, Hernandez had fired the gun following a disagreement at a local bar and shortly before being arrested.

•— On February 28, 2012, defendant Ebaniz was in possession of a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber pistol. Further, the indictment alleges that the defendant has prior felony convictions for receiving stolen property; using others’ identification to obtain credit; possession of ephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine; assault with a deadly weapon, not a firearm, great bodily injury likely; and burglary.

The maximum statutory penalty for each count is 10 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Fresno Felon Faces Charges for Illegal Firearms Possession for a Third Time in Less Than 10 Years

Fresno, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that a federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging Kenneth Carter, 30, of Fresno, with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Fresno Police Department.

According to the indictment, on February 7, 2011, Carter was in possession of a Walther PPK, .380 ACP pistol and five rounds of Remington ammunition. Carter had been convicted in Fresno County Superior Court for transportation of a controlled substance in 2002, for forgery, and being a felon in possession of a firearm in 2003.

When he committed the offense alleged in the indictment, he was on probation for a 2007 conviction in the United States District Court in the Eastern District of California for being a felon in possession of a firearm.

“ATF and our partners will remain vigilant in targeting repeat offenders and seize firearms that are dangerously in their possession,” stated ATF Special Agent in Charge Stephen C Herkins. “The collateral damage caused by these criminals is unacceptable.”

The maximum statutory penalty for the charge is 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges are only allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This article was sponsored by Police Books.