GREENVILLE ROBBERS SENTENCED

WILMINGTON – United States Attorney Thomas G. Walker announced that in federal court yesterday Senior United States District Judge James C. Fox sentenced two defendants for their participation in a rash of robberies in and around Greenville, North Carolina. DEMETRIUS MONTEL TELFAIR, 31, was sentenced to 192 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release. His co-defendant, COURTNEY EMANUEL GOODING, 24, received 181 months imprisonment followed by five years supervised release. The Court imposed restitution, jointly and severally, of $3,924.00.

A Federal Grand Jury returned a Criminal Indictment on October 11, 2011. On March 13, 2012, each defendant pled guilty to two counts of Hobbs Act robbery and one count of using or carrying a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence or possession of a firearm in furtherance of the crime.

According to evidence presented in Court, on June 6, 2011, the defendants robbed the Bojangles' restaurant on East 10th Street in Greenville. GOODING brandished a handgun during the robbery. They escaped with approximately $3,900. On June 18, 2011, they robbed the Bojangles' restaurant on Parkwood Boulevard West in Wilson, North Carolina, again with GOODING brandishing a handgun. Law enforcement was called immediately and the defendants' vehicle was located based upon descriptions given by victims at the restaurant. Police officers stopped the vehicle, but the defendant's both fled on foot. Each was apprehended, and the money from the Wilson robbery was recovered. The firearm, a .380 caliber pistol, was recovered from GOODING's pocket.

This case was part of the PSN initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified "team effort" against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the ATF, Wilson Police Department and the Greenville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney John Bennett prosecuted the case.

Two Individuals Arrested on Aggravated Robbery Charges

Special Agent in Charge Kenneth L. Moore of the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Chief Terry Cannon of the Greeneville Police Department (GPD); and Sheriff Steve Burns, Greene County Sheriff’s Office, announce the arrest of Larry Shane Morgan, age 36, of Chuckey, Tennessee, and Kaylen L. Butcher, age 19, of Limestone, Tennessee. Both Morgan and Butcher were arrested without incident by investigators from the FBI, the GPD, the Johnson City Police Department, the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, and the Washington County Sheriff’s Office.

Morgan is expected to appear in federal court at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday, July 5, 2012, on charges contained in a criminal complaint on file with the U.S. District Court in Greeneville. Butcher will appear in state court on Thursday to face state charges.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

Robbery of Greenville Federal Bank

The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Chief Terry Cannon of the Greeneville Police Department (GPD) are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying a man who robbed the Greeneville Federal Bank July 2, 2012.

At approximately 11:42 a.m. today, a man entered the Greeneville Federal Bank located at 2305 E. Andrew Johnson Highway in Greeneville, Tennessee, displayed a firearm, demanded money, and fired his weapon. Witnesses described the suspect as a white male, approximately 5’10” to 6’0” tall, with a medium build. The suspect was wearing a dark-colored hooded sweatshirt and dark-colored pants. He also wore dark sunglasses, white latex gloves, and a mask. After obtaining an undetermined amount of money, the suspect possibly left the scene in a newer body-style, full-size, standard cab Chevrolet pickup truck. The truck was possibly black in color with body damage on right rear quarter panel of the vehicle.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 865-544-0751 or the GPD at 423-639-7111. This matter is being jointly investigated by the FBI-Knoxville Division, Johnson City Resident Agency, and the GPD.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

“Half of a Dozen” Murder & Attempted Murder Suspects in Custody Thanks to Operation Intercept

Greenville, SC - For the last 13 days Operation Intercept (OPIN), the U.S. Marshals fugitive task force, has proven the cooperation with state and local agencies can bring wanted men to justice. Starting with the most recent arrest of Laquiz Irby on March 21, OPIN has assisted the Anderson Police Department since December 16, 2011 in tracking Irby to Atlanta, GA and back to the upstate area where he was ultimately apprehended. Irby along with codefendants shot their victim twice during an attempted armed robbery on November 13, 2011. Irby is housed at the Anderson County Detention center on a $75,000 bond.

Also on March 21, OPIN aided Greenville Police Department with the location and arrest of Roy Gene Sutherland. Southerland was wanted for Attempted Murder after he allegedly “cut” his victim with a knife during a robbery on March 12. Greenville Police contacted OPIN on March 16 and requested assistance with the case.

Information was developed by OPIN showing Sutherland was hiding out in Spartanburg area. OPIN acting on the provided statement found Sutherland hiding out on Halibut Lane in Spartanburg and transported him to the Greenville County Detention Center where he received No Bond and is awaiting upcoming court appearances.

On Tuesday March 20, Charles Allen Brown Jr., a Michigan fugitive was captured at a family associates home in Greenville. The Grand Rapids Fugitive Task Force contacted OPIN on March 16, stating a tip was provided showing Brown had fled to the “south area”. It was later developed by OPIN; Brown had family friends in the Greenville area. Brown was sought by the Kentwood Police Department in Kent, MI for an alleged Murder stemming from an incident on March 15 where he shot his victim after a drug deal. According to Michigan records Brown is a Habitual Offender and can face Life in prison if convicted. Brown is housed at the Greenville County Detention Center where he awaits extradition proceedings.

OPIN was contacted on March 16, by Greenville County Sheriff’s Office to aid in the investigation of Reginald Terrell Wheeler and Michael Alan Wheeler, Jr for the alleged Attempted Murder and Weapons Charges stemming from warrants issued by Greenville County. OPIN obliged and accepted the cases and set up surveillance on locations where the Wheeler brothers were known to frequent. On March 19, the “waiting game” paid off when both individuals were taken into custody without incident at a local Bait & Tackle Shop near Whitehorse. Both suspects are housed at the Greenville County Detention Center where they will be arraigned of the outstanding charges.

Colby Kenta Thomas was wanted by Greenville Sheriff’s Office for 5 outstanding warrants to include Homicide and Attempted Homicide from a home invasion where shots were fired and one victim died and another seriously injured. Thomas was arrested by OPIN and Greenville County Sheriff’s Office on March 13, and is housed at the Greenville County Detention Center where he awaits further court hearings.

“The last two weeks have been stressful and exhausting for OPIN as we have aided many agencies in the captures of these wanted men. The cooperation with the upstate law enforcement partners from Anderson, Greenville, and Spartanburg Sheriff’s to the police officers working with Anderson and Greenville City, we salute your dedication to keeping your neighborhoods secure. The men and women of OPIN will work tirelessly to bring any fugitive to justice. If there is a need the US Marshals are willing to step in and solve violent fugitive cases. We will continue to work the days, nights, and weekends to track these defendants and bring them to justice.” stated Kelvin Washington, US Marshal for the District of South Carolina.

Established in 1789, the United States Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. In fiscal 2011, the Marshals arrested more than 36,200 federal fugitives, clearing 39,400 felony warrants and arrested 12,144 sex offenders. Marshal’s Service-led task forces like South Carolina’s Operation Intercept arrested 86,400 state and local fugitives, clearing 113,300 felony warrants. Locally, Operation Intercept arrested over 2,500 South Carolina fugitives during that same period.

Additional information about the U.S. Marshals Service can be found at USmarshals.gov.

U.S. Marshals Task Force Tracks Down Wooster Police Murder Suspect in Mississippi

Akron, OH – The U.S. Marshals Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force (NOVFTF) Akron Division and the U.S. Marshals Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force (GCRFTF) arrested Lashaun Reed, age 23. Reed was wanted by the Wooster, Ohio Police Department on charges of murder.

Reed’s charges stem from the shooting death of Clifford Johnson, 21, of Wooster, that occurred on the evening of December 10, 2011. Johnson was shot in the back in a front yard of a residence on E. North St. in Wooster. At the time of the murder Reed was on bond awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to felonious assault and assault charges. Those charges stem from a June 12, 2011 stabbing of two individuals in the 600 block of N. Buckeye St. in Wooster, OH.

In December 2011, directly after the incident, the Wooster Police Department referred the case to the NOVFTF for assistance with locating and apprehending Reed. The NOVFTF Akron and Richland County Divisions along with the Wooster Police Department spent numerous man hours on this case over the course of their investigation. When it was determined that Reed was believed to be in Mississippi, the NOVFTF requested assistance from the U.S. Marshals GCRFTF.

Earlier today, GCRFTF Task Force Officers spotted Reed in the 400 Block of Inez St. Greenville, MS. Task Force Officers conducted surveillance of the area until back up arrived. At approximately 4:00 p.m. today, Task Force Officers along with Officers of the Greenville Police Department jumped into action and apprehended Reed who was found hiding in a closet. Reed was arrested at a boarding house on the 400 block of Inez St, where he was renting a room. Reed was apprehended without incident, and transported to the Greenville Police Department Jail, Greenville, Mississippi. Reed is awaiting an extradition hearing to return back to Ohio to answer his charges.

U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott stated, “Great job by our investigators in Ohio and by the officers in Mississippi, working together to locate and safely apprehend this dangerous fugitive. This is a fine example of what we can accomplish working with our fugitive task force network across the nation.”

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 NOVFTF Akron Division consists of the following federal, state and local agencies: Akron Police Department, Barberton Police Department, Bath Township Police Department Boston Heights Village Police Department, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, Copley Township Police Department, Cuyahoga Falls Police Department, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Hinckley Police Department, Kent Police Department, Medina Police Department, Montville Township Police Department, New Franklin Police Department, Northfield Village Police Department, Norton Police Department, Ohio Adult Parole Authority, Portage County Prosecutor’s Office, Portage County Sheriff’s Office, Ravenna Police Department, Reminderville Police Department, Stow Police Department, Summit County Sheriff’s Office, Twinsburg Police Department, United States Marshals Service, United States Secret Service, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, University of Akron Police Department, Wadsworth Police Department.

North Texas registered sex offender pleads guilty to child pornography offense

DALLAS - A man from Campbell, Texas, pleaded guilty on Wednesday to one count of possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas (NDTX).

Donald Means, 63, has been in custody since his arrest in November 2009 on a related federal criminal complaint. He is a registered sex offender from his 2002 conviction in the Eastern District of Texas on one count each of possessing and receiving child pornography. He was sentenced to serve 54 months in prison, but was released from prison in April 2007. At the time of his current offense, Means was on supervised release for those convictions.

According to the plea agreement, if the Court accepts the terms, the parties agree that the appropriate term of imprisonment is 12 years in prison. Means is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jorge A. Solis on March 2.

According to documents filed in the case, on Oct. 20, 2009, the Hunt County Sheriff's Department, in conjunction with police officers from surrounding cities, was conducting compliance checks of the registered sex offenders residing in their county. At about 8:30 p.m., law enforcement from the following law enforcement agencies arrived at Means' Campbell residence: Hunt County Sheriff's Office, Greenville Police Department, Hunt County Constable's Office and the Commerce Police Department. Means signed a consent form allowing officers inside the house to conduct the compliance check.

Officers observed a desktop computer in Means' bedroom and obtained consent from Means to search it. They found concerning images on his computer, and based on the nature of those images, seized his computer for further examination.

The following day, a forensic agent with the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) examined Means' computer and found about 40 composite ("cut and paste" or "morphed") image files depicting images of prepubescent females engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Means admitted that he had created the composite images on his computer and stated that the source of the nude adult male images was a computer disk containing adult pornography.

He admitted that the images of the prepubescent females in the image files came from pictures of minor females he found in art magazines and/or other advertisements.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lisa J. Miller, Northern District of Texas, is prosecuting this case.

This investigation is part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators.

Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com.