Arrest Made in Mabelvale for Illegal Possession of Explosive Material

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced that Michael, S. Parker, age 52, of Mabelvale, Arkansas, was arraigned today before United States Magistrate J. Thomas Ray on a federal complaint charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms and explosive material. Parker was detained following his initial appearance. His indictment will be presented at the next session of the grand jury.

The affidavit supporting the complaint states that probable cause existed to conduct a search warrant at an address in Mabelvale, Arkansas. The search warrant was executed by 30 law enforcement officers on September 19, 2012, from multiple state and local law enforcement agencies, including a bomb squad from the Arkansas State Police (ASP) and bomb detection K-9s from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). The search resulted in the seizure of a 12-gauge shotgun, a .38 caliber Smith & Wesson revolver, one stick of military grade dynamite, and 14 one-pound high-explosive slurries. A slurry is a commercially available all-purpose, weather-resistant emulsion explosive. The complaint alleges that Parker had previous felony methamphetamine-related convictions. As a felon, it is illegal for Parker to possess firearms or explosives.

“It is a relief to this office, those involved in the search, and now the neighbors of the Mabelvale community that these extremely explosive devices were recovered,” stated Thyer. “Just one pound of slurry could destroy a vehicle and everyone in it. The potential damage from the explosion of 14 of these would have been devastating.”

A complaint contains only allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This investigation was conducted by agents from ATF. The search warrant was executed by ATF, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Arkansas State Police, and officers from the Little Rock Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Chris Givens and Stephanie Mazzanti are prosecuting the case for the United States.

Three Defendants, Including Two Officers, Convicted of Conspiracy to Rob Armored Car Employees

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, announced today that a federal jury returned guilty verdicts against three men on all counts related to a conspiracy to rob employees of an armored car company that began in 2005 and culminated in the successful armed robbery of an armored car employee on September 10, 2007 at a U.S. Bank in North Little Rock. The three men included Jason Gilbert, a/k/a J.D., a former officer with the Little Rock Police Department, and Allen Clark, a former officer with the Department of Veteran Affairs. Antonio “Tony” Person, Gilbert’s cousin, was also found guilty of being part of the conspiracy.

Additionally, the jury found Person guilty of the armed robbery of an Arkansas Armored Car employee on September 10, 2007, in North Little Rock and of brandishing a firearm during the robbery. During that robbery, approximately $400,000 was stolen at gunpoint from an the armored car employee delivering money to a U.S. Bank branch in North Little Rock.

“This verdict sends a strong statement regarding our commitment to protect the people of this district from those who intend to endanger lives and steal, not only property, but also the confidence in law enforcement officers’ integrity,” stated Thyer. “Officers Gilbert and Clark took an oath to protect citizens and uphold the law. Instead, they along with others, conspired to steal from an armored car company. They have been held accountable by a jury for the choice they made to ignore their oath and perpetrate crime.”

Gilbert, Clark and Person were taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshal after the verdict today. Sentencing will be set by the Court at a later date.

Sterling Omar Platt, a former officer with the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Mark Davis, Oscar Holmes and Eric Owens previously pled guilty to charges in the case. None are in custody. Platt, Davis and Holmes are awaiting sentencing. Owens was sentenced to time served up to the time of his plea.

The conspiracy and robbery charges carry a possible punishment of up to twenty (20) years in federal prison and/or up to a $250,000 fine. Federal law also requires a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least seven (7) years if a firearm was brandished during the robbery.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the North Little Rock Police Department, and the Little Rock Police Department.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Gordon and Tricia Harris.

Seventy Defendants in Helena-West Helena and Marianna Indicted in Operation Delta Blues

LITTLE ROCK—Christopher R. Thyer, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, along Valerie Parlave, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); William J. Bryant, Assistant Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock District Office of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA); Grover C. Crossland, Resident Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); Christopher A. Henry, Special Agent in Charge of the Nashville Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Criminal Investigations Division; and Colonel JR Howard, Director of the Arkansas State Police (ASP), announced today that a federal grand jury returned seven indictments charging 70 individuals, including five law enforcement officers, in the Phillips and Lee County areas. The charges include public corruption, drug trafficking, money laundering, and firearms offenses. The indictments were handed down on Tuesday, October 4, 2011, and were unsealed today following a massive roundup of the charged defendants.

The charges stem from multiple Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigations spanning more than a two-year period. The investigations, collectively referred to as “Operation Delta Blues,” primarily focused on public corruption and drug trafficking activities in the Helena-West Helena and Marianna, Arkansas areas. The United States Attorney’s Office utilized 16 court-authorized wiretaps over the course of Operation Delta Blues. Approximately 700 federal, state, and local law enforcement personnel from the FBI, DEA, IRS, ATF, ASP, Arkansas National Guard, and the Little Rock Police Department and West Memphis Police Department participated in the arrests today.

“Our commitment to eradicating drug trafficking and violent crime has never been stronger,” stated United States Attorney Christopher R. Thyer. “When these two elements are mixed with law enforcement corruption, it can make for the perfect storm in a community. It can paralyze honest law enforcement action, silence witnesses, and erode public confidence in our system of justice.” Thyer added, “These indictments and arrests signify a substantial development in what can only be classified as an ongoing investigation into public corruption, drug trafficking, and violent crime in the eastern part of our district.”

FBI Special Agent in Charge Parlave followed by saying, “I am confident that today’s takedown in Operation Delta Blues will send a clear message that we are committed to rooting out public corruption, disrupting violent gang activities, and dismantling illegal drug organizations. I am honored to work alongside the Arkansas State Police, ATF, DEA, and IRS, who pulled together in an unprecedented way to execute this operation today. Our investigation remains ongoing and I encourage anyone with information to call our public corruption hotline at 501-221-8200, or e-mail: Little.Rock@ic.fbi.gov.”

DEA Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bryant concurred, saying, “This type of investigation shows the great teamwork and commitment of the federal agencies—FBI, DEA, ATF, and IRS—and the Arkansas State Police in combating drug trafficking and public corruption in the State of Arkansas. All of these agencies combined their assets and resources to disrupt and dismantle these drug trafficking organizations and corrupt public officials.”

“Some of the best police work I’ve ever been a part of occurred when law enforcement agencies came together to share resources for a common good. As disappointing as it may be that public corruption of the worst kind was the target in this Operation, the public would expect nothing less of us than to ensure we worked together to eliminate the threat,” stated ASP Colonel Howard.

IRS Special Agent in Charge Henry added, “The role of IRS Criminal Investigations in narcotics investigations is to follow the money so we can financially disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations. Working alongside our law enforcement partners, IRS-CI is proud to provide our financial expertise to help make our communities safer places to live.”

The defendants who were arrested today will appear before United States Magistrate Judge Joseph J. Volpe for Plea and Arraignment on October 13, 2011, beginning at 8:30 a.m. The cases are as follows:

■United States v. Trice, et al., Case No. 4:11CR209 JLH, pending before U.S. District Court Judge J. Leon Holmes.

■United States v. Colbert, et al., Case No. 4:11CR210 JMM, pending before U.S. District Court Judge James M. Moody.
■United States v. Turner, et al., Case No. 4:11CR211 JMM, pending before U.S. District Court Judge James M. Moody.
■United States v. Hughes, et al., Case No. 4:11CR212 JLH, pending before U.S. District Court Judge J. Leon Holmes.
■United States v. Eaton, Case No. 4:11CR213 JLH, pending before U.S. District Court Judge J. Leon Holmes.
■United States v. Rogers, et al., Case No. 4:11CR214 BSM, pending before U.S. District Court Judge Brian S. Miller.
■United States v. Wahls, Case No. 4:11CR215 BRW, pending before U.S. District Court Judge Bill Wilson.

The investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office, FBI, DEA, ATF, IRS-CID, and Arkansas State Police, with operational assistance from the Arkansas National Guard, the Little Rock Police Department, and the West Memphis Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Julie Peters, Benecia B. Moore, and Michael Gordon.

An indictment contains only allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.