Lubbock Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Six Production and Attempted Production of Child Pornography Offenses

LUBBOCK, TX—Lyle Shane Johnson, 45, of Lubbock, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to six counts of production and attempted production of child pornography, involving six separate victims, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Johnson faces a maximum statutory sentence of not less than 15 or more than 30 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a lifetime of supervised release on each count. Judge Cummings ordered a pre-sentence investigation report with a sentencing date to be set after the completion of that report.

Johnson has been in custody since his arrest in June 2012 by officers with the Lubbock Police Department.

Johnson admitted that on December 25, 2009; July 27, 2010; August 27, 2010; January 24, 2011; March 16, 2011; and December 27, 2011, he used six individual minor females, including some younger than 12 year old, to produce images and videos of the minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. At times, Johnson photographed himself, together with the minor female, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice, to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “Resources.”

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the Lubbock Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven M. Sucsy of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, Texas, is in charge of the prosecution.

Bank Robber Pleads Guilty in Federal Court

LUBBOCK, TX—Allen Azaryan, 40, most recently of Burbank, California, pleaded guilty this morning before U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to one count of bank robbery in connection with the Wells Fargo Bank robbery in Lubbock in December 2011, announced U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña of the Northern District of Texas. Azaryan faces a maximum statutory sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Judge Cummings ordered a presentence investigation report with sentencing to be set after the completion of that report.

According to documents filed in the case, on December 8, 2011, at about 2:25 p.m., Azaryan entered the Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., at 1500 Broadway in Lubbock, and handed a teller a note that read: “This is a robery [sic] give my [sic] all the money.” Azaryan also instructed the teller to give him a bag. When the teller responded that he didn’t have a bag, another teller provided one. The teller placed money in the bag and Azaryan left the bank.

A teller alerted an officer with the Lubbock Police Department (LPD), who was waiting in line behind Azaryan. The officer drew his firearm and followed Azaryan out of the bank. When the officer was about 12 feet away from Azaryan, he pointed his firearm at Azaryan and ordered him to the ground. As Azaryan raised his hands, he dropped a black Wells Fargo bank bag containing the money he had taken.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI and the LPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Lubbock, is in charge of the prosecution.

Lubbock Bank Robber Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison

LUBBOCK, TX—Convicted bank robber, Carlton Ray Taylor, 55, of Lubbock, Texas, was sentenced this morning by U.S. District Judge Sam R. Cummings to 41 months in federal prison for robbing the Lubbock National Bank, at 1001 Main Street, on New Year’s Eve 2010. The announcement was made today by U.S. Attorney James T. Jacks of the Northern District of Texas. Taylor has been in custody since his arrest on January 3, 2011.

According to documents filed in the case, at mid-day on December 31, 2010, Taylor walked into the bank, stayed for a while near a counter in the lobby and then left the bank. One of the tellers recognized Taylor as one of the bank’s regular customers. A short time later, Taylor returned, walked directly to the teller’s window, and gave the teller a demand note. Taylor put his hands in his pocket which led the teller to believe that he may have had a weapon. Taylor took the money and left the bank.

After pushing the alarm button and notifying other employees that he had been robbed, the teller looked up previous checks cashed by the man, whom he had recognized, and learned his name. When Taylor was arrested, law enforcement searched his vehicle and found the clothes he wore during the robbery as well as a small portion of the money he had obtained in the robbery.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Lubbock Police Department. Deputy Criminal Chief Assistant U.S. Attorney Denise Williams was in charge of the prosecution.