Two Sacramento Men Indicted for Armored Car Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—Raymell Lamar Eason, 42, and Keith Lamont Smith, 36, both of Sacramento were indicted today by a federal grand jury for interference with commerce by robbery, U.S. Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force that includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sacramento Police Department, and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, on April 17, 2012, Eason and Smith parked in a Wal-Mart parking lot on Florin Road in Sacramento with an activated Taser gun. Allegedly, the two men were waiting for a Garda Logistics Services armored car that they planned to rob when the guard left the Wal-Mart with its currency deposits. Eason is alleged to have shot the guard with the Taser while Smith waited in their getaway vehicle. The robbery was unsuccessful and the Garda armored car guard reportedly shot Eason during his flight. According to court records, Eason and Smith were arrested shortly after the botched robbery.

Both defendants are scheduled to appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kendall J. Newman in Sacramento on Tuesday July 3, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. They face up to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Any sentence, if they are convicted, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

The charges are only accusations, and each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Two Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies and Two Others Indicted in Firearms-Buyer Scheme

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – A federal indictment was unsealed today that charges four individuals in a firearm straw-buyer scheme involving firearms that are not available for sale to the public in California, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. The indictment was returned yesterday by a federal grand jury.

Sacramento County Sheriff’s Deputies Ryan McGowan, 31, and Thomas Lu, 42, both of Elk Grove, were each charged with engaging in the business of dealing in firearms without a license. Federal Firearms Licensee Robert Snellings, 61, of Rancho Murieta, was charged with five counts of conspiracy to make false statements in federal firearms records. McGowan and Ulysses Simpson Grant Early IV, 36, of Sacramento, were each charged with one count of conspiracy to make a false statement in federal firearms records.

Each of the counts is a felony. McGowan and Early have received summons to appear soon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Edmund F. Brennan today at 2:00 p.m. Snellings and Lu will appear at a later date.

Under state law, California has an approved roster of firearms that may be sold to the public. A Federal Firearms Licensee is required to make sure any handgun sold is on the approved roster. There is an exemption, however, for peace officers to purchase certain high-capacity firearms known as "off-roster" firearms. Peace officers who own off-roster firearms may sell them in a private sale, as long as it is brokered by a Federal Firearms Licensee. They may not, however, use these private sales to conduct a business whose principal objective is to make a profit through the repetitive purchase and resale of firearms.

According to the indictment and other documents filed with the district court, Snellings, a licensed firearms dealer, engaged in straw purchases involving McGowan, Lu, and other unindicted persons, who used their status as law enforcement officers to purchase off-roster firearms that were not available to the general public. Those weapons were then resold to private citizens in private transactions through Snellings’ firearms business. Early was a purchaser in one of the charged transactions.

McGowan and Lu are each charged with engaging in a firearms business without a license. Documents unsealed today indicate that each of them purchased dozens of off-roster firearms and resold many of them for profit. Snellings, McGowan, and Early are charged with various counts of conspiracy to make false statements when filling out the ATF Form 4473 that is completed when a firearm is purchased. It is alleged in the indictment that the law enforcement officer answered “yes” to the question on the form: “Are you actual buyer of this firearm(s) listed on the form?”

Snellings’ business, Snellings’ Firearms, sold or transferred 33 firearms to McGowan and 29 firearms to Lu between 2008 and late 2011. Some of those weapons were then transferred back to Snellings personally, thereby allowing Snellings to own the weapons himself or sell them to another non-peace officer. Early is alleged to have used a police officer as a straw buyer to purchase an off-roster firearm from Snellings.

According to the Automated Firearms System (AFS), since 2008, McGowan purchased 41 handguns and sold 25 of them as a private party transfer. Five were private party transferred within four weeks of the initial purchase and 15 within one year.

According to AFS, Lu obtained 27 off-roster firearms since 2008. He private party transferred 23 firearms. Eighteen were transferred within one year of the initial purchase.

“When law enforcement officers misuse their badges to funnel dangerous weapons to the highest bidder, they compromise the safety of the public. By putting personal profit ahead of public safety, they undermine the very essence of their duty,” said U.S. Attorney Wagner. “I want to specifically thank the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, the Sacramento Police Department, the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office, and other regional law enforcement agencies for their partnership in the course of this investigation.”

“We are all saddened that law enforcement officers chose to abuse their positions of trust by selling firearms not readily available to the public,” said John P. Lee, ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge, San Francisco Field Division. “Engaging in this illegal activity threatens public safety because it allows prohibited firearms to fall into the hands of those who wish to conceal their identities. We are thankful for the cooperation of all the investigating agencies that led to their arrests and indictment.”

Sacramento County Sheriff Scott Jones said: “Unfortunately, these two made the decision to abuse the authority that comes with the privilege of wearing a badge. Such conduct cannot–and will not–be tolerated. They not only dishonored themselves but the outstanding men and women of the Sheriff’s Department who conduct themselves with dedication and honor every single day.”

Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully stated: “McGowan abused his position as a law enforcement officer for his own personal gain, putting the safety of our community at risk. With this coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney's Office and local law enforcement agencies, he will be held accountable for his crimes on both the state and federal level.”

This case is the product of an extensive investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives with the active involvement of the Sacramento Sheriff’s Department and the Sacramento Police Department. The Roseville Police Department and other area law enforcement agencies assisted. As a result of the joint investigation, the Sacramento District Attorney has also filed state charges against Ryan McGowan. Assistant United States Attorneys William S. Wong and Michael D. Anderson are prosecuting the case.

The maximum statutory penalty for each of the conspiracy charges is five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release. The maximum penalty for the charges of engaging in the business of dealing firearms without a license is 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release. The actual sentences, if convicted, 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 indictment also includes a notice that the Government will seek forfeiture of firearms involved in the illegal transactions.

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

Central Coast Man Gets More Than 12 Years for Serial Bank Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States District Court Judge Morrison C. England, Jr. sentenced Robert Todd Bruce, 51, of Arroyo Grande, today to 12 years and seven months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for serial bank robbery, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced. Bruce was ordered to pay restitution to the banks.

The case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Bruce was sentenced for three bank robberies. He admitted that he committed additional bank robberies that were prosecuted in various state courts in California. The three robberies charged in federal court are:

■Washington Mutual Bank at 4741 Madison Avenue in Sacramento on December 30, 2008;

■Wells Fargo Bank at 949 Lincoln Way in Auburn on November 22, 2008; and

■Washington Mutual Bank at 1302 State Street in Santa Barbara on November 22, 2008.

The task force dubbed Bruce the “El Camino Real Bandit” because he robbed financial institutions on California’s historic Mission Trail, along California highways.

Sacramento Pimp Indicted for Trafficking Underage Girls

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Marquist Piere Bradford, 26, of Chicago, has been brought back to Sacramento to face charges of sex trafficking of children by force, fraud, or coercion.

Bradford was arraigned Wednesday before United States Magistrate Judge Carolyn K. Delaney and entered a not guilty plea. He was ordered held without bail and is next scheduled to appear in court on May 31, 2012 before United States District Judge Morrison C. England Jr.

Bradford was arrested on April 11, 2012 in Springfield, Illinois for a one-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Sacramento on March 29, 2012. The indictment has been sealed while law enforcement pursued Bradford. He was arrested in Chicago, and U.S. Marshals brought him to Sacramento on Tuesday.

According to the indictment, Bradford recruited a 15-year-old girl to travel from Fresno to Sacramento, where she was used by Bradford as part of his prostitution business from January 19 through February 5, 2012. According to court documents, Bradford maintained an apartment in Rancho Cordova that he used as a base of operations for a prostitution business that spanned the Sacramento and Bay Areas, as well as several cities outside California. At least two of Bradford’s victims were under the age of 18. Bradford fled from Sacramento to the Chicago area after law enforcement recovered the 15-year-old victim.

This case is the product of an investigation by the FBI’s Sacramento Crimes Against Children Task Force, which received the case after the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office located and recovered the 15-year-old victim. The Task Force brings together state, local, and federal law enforcement agencies in the Sacramento area to investigate the trafficking of juvenile victims of prostitution. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew G. Morris is prosecuting the case.

If convicted, Bradford faces a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison. The actual sentence, if convicted, 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 defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Nevada Man Dubbed the “Fedora Bandit” is Charged with Serial Bank Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced today that David Griffith Osborne, 74, of Carson City, Nev., was charged by felony complaint on Tuesday with seven counts of armed bank robbery in the Eastern District of California.

The case is the product of an investigation by the FBI with the assistance from police departments in Grass Valley, South Lake Tahoe, Gridley, and Paradise; the Sheriff’s Offices in Placer and Sacramento Counties; and the Carson City Sheriff’s Office. It was the collaborative effort and cooperation of the agencies involved in the investigation that ultimately led to Osborne’s identification and the filing of federal charges. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

According to the complaint, Osborne robbed the following California banks:

■December 22, 2009, Bank of the West, 736 Taylorville Road, Grass Valley;

■February 18, 2010, Bank of the West, 2160 Lake Tahoe Boulevard, South Lake Tahoe;
■March 9, 2010, Bank of the West, 200 Bear Street, Kings Beach;
■March 31, 2010, Bank of the West, 736 Taylorville Road, Grass Valley;
■April 26, 2010, Bank of the West, 34 East Gridley Road, Gridley;
■June 3, 2010, American River Bank, 9750 Business Park Drive, Rancho Cordova;
■June 29, 2010, Chase Bank, 6669 Clark Road, Paradise.

In addition, according to court documents, Osborne also committed the April 12, 2010 armed robbery of the Bank of the West’s Carson City branch at 2976 North Carson Street in Nevada.

Osborne is currently in federal custody on unrelated charges. He faces up to 25 years in federal prison for each armed bank robbery. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory sentencing factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

The charges in the complaint are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Skateboard Bandit Gets Eight Years in Prison for Bank Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Jared Sung Yoon Herdt, 30, of Sacramento, was sentenced today to eight years in prison for his commission of a series of bank robberies. The sentence was imposed this morning by Senior United States District Judge William B. Shubb who also ordered that Herdt serve a three-year term of supervised release upon his release from prison.

This case was the product of an investigation by the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez prosecuted the case.

According to court documents, Herdt pleaded guilty to five bank robberies:

1.Wells Fargo Bank, 3424 Dale Road, Modesto on January 5, 2009.

2.Wells Fargo Bank, 2010 Goldfield Drive, Rancho Cordova on April 25, 2009.
3.Bank of America, 1821 Pioneer Parkway, Springfield, Ore. on January 16, 2009.
4.Wells Fargo Bank, 3195 Meridian Ave., San Jose on February 24, 2009.
5.Wells Fargo Bank, 65 North Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara on February 24, 2009.

For purposes of restitution, Herdt also admitted robbing a Wells Fargo Bank at 9407 Madison Avenue in Orangevale on April 25, 2009.

During the robberies, Herdt claimed he had a firearm. The task force dubbed the him the “Skateboard Bandit” because tellers in some robberies reported that the robber fled via skateboard to an unknown location where he had a getaway vehicle.

On April 27, 2010, a search of a stolen vehicle recovered in Sunnyvale resulted in the recovery of $4,900 in cash, a loaded 9 mm semi-automatic pistol, a skateboard, and a receipt for a dentist in Oregon. The dentist positively identified surveillance photos of the bank robber as Herdt.

“Skateboard Bandit” Pleads Guilty to Serial Bank Robbery

SACRAMENTO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that today Jared Sung Yoon Herdt, 30, of Sacramento, pleaded guilty to a series of bank robberies. Herdt has agreed to pay restitution for all of his bank robberies. He is in federal custody pending sentencing.

This case is the product of an investigation of the Sacramento Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Michelle Rodriguez is prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, Herdt pleaded guilty to five bank robberies:

1.Wells Fargo Bank, 3424 Dale Road, Modesto on January 5, 2009.

2.Wells Fargo Bank, 2010 Goldfield Drive, Rancho Cordova on April 25, 2009.

3.Bank of America, 1821Pioneer Parkway, Springfield, Oregon on January 16, 2009.

4.Wells Fargo Bank, 3195 Meridian Ave., San Jose on February 24, 2009.

5.Wells Fargo Bank, 65 North Winchester Blvd., Santa Clara on February 24, 2009.

For purposes of restitution, he additionally admitted robbing a Wells Fargo Bank at 9407 Madison Avenue in Orangevale on April 25, 2009.

During the robberies, Herdt claimed he had a firearm. The task force dubbed the perpetrator the “Skateboard Bandit” because tellers in some robberies indicated the robber fled via skateboard to an unknown location where he had a getaway vehicle.

On April 27, 2010, a search of a stolen vehicle recovered in Sunnyvale resulted in the recovery of $4,900 in cash, a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol, a skateboard, and a receipt for a dentist in Oregon. The dentist positively identified surveillance photos of the bank robber as Herdt.

Herdt is scheduled to be sentenced on November 7, 2011 by United States District Judge William B. Shubb. He faces up to 100 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $1.25 million. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.