Former New Orleans Police Officer Sentenced in Danziger Bridge Case

WASHINGTON - Former New Orleans PoliceDepartment (NOPD) Officer Ignatius Hills was sentenced today by U. S. District Court Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to 78 months in prison.  Hills pleaded guilty in federal court on June 4, 2010, to misprision of a felony and to conspiring with fellow officers to obstruct justice by covering up the police shooting that occurred on the Danziger Bridge on Sept. 4, 2005, immediately following Hurricane Katrina.  

Hills had previously testified for the United States as a witness in the trial which resulted in convictions of the five NOPD Danziger defendants on civil rights homicide and obstruction-related charges. 

On Sept. 4, 2005, just four days after Hurricane Katrina, Hills was one of several officers present during two shooting incidents which left two people dead and four others seriously injured. 

In both the factual basis supporting his guilty plea and his testimony at trial, Hills admitted that he signed a sworn statement justifying the arrest of Lance Madison with no first-hand information about any wrongdoing by Madison.  Hills also admitted that he conspired with other officers and supervisors to give false statements about the shooting during the investigation of this incident, and he provided false statements to NOPD investigators and to the state grand jury who initially investigated the matter.  He additionally admitted and testified that he knew that his fellow officers had knowingly falsified reports and given false statements, in violation of federal law, and failed to report those crimes.

In a separate related matter, U.S. District Court Judge Sarah Vance denied a motion by the government to reduce the eight-year sentence for former New Orleans Police Officer Michael Hunter, who also pleaded guilty and cooperated with the government in the Danziger Bridge case.

The case was investigated by the New Orleans Field Office of the FBI, and was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Bobbi Bernstein and Trial Attorney Forrest Christian of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, along with Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore Carter for the Eastern District of Louisiana.

Member of United Aryan Brotherhood Pleads Guilty to a Hate Motivated Assault of Jewish Inmate in Texas

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that Timothy Lee York, a 35 year-old, self-proclaimed member of the United Aryan Brotherhood, pleaded guilty to violently assaulting a Jewish inmate at a federal correctional facility in Texas.

York, of Fountain Valley, Calif., pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Irma C. Ramirez in federal court in Dallas, Texas.

York admitted in court that on Dec. 28, 2007, he attacked Stuart Rosoff, his Jewish cellmate, while Rosoff was sleeping.   York admitted that he used a dangerous weapon, a ligature that he placed around Rosoff’s neck, to forcibly pull Rosoff to the floor where he lost consciousness.   Once Rosoff was on the floor, York repeatedly kicked Rosoff in the head and punched him in the head and body.   York acknowledged that he attacked Rosoff because he was Jewish.

 “The Department of Justice will not hesitate to prosecute those who assault others because of their race or religion,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Division.  

Sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 6, 2012, before Judge Sam A. Lindsay.  The case was investigated by the Dallas Division of the FBI, and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Jared Fishman and Ryan Murguía of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.

ICE HSI agent honored for arresting alleged war criminal

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WASHINGTON - A special agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was honored at an awards ceremony yesterday for his work in locating and arresting a former Argentine police officer. This former Argentine official was allegedly involved in torture and extrajudicial killings in at least two clandestine detention centers during the so-called "Dirty War," which lasted from 1976 to 1983.

Special Agent Michael Tarantino received a SHIELD award from the Washington, D.C., Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League (ADL). This annual award honors law enforcement professionals for significant contributions to protecting communities from extremism, hate crimes and terrorism.

"ICE's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center is committed to ensuring the United States is not a safe haven for those who have carried out war atrocities or violated the basic human rights of citizens in foreign nations," said John P. Torres, special agent in charge of the ICE HSI field office in Washington, D.C. "The work of Special Agent Tarantino is an outstanding example of that commitment."

During the "Dirty War" in Argentina, suspected members of the government opposition were routinely tortured and later disappeared or murdered. Official investigations determined that approximately 13,000 people were killed during this period. Recently released documents, however, indicate that this number should be higher; human rights groups assert that the true number killed is closer to 30,000.

In March 2006, a federal magistrate in Buenos Aires issued an arrest warrant for Juan Miguel Mendez, a former Argentine police official for his involvement in torture, disappearances and extrajudicial killings in connection with at least two clandestine detention centers that operated in Buenos Aires from 1976 to 1979. It was alleged that Mendez, a former member of the federal police, was involved with the detention, torture and disappearance of detainees from the notorious "El Olimpo" clandestine detention facility, as well as the associated "El Banco" clandestine detention facility.

In May 2009, ICE HSI identified Mr. Mendez as the subject of an Interpol notice that indicated he had been involved in the operation of clandestine detention centers in Argentina from 1976 to 1979. On June 11, 2009, following an investigation led by ICE HSI Special Agent Tarantino, Mr. Mendez was arrested in Virginia and charged with overstaying his visa in violation of U.S. immigration law.

In December 2010, officers with ICE's Enforcement and Removal Operations escorted Mendez to Buenos Aires where he was transferred to the custody of the Argentinean government.

ICE's Human Rights Violators and War Crimes Center was established in 2009 to further ICE efforts to identify, track and prosecute human rights abusers. The Center leverages the expertise of a select group of agents, lawyers, intelligence and research specialists, historians and analysts who direct the agency's broader enforcement efforts against these offenders. Members of the public who have information about foreign nationals suspected of engaging in human rights abuses or war crimes are urged to call the ICE tip line at: 1-866-DHS-2423 (1-866-347-2423).

Callers may remain anonymous. To learn more about the assistance available to victims in these cases, the public should contact ICE's confidential victim-witness toll-free number at: 1-866-872-4973.

Since fiscal year 2004, ICE has arrested more than 200 individuals for human rights-related violations of the law under various criminal and/or immigration statutes. During that same period, ICE obtained deportation orders for and physically removed more than 400 known or suspected human rights violators from the United States. ICE is pursuing more than 1,900 leads and removal cases involving suspected human rights violators from approximately 95 different countries. These cases are predominantly focused on Central and South America, Haiti, the former Yugoslavia and Africa. They represent cases in various stages of investigation, prosecution or removal proceedings.

Federal, State, and Local Authorities Arrest 23 Hondo and Uvalde-Based Texas Syndicate Members and Associates

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Arrests Stem from a RICO Indictment Alleging Responsibility for Four Murders, Extortion, and Drug Trafficking Offenses as Well as a Second Indictment Alleging Drug Trafficking Offenses

United States Attorney Robert Pitman, FBI Special Agent in Charge Cory B. Nelson, and Texas Department of Public Safety Director Steve McCraw announced that 23 Hondo and Uvalde, Texas-based members and associates of the Texas Syndicate (TS), including a Bandera County Sheriff’s Deputy, have been arrested based on two federal grand jury indictments returned on Wednesday and unsealed late yesterday.

RICO Indictment

Those arrested on Thursday and charged in a Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organization (RICO) conspiracy indictment include:

■Cristobal Velasquez (a.k.a. “Little Cris”), age 33, of Uvalde;

■Sotero Rodriguez Martinez (a.k.a. “June”), age 41, of Uvalde;

■Chuco Mario Martinez (a.k.a. “Mariachi”), age 35, of Uvalde;

■Larry Munoz, Jr. (a.k.a. “Little Larry”), age 36, of Uvalde;

■Brian Esparza (a.k.a. “Tata”), age 31, of Uvalde;

■Charles Esparza (a.k.a. “Horse”), age 32, of Uvalde;

■Ervey Sanchez (a.k.a. “Mad Max”), age 31, of Uvalde;

■Mark Anthony Vela, age 35, of Hondo;

■Charles Olan Quintanilla, age 32, of Hondo;

■George Sanchez (a.k.a. “Curious”), age 36, of Uvalde; and

■Inez Mata (a.k.a. “Bebito”), age 41, of Uvalde.

The seven-count RICO indictment charges the defendants with participating in a criminal organization whose members engage in acts of violence, including murder, extortion, robbery, and drug distribution. According to the indictment, from January 2002 to the date of the indictment, the defendants conspired to commit four murders, commit robbery, and distribute cocaine, marijuana, and methamphetamine.

The RICO indictment specifically alleges that: an indicted co-conspirator, whose identity will be revealed at his initial appearance, shot and killed 43-year-old Rogelio Mata on October 13, 2002; Velasquez and Chuco Martinez were responsible for the shooting death of 34-year-old Jose Guadalupe De La Garza on December 25, 2005; Ervey Sanchez shot and killed 36-year-old Jesse James Polanco on November 9 2009; and, on August 14, 2010, Sotero Rodriguez, Munoz, Torres, Brian Esparza, Charles Esparza, Ervey Sanchez, and George Sanchez conspired to kill 45-year-old Ramon Rodriguez.

During the conspiracy, the defendants were allegedly responsible for trafficking in the Hondo and Uvalde areas in excess of five kilograms of cocaine, 100 kilograms of marijuana, and three ounces of methamphetamine.

Each defendant faces up to life in federal prison upon conviction.

Non-RICO Indictment

Those arrested yesterday and charged in the non-RICO indictment include:

■Jose Alberto Ruiz (a.k.a. “Spike”), age 42, of Uvalde;

■Calletano Nira (a.k.a. “Cat), age 46, of Hondo;

■Joshua Leonard Benavides, age 20, of Hondo;

■Alfredo Tapia, III (a.k.a. “Nacho”), age 63, of Hondo;

■Ted Benavides (a.k.a. “TJ”), age 19, of Hondo;

■Jessica Escareno, age 40, of Hondo;

■Ruben Dominguez, age 35, of Hondo;

■Sandra Torres, age 33, of Uvalde;

■Jaime Corona, Jr., age 28, of Hondo;

■John Khosravi, age 31, of San Antonio;

■Eli Torres, age 35, of Uvalde; and,

■Thomas Cuellar, age 41, of Hondo.

The 12 defendants named in this indictment, all of whom are members or associates of the Texas Syndicate, are charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine. Ruiz, Nira, Joshua Benavides, Tapia, Ted Benavides, and Escareno are also charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana. Cuellar is also charged with one count of unlawful use of a government computer.

From August 1, 2009 to the present, the defendants have allegedly conspired to distribute controlled substances in the Uvalde and Hondo areas. The indictment also alleges that on August 31, 2010, Cuellar, a Bandera County Sheriff’s Deputy, unlawfully accessed a department computer in order to obtain law enforcement information regarding co-conspirators.

Each drug charge calls for a sentence of between five and 40 years in federal prison upon conviction. Cuellar also faces up to five years in federal prison upon conviction of the unlawful use charge.

While executing the federal warrants on Thursday, authorities also arrested 22-year-old Diana Lizett Hernandez, of Bracketville, Texas. Hernandez is charged by a criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of a public housing facility. The complaint alleges that at the time of her arrest, Hernandez was in possession of 3.5 grams of cocaine and a digital scale. Upon conviction, Hernandez faces not less than one year and up to 40 years in federal prison.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Safe Streets Task Force together with the Texas Department of Public Safety - Criminal Investigations Division, San Antonio Police Department, Medina County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bandera County Sheriff’s Office. Also assisting in the investigation was the 38th Judicial District Adult Probation Gang Unit, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons. The U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Customs and Border Protection, and the Uvalde County Sheriff’s Department assisted in making the arrests. This case will be prosecuted in the Del Rio Division of the Western District of Texas.

An indictment is merely a charge and should not be considered as evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

Firefighter Fatality

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) has received notice of the following firefighter fatality:

Name: Andrew “Andy” K. Boyt

Rank: Lieutenant

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 20

Date of Incident: 10/03/2011

Time of Incident: 1545hrs

Date of Death: 10/03/2011

Fire Department: Cape May Fire Department

Address: 643 Washington ST, Cape May, NJ 08204

Fire Department Chief: Jerome “Jerry” Inderwies, Jr.

Fire Department Website: www.CapeMayFD.com

Incident Description: A few hours after working a twenty-four hour shift, Lieutenant Boyt’s personal vehicle was observed parked on the side of a local road. Boyt was inside of the vehicle, slumped over the steering wheel.

Police, EMS and medics responded, found Boyt unresponsive and started CPR. He was immediately transported to Cape Regional Hospital, where he was pronounced dead shortly thereafter. Lieutenant Boyt had responded to fire calls within twenty-four hours prior to his passing. The cause of his death is still under investigation.

Incident Location: Pending

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Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Lieutenant Andrew “Andy” K. Boyt at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 75 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2011; 70 from incidents that occurred in 2011 and five from previous years’ incidents. Year-to-date monthly and annual USFA firefighter fatality reports are posted online @ http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/statistics/ff_stats.shtm.

Fort Totten Woman Sentenced for Selling Meth on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation

FARGO—United States Attorney Timothy Q. Purdon announced that on October 3, 2011, Kenzie McKay, of Fort Totten, North Dakota, was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Ralph R. Erickson on a charge of distribution of a controlled substance.

McKay, 36, pleaded on July 5, 2011, to selling five bags (total weight .60 grams) of methamphetamine at a church parking lot on the Spirit Lake Indian Reservation in January of 2010.

Judge Erickson sentenced McKay to four months at a recovery and re-entry center and four months of home electronic monitoring. McKay’s sentence is to be followed by three years of supervised release. McKay was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment to the Crime Victim’s Fund.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Indian Affairs/Drug Enforcement Administration, North Dakota Bureau of Criminal Investigation, and the Devil’s Lake Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Janice M. Morley prosecuted the case.

Warm Springs Man Enters Guilty Plea in Shooting Death

PORTLAND, OR—U.S. District Judge Ancer L. Haggerty accepted a guilty plea on October 3, 2011, from a 23-year-old Warm Springs man, Ted L. Barney, Jr. In pleading guilty to murder in the second degree, defendant, Barney, admitted that he fired a 9mm handgun on July 26, 2011 in Warm Springs that killed 24-year-old Delmer Davis.

According to the government, on July 26, 2011 on the Warm Springs Indian Reservation, the defendant was a passenger in a car driving in a residential neighborhood. A man standing in the driveway of a home in the neighborhood threw a rock at defendant’s car as it drove by. The rock missed the car, but defendant told the driver to turn around and then stop the car. The defendant got out of the car and approached the man in the driveway, who was about 75 feet away (the driveway was long). The defendant then began shooting with a 9mm handgun. The man hid behind a vehicle in the driveway.

Defendant fired approximately five shots, gunfire did not hit Barney’s intended target, the man who threw a rock at defendant’s car. However, one of the bullets from defendant’s gun went through the window of the vehicle the man was hiding behind, hitting a man sitting in the car.

Delmer Davis, a 24-year-old Indian male, was sitting in the vehicle holding his infant son. Mr. Davis was hit in the head with the bullet that went through that vehicle’s window from defendant’s gun. Mr. Davis died en route to the hospital as a result of that wound.

The defendant, who initially may not have realized he hit anybody (the windows of the vehicle were tinted), turned himself in to the Warm Springs Police Department later that day when he learned the police were looking for him. Defendant provided the handgun to the Warm Springs Police, and after Miranda, he confessed that he was the shooter and that he was aiming to hit another man in the driveway.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 12, 2011, before Judge Haggerty. Under the terms of a plea agreement, the parties have agreed to recommend a prison sentence of 18 years.

The Warm Springs Police Department and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Gabriel is handling the criminal prosecution.

“Stare Down Bandit” Wanted for Bank Robbery, Attempted Bank Robbery

The FBI and the Huntington Beach Police, CA, and Irvine Police, CA, are seeking the public’s assistance with information leading to the identity of an unidentified male bank robber who attempted to rob a bank in Huntington Beach and then successfully robbed a bank in Irvine earlier today. At 11:15 a.m., the suspect attempted to rob the U.S. Bank at 20002 Brookhurst St. in Huntington Beach. When he did not receive any money from the teller, the suspect decided to leave the bank. A short while later, a man matching the description of the suspect in the Huntington Beach attempt robbed the Bank of America at 18622 MacArthur Blvd in Irvine, where he received cash and fled on foot. During both robberies the robber presented a demand note and made an oral demand for cash. The bandit was described as an Asian male, possibly of Filipino descent or biracial; with a dark complexion, 5’4” tall, 145 lbs., thin build, 45 to 60 years in age, with decaying teeth. The bandit was named based on witness accounts that indicated the suspect stared at the victim teller for a long while before leaving the bank. The FBI is investigating whether the “Stare Down Bandit” is wanted in additional previous robberies.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI or dial 911. In Los Angeles, the FBI can be reached toll free, 24 hours a day, at 888 CANT HIDE (888 226-8443).

FBI Offers $5,000 Reward in Montana Hit-and-Run Investigation

FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) David J. Johnson is announcing a $5,000 reward for the identification, arrest, and conviction of the person responsible for the death of 29-year old Eugene Jesse Stevens. Mr. Stevens was killed at approximately 1:45 a.m. on September 25, 2011, while walking along Highway 2 on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. “Since the incident, the FBI and our law enforcement partners have been working around the clock on this investigation. By offering a monetary reward, I am hopeful someone will come forward with information that will help us solve this case,” said SAC Johnson.

According to the investigation, Mr. Stevens left his vehicle and was walking westbound along Highway 2 between Browning and East Glacier when he was hit by a vehicle. The driver failed to stop. It appears the vehicle that hit Mr. Stevens was also heading westbound on Highway 2. Investigators continue to review evidence and field tips from the public. However, no arrests have been made in this case. Anyone who has information about the fatal incident is asked to contact the FBI in Salt Lake City at (801) 579-1400, or the FBI office in Shelby, Montana at (406) 424-8411.

The FBI would like to thank the media for continuing to publicize this case, members of the public who have contacted the FBI with information, and our law enforcement partners, including the Glacier County Sheriff’s Office, Blackfeet Tribal Police, and the Montana Highway Patrol.

Australian Man Pleads Guilty to Accepting Payment as Reward for Steering $15 Million in U.S.-Funded Contracts in Afghanistan

Defendant Accepted $10,000 and Sought $190,000

WASHINGTON   - A former senior construction manager who worked as an agent for an intergovernmental organization pleaded guilty today to seeking $190,000 in payments as a reward for steering U.S.-funded contracts in Afghanistan, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. of the District of Columbia; Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Inspector General Donald A. Gambatesa; Acting Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) Steven J Trent; and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.

Neil P. Campbell, 61, of Queensland, Australia, pleaded guilty today before Judge Rosemary M. Collyer in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count of accepting an illegal payment as an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.   Campbell was originally charged on Aug. 19, 2010.   He was arrested in New Delhi, India, in October 2010, and extradited to the United States in February 2011.   Campbell’s sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 14, 2011.

According to court records, starting in January 2009, Campbell worked in Afghanistan as a contractor and acted as an agent for the International Organization on Migration (IOM).   The IOM has received more than $260 million from USAID since 2002 to construct hospitals, schools and other facilities.

In his plea, Campbell admitted that in July 2010, while in Afghanistan, he solicited a one-time cash payment of $190,000 from a subcontractor in Afghanistan as a reward for funneling more than $15 million in reconstruction projects to that subcontractor to build a hospital and a provincial teaching college.  In August 2010, Campbell met an undercover USAID investigator posing as the subcontractor’s representative and accepted a $10,000 cash payment.   Campbell counted the money and requested that the remaining funds come to him in one payment.   In October 2010, Campbell traveled to New Delhi, India, where he believed he would be receiving the remaining $180,000.   He was arrested at the New Delhi International Airport by agents of the Indian Central Bureau of Investigation.

“This conviction of an Australian citizen who was extradited from India for corruptly steering the use of U.S. federal dollars in Afghanistan shows the seriousness of our commitment to protecting the American taxpayer,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “We will continue to deploy investigative resources around the world to ensure that criminals who exploit our generosity are held accountable in an American courtroom.”

“Mr. Campbell steered millions of dollars in taxpayer funds to a subcontractor in Afghanistan and sought illegal riches in return,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.   “In the name of U.S. reconstruction efforts, he decided to try and cash in.   The Justice Department will not tolerate this kind of flagrant corruption, and will continue to hold criminals like Mr. Campbell to account.”

“We will continue in our partnership with other law enforcement agencies to bring the full force of the government against those who seek private gain in the midst of such hard economic times,” said Inspector General Gambatesa.  “There is zero tolerance for such abuse of federal funds.”

“Crimes like this divert money from legitimate uses and undermine the U.S. reconstruction effort,” said Acting SIGAR Trent.  “SIGAR agents are proud to have participated in this case, which shows that those who defraud the United States in Afghanistan will be found and brought to justice.”

“In this case an overseas contractor thought that fraudulent activity would go unnoticed, permitting an illegal profit from the American people,” said FBI Assistant Director McJunkin. “Today’s plea is a reminder that taking fraudulent payments and misrepresenting U.S. interests has its consequences.”

Campbell faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.   Campbell also agreed in his plea to forfeiture of $10,000, which represents the one illegal payment he received.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Solomon of the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Ryan S. Faulconer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. Substantial assistance was provided by former Assistant U.S. Attorney Vasu B. Muthyala, the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché and the Judicial Attaché Office in Kabul. The case is being investigated by the USAID Office of Inspector General, the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and members of the International Contract Corruption Task Force (ICCTF).

The ICCTF is a joint law enforcement agency task force that seeks to detect, investigate, and dismantle corruption and contract fraud resulting from U.S. Overseas Contingency Operations worldwide, including in Kuwait, Afghanistan and Iraq.

Mexico Expels America's Most Wanted

California Fugitive Charged with Murder

El Paso, Texas – Emmanuel Matthew “Manny” Mendoza, 20, of Tracy, California, was expelled from the Republic of Mexico at the El Paso Port of Entry into the hands of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force yesterday after an international investigation culminated in Mendoza’s detention by Mexican authorities in Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua.

Mendoza, a documented member of California’s West Side Tracy Nortenos street gang, was sought by law enforcement since his involvement in the botched robbery and subsequent murder in September 2010 of Kevin Prater II, of Tracy. California law enforcement authorities have been working this case feverishly in addition to seeking the public’s assistance through an airing of Mendoza on America’s Most Wanted.

Mendoza was detained by Mexican authorities and determined to have no immigration status to remain in the Republic of Mexico. Mendoza was expelled to the United States where Mendoza was formally arrested and remanded to the El Paso County Detention Facility pending further extradition proceedings.

Robert R. Almonte, United States Marshal for the Western District of Texas states, “On behalf of the law enforcement community and our international partners who worked tirelessly to see this arrest to the end, we hope this will bring a little closure to the Prater family.”

Members of the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force in El Paso –

El Paso Police Department

El Paso County Sheriff’s Office

El Paso District Attorney’s Office

Texas Department of Criminal Justice-Office of Inspector General

Texas Department of Public Safety

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

U.S. Marshals Service

Jerry Padilla, III Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison for Federal Narcotics Trafficking Convictions

Padilla, III Forfeits Interest in Residence and $441,008 in Cash

ALBUQUERQUE—Earlier today in federal court in Albuquerque, Jerry Padilla, III, 26, was sentenced to 24 months in prison for a cocaine trafficking conviction to be followed by an additional 18 months for a heroin trafficking conviction, for a total of 42 months of imprisonment. After completing his prison sentence, Padilla, III will be on supervised release for three years. Padilla, III also was ordered to forfeit his interest in the residential property located at 2121 Celeste Road SW in Albuquerque, as well as $441,008 in cash found buried in the residence’s back yard during execution of a federal search warrant in December 2009.

Padilla, III and his father, Jerry L. Padilla, Jr., 43, the alleged leaders of the Los Padillas Gang, were arrested on December 3, 2009 on a criminal complaint, and subsequently were indicted on December 16, 2009. According to the criminal complaint, Padilla, Jr., distributed cocaine to an informant who was working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Albuquerque Police Department (APD) on three separate occasions in March 2009. Padilla, III participated in the third distribution. Padilla, III subsequently was charged with a heroin trafficking offense in a separate one-count indictment filed in March 2011. On May 12, 2011, Padilla, III pleaded guilty to the cocaine and heroin trafficking offenses.

His father, Padilla, Jr., pleaded guilty to three cocaine distribution counts on May 12, 2011, and was sentenced to a 74-month term of imprisonment on September 14, 2011. In a separate and unrelated case, Joseph Steven Padilla, the 21-year-old son of Padilla, Jr., and the brother of Padilla, III, entered a guilty plea to a heroin trafficking offense on August 24, 2011. Joseph Padilla is scheduled for sentencing on November 10, 2011.

United States Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales said that the cases against Padilla, III, Padilla, Jr., and Joseph Padilla were investigated by the FBI and APD with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the New Mexico State Police, and the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, and are being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Joel R. Meyers and Nicholas J. Ganjei.

14 Tons of Marijuana Seized by El Centro Sector Border Patrol

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Salton City, Calif. – Yesterday, U.S. Border Patrol agents from the El Centro Sector seized a tractor-trailer with over 14 tons of marijuana valued at more than $22.6 million dollars.

The incident occurred early last night around 8 p.m., after a Border Patrol canine team from the Indio station alerted to a large tractor-trailer during preprimary inspection at the Highway 86 Border Patrol Checkpoint near Salton City. The driver of the vehicle, a 35-year-old male, was referred to secondary inspection where agents used a large scale imaging system to scan the truck’s cargo area.

Several anomalies were observed by agents throughout the shipment resulting in a thorough investigation. Agents searching the interior of the tractor-trailer discovered multiple wooden crates filled with several bundles containing what appeared to be illegal narcotics. The substance inside the bundles was examined by Border Patrol agents and tested positive for marijuana.

In total, agents uncovered over 1100 bundles of marijuana weighing approximately 28,300 pounds. This is the largest marijuana seizure in El Centro Sector Border Patrol’s history and one of the top checkpoint seizures nationwide.

The driver of the vehicle was placed under arrest and turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration along with the marijuana and tractor-trailer.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Baltimore Career Offender Exiled to Over 12 Years in Prison on Drug Charges

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Antonio Liburd, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 151 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Judge Hollander also ordered that Liburd forfeit a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun and $13,200 seized during a search of Liburd’s home on March 25, 2011. Judge Hollander enhanced Liburd’s sentence upon finding that he is a career offender, based on four previous drug convictions.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

According to Liburd’s plea agreement, on March 24, 2011, detectives with the Baltimore Police Department obtained search warrants for Liburd’s pick-up truck and two residences he occupied, including a residence in the 1000 block of Wilmont Court in Baltimore. The next day, Baltimore Police and the FBI set up surveillance of Liburd and executed the first search warrant as Liburd was inside his truck. Law enforcement recovered 153 black ziplock baggies containing a total of 20.53 grams of cocaine, as well as another eight grams of cocaine in the groin area of Liburd’s clothing. A subsequent search of Liburd’s Wilmont Court residence recovered a plastic storage box from the master bedroom containing $13,200 in cash, a plastic bag with three grams of cocaine and drug paraphernalia. The box also contained a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, a magazine with 10 .40 caliber rounds, photos of Liburd, and other personal papers belonging to Liburd.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Baltimore Police Department and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Gerald A. Collins, a cross-designated Maryland Assistant Attorney General assigned to Exile cases, who prosecuted the case.

“Mr. Magoo Bandit” Linked to Three Additional Bank Robberies

The FBI and local law enforcement partners are seeking the public’s help in identifying a bank robbery suspect dubbed the “Mr. Magoo Bandit,” who has been linked to three additional bank robberies in California for a total of nine to date.

The bandit is a suspect in the following recent bank robberies:

■Chase Bank, Camarillo, CA (Tuesday, September 27, 2011)

■Chase Bank, South San Francisco, CA (Saturday, September 17, 2011)

■U.S. Bank, Novato, CA (Tuesday, August 29, 2011)

The “Mr. Magoo Bandit” is described by witnesses as a white male in his 40s, weighing about 200 lbs, with a medium build. He is bald, with short dirty blond hair and wears prescription glasses. During the robberies, the bandit enters the bank, approaches the teller and places a demand note on the counter. No weapons were seen during any of the robberies.

The “Mr. Magoo Bandit” is also believed to be responsible for six bank robberies in San Diego. The most recent was on September 7, 2011 at a U.S. Bank at 3201 University Avenue.

This investigation is being conducted jointly by the FBI’s San Francisco, San Diego, and Los Angeles Field Offices, as well as our local law enforcement partners in Novato, South San Francisco, Camarillo and San Diego. Anybody with information as to the identity or whereabouts of this suspect is urged to contact the FBI.

The FBI can be reached 24 hours a day at 415-553-7400 in the San Francisco area, 888-CANT-HIDE (888-226-8443) in Los Angeles area, and 858-565-1255 in the San Diego area. All calls are confidential.

Bank surveillance photos of the suspect are available and are below.

Members of the media should call:

FBI San Francisco: Public Affairs Specialist Julianne Sohn at 415-553-7450.

FBI Los Angeles: Public Affairs Specialist Laura Eimiller at (310) 996-3343.

FBI San Diego: Special Agent Darrell Foxworth at (858) 499-7810.

Pine Ridge Woman Sentenced for Second-Degree Murder

United States Attorney Brendan V. Johnson announced that a Pine Ridge, South Dakota woman charged with second-degree murder was sentenced on September 30, 2011, by United States District Judge Jeffrey L. Viken. Sharon McMillan, age 41, was sentenced to 210 months in custody, five years of supervised release, a $100 special assessment to the Victim Assistance Fund, and $4,000 in restitution.

McMillan was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 18, 2010. On May 1, 2010, near Long Valley, South Dakota, she killed a man by repeatedly beating the man in the head with a baseball bat. After the murder, she obstructed the administration of justice by falsely claiming that the murder was committed solely by another woman. She further obstructed justice by asking her 18-year-old daughter to falsely accuse the innocent woman of the murder.

The investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Oglala Sioux Tribe Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Tim Maher prosecuted the case.

McMillan was immediately turned over to the custody of the United States Marshal.

CBP Nabs Two Wanted Felons at the Luis Munoz Marin International Airport in Puerto Rico

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San Juan, Puerto Rico - Late yesterday afternoon, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) arrested two wanted felons at the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Upon his arrival to San Juan on board an American Airlines Flight from Venezuela, CBP officers inspected Eli Samuel Perez-Estrada, 33, a United States citizen. System queries revealed that Mr. Perez-Estrada had a positive record, with a warrant issued by the U.S. District Court for the Judicial District of Puerto Rico, on charges related to the distribution of marihuana.

On the same flight, CBP Officers identified another individual with an outstanding warrant. Upon inspecting United States citizen Kendri Gonzalez, 23, CBP officers noticed he had an outstanding warrant for his arrest issued by the United States District Court of Puerto Rico for conspiracy to distribute 1000 kilograms or more of marijuana.

CBP officers verified both warrants and transferred custody of both passengers to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for further processing.

“Every day, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers are vigilant in seeking individuals who try different means to reach the U. S. and circumvent detection,” said Marcelino Borges, director of field operations for Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. “Technology and close collaboration amongst law enforcement allows us to detect felons and bring them to justice.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Nogales CBP Officers Seize 340 Pounds of Marijuana

Nogales, Ariz. - Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Tucson Field Office, a component of the Customs and Border Protection Joint Field Command-Arizona, seized more than 340 pounds of marijuana and arrested an individual in connection with the smuggling attempt on Tuesday.

Officers working at the Mariposa Commercial Port referred an 18-year-old Mexican man for a secondary inspection of his Chevrolet truck which was towing a trailer. When a narcotics detection canine alerted to the trailer, officers located a pair of non-factory compartments within the wheel wells. They removed 48 packages of marijuana, which weighed a total of 344 pounds and have an estimated value of $172,000. The driver was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the narcotics, truck and trailer were seized.

Individuals arrested are charged with a criminal complaint, which raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP announced the JFC-AZ in February 2011 as an organizational realignment that brings together the U.S. Border Patrol, Air and Marine, and Field Operations under a unified command structure. The JFC-AZ integrates CBP’s border security, commercial enforcement, and trade facilitation missions to more effectively meet the unique challenges faced in the Arizona area of operations.

CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked primarily with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related responsibilities, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Thirty-Six Defendants with Ties to Hells Angels Motorcycle Club Charged in Federal Drug Conspiracy Investigation

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Keith Slotter, Special Agent in Charge of the San Diego FBI office, announces the arrest of 26 people with ties to the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. Six defendants were already in custody and four are considered fugitives at this time.

On Thursday, September 29, 2011, over 250 law enforcement officers, deputies, and agents from San Diego County participated in arrests and searches of individuals and locations with ties to the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club.

Twenty-six people were arrested today on federal drug charges, and 19 locations searched. The searches resulted in the seizure of thousands of dollars in U.S. currency, 10 firearms, and quantities of drugs.

The charges in this matter stem from a two-year investigation conducted by the FBI’s Violent Crime Gang Task Force. The investigation focused on the methamphetamine trafficking and violent crimes committed by the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (San Diego Charter) and their criminal partners. As set forth in the complaint, the defendants are members and associates of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club. During this investigation agents and detectives prevented a kidnapping.

The complaint charges the following defendants with Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), 846-Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

■Michael Edward Ottinger Jr. (1)

■David Raymond Garcia (2)

■Ernesto Verdugo Jr. (3)

■Jonathan Alfredo Garcia-Jara (4)

■Robert Cota Jr. (5)

■Martin Francisco Moreno (6)

■Jaime Mota-Marquillo (7)

■Hugo Gomez Flores (8)

■Rory Cruz Flanigan (9)

■Jason Alex Scanlon (10)

■Stephan Paul Vukelich (11)

■Eduardo Andres Sarquiz (12)

■Juan Antonio Mendez (13)

■Philip John Castagnola (14)

■Billy Manuel Castellano (15)

■Daniel Joseph Seiler (16)

■Grant Eugent Bisel Jr. (17)

■Cynthia Marie Stephan (18)

■Matthew Joseph Mooney (19)

■Cheryl Marie Frega (20)

■Darrel Lee Cooper (21)

■Robert Blaine Hodges (22)

■Mercedes Nina Cohen (23)

■Bruce Kevin Lambert (24)

■Jason Michael Bradford (25)

■Douglas Edward Witcher (26)

■Phalen Farber (27)

■Tina Marie Bray (28)

■Derek Ralph Low (29)

■Mary Elizabeth Saber (30)

■Martin Thomas Forschner (31)

■Quinton Lynn Koonce II (32)

■Anthony James Medvec (33)

■Andre Guy Almarez (34)

Charged in a separate complaint were Patrick James Haggerty and Leo David Garcia, Jr. Both were charged with Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a) (1), 846-Conspiracy to Distribute Methamphetamine.

Members of the FBI Violent Crime Gang Task Force are as follows: San Diego Police Department, San Diego Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Prisons, National City Police Department, Chula Vista Police Department, Internal Revenue Service, U.S. Attorney’s Office, San Diego District Attorney’s Office, and San Diego County Probation Department.

Those arrested in today’s operation have been booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center and will have their initial appearance before a U.S. Magistrate Judge on Friday, September 30, 2011. This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

An arrest itself is not evidence that the defendants committed crimes charged. The defendants are presumed innocent until the government meets its burden in court of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.