Guatemalan Man Admits Robbing and Threatening Happy State Bank Employee with a Pipe Bomb

        LUBBOCK, Texas — Eddie Estuardo Galindo-Mendez, age 44, a Guatemalan citizen, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge D. Gordon Bryant, Jr., to bank robbery through the threatened use of a pipe bomb, announced Erin Nealy Cox, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas.

         Galindo-Mendez has been in custody since his arrest in March and will remain in federal custody. Galindo-Mendez faces a maximum statutory penalty of up to 20 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing will be set by Senior United States District Judge Sam R. Cummings at a later date.

         According to the plea agreement factual resume filed in the case, on November 20, 2017, about 3:00 p.m., Galindo-Mendez entered the Happy State Bank at 4402 19th Street, Lubbock, Texas and handed a note to a teller. The note contained words to the effect of: “There is a bomb. It is activated. Don’t push the button. No bait money. No ink.” Galindo-Mendez then placed an item that appeared to be a pipe bomb next to the teller’s computer. The device was made of capped galvanized pipes, duct tape, and wires connecting the device to a cell phone. Based upon Galindo-Mendez’s demands, the teller surrendered the money.

         Surveillance videos later revealed the suspect fled the scene on a bicycle. Later review of the purported pipe bomb left at the bank determined it was inert.

         Earlier that same day, at 1:46 p.m., the Texas Tech University Police Department (TTU PD) was notified of a suspicious package at Talkington Hall, Z2-D Parking Lot, 1803 Boston Avenue, Lubbock, Texas. TTU PD officers responded to that location and saw a gray Ford F-150 with its gas tank lid open. There were galvanized pipes with caps on both ends and duct tape around them hanging from the gas tank lid by a string. There was also a cell phone on the pipes with wires going from the phone to the pipes. TTU PD evacuated Merket Alumni Center, Talkington Hall, Horn Hall, and Knapp Hall. Upon further examination, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office Bomb Squad determined that the device was inert and processed it for evidence.

        The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, the Lubbock Police Department, and Texas Tech University Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag is in charge of the prosecution.

Delaware County Couple Sentenced for Sexual Exploitation of a 17-Month-Old Child

Justin and Jessica Crandall to Serve Decades in Prison

BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK – Justin Crandall, age 30, and Jessica Crandall, age 28, both of Sidney, New York, were sentenced yesterday to serve 50 years (Justin) and 25 years (Jessica) in prison and lifetime terms of supervised release in connection with their previously entered guilty pleas to Sexual Exploitation of a Child, announced United States Attorney Grant C. Jaquith, Charles Margiotta, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Albany Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and George P. Beach, II, Superintendent of the New York State Police.

In pleading guilty, Justin Crandall and Jessica Crandall admitted that in 2016 and 2017 they resided in Sidney, New York (Delaware County), and provided daycare on a weekly basis at their residence for a 17-month old child.  During that time period, and while the 17-month old child was in their care, the Crandalls used the child to engage in sexually explicit acts, while Justin Crandall produced videos and images of this conduct.  The FBI and New York State Police executed search warrants at the Crandall’s’ residence and located the sexually explicit videos and images on a cellular telephone.

Justin Crandall and Jessica Crandall were questioned by the New York State Police and voluntarily confessed in video and audio-recorded interviews to sexually exploiting the 17-month old child.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI Syracuse Mid-State Child Exploitation Task Force, consisting of FBI Agents and Investigators of the New York State Police, Bureau of Criminal Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Miroslav Lovric.

Two South Texas Men Sentenced for their role in Extortion and Attempted Money Laundering Conspiracy

          FORT WORTH, Texas — Nygul Anderson, 19, and Albert Gonzalez, 19, were sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Reed C. O’Connor, to 36 and 30 months, respectively, in federal prison, announced Erin Nealy Cox U.S. Attorney of the Northern District of Texas.

          Following a one-day bench trial in March 2018, Judge O’Connor convicted both Anderson and Gonzalez of conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit a travel act violation, conspiracy to possess extortion proceeds and money laundering. Co-conspirator Fernando Cabrera pled guilty in December 2017 and was sentenced in April 2018 to fourteen months in federal prison.

          According to the evidence presented at trial and the documents filed in this case, on September 22, 2017, a victim began receiving threatening calls from an unrecognizable Mexican telephone number.  The caller stated he had kidnapped the victim’s two brothers in Rioverde, San Luis Potosi, Mexico and demanded $300,000 or they would be killed.  The ransom demand was lowered to $20,000, and the victim ultimately paid and delivered the ransom, per the kidnapper’s instructions. The kidnapped brothers were then recovered from being tied up in a motel room in Rioverde, San Luis Potosi, Mexico.

          Seven days later, on September 29, 2017, the same victim received another call from the unrecognizable Mexican telephone number demanding an additional $100,000 otherwise; they would again kidnap the brothers and kill them.  The Mexico kidnapper contacted co-conspirator Cabrera to travel to Fort Worth to pick up the money.  Cabrera then recruited his friend, Gonzalez, and they in turn recruited Anderson and a 17-year-old minor to pick up the money.

          Shortly thereafter, Cabrera, Gonzalez, Anderson, Cabrera, and a 17-year-old minor – were arrested as they attempted to collect the ransom money.

          This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the North Richland Hills Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys P.J. Meitl and Chris Wolfe were in charge of the prosecution.