Former Chicago Police Officer and Two Members of Latin Kings Street Gang Sentenced in Indiana for Racketeering Conspiracy and Related Crimes

A former Chicago police officer and two members of the Latin Kings street gang were sentenced to prison today in Hammond, Ind., federal court for racketeering conspiracy and related crimes.

Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney David Capp of the Northern District of Indiana made the announcement following the sentencing hearings before U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano in the Northern District of Indiana.

A former officer with the Chicago Police Department, Antonio C. Martinez, Jr., 40, of Chicago, was sentenced today to 144 months in prison after pleading guilty on Nov. 18, 2011, to racketeering, drug, and robbery conspiracies and other related charges. According to court records, Martinez and another officer committed armed robberies on behalf of a Latin Kings gang member – in some instances while in uniform and driving police-issued vehicles. They stole drugs, weapons and cash, and in some instances they were given a portion of the funds they stole as payment for committing the armed robberies.

Hiluterio Chavez, aka “Tails,” 37, of Chicago, was sentenced today to 240 months in prison after pleading guilty on Jan. 24, 2012, to racketeering and drug conspiracies. Chavez, who became a Latin Kings member at an earlier age, admitted in court that he traveled with other Latin Kings leadership from the Chicago area to Texas to facilitate the organization of the Latin Kings in Texas and to ensure their allegiance to the Chicago Latin Kings. Among other crimes, Chavez participated in a robbery with Martinez and presented himself as a law enforcement officer.

Jermaine Ellis, aka “J-Dub,” 21, of Chicago, was sentenced today to 205 months in prison after pleading guilty on July 30, 2010, to racketeering conspiracy. Ellis, who also became a Latin Kings member at an early age, admitted that while a juvenile he participated in the shooting deaths of James Walsh and Gonzalo Diaz in Griffith, Ind., on Feb. 25, 2007.

Court records allege that the Latin Kings is a nationwide gang that originated in Chicago and has branched out throughout the United States.  The Latin Kings is a well-organized street gang that has specific leadership and is composed of regions that include multiple chapters.

The Latin Kings enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the Latin Kings.  Members are required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, including taking on assignments often referred to as “missions.”

Twenty-three Latin Kings members and associates have been indicted in this case.  Aside from Martinez, Ellis and Chavez, 19 of the other defendants pleaded guilty and one remains a fugitive. 

This case was investigated by the FBI; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; ICE Homeland Security Investigations; the National Gang Intelligence Center; the Chicago Police Department; the Houston Police Department; the Griffith Police Department; the Highland Police Department; the Hammond Police Department; and the East Chicago Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and David J. Nozick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.  Andrew Porter of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois provided significant assistance.

Justice Department Reaches Settlement to Reform the Missoula, Mont. Police Department's Response to Sexual Assault

The Department of Justice today reached a comprehensive agreement with the Missoula, Mont., Police Department to ensure that the police department fairly and effectively responds to reports of sexual assault.  In May 2012, the Justice Department launched an investigation into allegations that the Missoula Police Department was failing to adequately respond to and investigate reports of sexual assault, due to unlawful gender discrimination in violation of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, and the anti-discrimination provisions of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968.  The Agreement announced today resolves the Justice Department’s investigation of the Missoula Police Department.  The department also released a letter of findings outlining the results of the investigation.

 

The agreement with the Missoula Police Department requires that the police department:

 

• implement or revise policies, provide training and change practices to improve its response to sexual assault, including combating gender bias;
• work with an independent Monitor, community-based organizations and other stakeholders, to develop and implement the reforms described in the agreement, and to evaluate OPS’ success in effecting meaningful reform;
• demonstrate that its implementation of the agreement has eliminated a pattern or practice of constitutional violations and that it has put in place systems and oversight that will prevent patterns or practices of unconstitutional conduct from recurring; and
• develop procedures for gathering and analyzing data to assess the incidence and outcomes of reports of sexual assault.

 

  The city of Missoula anticipates that it will achieve compliance with this agreement within two years.

“A police department cannot truly protect women in its community without being prepared to respond to reports of sexual assault effectively and without bias,” said Roy L. Austin Jr., Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.  “Equal access to the protection of police and the courts is a matter of basic justice.  We commend the City of Missoula and the Missoula Police Department for its cooperation and for taking the steps necessary to maintain women’s safety and promote the community’s confidence in its police response to sexual assault.  The leadership of Mayor Engen and Chief Muir has been indispensable to this process.”

 

“As the first responder to most reports of sexual assault in Missoula, the Missoula Police Department plays an absolutely critical role in protecting women victims of sexual assault and ensuring that perpetrators of sexual assault are brought to justice,” said Michael Cotter, U.S. Attorney for the District of Montana.  “This agreement will ensure that the department’s officers and detectives are fully prepared to play that role.”

 

The Justice Department’s review of the Missoula Police Department was one of three simultaneous civil pattern or practice investigations into allegations that law enforcement was systematically failing to protect women victims of sexual assault in Missoula.  Alongside its investigation of the Missoula Police Department, the Justice Department conducted parallel investigations of the Missoula County Attorney’s Office and the University of Montana’s Office of Public Safety.  Last week, the Justice Department and the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights entered into twin agreements with the University of Montana to address the university’s response to reports of sexual assault and sexual harassment on campus; those agreements resolved the Justice Department investigation of the university’s Office of Public Safety.  The Justice Department’s investigation of the Missoula County Attorney’s Office is ongoing. 

The investigation was conducted jointly by the Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana.  The prevention of sex-based discrimination is a top priority of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney Offices.  The Civil Rights Division has worked to ensure that women are not subject to discriminatory practices related to police services in New Orleans, Puerto Rico and elsewhere.  Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt.  Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana is available on its website at www.justice.gov/usao/mt.

U.S. Marshals Arrest York Murder Fugitive in Memphis

Fatal shooting occurred in February 2013

Harrisburg, PA – Today, United States Marshal Martin J. Pane announced the arrest of Derrick Eugene Johnson, a 23-year old man, in Memphis, Tennessee.

Johnson was being sought for a homicide that occurred on February 17, 2013 in the 600 block of East Market Street in York. The victim, a 21 year old male, died from gunshot wounds.

On March 11, an arrest warrant was issued by Magisterial District Judge Linda Williams, charging Johnson with Criminal Homicide.

At the request of the York City Police Department, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of Pennsylvania began investigating the whereabouts of Johnson shortly after the murder. U.S. Marshals based in Harrisburg developed information that Johnson may have fled to the greater Memphis area. An investigative lead was sent to U.S. Marshals Service personnel based in Memphis.

During the evening hours of May 13, U.S. Marshals Service personnel located and arrested Johnson in Memphis. The fugitive was taken into custody without incident.

Johnson was turned over to local authorities for processing, and subsequently lodged in the Shelby County Criminal Justice Complex. He will await a local hearing to determine his extradition to York.

United States Marshal Martin J. Pane stated, “This investigation demonstrates the Marshals Service’s ability to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies to bring this alleged murderer to justice. It is our top priority to arrest violent crime fugitives, especially those who have no regard for human life.”

U.S. Marshals were assisted by personnel from the York City Police Department. This agency is a participating member of the USMS Fugitive Task Force in the Middle District of Pennsylvania. Additional assistance was provided by the U.S. Marshals Service Gulf Coast Regional Fugitive Task Force, as well as Deputy U.S. Marshals from the Western District of Tennessee.

The concept of all USMS-led fugitive task forces is to seek out and arrest the nation’s most dangerous offenders.

American Flag at Half Staff for Peace Officers' Memorial Day on Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Presidential Proclamation:

 

Peace Officers' Memorial Day and Police Week, 2013

 

Day after day, police officers in every corner of America suit up, put on the badge, and carry out their sworn duty to protect and serve. They step out the door every morning without considering bravery or heroics. They stay focused on meeting their responsibilities. They concentrate on keeping their neighborhoods safe and doing right by their fellow officers. And with quiet courage, they help fulfill the demanding yet vital task of shielding our people from harm. It is work that deserves our deepest respect -- because when darkness and danger would threaten the peace, our police officers are there to step in, ready to lay down their lives to protect our own.

This week, we pay solemn tribute to men and women who did. Setting aside fear and doubt, these officers made the ultimate sacrifice to preserve the rule of law and the communities they loved. They heard the call to serve and answered it; braved the line of fire; charged toward the danger. Our hearts are heavy with their loss, and on Peace Officers Memorial Day, our Nation comes together to reflect on the legacy they left us.

As we mark this occasion, let us remember that we can do no greater service to those who perished than by upholding what they fought to protect. That means doing everything we can to make our communities safer. It means putting cops back on the beat and supporting them with the tools and training they need. It means getting weapons of war off our streets and keeping guns out of the hands of criminals -- common-sense measures that would reduce gun violence and help officers do their job safely and effectively.

Together, we can accomplish those goals. So as we take this time to honor law enforcement in big cities and small towns all across our country, let us join them in pursuit of a brighter tomorrow. Our police officers serve and sacrifice on our behalf every day, and as citizens, we owe them nothing less than our full and lasting support.

By a joint resolution approved October 1, 1962, as amended (76 Stat. 676), and by Public Law 103-322, as amended (36 U.S.C. 136-137), the President has been authorized and requested to designate May 15 of each year as "Peace Officers Memorial Day" and the week in which it falls as "Police Week."

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim May 15, 2013, as Peace Officers' Memorial Day and May 12 through May 18, 2013, as Police Week. I call upon all Americans to observe these events with appropriate ceremonies and activities. I also call on Governors of the United States and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, officials of the other territories subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers' Memorial Day. I further encourage all Americans to display the flag at half-staff from their homes and businesses on that day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

Staff sergeant moves beyond hate-crime shooting to thrive in service

by Amy Rollins
88th Air Base Wing Public Affairs

5/13/2013 - WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio -- Staff Sgt. Deondra Parks, a medical technician in internal medicine with the 88th Medical Group at Wright-Patterson Medical Center, owes her very survival to rational thinking and a resilient spirit, but even those enviable traits did not save her from harm.

Parks just observed the third anniversary of the day she survived a brutal shooting as the subject of a hate crime.

She was studying for retraining at Sheppard AFB, Tex., to be an aerospace medical technician after initially serving elsewhere as a Security Forces member. She was profiled on April 20, 2010, by her 22-year-old white assailant because she is African American and it was Adolph Hitler's birthday.

The incident occurred in Wichita Falls inside a cafe where Parks and Staff Sgts. Jade Henderson and Tanya Jesser were studying for a big exam. Ross William Muehlberger sat outside in his vehicle for 10 minutes, watching the trio seated next to the door, then entered and said, "Hey n----rs, it's Hitler's birthday," and opened fire with his 12-gauge shotgun.

Scrambling to get away as shots whirred past her head, Parks tripped and fell, then controlled her breathing and faked being dead, as if she were a body inside a chalk outline.

"I've always had a 'what if' plan," Parks said. "It took me a moment to realize what was going on. Me curling up into a ball would have given him the sense that I was still alive -- you know, 'come finish me.'"

The assailant stood over her and fired point-blank into her lower right leg, with buckshot inflicting wounds on her other leg and elsewhere on her body while she remained silent and still. He shot Parks and Henderson and two other women.

He left the coffee house moments later, then killed a 23-year-old Iraq war veteran, Timothy Donley, who was working as the doorman at Toby's Bar and Grill nearby. Muehlberger later went to a house and shot himself dead.

A path back to wellness
Parks' journey to wellness started with post-traumatic stress disorder counseling from her initial hospital bed. With her therapist's urging, she went from writing one paragraph initially to describe the incident to subsequently writing eight pages, helping her process her fears and emotions.

"From day one, on that floor, in that cafe, it was all about 'How am I going to get back?', 'How am I going to do patient care?'" she said. "I realized what my injury was and what I needed to do. Four surgeries later, here I am."

Gen. Steven Lorenz, retired commander of Air Education and Training Command, was her first visitor at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, where she had been flown for the extensive treatment she would require. The general asked what he could do for her. She asked him to keep her training slot open.

"In essence, I was asking him not to give up on me," Parks said.

Lorenz said he wanted her to focus on getting better.

"That lit a fire under me!" she said.

It took months for her to walk unassisted again, but she credits her commander, Lt. Col. Troy Roberts, 72nd Security Forces Squadron, Tinker AFB, Okla., with helping her to get back to "normal." Being in a great unit also helped her recover mentally, she said.

After two weeks of recuperation at home, Roberts expected her to be on duty, answering phones from her wheelchair in his office and assisting with other tasks. He also gave her free weights to help her maintain upper body strength while she was at the office. The colonel's wife is a personal trainer and did swim PT with Parks.

"That's how I got a lot of my strength back, doing water aerobics," she said. "Roberts came to my graduation from tech school at Fort Sam Houston , Texas. He and his wife came. It meant a lot; my family couldn't be there. Of course, I consider the Robertses family now."

Parks also credits her orthopedic surgeon and former Air Force member Dr. Sheila Algan, with believing in her and understanding what she needed to do to stay in the Air Force.

"I can't compete in a marathon, but I can run for my life -- I've proven that. I can lift a 300-pound patient; I can do anything."

She was encouraged more than once to separate from the Air Force and accept medical disability, but she refused to do that.

"I had the next 20 years of my life planned out, and this sucker wasn't going to take that away from me. I love the Air Force; I can't imagine not being in the Air Force. This is what I want to do."

She was judged fit for duty in October 2012 and says she doesn't focus on blaming anyone.

"Walk away from the negativity, that 'would have' and the 'should have,' knowing that you lived. That's how and why I am the way I am today -- simply because I'm here. It easily could have gone the other way. I know that," Parks said.

She had nightmares for two years, but those are less frequent now. Mass casualty shootings like those at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009, Sandy Hook Elementary School in December and the Century theater in Aurora, Colo., in 2012, affect her, she said, but help her recall her Air Force training on how to deal with such situations.

On the anniversary this year, friends and families called and texted her, telling her how glad they are that she is alive. She appreciated their efforts but said she has had to help herself move forward.

"It happened to me and us; it didn't happen to others. You cannot expect them to understand. You have to understand what happened to you and figure out what your next move is. You can't dwell on it," Parks said.

She thinks about death, but it doesn't control her, she said. She refuses to let it control her life.

"Help is out there," she said. "The shooter needed help. Society's view on mental health -- people are reluctant to seek help. Seek help if you need it."

The sergeant has kept in touch with the other survivors, which is not painful for her, she said. "We are all dealing with it day by day in our own ways."

The road ahead
"The Air Force has been good to me," Parks said. "The bare minimum it requires is for you to stay fit -- mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Your opportunities are endless. That's why I wanted to stay. It all depends on how hard you fight for it. I have my legs and I have my life. That is all that matters."

For her daily 5 a.m. physical training, she rides a recumbent bike, does circuit training and modifies other forms of exercise -- enough to have lost 40 pounds in the last year.

She's been engaged since October to an Air Force reservist.

"Life is good, but it took a while," Parks acknowledges.

On May 9 she obtained her Community College of the Air Force associate degree in allied health sciences and is pursuing a bachelor's degree in sports and health sciences at American Military University. Ultimately she wants to be an occupational therapist.

Every morning she meditates for five minutes to tap into her inner peace.

"No one can affect that. You have to be positive and maintain your inner peace. That time for me is sacred," she said.

She also credits her tight-knit family, based in Cincinnati, with supporting her, despite her mother having to survive leukemia, her brother going through two tours in Iraq, and her 3-year-old nephew dying.

"We have built a foundation of strength. We get each other through everything. As a family we have faced everything looking forward.

"I know what I've been through, but there's always someone else out there going through something worse," Parks said. "You don't know how strong you are until strong is all you have."

Wright-Patt leadership has been supportive, she said.

"Chief Mazza (Chief Master Sgt. John Mazza, 88th Air Base Wing command chief) says he is my No. 1 fan and is supporting me with not only getting my story out there but also helping others. We spoke at First Term Airman Center a few weeks ago and Chief told the class, 'You never know who you are working with.' Everyone has a story, and no one can take that away from them."

She doesn't mind talking about what happened to her, such as at FTAC, and may be tapped to speak at ALS. She also has been chosen to be a resilience trainer.

"Life is not about the past, it's about what you're doing right now," she said. "My thought has always been, 'I'm going to get through this, I'm going to stay in the Air Force and I'm going to help others.'"

National Police Week: Remembering and Supporting our Public Safety Officers

 

The following post appears courtesy of Mary Lou Leary, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs.

During National Police Week, the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) proudly honors the brave and dedicated officers who enforce our laws and protect our communities. Our streets and homes are safer because of their service — and we are acutely aware of the price that public safety officers sometimes must pay. Every single day, our nation’s public safety officers place themselves in harm’s way to protect our neighborhoods. 

Sometimes they are called upon to make the ultimate sacrifice. According to the National Law Enforcement Officers’ Memorial Fund, on average, one law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty in the United States every 57 hours.  Yet, our officers face those dangers with courage and a devotion to duty. We at the Department of Justice  recognize our solemn duty to support and protect public safety officers as they answer this call.

Through OJP’s Body Armor Safety Initiative, we are working hard to ensure that protective gear, critical to law enforcement safety, is scientifically tested to meet the highest rigorous standards.  Our Bulletproof Vest Partnership program has provided hundreds of thousands of bulletproof vests to state, local and tribal officers on the street. Last year, vests were directly attributable to saving the lives of at least 33 law enforcement officers. Twelve of them were wearing protective vests purchased, in part, with funds provided by this program – and in just the first three months of 2013, there have been 11 recorded incidents of deadly assaults on law enforcement officers who survived because of the vests they were wearing.

OJP’s National Institute of Justice – the department’s research and development arm – supports standards and testing to ensure this protective equipment meets the highest industry standards.

OJP’s VALOR Initiative, administered through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, gives public safety officers critical training to identify and prevent potentially deadly encounters and emerging threats. The VALOR Initiative has trained thousands of officers, who continue to make a difference in their communities and neighborhoods.

And when tragedy does strike, we provide support to officers’ families, friends and departments.  The Public Safety Officers Benefit Program (PSOB) provides death and education benefits to survivors of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders and public safety officers, and disability benefits to officers catastrophically injured in the line of duty. Through our partnerships with organizations such as the Concerns of Police Survivors, the Officer Down Memorial Page, and the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation, we actively reach out nationwide to increase survivors’ awareness of PSOB programs and to help them apply for and receive the benefits they deserve.

OJP is committed to its partnership with state, local, and tribal justice systems, and honored to provide the innovative leadership, critical research, and essential funding to support the men and women who risk their lives for our nation’s safety.

Paths Crossed: Villains - Victims - Victors

Lieutenant Clifton L. Edwards, Michigan State Police (ret.),  “professional life has been in law enforcement. He was recruited into the Michigan State Police (MSP) at the age of eighteen. During his nearly twenty-seven year career, he thrived on the training and experiences, while striving to make his mark. The first half of Clif’s career was served in the Uniform Services Division, primarily as a trooper. Serving between six posts, he was a field training officer for five rookies, assigned to an undercover team, and served as an advanced accident investigator, a dog handler, and a shift supervisor. He earned four Professional Excellence Awards and two Letters of Commendations for investigations he conducted.”  Lieutenant Clifton L. Edwards is the author of Paths Crossed: Villains - Victims – Victors.

Find out more about Lieutenant Clifton L. Edwards.

Former Wilcox County, Georgia, Sheriff and Others Sentenced for Assaulting Inmate

Today, the Justice Department announced that former Sheriff of Wilcox County, Ga., Stacy Bloodsworth was sentenced to 10 years in prison for assaulting an inmate inside the Wilcox County Jail and for conspiring to cover up the assault.  Four other people have also been sentenced for their roles in the same assault and cover-up.   Bloodsworth’s son, Austin Bloodsworth, was sentenced to 18 months in prison; former Wilcox County inmate-trustee Willie James Caruthers was sentenced to 18 months in prison; former South Central Georgia Drug Task Force Agent Timothy King Jr. was sentenced to 6 months in prison and former Wilcox County Jailer Casey Owens was sentenced to probation.  

 

Stacy Bloodsworth pleaded guilty on Oct. 22, 2012.   During his plea hearing, Stacy Bloodsworth admitted that on July 23, 2009, while he was the sheriff, he was inside the Wilcox County Jail with several other individuals, including Austin Bloodsworth, Caruthers, King and Owens.   Stacy Bloodsworth ordered three inmates out of their cells because he was angry that one of them reportedly had a cell phone, in violation of Wilcox County Jail regulations.   Bloodsworth hit all three inmates, and also watched as other participants struck and kicked the inmates.    After it appeared that one inmate’s jaw had been broken, Stacy Bloodsworth used a wrench in an attempt to put his broken jaw back into place.   Approximately one week later, the inmate was brought to a local hospital, where his jaw had to be wired shut.   The other two inmates who had been assaulted suffered lacerations, bruising and pain.

 

During the plea hearing, Stacy Bloodsworth further admitted that he concocted a false cover story about the assaults in order to cover up the involvement of the law enforcement officials.   Specifically, Stacy Bloodsworth ordered Caruthers, Austin Bloodsworth, King and Owens that, if they were ever questioned about the incident, they should say that Caruthers and the victim got into a fight after the inmate called Caruthers a racial slur.   Stacy Bloodsworth, knowing that this statement was false, also instructed Caruthers and Owens to write this false cover story in a report.   In addition, in August 2010, after learning that the inmate whose jaw had been broken had hired an attorney and had initiated a lawsuit, then-Sheriff Bloodsworth met with King and Owens and again instructed them that to relay the false story about the cause of the inmate’s broken jaw.   In April 2011, then-Sheriff Bloodsworth relayed the false cover story regarding the cause of inmate’s broken jaw to FBI Special Agents.

 

“Today’s sentence reflects that law enforcement officers who assault inmates in their custody and make false statements erode the trust of the people they have sworn to protect,” said Roy L. Austin Jr., Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.   “The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting law enforcement officers who abuse their power and violate the constitutional rights of individuals in their custody.”

 

“We expect our law enforcement officers to protect and serve the public, but in this case the defendants did neither,” said U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Georgia Michael Moore.  “The sentences handed down today bring closure to an alarming case, where those sworn to uphold the law now feel the full weight of it.”

 

Caruthers pleaded guilty to assaulting the inmate, and to conspiring to cover up the assault.   Austin Bloodsworth and Timothy King Jr. each pleaded guilty to conspiring to cover up the assault, while Owens pleaded guilty to misprision of a felony.     

 

This case was investigated by the FBI and was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Christine M. Siscaretti and Special Litigation Counsel Gerard V. Hogan of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, with the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Georgia.

Drug Education Leadership Programs Start Soon

MILLINGTON, Tenn. (NNS) -- The Drug Education For Youth (DEFY) program, geared toward keeping kids drug free and teaching them various life skills, begins this summer Navy leaders said, May 7.

The Drug Education For Youth (DEFY) program is a year-long, two-phased substance abuse prevention and comprehensive life skills program designed for 9-12 year olds.

DEFY begins with a five-day residential or eight-day non-residential leadership program called Phase I that is held during the summer.

During Phase I, youth receive education on substance abuse prevention, social skills, self-management skills, and fitness. A science-based curriculum provides the platform that helps youth work through goal setting, leadership and teamwork, and self-esteem enhancement.

"The DEFY summer leadership program provides our youth an opportunity to receive valuable lifelong skills." said Timm Bentley, DEFY program manager. "Parents must understand the DEFY program requires a year-long commitment to allow for the full benefit to their children."

Phase II comes next and continues throughout the school year. During Phase II, youth meet with the adult volunteers for mentoring and additional life skills training. Life skills presented during this phase include conflict resolution, studying skills, leadership, community service, and resistance skills refresher training.

"Phase II provides most of the important mentoring," said Maria Belin, local program coordinator (LPC) for the DEFY program sponsored by Commander, Fleet Activities Okinawa.

Participating youth recognize the importance of Phase II. "You don't want to lose your knowledge and reasons for saying no," said Mauryn, a junior staff member at the Naval Air Facility El Centro, Calif., DEFY program.

Two recent studies found that substance abuse is higher in children of deployed parents. "DEFY takes a burden off people that are forward deployed because they're not worrying about their kids making the wrong choices or getting involved in stuff they don't need to be getting involved in," said retired Chief Hospital Corpsman Terry Morocco, former local program coordinator DEFY program at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twenty-nine Palms.

Local programs will begin advertising for adult volunteers soon. Commands are encouraged, as operational tempo provides, to allow command personnel to participate. In addition to the positive work DEFY does for our Navy families, volunteers learn new skills such as instructing, arranging logistics, coordinating administrative tasks, and managing program operations, all skills that are directly transferrable to their Navy jobs. In short, the command gets back a better person, according to Bentley.

Families with 9-12 year olds are highly encouraged to enroll youth in local programs. A recent report on a program evaluation of DEFY showed that approximately 75 percent of parents surveyed saw improved youth life skill development and nearly 67 percent saw improvement in their child's ability to avoid substance abuse and negative behaviors.

"The DEFY program was a strong pillar that reinforced the values that we worked to instill in our son Joshua," said retired Cmdr. Derek Ross, former chaplain with Fleet Activities Okinawa. "It provided him with the foundation to forge positive experiences of teamwork and social responsibility that is so often lacking in our youth today."

Look for advertisements for local DEFY programs and sign up today, or call (901) 874-3300 to locate a program near you.

Puerto Rican Man Will Face Life in Prison for Killing a Federal Witness

Xavier Jiménez-Benceví, aka “Xavi,” 28, faces life in prison following his conviction of murdering Delia Sánchez-Sánchez, a federal witness on a drug trafficking case, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez. 

On April 30, 2013, Jiménez-Benceví was convicted of four counts of murder of a federal witness, possession of a firearm, attempted kidnapping and possession of a machine gun. According to court records and evidence at trial, on June 21, 2010, Jiménez-Benceví murdered a woman he believed was about to report his drug distribution activities to federal agents. He conspired with others to lure the woman, Delia Sánchez-Sánchez, to a public location, and then he fatally shot her.

 The counts of conviction on capital murder charges necessitated a separate penalty phase of the trial, which began on May 1, 2013. Today, the jury announced it was unable to reach a unanimous sentencing verdict. As a result, a sentence of life in prison will be imposed on Aug. 6, 2013.  The federal system does not have parole.

The case was investigated by the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys José Capó-Iriarte, Ilianys Rivera-Miranda and Luke V. Cass and Trial Attorney James Dennis Peterson of the Capital Case Unit of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.

Nationwide Sweep by U.S. Marshals Puts 345 Dangerous Sex Offenders Behind Bars

Washington – Today the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) concluded Operation Guardian, a three-year, national initiative specifically targeting the country’s most dangerous noncompliant sex offenders. Deputy marshals and law enforcement partners arrested 345 individuals who had failed to register with state authorities as required by law.

Marshals worked with state and local officials to identify specific non-registering fugitives based on their danger to the public and prior convictions for sex offenses. As of today, USMS investigators have located 427 offenders of 444 sought (or 96 percent of those targeted), including 82 individuals found outside the United States. These individuals represent more than 500 prior convictions for sexual offenses.

“I’d like to thank each of the Deputy U.S. Marshals and state and local law enforcement officials who contributed to the success of this important operation. These dedicated professionals have helped to make our communities safer by taking dangerous fugitives off the streets,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “Today’s announcement sends a clear message: that the Justice Department and its allies are firmly committed to safeguarding our nation’s young people from all forms of exploitation and abuse. And we are determined to bring noncompliant sex offenders to justice.”

“The United States Marshals Service will not tolerate noncompliant and violent sex offenders who evade the law. The message we send to these individuals is there is nowhere you can hide,” said Director Stacia Hylton of the U.S. Marshals Service. “Operation Guardian enabled us to bring to bear the full weight of international, federal, state and local law enforcement resources and intelligence to locate the most egregious sex offenders—those who have victimized innocent children.”

The USMS assigns 129 criminal investigators to conduct sex offender, non-registrant investigations on a full-time basis. Operation Guardian was a collaborative effort led by the Marshals Service in cooperation with Interpol, the Diplomatic Security Service, Customs and Border Protection, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children is proud to partner with the U.S. Marshals in helping to protect our nation’s children,” said John Ryan, chief executive officer, NCMEC. “We applaud the overwhelming success of Operation Guardian which located hundreds of the country’s most dangerous noncompliant sex offenders.”

Among those arrested during Operation Guardian were:

    Lee Roy Ramirez, one of “Wisconsin’s Most Wanted,” on April 22 in Portland, Ore. Ramirez was wanted by the Wisconsin Department of Corrections since 2003 for probation violation on an original charge of second degree sexual assault of a child. The intensive fugitive investigation covered several states and ultimately led investigators to Oregon. Ramirez is in custody in Oregon awaiting extradition back to Wisconsin.

    James K. Jenkins, on Oct. 9, 2012, in Garland, Texas. Jenkins was wanted in DeKalb County, Ga., for failure to register as a sex offender and for probation violation based on a weapons offense. His original offense occurred Dec.15, 1999, when he raped a 15-year-old girl. He was convicted of statutory rape and sentenced to three years in prison, seven years of probation, and required to register as a sex offender in the state of Georgia. Jenkins moved and did not notify the Probation Office or the Sheriff’s Office of his location. In October 2012, a Crimestoppers program received an online tip that placed Jenkins in Garland, Texas. Investigators conducted surveillance and arrested Jenkins with a loaded .38-caliber handgun in close proximity.

    David Sherant, arrested Oct. 3, 2012, by DUSMs from the District of Nevada and members of the Las Vegas SOAP Task Force. Sherant was wanted by the Utah Department of Corrections for violating his term of supervision by failing to register as a sex offender. He was convicted in August 2000 of sexual exploitation of a minor. After release from the Utah State Prison, Sherant absconded parole, and failed to register as a sex offender as required by law. Investigators learned that the 31-year-old Sherant was passing himself off as 18-year-old "Mikey Miller" currently residing in Las Vegas. On Oct.15, 2012, Sherant was extradited to Utah. His probation was revoked and he was remanded to the custody of the Utah Department of Corrections.

    Darrell Craig Sinclair, on Feb. 28, 2012, in Mexico. Sinclair was wanted by the Riverside County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department for almost 10 years on a $500,000 arrest warrant for failure to register as a sex offender. He was previously convicted of one count of lewd acts against a child in Los Angeles County in 1976, and seven counts of lewd acts against a child in Orange County, Calif., in 1983. USMS investigators determined that Sinclair was in Ajajic, Mexico, and he was taken into custody by Mexican Immigration Officials. Mexican immigration officials escorted Sinclair to Los Angeles International Airport, where he was arrested by Deputy U.S. Marshals.

    Michael Rybkin, on Nov. 9, 2010, in New York City. Rybkin was wanted by the Hudson County, N.J., Sheriff’s Department for a parole violation and by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a warrant of deportation, and is a sex offender in the State of New Jersey. Rybkin is a German citizen. USMS investigators developed information that Rybkin was residing in New York City and using the internet. Rybkin, who was previously banned from NYC Public Libraries, was observed masturbating in front of two female children in October 2010 at a library, but eluded capture. On Oct. 27, 2010, Rybkin was charged by the USMS with violating the Adam Walsh Act and a federal warrant was issued for his arrest. On Nov. 9, 2010, USMS investigators arrested Rybkin at the Grand Central Branch of the NYC Public Library. On March 10, 2011, Rybkin pleaded guilty to the AWA violation, and was sentenced Jan.19, 2012, by U.S. District Court Judge William Pauley to 63 months incarceration and lifetime supervised release on electronic monitoring.

The Behavioral Analysis Unit at the USMS National Sex Offender Targeting Center worked with the investigators to identify information related to the fugitives across a number of personal or social dimensions, including past sexual offending behavior. The prior convictions of the located offenders represent hundreds of victims and thousands of known sexual assaults. Most of the sexual assault events were engaged against children, and many involved extreme violence.

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children estimates more than 700,000 sex offenders reside in the U.S. and that more than 100,000 are classified as noncompliant or unregistered. Since its inception in 2006, the SOIB has planned and executed more than 900 sex offender compliance and enforcement operations. During these operations, the USMS partnered with more than 4,800 state and local law enforcement agencies to conduct more than 150,000 compliance checks.