The FBI Versus the Klan Part 3: Standing Tall in Mississippi

As the civil rights movement began to take shape in the 1950s, its important work was often met with opposition—and more significantly, with violence—by the increasingly resurgent white supremacists groups of the KKK.

FBI agents in our southern field offices were on the front lines of this battle, working to see that the guilty were brought to justice and to undermine the efforts of the Klan in states like Mississippi. That was often difficult given the reluctance of witnesses to come forward and testify in court and the unwillingness of juries to convict Klansmen even in the face of clear evidence.

Fortunately, the struggles and insights of many of these agents have been recorded for posterity, and transcripts are available for review by the general public—thanks to the Society of Former Special Agents of the FBI and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Foundation, which broke ground on a museum earlier this month.

In this story and the next in our Klan series, we’ll highlight a few of these memorable discussions with our agents concerning their work against the KKK. The first comes from FBI Agent James Ingram, who served from 1957 to 1982 and played a key role in many civil rights investigations. Agent Ingram, who died recently, was assigned to the newly opened Jackson Field Office in Mississippi in 1964. A retired agent and colleague in Jackson, Avery Rollins, interviewed Ingram before his death:

Special Agent Rollins: “You said that your average work week was six-and-a-half days. I would assume that your average work day was anywhere from 10 to 12 hours long?”

Special Agent Ingram: “Oh, it was. …That’s why we defeated the Klan. … there was never a defeatist attitude because we were all on the same schedule. And everyone knew that we had to work.”

That work continued following passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964:

Special Agent Ingram: “There was one thing about [the law], Mr. Hoover knew that it was important. He gave Inspector Joe Sullivan and [Jackson Special Agent in Charge] Roy Moore a mandate. And he said, ‘You will do whatever it takes to defeat the Klan, and you will do whatever it takes to bring law and order back to Mississippi.’”

The threats to FBI agents were real:

“Agents would always watch. They’d look underneath their cars to make sure we did not have any dynamite strapped underneath … Then you’d open your hood and make sure that everything was clear there. We had snakes placed in mailboxes. We had threats.”

But using informants and other tools, the tide began to turn:

“[W]e infiltrated the Klan in many ways. We had female informants. … And we had police officers that were informants for us.”

“When you look back, the FBI can be proud that they stopped the violence [of the KKK]. We had the convictions. We did what we had to do from Selma, Alabama to Jackson, Mississippi to Atlanta, Georgia."

In the words of Special Agent Rollins, “…the FBI broke the back of the Klan in Mississippi. And eradicated it…”

A complete transcript of the interview of James Ingram can be found on the National Law Enforcement Officer Memorial Foundation Museum website, including much more discussion on the Klan. Also see additional FBI oral histories.

FBI Versus the Klan part 1 can be found here.

War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands

Editor's Note: With the Addition of Lieutenant John Nores, Police-Writers.com now lists 1102 police officers, from 470 departments and their 2412 books.  More information about that website is available at www.police-writers.com

Lieutenant John Nores, California Department of Fish and Game, has been a game warden for over 18 years. Currently, he supervises 6 wardens throughout Santa Clara, San Benito, and north Monterey Counties. And, has also been a member of the allied agency Special Operations Marijuana Eradication Team (MET) with the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office for the last five years. Lieutenant John Nores is the co-author of War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands.

According to the book description of War in the Woods: Combating the Marijuana Cartels on America's Public Lands, “Americans may disagree over the legalization of marijuana, but not when it comes to the pot plantations fast turning once-pristine corners of our public lands into environmentally ravaged war zones. Guarded by armed gangs, who are willing to kill innocent hikers and law enforcement personnel to protect their profits, these illicit wilderness farms pollute and destroy the ecosystems wildlife relies on. Whose jurisdiction is this? Game wardens, the unsung heroes of our national wild lands, are the first line of defense. In War in the Woods, California Game Warden John Nores and James Swan recount in riveting detail the perilous job of eradicating pot plantations. It is a chilling read - and one that finally turns our focus to the issue and the law enforcement teams leading the charge.”

Three Alleged Latin Kings Members Charged in Superseding Indictment With Murder, Attempted Murder, and Other Charges Related to Racketeering Conspiracy

Greenbelt, Maryland — A federal grand jury today returned a superseding indictment charging alleged Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) members Remy Heath, a/k/a “Remy,” “King Remy” and “King Mello,” age 25; Chinua Shepperdson, a/k/a “Nu,” “NuNu” and “King Nu,” age 27; and Brandon Smith, a/k/a “Little One” and “King Little One,” age 25, with arson, murder, attempted murder and firearms charges related to their alleged gang activities. The three were previously charged with conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise.

The superseding indictment was announced by U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer; Special Agent in Charge Theresa R. Stoop, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; Chief Roberto L. Hylton of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Glenn Ivey and his Office; Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg Police Department; Montgomery County Sheriff Raymond M. Kight; Chief Larry Brownlee of the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Prince George’s County Division; Chief Darien L. Manley of the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Montgomery County Division; Superintendent Terrence Sheridan of the Maryland State Police; Special Agents in Charge Barbara Golden and Jeffrey Irvine of the U.S. Secret Service, Baltimore and Washington Divisions, respectively; and Special Agent in Charge Rebecca Sparkman of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants were members of the Latin Kings, a violent street gang with members operating in Maryland since at least 2007. The Latin Kings have a detailed and uniform organizational structure, which is outlined — along with various “prayers,” codes of behavior, and rituals — in a written “manifesto” widely distributed to members throughout the country. Members of the Latin Kings are also traditionally given “King Names” or “Queen Names,” which are names other than their legal names, by which they are known to members of the gang and to others on the street. At the local level, groups of Latin Kings are organized into “tribes,” including, the Royal Lion Tribe, MOG, Sun Tribe and UTL.

The superseding indictment charges that from a date unknown through November 2009, the Latin Kings members conspired to commit murders, attempted murders, robberies, witness tampering and arson to further their racketeering scheme.

For example, the superseding indictment alleges that as part of the racketeering conspiracy on July 24, 2007, Chinua Shepperdson firebombed an occupied residence at the Marylander Condominiums in Langley Park, Maryland and that on December 14, 2007, Shepperdson and other Latin King members participated in the armed robbery of a prostitute at a motel in Laurel, Maryland. Latin Kings members also allegedly hunted for rival MS-13 members to shoot and on January 17, 2009, Brandon Smith allegedly fired shots at MS-13 members at a night club in Queens, New York. According to the superseding indictment, on February 3, 2009, Latin Kings members, including Remy Heath and Brandon Smith allegedly created a “hit list” containing names of Maryland Latin Kings members.

The superseding indictment charges Chinua Shepperdson with arson and using and carrying a destructive device in connection with the July 24, 2007, firebombing of a condominium in Langley Park; with armed robbery, and using and carrying a firearm in connection with armed robberies on December 14, 2007 and April 25, 2008; and with murder in aid of racketeering and murder resulting from the use of a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with the death of the victim in the April 25, 2008, robbery.

The superseding indictment also charges Brandon Smith with two counts of using and carrying a firearm during a crime of violence, in connection with a shooting on January 17, 2009 and an attempted murder on January 31, 2009; and with two counts of attempted murder in aid of racketeering related to events on January 31 and July 8, 2009.

The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison. No court appearance has yet been scheduled.

An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer thanked the ATF led RAGE Task Force and its members, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Gaithersburg Police Department, the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Prince George’s County Division, as well as the Maryland State Police, the U.S. Secret Service, the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Maryland National Capital Park Police- Montgomery County Division and the New York City Police Department for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Emily Glatfelter and David Salem, and Lara M. Peirce, a Trial Attorney with the Gang Unit, who are prosecuting the case.

Gretna Man Pleads Guilty to Arson Threats

NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA — DAVID PATRICK MCGUIRE, age 62, a resident of Gretna, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday in federal court before U.S. District Court Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to a three count indictment for threats to injure an individual and to destroy a building, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to the factual basis, MCGUIRE that worked for Shell Exploration & Production Company until he retired in 2009. MCGUIRE admitted today, beginning in February, 2010, he started making harassing phone calls to his former supervisor at Shell’s office located on

Poydras Street

in New Orleans, LA. Further, on May 3, 2010, MCGUIRE used a telephone to specifically threatened to injure his former supervisor by fire, to destroy his former supervisor's home by fire and he to destroy the Shell offices.

The defendant faces a possible maximum sentence of ten (10) years imprisonment, a fine of $250,000.00, three (3) years of supervised as to each count. Sentencing has been scheduled for December 15, 2010.

The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is being prosecuted by Assistant U. S. Attorney Edward J. Rivera.

San Francisco Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Federal Prison for Million-Dollar Embezzlement Scam, Tax Evasion

SAN FRANCISCO—Lily C. Aspillera was sentenced yesterday to 30 months in federal prison for embezzling approximately $1.77 million from a client of a major professional services firm and for not paying taxes on that stolen money, United States Attorney Melinda Haag announced.

According to court documents, Ms. Aspillera, 65, of San Francisco, was employed as an executive assistant at major professional services firm. In that capacity, Ms. Aspillera engaged in a scheme through which she embezzled approximately $1.77 million from the accounts of one of the client’s of her employer. Ms. Aspillera admitted to accomplishing her scheme through various unauthorized means, including: (1) writing more than $1,000,000 worth of checks that were drawn on the client’s accounts payable to herself and to “Cash”; (2) writing checks drawn on the client’s accounts payable to two of the client’s employees for amounts greater than they were due, then having those employees cash the checks and give the excess cash back to Ms. Aspillera, falsely telling those employees that the cash they were bringing back was so she could pay other employees; (3) writing checks drawn on the client’s accounts to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of Ms. Aspillera’s and her family members’ American Express bills; and (4) writing checks drawn on the client’s accounts for Ms. Aspillera’s benefit. Ms. Aspillera used the stolen money to fund a $180,000 down payment on a $1.1 million home in the St. Francis Wood neighborhood of San Francisco and then to pay the mortgage on that home. She also used stolen funds to purchase two BMWs, more than $200,000 worth of jewelry, and to pay her personal credit cards bills, which included charges for international and domestic travel and stays at luxury resorts. Ms. Aspillera admitted to making several false statements to her supervisors and taking several steps to conceal her scheme during its course.

Ms. Aspillera also admitted that she willfully evaded a large part of the federal income tax due and owing by understating the joint taxable income on her federal income tax returns for calendar years 2005 - 2008. The income she failed to report consisted of the monies she converted to her own use by the means set forth above. In addition to being ordered to repay the $1.77 million she stole, Ms. Aspillera also was ordered to pay back taxes of $644,843.

Ms. Aspillera was indicted by a federal grand jury on November 12, 2009. She was charged with nine counts of mail fraud, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1341, and four counts of tax evasion, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7201. On April 16, 2010, Ms. Aspillera pled guilty to all 13 counts.

The Honorable Judge Susan Illston imposed sentence upon Ms. Aspillera, who was ordered to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on January 14, 2011. Judge Illston also ordered Ms. Aspillera to serve a three-year term of supervised release following her release from prison.

Doug Sprague is the Assistant U.S. Attorney who is prosecuting the case with the assistance of legal assistants Jennifer Hiwa and Rayneisha Booth. The prosecution is the result of a one-year investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation.

Norwood Man Sentenced on Bank Robbery Charges

BOSTON—A Norwood man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for three counts of armed bank robbery.

MICHAEL COTY, 46, of Norwood, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 60 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release and restitution in the amount of $11,524 after pleading guilty three counts of armed bank robbery on June 22, 2010.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the court that had the case proceeded to trial, the government’s evidence would have proven that during the spring and summer months of 2009, the communities of Needham, Wellesley, Newton, Dedham, and Walpole experienced a number of violent bank robberies. Evidence would have proven that Coty served as the lookout and getaway driver on robberies occurring at the Bank of America in Wellesley on April 24, 2009; the Sharon Credit Union in Walpole on June 16, 2009; and the Sovereign Bank in Needham on July 1, 2009. In each of the these robberies a masked individual would enter the bank, brandish an automatic-style handgun and commit the robbery. In each incident bank employees noted that the robber was communicating with someone outside the bank via a portable walkie-talkie. The person outside the bank was later determined to be Coty. Coty’s co-defendant, Dimitri Long is scheduled for trial in December 2010.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Violent Crime Task Force, the Norfolk County Police Anti Crime Unit, the Wellesley, Needham, Dedham, Newton, and Walpole Police Departments. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

Public’s Help Sought in Search for Willow Springs Bank Robber

Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is asking for the public’s help in identifying the individual depicted in the below wanted flyer who is responsible for the July 16, 2010 armed robbery of the First Merit Bank branch, located at 8480 South Archer Avenue in southwest suburban Willow Springs, Illinois.

The robbery took place late in the afternoon, when a lone robber entered the bank and approached the teller counter. While holding a tire iron in his hand, he orally announced a robbery, ordering a bank employee to place money from her drawer into a black gym bag that the robber brought with him. He repeatedly threatened bank employees with harm if his demands were not met.

After receiving an undisclosed amount of cash, the robber fled the bank on foot and was last seen running through an adjacent alley out of sight. No injuries were reported during the robbery, which is being investigated by the FBI and Willow Springs Police Department.

The robber was described by witnesses as a white/male, 30 - 35 years of age, 5’10” - 6’ tall, 250 pounds, heavy build, with a goatee. He was wearing dark sun glasses and a black and white striped cap.

Anyone recognizing this individual or having any information about this robbery is asked to call the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or the Willow Springs Police Department at (708) 467-3700.

Additional information about this case and other unsolved bank robberies, including downloadable photographs, is available on the Bandit Tracker website, www.bandittrackerchicago.com.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Additional copies of the below wanted flyer are also available from the Chicago FBI press office at (312) 829-1199.

FBI Fugitive from Brooklyn Surrenders

On August 25, 2010, the FBI and NYPD arrested eight members of the Nine-Trey Gangsters, also known as the Bugout Boyz, in Brooklyn, New York. Also on August 25, Tyquan Rogers was arrested in Kissimmee, Florida by FBI agents from the Tampa Division, and Robert Melendez was arrested in Durham, North Carolina by FBI agents from the Charlotte Division. On August 26, 2010, Robert Montemoino surrendered to FBI agents from the Tampa Division in the Orlando area. All arrests were conducted without incident.

One additional man remained at large, until today, when James Dowtin surrendered to the FBI in New York due in part to the heightened publicity of his wanted poster on the Internet and his picture on the Clear Channel Outdoor digital billboard in Times Square. Dowtin was part of the Nine-Trey Gangsters who operated on

Sterling Place

in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn. The gang members allegedly carried out crack cocaine and heroin dealing in addition to allegedly committing shootings, slashings, and other acts of violence in the neighborhood.

“Dowtin’s surrender shows how effective media and the community are as a law enforcement tool. This surrender is also an important message to fugitives everywhere—you can run, but you cannot hide your face, especially now with the increased visibility of FBI wanted posters on the Internet and fugitive photos on the digital billboard in Times Square,” said Special Agent Richard Kolko.

Head of Mexican Drug Trafficking Family Sentenced to 23 Years in Prison

OCT 27 -- SACRAMENTO, Calif. — United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner and Drug Enforcement Administration Special Agent in Charge Anthony D. Williams, announced today that Miguel Ruiz-Bravo, 39, of Apatzingan, Mexico, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Morrison C. England Jr. to 23 years and four months in prison for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Ruiz-Bravo pleaded guilty on June 24, 2010.

According to court documents in a separate matter, in March 2003, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration agents discovered an active methamphetamine laboratory in the Tehama County town of Corning. The agents arrested seven individuals and seized approximately 36 pounds of methamphetamine. These individuals were observed traveling in three different vehicles, all of which were registered in the names of aliases used by Miguel Ruiz-Bravo, who was believed to be in Mexico at the time of the arrests. One of the individuals arrested was the defendant’s brother, Alejandro Ruiz-Bravo, who pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

1101 Police Officers

With the addition of retired Detective Kreig W. Vens, Police-Writers.com now lists 1101 state and local law enforcement officials from 469 departments who have authored 2411 books. The website also has additional listings of Federal law enforcement officials, Correctional Officers, civilian police employees and a special section on international policing with books by officers in Canada, England, India and Australia.

More Information
http://www.police-writers.com/

Connecticut man arrested on federal child pornography charge

HARTFORD, Conn. - David B. Fein, U.S. Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Bruce M. Foucart, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) for New England, announced that James Leonard Key, 38, of Atwoodville Road, Mansfield, Conn., was arrested by ICE HSI agents on a federal criminal complaint charging Key with possession of child pornography. The arrest is the result of an investigation by ICE HSI.

The complaint alleges that, in August 2009, an Internet Protocol (IP) address, which was subsequently identified as belonging to Key, accessed a web site in the Netherlands and downloaded at least one image of child pornography. On Oct. 19, 2010, ICE HSI agents seized two laptop computers and an external hard drive from Key's residence. Preliminary forensic examination of the computers and hard drive has revealed in excess of 100 images and videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Following his arrest this morning at his residence, Key appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford. Key was released on a bond in the amount of $100,000, which is co-signed by family members. He will be subject to electronic monitoring by the U.S. probation office while this matter is pending.

If convicted of the charge of possession of child pornography, Key faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

This case is being investigated by ICE HSI in Hartford with the assistance of the European Law Enforcement Agency (EUROPOL) and the Dutch National Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

This investigation was part of Operation Predator, a nationwide ICE initiative to protect children from sexual predators, including those who travel overseas for sex with minors, Internet child pornographers, criminal alien sex offenders, and child sex traffickers.

ICE encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at 1-866-DHS-2ICE. This hotline is staffed around the clock by investigators. Suspected child sexual exploitation or missing children may be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, an Operation Predator partner, at 1-800-843-5678 or http://www.cybertipline.com/.

United States Marshal for the Eastern District of Wisconsin announces arrests of Jesus Ramirez, Angel Escajeda

The U.S. Marshals Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force is asking for help in locating a man wanted for Obstruction of an Investigation by Tampering with Evidence of a Human Corpse and who is a suspect in a woman’s murder in Texas. Police and the U.S. Marshals in Houston, TX are searching for convicted killer Dennis Ray Anderson, 64, after a Crime Stoppers tip led authorities to find a woman's body in a barrel at his Houston-area home last Thursday.

Seeking Information on Three Recent Robberies

Ralph S. Boelter, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis FBI office, today announced the FBI is investigating three recent bank robberies that appear to have been committed by the same unknown individual. Yesterday, at approximately 12:30 p.m., the robber entered the City County Federal Credit Union at

4701 Chicago Avenue South

in Minneapolis. He presented a demand note to a teller. The teller did not respond quickly enough, and the robber stated that he had a handgun. The teller provided an undisclosed amount of cash to the robber, who then fled the bank on foot. No gun was observed. The robber was unshaven and wore a red jacket.

Later the same day, at approximately 4:15 p.m., the robber entered the Wells Fargo Bank at

4959 East Excelsior Boulevard

in St. Louis Park. Once again he presented a demand note to the teller. He left with an undisclosed amount of cash. During this robbery, the robber wore a black hooded sweatshirt, and the robber may have shaven his face. No weapon was observed.

This morning, at approximately 9:50 a.m., the robber entered the City County Federal Credit Union at

6161 Summit Drive

in Brooklyn Center. He approached a teller and implied that he had a gun, but a gun was not displayed. The robber was provided with an undisclosed amount of cash before fleeing the bank on foot. He wore a cream and black hooded sweatshirt with a lot of lettering on it.

The robber is described as a black male, approximately 5’9” tall, thin build, short hair, and being in his 20s or 30s.

The FBI requests that anyone having information regarding these robberies or the suspected robber contact the Minneapolis, St. Louis Park, or Brooklyn Center Police Departments, the Minneapolis FBI at 612/376-3200, or Crime Stoppers.

The charges in a federal criminal complaint are merely an accusation and defendants are presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.

710 Lady Bandit Sought

The FBI and its law enforcement partners are seeking the public's assistance in learning the identity of an unidentified African American female bank robber, known to law enforcement as the "710 Lady Bandit." The 710 Lady Bandit is believed to be responsible for robbing two banks in the cities of Downey and Bell, respectively, on October 11 and October 16, 2010. During the first robbery, investigators believe the 710 Lady Bandit may have been wearing a wig to disguise her identity. During the robberies, the suspect passes a note to the victim teller to demand cash; she was named after robbing banks located on the east and west side of the 710 Freeway. The suspect has been further described by witnesses as follows:

Race/Gender: black female

Height: 5’07” to 5’08”

Weight: 140 to 150 pounds

Age: 34 to 42 years old

Bank surveillance photographs are below. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI in Los Angeles at 888 CANT HIDE (888 226-8443); or dial 911.

FBI Opens Investigation Into Three Shootings in Northern Virginia

WASHINGTON—The FBI announced today that it has opened an investigation into three shootings that have occurred in Northern Virginia since October 17, 2010.

Investigative evidence has confirmed that shots fired at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Triangle, Virginia, and the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, involved a single weapon. Ballistics testing is underway for an overnight shooting that took place on October 25 or October 26 at the Marine Corps Recruiting Station in Chantilly, Virginia.

The incident at the National Museum of the Marine Corps took place during the early morning hours on October 17, 2010. A similar incident occurred at approximately 5 a.m. on October 19, 2010, at the Pentagon after officers reported audible shots fired in the vicinity of the Pentagon’s south parking lot, which faces I-395.

No further information, including a potential weapon used or the caliber of the ammunition, will be released at this time to preserve the integrity of investigative efforts.

The FBI’s Washington Field Office Joint Terrorism Task Force (WFO JTTF) provides critical incident response in the National Capital Region for both federal investigations and the request of any law enforcement agency. Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and the Pentagon Force Protection Agency are represented on the 35-agency WFO JTTF.

Law enforcement agencies involved are asking that anyone who may have seen a suspicious vehicle or a person with any information to contact Crime Solvers at 1-866-411-TIPS/8477 or text “TIP187” plus your message to CRIMES/274637.

Washington Field Office Media Line: 202-278-3519

Fairfax County Police Department Media Line: 703-246-2253

Pentagon Force Protection Agency Media Line: 703-692-9101/9122

Prince William County Police Department: Media Line: 703-792-7245

Career Video Challenge for America's Job Seekers

The Challenge is on! Submit your video by November 1, 2010!

The Career Videos for America's Job Seekers Challenge ("the Challenge") invites members of the public to produce and submit short (1 to 3 minute) videos focusing on the daily activities, necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs), and career pathways of one of the 15 occupations. For more information on each occupation, you may click the occupational links on the left side of this page, or visit O*NET Online.

Interested in the Challenge? To participate:

1.) Select an occupation from the fifteen occupations listed on the left side of this page.

2.) Go to http://online.onetcenter.org/ and research the knowledge, skills, and abilities related to your selected occupation.

3.) Produce a one to three minute video which shows the daily activities, necessary Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs), and career pathways for your video.

4.) Fill out the Contest Release Form.

5.) Email the completed Contest Release Form to: dol.challenge@dol.gov or fax to: (202) 693-3015.

6.) Upload your video to YouTube.com or Vimeo.com.

7.) Register for this site by clicking Submit in the upper left corner of this page

8.) After registering, copy the YouTube or Vimeo video link and post it to the www.dolvideochallenge.ideascale.com site.

DOL will screen all video submissions and select the top three in each occupational category. The public will then have the opportunity to review these videos and vote for the best ones in each category. Submitters of videos which receive the most votes in each occupational category will be awarded the $1,000 prize and the chance to be used on DOL sites.

SUBMIT YOUR VIDEO BY NOVEMBER 1, 2010 TO BE ENTERED IN THE CHALLENGE!

Find the complete contest rules at http://www.dolvideochallenge.ideascale.com/

Former Owner of Cosmetic Surgery Clinic Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to 10 Years in Prison for Health Care Fraud

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that ARTHUR KISSEL, a/k/a "Arthur Froom," was sentenced today in Manhattan federal court to 10 years in prison for health care fraud offenses. KISSEL and his wife and co-conspirator, SONIA LaFONTAINE, neither of whom were doctors, engaged in a series of fraudulent practices out of their Manhattan cosmetic surgery clinic. In one incident, a patient at KISSEL’s clinic died during a liposuction procedure in 1998. KISSEL, who was in Canada at the time of his indictment in 1998, fought extradition proceedings and was finally brought to the United States in 2008. He pled guilty in September 2009. The sentence was imposed by Judge DENNY CHIN, who presided over the case as a District Judge before being elevated to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: "The fraudulent practices of Arthur Kissel were literally lethal for at least one of his clients. This case serves as a reminder that we will pursue those who commit health care fraud no matter how long it takes to bring them to justice. We will continue to work with our partners at the FBI and USPIS to stop individuals who cheat the health care system and endanger the lives of the innocent."

According to the Indictment, the evidence at the 2000 criminal trial of LaFONTAINE, the evidence at the 2003 civil wrongful death trial of Brown v. LaFontaine-Rish Medical Associates, et al., other documents filed in the criminal case, and statements made during KISSEL’s guilty plea and sentencing: KISSEL and LaFONTAINE owned and operated LaFontaine-Rish Medical Associates (LRMA), a cosmetic surgery clinic located at 315 West 57th Street in Manhattan. Neither were physicians, and neither was licensed in any state to perform medical procedures. LaFONTAINE and KISSEL, along with several coconspirators including doctors who worked at LRMA, engaged in four different types of fraud at the clinic:

LaFONTAINE performed procedures which were billed as if they had been performed by licensed physicians.

LRMA billed cosmetic procedures as medically necessary procedures so that health insurance companies would be duped into paying for them.

KISSEL and LaFONTAINE submitted claims to health insurance companies for procedures that were never performed.

KISSEL and LaFONTAINE exaggerated insurance claims by increasing the number and complexity of procedures.

KISSEL and LaFONTAINE were indicted in March 1998 with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. KISSEL was extradited from Canada in 2008 and pled guilty on September 4, 2009.

In imposing the maximum sentence permitted by law, Judge CHIN rejected KISSEL's claims of "ignorance and dumbness" and found that he "acted out of greed." He also stated that his crimes "led directly to the death" of JOEL CUNNINGHAM, who died on January 8, 1998, while undergoing an outpatient abdominal liposuction procedure at LRMA. CUNNINGHAM had wanted to become a NYPD police officer, but was too heavy to meet the entrance standards. He decided to have a liposuction procedure at LRMA, which used extensive advertising claiming that it was operated and supervised by a "world renowned surgeon," when in fact it was operated and supervised by KISSEL and LaFONTAINE. Evidence presented at a subsequent wrongful death suit in state court indicated that Cunningham had died of complications from anaesthesia, which had been administered by an LRMA anesthesiologist who was at the time on professional probation due to drug and alcohol abuse.

In addition to the prison term, Judge CHIN sentenced KISSEL, 56, to three years of supervised release and to pay restitution of $918,209 to the defrauded health care companies.

Mr. BHARARA praised the outstanding investigative efforts of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in this case.

This case is being handled by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney ROBIN W. MOREY is in charge of the prosecution.

Hawaii Resident Charged with Making False Statements in a Matter Involving International Terrorism

A criminal complaint was unsealed yesterday in the Eastern District of New York charging Abdel Hameed Shehadeh, age 21 and a U.S. citizen and resident of Hawaii, with making false statements in a matter involving international terrorism. Shehadeh was arrested on Friday, October 22, in Honolulu, Hawaii. At his initial appearance yesterday at the United States Courthouse in Honolulu, Shehadeh was ordered detained and consented to being removed to the Eastern District of New York for further proceedings.

The charges and arrest were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Florence T. Nakakuni, United States Attorney for the District of Hawaii; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department; and Charlene B. Thornton, Special Agent-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Honolulu Division.

According to the complaint, in early 2008, Shehadeh, at the time a resident of Staten Island, New York, devised a plan to travel to Pakistan in order to join the Taliban or a similar fighting group. In furtherance of his plan, on June 13, 2008, Shehadeh flew on a one-way airline ticket from John F. Kennedy International Airport in Queens, New York, to Islamabad, Pakistan. Upon landing in Pakistan, Shehadeh was denied entry into the country by Pakistani officials, and he returned to the United States. He was questioned by FBI agents and NYPD detectives on multiple occasions about the purpose of his trip to Pakistan, and he told them that he had traveled to Pakistan in order to visit an Islamic university and to attend a friend’s wedding. The complaint alleges that Shehadeh subsequently admitted to FBI agents in Hawaii that the true purpose of his trip to Pakistan was to join a fighting group such as the Taliban. The complaint also alleges that Shehadeh attempted to recruit another individual to join him for this purpose immediately after the two discussed a sermon by the cleric Anwar al-Awlaki.

According to the complaint, several weeks after Shehadeh was denied entry to Pakistan, he attempted to enlist in the United States Army at the Times Square recruiting station in New York City. Shehadeh’s application was denied when it was discovered that he had concealed his prior trip to Pakistan. Although Shehadeh claimed that he attempted to enlist for career opportunities and benefits, the complaint alleges that his true motive was to deploy to Iraq, where he intended to desert and fight against the United States military alongside Iraqi insurgent forces.

In addition, the complaint alleges that Shehadeh created and administered multiple websites dedicated to spreading violent jihadist ideology. The content of these websites included, among other things, speeches from known al Qaeda leaders such as Abu Yahya al-Libi and Ayman al-Zawahiri.

“As this case demonstrates, we and our partners in law enforcement are committed to preventing terrorist acts before the plots can be set in motion,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We will spare no effort, and will deploy all available resources, to accomplish this mission.” Ms. Lynch extended her grateful appreciation to the FBI and NYPD, the agencies responsible for leading the government’s investigation.

United States Attorney Nakakuni stated, “We must remain vigilant to address activities in our own community which have connections to investigations and prosecutions in other areas. This case is an example of the necessary and successful cooperation among authorities separated by a six-hour time difference and over 5,000 miles.”

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Fedarcyk stated, “As charged in the complaint, Shehadeh lied about the purpose of his travel to Pakistan, then he lied in his attempt to join the U.S. military, and lied about why he sought to enlist. The real purpose, it is alleged, was not to join U.S. forces, but to wage war against them. Stopping one prospective terrorist can prevent untold numbers of casualties.”

NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “In sharing information developed by the NYPD’s Intelligence Division with our federal partners, the Police Department worked hand-in-glove with the FBI to curtail an alleged terrorist threat in the making.”

FBI Special Agent-in-Charge Thornton stated, “The Honolulu FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force worked closely with our New York counterparts throughout this investigation. It is important to note that at no time was there any evidence of a terrorist plot targeting the Hawaiian Islands in this case.”

If convicted of making false statements in a matter involving international terrorism, Shehadeh faces a maximum sentence of eight years’ imprisonment.

The government’s case is being prosecuted in the Eastern District of New York by Assistant United States Attorneys James P. Loonam and Ali Kazemi, with assistance provided by the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii and the Counterterrorism Section of the Department of Justice.

The public is reminded that a complaint contains mere allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The Defendant:

ABDEL HAMEED SHEHADEH

Age: 21

Man Gets 29-Year Sentence in Attack on Off-Duty Police Officer

Attack Took Place in Attempted Robbery at Gas Station

WASHINGTON—Eddie L. Mathis, Jr., 38, was sentenced today to 29 years of incarceration for attempting to rob an off-duty Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer and then shooting the officer in a December 2003 attack at a Washington, D.C. gas station, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.

Mathis, of Fredericksburg, Va., was convicted in July 2010 following a week-long trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The jury found him guilty of assault with intent to commit robbery while armed, assault with a dangerous weapon, possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, carrying a dangerous weapon, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon. Mathis was sentenced by the Honorable Judge Lynn Leibovitz.

Evidence presented at trial established that off-duty MPD Officer Devinci Wooden was driving home in the late evening of December 18, 2003 when he stopped to fill his gas tank at an Exxon station at the intersection of Alabama and Pennsylvania Avenues SE. Several people were nearby. Wooden, who was in plain clothes, was standing at the pump when he was approached by Mathis, who had a loaded .45-caliber pistol in his hand, and an accomplice who has never been identified. The assailants demanded that Wooden empty his pockets. Mathis pointed a gun at Wooden and said something to the effect of "Don't move or I'll bust you."

Concerned that they would find his badge hanging around his neck under his jacket and kill him, Wooden ran to the other side of his vehicle and announced he was a police officer. Instead of surrendering or fleeing the scene like his accomplice, Mathis chose to escalate the situation.

Mathis began shooting at the officer, while surrounded by highly flammable gas tanks and fumes, with other innocent patrons and employees in the immediate area. The officer fired back in self-defense. During the shootout that ensued, Mathis shot Wooden through the foot, and Wooden shot Mathis in his right waist. Though Mathis escaped from the gas station that night, several citizens came forward and helped law enforcement authorities find a nearby apartment where Mathis was staying at the time. There, he had discarded his bullet-riddled and bloody clothing.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of MPD Detectives Mitchell Credle, Konstantinos Giannakoulias, Carlos Hilliard, Stephen McDonald, and Darryl Richmond, Sixth District MPD Officers Michael Tucker (Retired) and David White, and MPD Crime Scene Technicians Grant Greenwalt, Richard Griffin, and Tony Nwani. He also acknowledged the work of FBI special agents as well as Criminal Investigators Christopher Brophy and Melissa Matthews and Intelligence Research Specialist Lawrence Grasso, all of the U.S. Attorney's Office. He also praised U.S. Attorney's Office Paralegal Mariam Russell and Litigation Technology Specialists Joe Calvarese, Leif Hickling, and Thomas Royal. Finally, he thanked U.S. Attorneys Ann M. Carroll and Sean P. Tonolli for investigating and indicting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tonolli and Steven Swaney for trying the case.

Member of the Krazy Locos Criminal Street Gang Sentenced to Life Imprisonment Following Convictions for Two Homicides, Robbery, and Firearms Charges

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Miami Field Office; Hugo Barrera, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations, Miami Field Office; and Ric L. Bradshaw, Sheriff, Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, announced today the sentencing of Manuel DeJesus Medina, a member of the Krazy Locos criminal street gang of Lake Worth, Florida. Medina, 19, was sentenced to life imprisonment, followed by a consecutive term of 420 months’ imprisonment, on charges related to two homicides committed in Palm Beach County during January and February 2009. The charges against Medina and other gang members arose from a joint federal-state investigation into the Krazy Locos gang, which was operating throughout Palm Beach County.

As set forth in the charging documents and documents filed with the court, Medina was a member of the “Krazy Locos,” also known as the “KL” gang, operating primarily in Palm Beach County. The Krazy Locos has been affiliated at times with another gang, the “Making Life Krazy” or “MLK” gang, which also operates in Palm Beach County. From 2007 through 2009, there were approximately forty Krazy Locos gang members and associates.

According to documents filed with the court, the Krazy Locos organization made money through the sale of controlled substances, primarily oxycodone, Xanax, methadone, cocaine, crack, and marijuana. With respect to the prescription medications (oxycodone, Xanax, and methadone), a Krazy Locos member would “sponsor” a patient, that is, pay for the patient’s medical visit and prescription, in exchange for a portion of the prescription medication. The gang would then re-sell the prescription medication. Members of the gang also were required to pay “taxes” to the gang on a weekly basis and often resorted to criminal activity to secure the money to pay their “taxes.”

Medina was also charged for his involvement in two homicides. Counts 1 through 4 of the Second Superseding Information charged Medina with a number of offenses related to his involvement in the homicide of a person known as “R.F.” on January 9, 2009. The Second Superseding Information charged that the Krazy Locos is a criminal organization whose members and associates engaged in acts of violence, including attempted murder, obstruction of justice, extortion and distribution of controlled substances, and which operated principally in Palm Beach County. Counts 5 through 10 of the Second Superseding Information relate to an attempted Hobbs Act robbery in Palm Beach County that resulted in the death of a Palm Beach County man, “D.R.,” and the serious injury of another, “A.R,” on February 22, 2009.

On August 6, 2010, Medina pled guilty to all charges contained in the Second Superseding Information. Medina admitted that he was the person who shot and killed both R.F. and D.R. Medina agreed to be sentenced to the statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole, to be followed by thirty-five years’ imprisonment. Medina also agreed to cooperate against the leaders of the gang and provided information regarding their involvement in the two homicides.

On Friday, October 22, 2010, United States District Judge Kenneth A. Marra sentenced Medina to life imprisonment with no possibility of parole, followed by a consecutive term of 420 months’ imprisonment. Medina was further ordered to pay $34,396.27 in restitution.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, ATF, ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations in West Palm Beach, the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palm Beach County State Attorney’s Office. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Marie Villafaña and Mark Dispoto.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov/.

Audit of Office on Violence Against Women Grants Awarded to the Montana Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, Helena, Montana

The purpose of these awards is to provide recipients with the opportunity to develop and strengthen effective responses to violence against women.

OVW provides national leadership in developing the nation's capacity to reduce violence against women through the implementation of the Violence Against Women Act. Created in 1995, OVW administers financial and technical assistance to communities across the country that are developing programs, policies, and practices aimed at ending domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. By forging state, local, and tribal partnerships among police, prosecutors, victim advocates, health care providers, faith leaders, and others, OVW grant programs help provide victims with the protection and services they need to pursue safe and healthy lives, while simultaneously enabling communities to hold offenders accountable for their violence.

OVW provides funding under two formula grant programs and 17 discretionary grant programs to aid communities across the country that are developing programs aimed at ending domestic violence and sexual assault.

The full report can be read at http://www.justice.gov/oig/grants/g6011001.pdf.

Firefighter Fatality

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

Name: Randall Scott Davenport

Rank: Firefighter

Age: 37

Gender: Male

Status: Career

Years of Service: 4

Date of Incident: 10/24/2010

Time of Incident: Pending

Date of Death: 10/24/2010

Fire Department: Marshall Fire Department

Address:

471 W Arrow ST, Marshall, MO  65340-1904

Fire Department Chief: John Rieves

Fire Department Website: http://www.marshallfire.com

Incident Description: Firefighter Davenport was found deceased on Sunday morning at the Marshall Firehouse within hours of fighting two structure fires. The cause of Firefighter Davenport death is still to be determined.

Incident Location:

471 W Arrow ST, Marshall, MO  65340-1904

Funeral Arrangements: Pending, updates will be posted @ http://www.mofirefuneral.org/.

Memorial Fund Contact and Address: Pending

Tribute is being paid to Firefighter Randall Scott Davenport at http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/fireservice/fatalities/

To date, 68 firefighter fatalities have been reported to USFA in 2010; 66 from incidents that occurred in 2010 and 2 from previous year 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.

Project Safe Childhood Again Improves the Safety of Indiana’s Children

INDIANAPOLIS—Joseph H. Hogsett, United States Attorney, Southern District of Indiana, and A. Brant Cook, Assistant U.S. Attorney, announced that Philip R. Collins, 47, Hillsboro, Ind., was sentenced to 90 months in prison yesterday by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker following his guilty plea to distribution and possession of child pornography. This case was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Indiana State Police.

The prosecution of Collins is part of the ongoing fight to protect children under Project Safe Childhood. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims of child exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

According to U. S. Attorney Hogsett, the investigation of Collins began in August 2009, when Collins engaged in internet chat with an FBI task force officer working undercover online. The internet chats between Collins and the task force officer continued sporadically over the course of the following several months. Though Collins made several comments during the chats indicating a sexual interest in children, he gave no indication of any specific plans to act out his interests, and did not otherwise engage in any criminal activity. On March 3, 2010, however, Collins claimed during one of the internet chat conversations that he planned to engage in sexual activity with a minor he would be supervising the following evening. FBI worked quickly to identify Collins, and, along with the Indiana State Police, sought him out at his workplace in Crawfordsville, Ind., early the next evening, March 4, 2010. Earlier in the day, prior to agents’ arrival, Collins distributed several images of child pornography to the task force officer with whom he had been chatting online. Law enforcement did not find any evidence that Collins had acted on his stated plan to engage in sexual activity with a child that evening, but did find that Collins had a collection of child pornography. He was arrested and subsequently prosecuted.

Judge Barker also imposed lifetime supervised release following Collins’s release from prison. During the period of supervised release, Collins must participate in sex offender treatment, may not have unsupervised contact with any minor child, and must register as a sex offender, in addition to other conditions.

Hogsett praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney A. Brant Cook, who prosecuted the case for the government. “The penalties for distributing child pornography are quite serious,” noted Cook. “Trafficking in such images is a devastating re-victimization of the children depicted, and those who seek out and view these images are fueling a dangerous sexual interest in children. It is extremely important that these individuals be held accountable in order to bring some justice to the children depicted in these images, as well as to protect Indiana’s children who are within reach of these offenders.”

Judge Barker authorized Collins’ continued release with supervision pending his assignment to a Bureau of Prisons facility.

1100 Police Officers

With the addition of Anne Lowery, a former Cortland Police Department (Ohio) law enforcement official, Police-Writers.com now lists 1100 state and local police officers from 469 departments who have written 2408 books. Additionally, the website maintains separate listings of civilian police employees, corrections officials, federal law enforcement agents and police officers from other countries such as England, India, Canada and Australia.

In addition to being categorized alphabetically, the books can be viewed by department, by state, by police officer and by category such as True Crime, Biography, Tactical, etc.

Browse the listings at
http://www.police-writers.com/

Anchorage Man Indicted by Federal Grand Jury for Sex Crimes Against Other Prisoners in Anchorage Jail

ANCHORAGE, AK—United States Attorney Karen L. Loeffler announced that a prisoner in the Anchorage Correctional Complex was indicted by a federal grand jury in Anchorage, for aggravated sexual abuse, sexual abuse, and abusive sexual contact perpetrated on three unnamed prisoners.

The twelve-count indictment names Sabil Mujahid, 39, of Anchorage, Alaska as the sole defendant. Mujahid was arraigned on October 20, 2010 on the charges.

According to the indictment and information presented to the court at arraignment, Mujahid was a federal prisoner when he committed the alleged crimes against the three unnamed prisoners, referred to as John Doe 1, John Doe 2, and John Doe 3, all Alaskan Native men. The Anchorage Correctional Complex is a facility in which federal prisoners are held in custody pursuant to a contract with the United States Marshals Service. Mujahid is currently incarcerated on pending federal sex trafficking charges with three other defendants, awaiting trial in February 2011.

The charges found by the grand jury, carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, total fines of $3 million, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, of the defendant. Mujahid’s trial date on these indicted charges is scheduled for December 13, 2010.

The FBI, United States Marshals Service, and the Anchorage Police Department jointly conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

FBI and San Diego Police Seek Public’s Assistance to Identify Bank Robber Carrying Gym Bag

The FBI and San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the unknown male responsible for robbing the Bank of America branch located at 655 West Broadway, San Diego, California, on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

On Thursday, October 21, 2010, at approximately 10:55 a.m., the Bank of America branch located at 655 West Broadway, San Diego, California was robbed by a man carrying a blue and silver colored gym bag. At the time of the robbery, the robber entered the bank and went to the customer service island where it is believed he wrote a demand note. The robber then approached the victim teller and presented the demand note for cash. The teller complied with the robber’s demands and provided him with a sum of money. The robber placed the money into a blue and silver colored gym bag he was carrying. The robber exited the bank and was last seen headed east on

Broadway street

. It is believed that after exiting the bank, the robber donned a baseball cap and discarded the gym bag which was recovered by police.

Witnesses describe the robber as follows:

Sex: Male

Race: White

Age: Approximately 40 to 50 years old

Height: Approximately 5’6” to 5’7”

Weight: Approximately 180 – 190 lbs.

Hair/Coloring: Balding with brown and gray hair

Clothing: Maroon colored short tee shirt, blue jeans and glasses

U.S. Marshals Recover Missing Child, Two Arrests Made In Pennsylvania Parental Abduction

Eureka, CA – U. S. Marshal Don O’Keefe of the Northern District of California announces the arrests of Jesse Hartman and Rose Stonesifer.

On Monday, Hartman, 23, and Stonesifer, 22, were arrested for custodial interference at a cabin on Swayback Ridge off

Buck Mountain Road

in southeastern Humbolt County.

During the arrest, Deputy U.S. Marshals and a FBI agent located the couple’s infant daughter, who has been an endangered missing person from Cumberland county, PA since March.

Allegedly Hartman, Stonessifer, and the missing child resided in the cabin used to trim and process marijuana with six other adult males.

The child was given to the custody of the Humboldt County Child Welfare Services and both fugitives were booked into the Humboldt County Correctional Facility.

The U.S. Marshals became involved with this case at the request of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

This arrest was a result of the combined efforts of the residents of Humboldt County, National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, U.S. Marshals Eastern District of California and Northern District of California Fugitive Task Force, and the FBI.

The U.S. Marshals Service have developed close working relationships with other law enforcement agencies on fugitive matters, and it has a history of providing assistance, expertise and training to agencies on the federal, state, local and international levels. 

Virginia Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Defrauding the U.S. Department of Defense of More Than $450,000

WASHINGTON - A Virginia man was sentenced today to 18 months in prison in connection with a scheme to defraud the U.S. Department of Defense of more than $450,000, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Neil H. MacBride of the Eastern District of Virginia.

Jonathan Feeney Sr., 28, of Woodbridge, Va., was also ordered by U.S. District Court Judge Leonie M. Brinkema to pay restitution of $464,819 to the Department of Defense and $11,604 to BAE Systems Training Services Inc. (BAE). In addition, Judge Brinkema ordered Feeney to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term. Feeney pleaded guilty on July 28, 2010, to a one-count criminal information charging him with using the U.S. mails to execute a scheme involving fraudulent invoices submitted to the Department of Defense through BAE, Feeney’s former employer.

According to court documents, BAE maintained a procurement contract with the Department of Defense during 2005 and 2006. Under the terms of the contract, BAE would purchase surveillance equipment and subsequently bill the U.S. government for those purchases. Feeney worked as a logistics engineer at BAE and was responsible for purchasing the items needed under the contract.

In his plea, Feeney admitted that he started making secret purchases in BAE’s name beginning in August 2005. He admitted that he used his position to authorize the purchase of camera lenses and video equipment, intending all the while to resell the equipment for personal gain despite billing BAE for the purchases. Feeney’s actions would cause BAE, in turn, to use the mail to bill those purchases to the United States. Between Aug. 6, 2005, and June 30, 2006, Feeney admitted that he made 15 illicit purchases totaling $476,424 in fraudulent charges, of which $464,819 was billed to the U.S. government. Feeney also admitted that he subsequently sold many of the purchases on an Internet auction site for profit.

The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Liam Brennan and Ryan S. Faulconer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The investigation was conducted by the Defense Criminal Investigative Service and members of the National Procurement Fraud Task Force (NPFTF).