Arrest of Individual Involved in Robbery at Shopping Mall in Baymon

SAN JUAN—On April 27, 2012, the Police of Puerto Rico and the FBI, in coordination with the United States Attorney’s Office, arrested Willie Diaz-Carrion, age 39, at a residence in Toa Baja, Puerto. Diaz-Carrion is charged with interference with interstate commerce-robbery and the use of a firearm in the commission of a crime of violence.

The criminal complaint alleges that on April 26, 2012, Diaz-Carrion and another male individual drove a white Toyota Yaris to a branch of the Banco Popular de Puerto Rico located in the Rio Hondo shopping mall of Bayamon, Puerto Rico. At approximately 11:30 a.m., one of the suspects approached an individual who was walking to the bank entrance in order to make a deposit on behalf of the company that he works for. As the individual was approaching the front door of the bank, the subject who was brandishing a gun grabbed the individual by the neck and demanded the envelope he was carrying, which contained approximately $25,000 in checks and $1,000 in cash.

When the victim resisted, the subject struck the victim approximately three times on the head with the weapon. The victim subsequently dropped the bank deposit envelope on the ground, and the subject grabbed it and began running to the Toyota Yaris. An FBI agent, who was in the area and witnessed the robbery, identified himself to the perpetrators of the robbery. One of the subjects then began shooting at the FBIm agent and the agent returned fire at the subjects.

During their attempt to flee, the subjects struck an innocent bystander with the Toyota Yaris. The victim fell to the ground due to the impact and was subsequently run over by the vehicle.

The Toyota Yaris, which had been reported stolen on April 11, 2012, was recovered later that afternoon abandoned in the Rio Hondo 4 neighborhood. The investigation further revealed the subjects then fled in a gray BMW 325i that also had been reported stolen on April 25, 2012.

Law enforcement officers received information Willie Diaz-Carrion had participated in the robbery and that he had sustained gunshot wounds as a result of the robbery. While officers were conducting interviews of Diaz-Carrion’s family members at a residence in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Diaz-Carrion arrived at the residence suffering from two gunshot wounds. Diaz-Carrion was placed under arrest and then taken by the agents to a hospital for treatment of gunshot wounds.

If convicted, Diaz-Carrion faces up to a maximum of 30 years’ imprisonment.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jose Contreras.

The public is reminded a criminal complaint contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP U.S. Border Patrol Agents Apprehend Felon

Prior Convictions include Robbery

Tucson, Ariz. – A 30-year-old male from Mexico City, Mexico, apprehended by Naco Station Border Patrol agents in June 2011 near Naco, Ariz., was sentenced to 33 months of confinement on April 19, 2012.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecuted Jose Fernando Calderon-Rodriguez following his 2011 apprehension for attempting to illegally re-enter the United States. During processing at the Naco Station, agents using the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS) learned Calderon-Rodriguez was convicted in California in 2005 for robbery and sentenced to four years in prison.

Following the Border Patrol’s initial processing, the case was submitted to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for re-entry of an aggravated felon. Calderon-Rodriguez will be formally removed from the U.S. following his 33-month incarceration and is now banned for life from any legalization process.

All illegal immigrants apprehended by the Border Patrol undergo criminal history checks using IAFIS. This vital tool accesses criminal records throughout the United States, enabling agents to quickly identify violent criminals and wanted persons.

As part of a targeted enforcement strategy, the Tucson Sector places individuals into impact programs designed to influence their decision not to commit a subsequent illegal entry. One impact program involves individuals with prior criminal convictions being prosecuted in federal court.

Customs and Border Protection welcomes assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity and remain anonymous by calling the Border Patrol at (877) 872-7435 toll free.

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

Wife in Bank-Robbing Duo Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison

BIRMINGHAM—A federal judge today sentenced a Sarasota, Fla., woman to nearly six years in prison for a bank robbery spree she undertook with her husband, announced U.S. Attorney Joyce White Vance and FBI Special Agent in Charge Patrick Maley.

U.S. District Judge L. Scott Coogler sentenced Angela Shuttleworth, 21, to 70 months in prison for robbing or attempting to rob six banks in Alabama, Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. She pleaded guilty to the six bank robbery counts in October. Her husband, Neil Shuttleworth, 27, has pleaded guilty to bank robberies in Alabama, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida. Those cases are being prosecuted in federal court in South Carolina, where he will be sentenced.

“This duo fashioned themselves as a modern-day version of Bonnie and Clyde, traveling the Eastern seaboard and the Midwest, robbing or attempting to rob banks as they went,” Vance said. “Angela Shuttleworth showed no regard for the well-being of the innocent people inside the banks she robbed or for the peace and security of the cities and towns where she committed her crimes.”

“This defendant and her husband spread their crimes across several states, but the FBI and its law enforcement partners worked together to track the couple’s string of bank robberies and bring the pair to justice,” Maley said.

The Alabama bank the Shuttleworths have pleaded guilty to robbing was a Compass Bank in Florence. According to court documents, Angela Shuttleworth entered that bank on Jan. 7, 2011, and robbed it of $4,276 by using a demand note. She was arrested after an off-duty Florence police officer caught her outside of the bank.

In the Florence robbery, as in all others for which Angela Shuttleworth is charged, Neil Shuttleworth wrote the threatening demand note and drove his wife to the bank where she went in and presented it to a bank teller. Angela Shuttleworth received money from the teller in five of the six cases she pleaded guilty to.

The FBI and Florence Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terence M. O’Rourke prosecuted the case.

Third Defendant Sentenced in Trading Post Robbery

PHOENIX, AZ—On Monday, January 9, 2012, Garrison Gorman, 22, a member of the Navajo Nation Indian Tribe was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Paul G. Rosenblatt to 51 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to armed robbery. Co-defendants Jercelo Jim and Charles Yazzie had earlier pleaded guilty and been sentenced on the same charge; Jim was sentenced to 51 months’ imprisonment and Yazzie was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment.

On July 7, 2010, on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation, Gorman, along with co-defendants Jim and Yazzie, entered the Round Rock Trading Post. The three defendants were dressed all in black, two were wearing bandanas to cover their mouths, and Gorman was carrying a rifle. Gorman pointed the rifle at the victim, and demanded the victim give them all of his money. The victim placed the cash drawer on the counter and Gorman grabbed all of the cash. The defendants stole additional items from the store before they fled. They were apprehended later that same day.

The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Department of Public Safety. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Green, District of Arizona, Phoenix.

Miramar Brinks Armored Car Robbers Arrested

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced today the arrest of Terrance Brown, 38, Toriano Johnson, 34, and Daryl Davis, 45, for their involvement in the robbery and fatal shooting of Alejandro Nodarse Arencibia, a messenger for Brinks, an armored car company, on October 1, 2010.

Brown, Johnson, and Davis were charged by complaint with robbery and conspiracy to commit robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1951; and with the use a firearm in the commission of the robbery and causing death through use of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 924(c) and 924(j). If convicted of the robbery charges, Brown, Johnson, and Davis face a maximum sentence of twenty (20) years’ imprisonment. If convicted of the firearm charge, they may be punished by death or by a sentence of up to life imprisonment.

The robbery took place around noon on Friday, October 1, 2010, outside the Bank of America, located on Miramar Parkway, Miramar, Florida. According to the criminal complaint, at approximately 11:55 a.m., Arencibia, a Brinks armored car messenger, was delivering a bag of currency to the Bank of America. As Arencibia attempted to enter the branch, two males carrying firearms approached him. One of the two males, later identified as Nathaniel Moss, wearing a bright orange traffic safety vest, held a firearm to the messenger’s head. Moss then shot the messenger in the head, fatally wounding him. The second male grabbed a bag of money belonging to Brinks.

Moss was apprehended on scene and was charged and pled guilty earlier today to charges involving the robbery and murder of the guard. Subsequent investigation lead to today’s arrests of Brown, Johnson, and Davis. They are scheduled to make their initial appearances in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry S. Seltzer on Monday, October 17, 2011, at 11:00 a.m.

A complaint is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, the Miami Gardens Police Department, Miami-Dade PoliceDepartment, Miami-Dade Transit Authority, Miramar Police Department, and the South Florida Violent Crime/Fugitive Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Gilfarb and Jason Linder.

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.

Two Members of Armed Robbery Crew Sentenced in Connection with Middlesex County Thefts

NEWARK, NJ—Jonah Paul and Rashawn Landin, members of an armed robbery crew that primarily targeted businesses and homes in Middlesex County, were sentenced today to 219 months and 108 months in prison, respectively, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Paul, 23, of Sayreville, N.J., had pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patty Shwartz on April 18, 2011, to a superseding information charging him with one count of conspiring to obstruct commerce in connection with his role in robbing four premises from between March 2009 and June 2009, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the robbery. Landin, 24, of Parlin, also pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shwartz on April 18, 2011. Landin pleaded guilty to one count of an indictment charging him with conspiring to obstruct commerce in connection with his role in robbing a home in May 2009. U.S. District Judge Faith S. Hochberg imposed the sentences today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Paul admitted he conspired with Landin and others, including Raffaele Danise, 25, of East Brunswick; Joseph Smith, 39, of South Amboy; Joseph Passalaqua, 56, of East Brunswick; Dustin Groemm, 24, of Perth Amboy; Brian Parolin, 30, of Freehold; Erik Prascak, 22, of Milltown, and Joshua Lally, 24, of Middlesex Township, to rob a number of premises located in New Jersey and New York from March 2009 through June 2009. Specifically, Paul admitted he and certain of his co-conspirators robbed: the Chris Michael’s Steakhouse in Woodbridge, on March 17, 2009; the Ristorante Barolo in New York, N.Y., on May 11, 2009; the home of victims “M.M.” and “P.M.” in Milltown, on May 21, 2009, and the Ritz Diner in Livingston, on June 5, 2009. Landin also admitted he robbed the home of victims “M.M.” and “P.M.” with Paul and other co-conspirators. Each of the robberies was at gunpoint, and in each case, the victims were bound in plastic zip ties while the robberies took place.

In addition to the prison terms, Judge Hochberg sentenced Paul to five years and Landin to three years of supervised release. Landin was fined $1,000 and ordered to pay $46,578 in restitution. Restitution in Paul’s case will be determined at a later date.

All of the defendants have previously pleaded guilty. Groemm and Parolin were sentenced by Judge Hochberg on June 22, 2011. Groemm was sentenced to 75 months in prison, three years of supervised release and ordered to make restitution of $20,894. Parolin was sentenced to 79 months in prison, three years’ supervised release and fined $3,000. The remaining defendants await sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, for conducting the investigation. He also thanked the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Bruce J. Kaplan, the Woodbridge Police Department, under the direction of Director Robert Hubner, the Sayreville Police Department, under the direction of Chief John Zebrowski, and the Milltown Police Department, under the direction of Chief Ray Geipel, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa M. Colone and Robert Frazer of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense counsel:

Jonah Paul: Timothy R. Anderson Esq., Red Bank, N.J.

Rashawn Landin: John P. McGovern Esq., Newark, N.J.

Lindenwold, New Jersey Man Sentenced to Prison for Robbery of Gas Station Owner

CAMDEN, NJ—A Lindenwold, N.J., man was sentenced today to 46 months in prison for his role in the robbery of a gas station owner outside a TD Bank in Deptford, N.J., U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Jamaine Levi, 23, previously pleaded guilty to an information charging him with one count of aiding and abetting a Hobbs Act robbery. Levi entered his guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez. Judge Rodriguez also imposed the sentence today in Camden federal court.

According to documents filed in this and related cases and statements made in court: Prior to the robbery on June 11, 2010, Donnell Cheek told Levi about a tip he had received from TD Bank teller Stephanie Jordan regarding a bank customer that made large cash deposits. The customer owned several gas stations.

Levi admitted that on the day of the robbery, he and co-conspirators Donnell and Dashawn Cheek waited near the gas station owner’s house and then followed him to several gas stations and to the TD Bank in Deptford.

At the bank, the Cheek brothers got out of the car, approached the gas station owner, and took his blue Sunoco money bag containing approximately $65,440 in proceeds of his gas stations’ sales. After stealing the money, the Cheeks ran back to where Levi was waiting in the car. They later split the cash.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Rodriguez sentenced Levi to three years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $72,684 in restitution.

Jordan and the Cheek brothers have all pleaded guilty to related offenses. Dashawn Cheek was sentenced to 50 months in prison on June 22, 2011; Jordan and Donnell Cheek await sentencing.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI’s South Jersey Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge George C. Venizelos in Philadelphia; investigators with the Camden County and Gloucester County Prosecutors’ Offices, under the direction of Prosecutors Warren W. Faulk and Sean F. Dalton, respectively; and officers with the Voorhees and Deptford Township Police Departments for the investigation leading to today’s sentence.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason M. Richardson of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Camden.

Defense counsel: Troy A. Archie Esq., Camden

District Man Sentenced to More Than Nine Years in Prison for Taking Part in Armed Robbery of Armored Truck

He and Two Others Carried Out Brazen Mid-Afternoon Crime

WASHINGTON—Richard Lee, 32, was sentenced today to nine years and two months in prison for the armed robbery of a Brink’s armored truck, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

During the brazen, mid-afternoon robbery, Lee and two others held the truck’s guard at gunpoint and escaped with a significant amount of money.

Lee, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty earlier this year to armored car robbery. Two others—David Reddix, 23, of Temple Hills, Maryland, and Tyronda Ferrell, 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland, also pled guilty to the charge in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia.

Reddix was sentenced in June 2011 to 80 months in prison. Ferrell was sentenced in May 2011, also to 80 months of incarceration. All three defendants were sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle.

According to the government’s evidence, Ferrell, then a guard for Brink’s, had several conversations prior to the crime with Reddix about robbing a Brink’s armored truck. Reddix, a longtime friend to Ferrell, recruited another friend, Lee, to assist with the robbery.

Reddix and Ferrell developed a plan that they carried out on September 2, 2010, when Brink’s dispatched an armored truck to deliver and pick up money and other valuables from banks and businesses in Northern Virginia. Ferrell was one of two armed guards and the driver of the truck. Once Ferrell completed her normal pick-ups in Northern Virginia, she then drove the truck to a Wendy’s restaurant in the 4000 block of Nannie Helen Burroughs Avenue NE.

At the Wendy’s, at about 2:40 p.m., Ferrell parked the armored truck and, shortly afterward, the second guard was approached by Reddix and Lee. Reddix, wearing a mask and carrying a pellet gun that closely resembled a handgun, ordered the second guard to open the door to the truck.

Reddix and Lee entered the truck, ordered the second guard to fill a bag with money, and instructed Ferrell to drive away. The second guard was forced into the rear of the truck, where Lee took his gun. Lee and Reddix remained in the back of the armored truck, holding the second guard at gunpoint, while Ferrell drove the armored truck to an alley on 45th Street NE.

Reddix and Lee then left with the money that they took from the vehicle. They planned to meet Ferrell later that night to split the stolen money. However, Ferrell was arrested that night, and Reddix and Lee were arrested within days.

In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier commended the exceptional investigative work of the FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force and MPD Detective Buddy Baylor. They also thanked Legal Assistant LaToya Wade, who provided administrative support, and the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, which assisted with the investigation. Lastly, they praised Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who prosecuted the cases.

Five Men Charged in String of Armed Robberies of Latino Small Businesses

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Five men have been indicted by a federal grand jury of engaging in a string of armed robberies of small businesses that primarily service the Latino community in Prince William and Fairfax counties. The men are also charged with conspiracy to commit the armed robberies in Virginia as well as an armed robbery of a Wachovia Bank branch in Horsham, Penn.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Charlie T. Deane, Prince William County Chief of Police; and Colonel David Rohrer, Fairfax County Chief of Police made the announcement.

“These men are accused of spreading fear and violence through armed robberies of Latino businesses throughout Prince William and Fairfax counties,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Armed robbery is a very traumatic experience. The threat of violence is real, and in several instances the weapons were allegedly used to subdue employees or ensure the conspirators’ escape. We are grateful to the excellent work of our local and federal partners in putting together the evidence that made today’s charges possible.”

“This is another outstanding example of cooperation between law enforcement agencies across jurisdictional and state lines,” said Chief Deane of the Prince William County Police Department. “With the use of technology and communication between agencies our ability to apprehend suspects is even greater than before.”

“Violent crime directed at our neighborhood business community endangers lives,” said FBI ADIC McJunkin. “This case was successful because of the hard work and dedication of multiple law enforcement agencies who acted as a cohesive team to intervene against those who threaten our communities.”

According to the indictment and other court records, the five men are accused of participating in a conspiracy that targeted at least six businesses and stole approximately $238,000 in cash and jewelry from August 2010 through February 2011. At each location, conspirators allegedly carried handguns, either brandished a firearm or put a handgun at employees’ heads, and demanded money and other valuables.

Those charged include the following:

■Jesus Garcia-Guinea, 38, of Washington, D.C., who is charged with conspiracy, robbery, use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

■Edgar Geovani Zuniga-Perez, a/k/a “Edgar Geovani Suniga-Perez” and “Edgar Geovani Perez-Suniga,” 30, of Woodbridge, Va., who is charged with conspiracy, multiple counts of robbery and use of a firearm during a crime of violence, and also with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm.

■Vahelo Alay Escobar, 21, of Riverdale, Md., who is charged with conspiracy, robbery, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

■Serfido Trinidad Perez Florian, 41, of Riverdale, Md., who is charged with conspiracy, robbery, and use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

■Estanislao Ramos Perez, 28, of Riverdale, Md., who is charged with conspiracy.

A related affidavit details the alleged robbery at Plantanillos Grocery in Prince William County on Dec. 19, 2010. According to the affidavit, three Hispanic males wearing black masks entered the store armed with a firearm. The men allegedly brandished their weapons at the store employees, stole the cash from the registers, and shattered a jewelry case to retrieve the jewelry. One employee was allegedly struck several times on the face and head with a gun. After the robbers exited the store, they allegedly fired shots that hit an employee’s vehicle’s front windshield.

The indictment states that on Feb. 24, 2011, conspirators also allegedly shot at the owner of Sabina’s Joyeria in Fairfax County, Va., as they were fleeing the scene after stealing approximately $5,450 in cash.

The indictment also accuses Zuniga-Perez, Escobar, and Perez Florian and other conspirators of working with individuals later revealed as undercover officers to commit an armed robbery of a Wachovia Bank branch in Horsham, Penn. They allegedly met at a car dealership to select the vehicles to be used in the robbery attempt, conducted surveillance on the bank, and inspected multiple firearms and bullet proof vests they would allegedly use in committing the armed robbery. The undercover officers involved in the investigation were with the Metropolitan Police Department.

This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office, Prince William County Police Department, Fairfax County Police Department, and the Metropolitan Police Department, with assistance from Takoma Park Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Patricia Giles and Justin Fairfax are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

Arrest of Fugitive Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio

SAN JUAN, PR—This morning at approximately 10:30, FBI agents and Police of Puerto Rico officers arrested, without incident, Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio, age 65, in Cayey, Puerto Rico.

On August 23, 1985, a federal arrest warrant was issued in Hartford, Connecticut charging Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio with obstruction of commerce by robbery and conspiracy. It is alleged Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio participated in the armed robbery of approximately $7 million from the Wells Fargo Depot in Hartford, Connecticut on September 12, 1983. If convicted on these charges, Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio faces up to approximately 275 years of imprisonment.

On March 21, 1986, another federal arrest warrant was issued in New Haven, Connecticut charging Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio with bank robbery, aggravated robbery, theft from interstate shipment, foreign and interstate transportation of stolen money, and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.

Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio had been a fugitive from justice for the past 25 years. It is believed Norberto Gonzalez-Claudio is a member of the clandestine domestic terrorist organization known as Ejercito Popular Boricua-Los Macheteros, a group which has claimed responsibility for several murders, armed robberies, and terrorist bombings.

The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of any guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial. The U.S. government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Four Portsmouth Residents Charged in Gold Shop Conspiracy

NORFOLK, VA—Montarius Murry, 19, Kevin Stevens, Jr., 19, Xavier Holley, 19, and Raneisha Sifford, 20, all of Portsmouth, Virginia, have been indicted by a federal grand jury on charges relating to an October 2010 conspiracy to rob the Gold Shop in Portsmouth, Virginia. All four were charged with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery. Murry, Stevens, and Sifford were also charged with attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery and a related firearms offense from an October 5, 2010 attempt to rob the Gold Shop. Murry, Stevens, and Holley were also charged with attempt to interfere with commerce by robbery and use of a firearm causing death from the October 6, 2010 attempt to rob the Gold Shop.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, made the announcement after the indictment was unsealed today. Murry, Stevens, and Holley face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment or the death penalty. Sifford faces a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.

According to the indictment, from October 5 - 6, 2010, Murry, Stevens, Holly, and Sifford conspired to rob the Gold Shop located on Portsmouth Boulevard in Portsmouth, Virginia. Murry, Stevens, and Sifford attempted to rob the Gold Shop on October 5, 2010. Murry, Stevens, and Holley attempted to rob the Gold Shop on October 6, 2010. During that attempt, a firearm was used and discharged, resulting in the death of Robert Nelson.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Portsmouth Police Department. Special Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth Fitzwater and Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin L. Hatch are prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Criminal indictments are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://usdoj.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://vaed.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.uspci.uscourts.gov.

Clinton Man to Serve 10 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Steal from Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes by Staging a Faked Armed Robbery

OKLAHOMA CITY—Today, WILLIAM JEFFERY BRADY, JR., 21, from Clinton, Oklahoma, was sentenced by United States District Judge David L. Russell to serve 10 months in federal prison for conspiracy to commit theft from the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes (“Tribes”) by staging a fake armed robbery, announced Sanford C. Coats, United States Attorney for the Western District of Oklahoma.

The Tribes own the Cheyenne and Arapaho Smoke Shop on Indian land in Clinton, Oklahoma, which sells tobacco products and other items to the public. Brady worked as a security guard for the smoke shop. On October 6, 2010, Brady pled guilty to conspiring with another man (“John Doe”) to stage a fake armed robbery from the smoke shop in December of 2009. Specifically, while working as a security guard on December 8, 2009, Brady intentionally left a smoke shop door unlocked so that his co-conspirator could gain entry. Brady admitted that approximately $42,000 in cash was stolen from the smoke shop safe. At some point between April and June of 2010, Brady received some of the stolen cash from John Doe.

In addition to the 10-month prison sentence, Judge Russell ordered Brady to serve three years of supervised release upon his release from prison and pay $42,140 in restitution to the Tribes.

This case is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Avro Q. Mikkanen.

Second Brother in Fast Food Restaurant and Grocery Store Armed Robbery Crew Sentenced to 205 Months in Prison

NEWARK, NJ—Anthony Lindsay, a member of an armed robbery crew which targeted fast food restaurants and local groceries in northern New Jersey, was sentenced today to 205 months in prison, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Lindsay, 27, of Paterson, N.J., previously pleaded guilty before then U.S. District Judge Joseph A. Greenaway on February 2, 2010, to two counts of an indictment against him: one count of robbing the Dunkin’ Donuts in Elmwood Park, and one count of brandishing a firearm in furtherance of the robbery. U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Anthony Lindsay; his brother, Adonijah Lindsay, 25, also of Paterson; and others participated in a string of six robberies throughout northern New Jersey in January 2006. In addition to the Dunkin’ Donuts robbery, the Lindsay brothers robbed at gunpoint a local grocery store in Jersey City, a deli in North Bergen, a Domino’s Pizza in Hoboken, a Popeye’s Chicken in Lodi, and a Burger King in Little Falls. During the Domino’s Pizza and the Burger King robberies, the employees and customers were forced at gunpoint into the restrooms by the Lindsay brothers.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Anthony Lindsay to five years of supervised release and ordered him to pay $4,391 in restitution, to be distributed as appropriate to the fast food restaurants and stores.

Adonijah Lindsay pleaded guilty to the same charges on February 2, 2010, and received the same sentence on February 1, 2011.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent In Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, and the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor John L. Molinelli, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence. He also thanked the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office and police departments in Paterson, Little Falls, Jersey City, Dover, Hoboken, Elmwood Park, and Lodi, for their important work in this case.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rodney Villazor of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense counsel: Frank Arleo, Esq., West Orange, N.J.

Armored Car Robbery in Stone Mountain: Seeking Public's Assistance

ATLANTA—Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Brian D. Lamkin, FBI Atlanta, requests the public’s assistance in identifying and locating the individuals responsible for today’s armed robbery of a Loomis Armored Car courier, which occurred at the Wells Fargo Bank, 4798 Redan Road, Stone Mountain, Georgia.

On Friday, January 21, 2011, at approximately 9:00 a.m., two couriers for the Loomis Armor Car were servicing an ATM located at a Wells Fargo bank,

4798 Redan Road, Stone Mountain, Georgia

. One of the two couriers, while outside of their vehicle and servicing the machine, was suddenly approached and, without warning, fired on multiple times by an armed assailant.

The assailant was able to take the courier’s bag containing an undisclosed amount of money. Witnesses observed the gunman jump into a late 1980s or early 1990s Jeep Cherokee, white in color, and depart the area. The gunman is described as being a black male, 20s to late 30s in age, 5’8” -5’11” in height, medium build, medium complexion, slight facial hair, wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and brandishing a black semi automatic .40 caliber handgun. The driver of the getaway vehicle is described as being a black male, 20s to 30s in age wearing a light colored jacket with a fur collar.

The wounded courier was transported to a local area hospital where he underwent surgery as a result of the multiple gunshot wounds. Wells Fargo has announced a reward in this matter of up to $10,000.

The above robbery is believed to be connected to a string of five previous armored car courier robberies within the Metro Atlanta area as listed below:

On Tuesday, December 7, 2010, at approximately 11:15 a.m., two couriers for Dunbar Armored Car were inside the Mall of Georgia, Gwinnett County, servicing an ATM. One of the couriers was approached suddenly from behind and forced to the ground by an armed assailant. The second courier, observing this, fired on the assailant as he was departing the mall through a side door.

On Monday, November 29, 2010, at approximately 9:00 a.m., a courier for a Loomis Armored Car was robbed at gunpoint while servicing an ATM at the Wells Fargo Bank, located at

3520 Centerville Highway, Snellville, Georgia

.

The courier was approached from behind by a single robber who placed a semi automatic handgun to the courier’s head. The robber departed the area with an undisclosed amount of money and was seen getting into the back seat of a light blue or silver vehicle, described as being possibly a Buick, Oldsmobile, or Jaguar.

On November 11, 2010, a robbery of a Dunbar Armored courier occurred at the Bank of America, located at

1500 Buford Highway, Buford, Georgia

. In that robbery, the courier was robbed while servicing an ATM at that location. The courier was approached from behind by two black male suspects brandishing handguns. One of the robbers was described as having a gold upper tooth. The robbers were seen departing that robbery in a blue Chevrolet Tahoe, which was recovered shortly after the robbery and was determined to have been reported stolen in Atlanta.

On September 14, 2010, a robbery of a Garda Armored courier occurred at the Bank of America, located at

1775 Howell Mill Road, Atlanta, Georgia

. Two black males approached the courier while he was servicing an ATM at that location. Both robbers were brandishing semi auto handguns. During that robbery, the courier was forced to the ground and his sidearm was taken by the robbers.

On October 7, 2010, a 1:00 p.m. robbery of a Dunbar Armored courier occurred inside of a Mex-America Latino store, located at

641 South Marietta Parkway, Marietta, Georgia

. In that robbery, two black males, one with long black dreadlocks, waited inside of the above store for the courier to arrive. Upon arrival, the two robbers confronted the courier with handguns.

Anyone with information regarding this matter should contact the Atlanta office FBI at tel. (404) 679-9000.