Prepared Remarks of Assistant Director in Charge Janice Fedarcyk on Arrests and Charges in $275 Million No-Fault Auto Insurance Fraud Scheme

Early this morning, FBI agents and detectives from the New York City Police Department began arresting members of a criminal conspiracy who are charged as a racketeering enterprise in the largest no-fault auto insurance fraud ever charged.

Search warrants were also executed at six Brooklyn locations and one in the Bronx.

The case is the result of an 18-month investigation by the FBI-NYPD Eurasian Organized Crime Joint Task Force.

The investigation uncovered a pattern of lucrative fraud dating back to at least 2007, exploiting New York’s no-fault auto insurance system to the tune of more than a quarter-of-a-billion dollars. The defendants are also charged for an extensive money laundering scheme in which they sought to conceal the vast proceeds of the enterprise.

The scheme involved a network of fraudulent medical clinics, purportedly owned by licensed physicians—as required by law—but in fact owned by Russian criminals who were the ringleaders of the scheme.

Other key players in the scheme include corrupt doctors, who were the nominal owners of the clinics and who prescribed excessive and unnecessary treatments for auto accident passengers.

Additionally, dishonest lawyers filed spurious personal injury lawsuits on behalf of accident passengers and advised them on what injuries to claim to bolster the bogus suits and maximize the unnecessary treatments.

The lifeblood of the fraudulent scheme was a steady flow of car accident “victims” who could be steered to the fraudulent clinics. Lower-level members of the conspiracy, called “runners,” were paid between $2,000 and $3,000 per patient referral.

Unlike some other insurance fraud schemes we have seen, the enterprise charged today is not alleged to have engaged in staged auto accidents. Staging accidents runs the risk of being discovered before the “victims” even start the claim and treatment process.

The runners here were paid to find passengers from real auto accidents, although the crux of the fraud was that the treatments prescribed were medically unnecessary. The accidents were real; the injuries claimed were not.

This criminal enterprise, while it lasted, was obscenely profitable. No-fault auto insurance fraud results not only in the unjust enrichment of the fraudsters and the defrauding of insurance companies. It is also a crime that indirectly victimizes every driver in New York. Wholesale fraud is an expense that drives up the cost of insurance.

Twenty-Four Defendants Charged in Health Care Billing Scams that Defrauded Insurance Companies, Medicare, and Medicaid Out of Millions of Dollars

Doctors, Medical Clinic Employees, Medical Equipment Suppliers, “Runners,” and Patients Are Arrested

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, JANICE K. FEDARCYK, the Assistant Director in Charge of the New York Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), RAYMOND W. KELLY, the Police Commissioner of the City of New York Police Department (“NYPD”), THOMAS O’DONNELL, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Office of the Inspector General, Department of Health and Human Services (“HHS”), and BENJAMIN M. LAWSKY, the Superintendent of the New York Department of Financial Services (“NY DFS”), announced today the unsealing of three separate Indictments, charging 24 defendants with health care fraud. Two of the indictments charge a total of 22 defendants with participating in fraudulent billing scams that caused no-fault insurance carriers to pay out millions of dollars in reimbursements for medical treatments that were never provided to patients or that were medically unnecessary. Among the individuals charged today are (i) doctors who faked ownership of medical clinics located in Brooklyn and Queens to conceal that the clinics’ true owners and operators were non-medical professionals; (ii) these same “front” doctors and other medical practitioners and clinic employees who caused the submission of fraudulent bills to insurance companies for treatments that were not medically necessary, that were not provided at all, and/or that were not provided as billed; (iii) “runners” who were paid to recruit patients to the clinics; and (iv) patients who faked and exaggerated their injuries from automobile accidents, and who received coaching from the clinics’ employees about their supposed injuries. The third indictment unsealed today charges two operators of a medical supply company with orchestrating a billing scam targeting Medicare and Medicaid in which the defendants allegedly forged doctors’ signatures and prescriptions to support fraudulent billings to Medicare and Medicaid for millions of dollars in durable medical equipment—such as motorized wheelchairs—that was never supplied to patients.

Twenty-two of the 24 charged defendants were taken into custody this morning and were arraigned in Manhattan federal court this afternoon. One defendant, RUBIN KAYKOV, has previously been arrested on a complaint. The last defendant, ILYA SLEPAK, remains at large. Six search warrants were executed and 10 accounts were frozen in connection with today’s arrests.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “As alleged, these defendants engaged in a massive fraud that pervaded every aspect of the no-fault insurance industry—faking injuries, bills, and even accidents—that defrauded private insurers, Medicare, Medicaid, and ultimately taxpayers, out of millions of dollars. The breadth and brazenness of their alleged scheme is virtually unparalleled, and illustrates the perniciousness of the health care fraud problem. Today’s arrests should send a clear message that we are working in lockstep with our law enforcement partners to eradicate this problem and to punish those responsible.”

FBI Assistant Director in Charge JANICE K. FEDARCYK said: “The charges alleged in today’s indictments describe a growing epidemic that exploits private and public insurers and the people they insure. Health care fraud is often mistaken for a victimless crime, but it victimizes insurers directly and the insured and others indirectly. Those who employ these schemes will most certainly be brought to justice.”

NYPD Commissioner RAYMOND W. KELLY said: “The individuals arrested today used elaborate schemes to bilk the health care system of millions of dollars through Medicare claims for procedures that in some cases were never performed. I commend the members of the Task Force including the NYPD detectives, federal agents, and prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for getting to the bottom of this deceitful practice.”

HHS-OIG Special Agent in Charge THOMAS O’DONNELL said: “Forging prescriptions and billing health programs for medical services never provided are crimes taxpayers cannot tolerate. We will aggressively pursue and prosecute anyone scheming to profit from health benefit programs intended for the most vulnerable Americans.”

Superintendent of Financial Services BENJAMIN LAWSKY said: “No-fault fraud is an epidemic in our state driving up the cost of insurance for honest New Yorkers and requiring us to find new, innovative ways to stamp it out. The Department of Financial Services was pleased to work closely with our partners on the Health Care Task Force on this case and will continue to make this a priority. I would like to thank U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara and his team, the FBI, and our other law enforcement partners for their excellent work on this case.”

The No-Fault Fraud “Mills”

Vehicles registered in New York State are required to have no-fault automobile insurance, which enables the driver and passengers of the vehicle to obtain benefits of up to $50,000 per person for injuries sustained in a car accident, regardless of fault. Injured vehicle occupants can assign their right to reimbursement from an insurance company to medical clinics that provide treatment for their injuries, thus allowing the medical clinics to bill the insurance company directly for services rendered. At all relevant times, New York State law required that medical clinics be owned and operated by licensed medical professionals, and forbade medical professionals from sharing the fees for medical services with a non-medical business or nonmedical professional.

In two of the indictments unsealed today—United States v. Smirnov, et al., (the “Smirnov Indictment”) and United States v. Leonid Kaplan, et al., (the “Kaplan Indictment”)—the defendants are charged with participating in schemes that bilked no-fault insurance companies out of millions of dollars through fraudulent billings generated and submitted by medical clinics located at 900 Lenox Road, in Brooklyn (“the Lenox Clinic”); 60 West End Avenue, in Brooklyn; 2546 E. 17th Street, in Brooklyn; and 133-33 Brookville Boulevard in Rosedale, Queens (collectively, “the Clinics”).

As part of the charged schemes, the “runners” received cash payments in return for recruiting patients to the Clinics. The runners found patients by, among other means, using radio scanners to locate accidents; paying corrupt hospital employees to disclose personal identifying information of occupants of vehicles that had been involved in collisions—and then contacting those patients, purporting to be calling under a hospital’s auspices, and directing the patients to report for treatment to one of the Clinics; paying tow truck operators to refer occupants of vehicles that had been involved in collisions; or staging accidents.

The “patients” of the Clinics, who typically, had suffered little or no injury from auto accidents, were directed to undergo weeks or months of medically unnecessary treatments and tests, including acupuncture, physical therapy, aquatic therapy, biofeedback training, chiropractic adjustment, and medical resonance imaging scans (“MRIs”). Patients were urged to report to the Clinics for a certain number of treatments, and were coached on how to describe their purported injuries if questioned by insurance companies. The patients allegedly participated in the scheme in return for cash payments or in return for the prospect of substantial monetary settlements based on bogus legal claims alleging that they had suffered serious bodily injury in the accidents. For example, as alleged in the Kaplan Indictment, one patient was told s/he could make up to $25,000 by reporting for medical treatment several times a week for several months at the Rosedale, Queens clinic.

When patients failed to show up for the treatments, Clinic employees allegedly forged documents and patient signatures to make it appear, falsely, that patients had received the treatments that they in fact never received. In some instances, the patients were not even in the country at the time of their purported treatments. The Clinics then fraudulently sought, and obtained, millions of dollars in reimbursements from no-fault insurers for the purported treatments.

As alleged, the Clinics were operated by non-medical professionals in violation of New York State law. To conceal this fact from state authorities, medical doctors were recruited to “front” as the purported owners of the Clinics, when they were in fact merely salaried employees who took direction from the non-medical employees running the Clinics. One such doctor, defendant DAVID LEE HSU, was allegedly recruited in 2009 to be the nominal purported physician-owner of the Lenox Clinic, in Brooklyn, after the prior nominal physician-owner was twice suspended from the practice of medicine. The defendants also changed the names or locations of the Clinics, at various times, to avoid detection of the fraud by insurance companies or law enforcement.

The Clinic managers and employees coached patients on how to describe their injuries and treatment if questioned. In one example, described in the Smirnov Indictment, a patient of the Lenox Clinic turned to the Clinic managers for help after she was summoned to give sworn testimony about her injuries. (This procedure is known as an “Examination Under Oath,” which allows the insurance provider to question the patient about purported treatments for which the insurer had been billed.) That patient, defendant IRENE TODD, was so unsure of the nature and extent of her purported injuries, that she needed the Clinic managers to coach her on what her purported injuries were, who her doctors at the Clinic were, and how often she came to the Clinic for treatment. When TODD asked, “Do I still come three times a week or is it just two,” she was allegedly instructed: “You come three times a week because your back really hurts.” Likewise, when TODD asked “what should I say got better” as a result of the treatments billed by the Clinic, TODD was told to reply that her neck was a little better.

The Smirnov Indictment charges 12 defendants associated with the Lenox Clinic, including two Clinic managers—ALLA SMIRNOV and MARINA BLUVSTEIN; one Clinic employee—SERITTA KLASS; two medical practitioners—DAVID LEE HSU, a medical doctor, and DANETTE STEFANELLI, a licensed chiropractor; three “runners”—STEVEN PARCHMENT, RODNEY TERRY, and RUSTY MOORE; and four patients—PATRICIA MURRAY, KAREN MURRAY, PAULA PHILLIP, and IRENE TODD.

The Kaplan Indictment charges 10 defendants associated with the other above-mentioned medical clinics (located in Brooklyn and Queens), including four managers—LEONID KAPLAN, ILYA SLEPAK, BORIS GASILO, and ABRAHAM PINKHASOV; two clinic employees—TATYANA USYK and JASODA RAMOUTAR; three medical practitioners—LESLIE DANTES THEODORE and VADIM MILORADOVICH, both medical doctors, and KHALIKA AYESHA ROWE, a licensed chiropractor; and one runner—LARRY CANTRELL.

The Medical Supplier Fraud Scheme

The third indictment unsealed today, United States v. Rubin Kaykov, et al., (“the Kaykov Indictment”), charges RUBIN KAYKOV and ROMAN BORTNIK with systematically defrauding Medicare and Medicaid of millions of dollars through a billing scheme operated through their medical supply company, “Triangle ‘R’ Inc.” (“Triangle R”). The defendants allegedly billed Medicare and Medicaid for costly medical equipment, such as motorized wheelchairs, that was never actually provided to patients, or that was far more expensive than the lower-cost and lower-quality equipment in fact provided to patients.

As a part of the scheme, KAYKOV and BORTNIK, and their co-conspirators, allegedly prepared fraudulent documentation that appeared to legitimize their billings to Medicare and Medicaid, including hundreds of forged and phony medical prescriptions. Using stolen or counterfeit physicians’ prescription pads, the defendants and their co-conspirators forged prescriptions and physician signatures to support their bogus reimbursement claims. Those bogus prescriptions bore physician license numbers and contained additional personal identifying information for the physicians. The defendants and their co-conspirators also, at times, forged the signatures of patients, and fraudulently altered documentation relating to those patients.

All 24 defendants are charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and mail fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. KAYKOV and BORTNIK are also charged with health care fraud, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and aggravated identity theft which carries a mandatory two-year sentence to run consecutive to the sentence imposed for any other offenses. The government also seeks forfeiture of all defendants’ ill-gotten gains from the charged schemes. U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA praised the FBI, NYPD, HHS, and NY DFS for their outstanding work in the investigation, which he noted is ongoing. Mr. BHARARA also thanked the National Insurance Crime Bureau for its assistance in the investigation.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys E. DANYA PERRY and ROSEMARY NIDIRY, of the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit, are in charge of the prosecution. Assistant U.S. Attorney SARAH KRISSOFF, of the Office’s Asset Forfeiture Unit, is responsible for the forfeiture-related matters.

The charges contained in the indictments are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Nikolay Garifulin Pleads Guilty in Manhattan Federal Court to Involvement in Global Bank Fraud Scheme that Used “Zeus Trojan” to Steal Millions of Dollars from U.S. Bank Accounts

27 Defendants Arrested for Scheme that Compromised Dozens of Accounts and Used False Identities to Open Hundreds of Bank Accounts Now Stand Convicted

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced that NIKOLAY GARIFULIN pled guilty today in Manhattan federal court to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and possess false identification documents for his role in a global bank fraud scheme that used hundreds of phony bank accounts to steal over $3 million from dozens of U.S. accounts that were compromised by malware attacks. GARIFULIN entered his guilty plea before United States Magistrate Judge FRANK MAAS.

GARIFULIN is the last of the 27 defendants arrested on federal charges over the course of the investigation to plead guilty to participating in this global bank fraud scheme. The investigation was conducted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York, the New York County District Attorney’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York Police Department, the Department of State Diplomatic Security Service, the U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations, and the United States Secret Service.

Manhattan U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA said: “Computer hackers and bank fraudsters like those who authored and disseminated the ‘Zeus Trojan’ depend on criminal organizations such as the one dismantled in this investigation to move their ill-gotten gains from the United States to other countries. Today’s guilty plea, the 27th and final one, demonstrates that those who participate in these schemes will be caught, prosecuted, and punished for their crimes. I extend my deep appreciation to all of our law enforcement partners for their assistance in this unprecedented law enforcement action.”

According to the indictment, statements made in connection with the guilty plea, and other documents filed in Manhattan federal court:

The cyber-attacks involved in this bank fraud scheme began in Eastern Europe, and included the use of a malware known as the “Zeus Trojan.” It was typically sent as seemingly benign e-mail to computers at small businesses and municipalities in the United States. Once the e-mail was opened, the malware embedded itself in the victims' computers, and recorded their keystrokes—including their account numbers, passwords, and other vital security codes—as they logged into their bank accounts online. The hackers responsible for the malware then used the stolen account information to take over the victims' bank accounts, and made unauthorized transfers of thousands of dollars at a time to receiving accounts controlled by the co-conspirators.

These receiving accounts were set up by a “money mule organization” responsible for retrieving the proceeds of the malware attacks and transporting or transferring the stolen money overseas. To carry out the scheme, the money mule organization recruited individuals who had entered the United States on student visas, providing them with fake foreign passports, and instructing them to open false-name accounts at U.S. banks. Once these false-name accounts were successfully opened and received the stolen funds from the accounts compromised by the malware attacks, the “mules” were instructed to transfer the proceeds to other accounts, most of which were overseas, or to withdraw the proceeds and transport them overseas as smuggled bulk cash.

As part of the money mule organization, GARIFULIN collected fraudulently obtained proceeds that had been withdrawn by money mules from the phony accounts in the United States, and distributed them at the direction of the organization’s leader, including by transporting the proceeds back to Eastern Europe. GARIFULIN also arranged for fake passports to be transferred to mules in the United States from Eastern Europe.

GARIFULIN, 22, of Volgograd, Russia, will be sentenced by United States District Judge VICTOR MARRERO on January 13, 2012, at 4:00 p.m.. He faces a total maximum penalty of 45 years in prison on the conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to possess false identification documents charges.

As a result of this investigation, charges were unveiled against 37 defendants in September 2010. Including Garifulin, 27 defendants have now pled guilty in the Southern District of New York, two defendants have entered into deferred prosecution agreements, and eight defendants are fugitives and are being sought in the United States and abroad.

In addition to GARIFULIN, two leaders of the mule organization have pled guilty and been sentenced:

■KASUM ADIGYUZELOV was sentenced on May 13, 2011, to 48 months in prison.

■DORIN CODREANU was sentenced on July 8, 2011, to 20 months in prison. Eighteen money mules have also pled guilty and been sentenced to date:

■LILIAN ADAM was sentenced on April 28, 2011, to time served after five months and 24 days in prison.

■KONSTANTIN AKOBIROV was sentenced on March 3, 2011, to eight months in prison.

■JAMAL BEYROUTI was sentenced on August 4, 2011, to 36 months in prison.

■NATALIA DEMINA was sentenced on December 23, 2010, to time served after four months and 12 days in prison.

■ALEXANDER FEDOROV was sentenced on January 5, 2011, to 10 months in prison.

■ADEL GATAULLIN was sentenced on February 16, 2011, to 15 months in prison.

■ILYA KARASEV was sentenced on June 24, 2011, to 10 months in prison.

■ALEXANDER KIREEV was sentenced on February 14, 2011, to 12 months and one day in prison.

■YULIA KLEPIKOVA was sentenced on March 17, 2011, to seven months in prison.

■MAXIM MIROSHNICHENKO was sentenced on February 28, 2011, to time served after four months and 29 days in prison.

■MARINA MISYURA was sentenced on May 25, 2011, to time served after seven months and 25 days in prison.

■VICTORIA OPINCA was sentenced on January 25, 2011, to time served after three months and 26 days in prison.

■MARGARITA PAKHMOVA was sentenced on April 5, 2011, to time served after six months and nine days in prison.

■STANISLAV RASTORGUEV was sentenced on July 11, 2011, to 12 months and one day in prison.

■DMITRY SAPRUNOV was sentenced on April 6, 2011, to time served after six months and two days in prison.

■JULIA SIDORENKO was sentenced on December 9, 2010, to time served after two months and nine days in prison.

■ALINA TURUTA was sentenced on February 25, 2011, to time served after four months and 26 days in prison.

■ANTON YUFERITSYN was sentenced on June 28, 2010, to 11 months in prison. Six other defendants have pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing:

■RUSLAN KOVTANYUK pled guilty January 7, 2011.

■SABINA RAFIKOVA pled guilty January 3, 2011.

■ALMIRA RAKHMATULINA pled guilty on September 25, 2011.

■ALEXANDER SOROKIN pled guilty on May 19, 2010.

■JULIA SHPIRKO pled guilty August 19, 2011.

■KRISTINA SVECHINSKAYA pled guilty November 19, 2010.

Mr. BHARARA thanked all of the law enforcement agencies involved in the investigation for their outstanding work. He also thanked Bank of America, TD Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, Wachovia, and HSBC Bank for their assistance in the investigation.

The investigation and prosecution of these cases is being overseen by the Office’s Complex Frauds Unit, which handles the Office’s cybercrime enforcement efforts. The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys JOSEPH P. FACCIPONTI, ALEXANDER J. WILSON, SARAH LAI, JUSTIN ANDERSON, and ANDREW BAUER.

Brooklyn Man Pleads to Guilty to Forcing Underage Girls Into Prostitution in New York

William Johnson, also known as “Dollar Bill,” pleaded guilty today to sex trafficking of a minor between August 2010 and September 2010. The plea was entered this morning before United States District Judge Roslynn R. Mauskopf at the U.S. Courthouse in Brooklyn. When sentenced, the defendant faces a minimum of 10 years’ imprisonment and a maximum of life imprisonment, as well as forfeiture of his residence and other property used in the commission of his criminal conduct.

The guilty plea was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.

At today’s proceeding, the defendant admitted to harboring a 15-year-old girl in his home in St. Albans, Queens, between August and September 2010, and having the victim work for him as a prostitute.

As alleged in the government’s pleadings, the defendant generated customers for his prostitution business by posting advertisements listed under “erotic services” or “escort services” on Internet websites. The advertisements included photographs of scantily clad women or girls in suggestive poses. The defendant also took live videos of the women and girls engaging in pole-dancing in his St. Albans residence, which could then be accessed online for a fee paid by customers. On September 21, 2010, law enforcement executed a search warrant at the defendant’s residence and found two women who had engaged in prostitution for the defendant. Agents seized, among other items, two “stripper poles” and over 100 videotapes and DVDs, many of which contained video footage of the defendant engaging in sexual activity with young women and girls.

“Today’s guilty plea affirms our commitment to using the full force of federal law and authority to deter and punish the exploitation of children in the sex trade and to eradicate child sex trafficking,” stated United States Attorney Lynch.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Fedarcyk stated, “Mr. Johnson, also known as ‘Dollar Bill,’ created a haven that was far from a safe place, but rather a den of sexual exploitation. He intentionally preyed upon the innocence of youth for his own financial gain by creating a prostitution ring and sexually explicit images. The FBI will continue to rigorously investigate and bring to prosecution all those who engage in illicit sexual conduct with children, as well as identify and rescue victims of these crimes.”

NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “Few crimes are as reprehensible as the sexual exploitation of children for money. This was one ‘Dollar Bill’ that law enforcement was happy to take out of circulation.”

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Licha M. Nyiendo, Melissa B. Marrus, and Kathleen A. Nandan.

The Defendant:

Name: WILLIAM JOHNSON

Age: 50

Two Men Charged in White Plains Federal Court with Operating a Marijuana Grow House

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; JOHN P. GILBRIDE, the Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Division of the Drug Enforcement Administration (“DEA”); and JAMES T. HAYES, JR., the Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations (“ICE -HSI”), announced the arrest yesterday of LAWRENCE C. HERZ and MICHAEL J. SZTROPKALYI for operating a marijuana grow house.

U.S. Attorney PREET BHARARA stated, “These alleged drug producers and distributors might have seemed ingenious, operating a ‘grow house’ with some 150 marijuana plants in an obscure, rural area. Fortunately, federal law enforcement officers and their local counterparts were smarter. I commend the cooperative efforts that shut down this operation and brought its alleged perpetrators to justice.”

DEA Special Agent in Charge JOHN P. GILBRIDE stated, “From locations in the inner city to locations in rural areas, marijuana distributors are capitalizing on illegal production and sales for one reason and one reason only—to make a profit. There is no forethought of the dangers of drug abuse or the dangers of operating a marijuana grow operation—like fire risks and pollution—in a residential environment, but it is law enforcement’s commitment to keeping our neighborhoods safe that led us to identify and arrest those responsible for this illegal operation.”

ICE HSI Special Agent in Charge JAMES T. HAYES, JR. stated, “The action against this marijuana operation will not only help keep drugs off the street, it will help ensure that the profits from the sale of those drugs aren’t used to support future criminal activity. ICE HSI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to ensuring the offenders are brought to justice.”

According to a complaint filed in White Plains federal court, on March 2, 2011, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at a house located in Smallwood, New York, where law enforcement officers believed HERZ and SZTROPKALYI were operating a marijuana grow house. Among other things, law enforcement officers recovered from the house, approximately 150 marijuana plants, lights, a humidifier, pots, soil, and other materials used in marijuana grow houses.

SZTROPKALYI and HERZ were presented in White Plains federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge GEORGE A. YANTHIS late yesterday afternoon. Both defendants were detained without bail. If convicted, each defendant faces a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 40 years’ imprisonment.

Mr. BHARARA praised the efforts of the New York Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Strike Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, the New York City Police Department, the United States Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division, Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the New York State Police, the United States Marshals Service, and the United States Attorney’s Office. The strike force is partially funded by the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA), which is a federally funded crime fighting initiative. He also thanked the Sullivan County Sheriff’s Office for its role in the investigation.

This case is being handled by the White Plains Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney KATHRYN MARTIN is in charge of the prosecution.

The charges contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Ex-NYPD Officer Receives Over 21 Years at Bedside Sentencing for Transporting Three Minors Across State Lines for Purposes of Illegal Sex

PREET BHARARA, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, announced today that United States District Judge KENNETH M. KARAS sentenced TRENT YOUNG, 42, a former New York City police officer, to 262 months’ imprisonment for his transportation of three different minors across state lines for purposes of engaging in illegal sexual activity. The sentencing took place at the prison ward of the Westchester Medical Center, where YOUNG is being treated for a terminal illness.

According to the charges in the indictment to which YOUNG pled guilty and statements made in court at the guilty plea proceeding on July 2009 and at the sentencing today:

YOUNG operated a martial arts studio out of his home in Middletown, New York. In or about the Spring of 2006, YOUNG opened "Iron Tiger Martial Arts" ("Iron Tiger"), a martial arts studio in West Milford, New Jersey. On an occasion in or about October or November 2006, Young brought a 14-year-old minor from Middletown to Iron Tiger and engaged in sexual intercourse with her. In or about November or December 2006, Young brought a second minor, who was then 16 years old, to Iron Tiger and engaged in sexual intercourse with her as well.

Prior to these indictments, in or about April 2003, YOUNG drove another 14-year-old minor from her home in Brooklyn, New York, to YOUNG's home in Middletown, New York, traveling through New Jersey, and engaged in sexual intercourse with her.

In pleading guilty, YOUNG admitted that he transported each of the three minors across state lines for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity and that, after transporting the minors across state lines, he engaged in sexual intercourse with each of them. He also admitted that he exercised supervisory control over each of the three minors.

Following his arrest in January 2008, YOUNG was detained without bail.

In imposing the 262-month sentence on YOUNG, Judge KARAS underscored that the "extraordinarily high" sentence was appropriate in light of what YOUNG did to the girls he chose as his victims. According to KARAS, the "magnitude of the conduct here outweighs the medical issues" faced by YOUNG.

Mr. BHARARA praised the efforts and assistance of the FBI, the Middletown Police Department, the Orange County District Attorney's Office, the Rockland County Sheriff's Department, the West Milford, New Jersey, Police Department, and the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office.

The prosecution is being handled by the Office's White Plains Division. Assistant United States Attorney MARCIA S. COHEN is in charge of the prosecution.

Holiday Bandit Strikes for the Second Time This Week in Seventh Bank Robbery

It seems all too familiar, but the Holiday Bandit has struck again, robbing his seventh New York bank and his second this week. The FBI-NYPD’s Joint Bank Robbery Task Force is asking the public for help in locating Marat G. Mikhaylich, aka the Holiday Bandit, after he robbed his seventh New York bank this afternoon. Mikhaylich robbed an Investors Savings Bank located at 35-02 Broadway, Astoria, New York, around 1:00 p.m. today. Consistent with his pattern, he entered the bank, displayed a note, brandished a weapon, and demanded cash. He was last seen fleeing on foot.

Mikhaylich is a white male, approximately 6’3” to 6’5” tall, 35 years old, and approximately 200 pounds. He is from the Ukraine and speaks Russian. He often introduces himself to non-Russian speakers as Mark. During the most recent robbery, he was seen wearing a black hat, dark sunglasses, and a dark coat.

“The Holiday Bandit continues to raise the stakes, becoming more aggressive and his hold-ups more frequent. We need New Yorkers to be on the lookout for this guy, be vigilant, and call us at 212-384-1000 with any information,” said Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Rourke.

A significant reward is available for a tip that breaks the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI-NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force immediately at 212-384-1000 or CrimeStoppers at 800-577-TIPS. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Other banks Mikhaylich has robbed include:

■Capital One Bank, located at

4612 13th Avenue

in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, February 13, 2011

■Capital One Bank, located at

1411 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, New York

on Friday, February 4, 2011

■Capital One Bank, located at 31-17 Broadway, Astoria Queens, New York on Wednesday, January 19, 2011

■Sovereign Bank, located at

24-29 Jackson Avenue, Queens, New York

, on Wednesday, December 30, 2010

■Ridgewood Savings Bank, located at

8522 Third Avenue, Brooklyn, New York

, on Wednesday, December 23, 2010

■Sovereign Bank, located at 37-10 Broadway, Astoria Queens, New York, on Thursday, December 9, 2010

The Holiday Bandit is at it Again, Robbing His Sixth New York Bank

The FBI-NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force is seeking the public's assistance in locating Marat G. Mikhaylich, aka the Holiday Bandit, after he robbed his sixth New York bank yesterday. Mikhaylich entered a Capital One bank located at

4612 14th Avenue

in Brooklyn, New York at 9:43 a.m., giving the teller a demand note and brandishing a black handgun. After the first teller could not produce enough cash, he moved on to his next victim teller and demanded even more money. Mikhaylich was last seen fleeing on foot after the robbery.

Mikhaylich is described as a white male, approximately 6'5'' tall, 35 years old, and approximately 200 pounds. During the most recent robbery, he was seen wearing a black hat, dark sunglasses, a maroon coat, and light blue jeans, brown shoes, and carrying a black messenger bag.

Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Rourke said: "We are imploring the public to be vigilant, on the lookout, and call our tip line if they know anything that can help us stop this increasingly aggressive criminal activity."

A significant reward is available for a tip that breaks the case. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI-NYPD's Joint Bank Robbery Task Force immediately at 212-384-1000. Tipsters may remain anonymous.

Other banks Mikhaylich robbed include:

■Capital One bank located at

1411 Forest Avenue, Staten Island, New York

on Friday, February 4, 2011

■Capital One Bank, located at 31-17 Broadway, Astoria Queens, New York on Wednesday, January 19, 2011

■Sovereign Bank, located at

24-29 Jackson Avenue, Queens, New York

, on Wednesday, December 30, 2010

■Ridgewood Savings Bank, located at

8522 Third Avenue, Brooklyn, New York

, on Wednesday, December 23, 2010

■Sovereign Bank, located at 37-10 Broadway, Astoria Queens, New York, on Thursday, December 9, 2010

Statement of Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara on the Arrest of Ann Pettway

"Ann Pettway was arrested this afternoon in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in connection with the 1987 alleged kidnapping of Carlina White from the Harlem Hospital in Manhattan. Pettway is expected to appear in Manhattan federal court tomorrow to face federal kidnapping charges. I commend the swift and efficient work of the FBI and the NYPD in this important case, and also extend my thanks to law enforcement authorities in North Carolina and Bridgeport, Connecticut, for their assistance."

Attorney General Eric Holder Speaks at the Press Conference on Organized Crime Arrests

Brooklyn, N.Y. ~ Thursday, January 20, 2011Good morning, and thank you all for being here.

Today I’m joined by several key leaders, and partners, in our work to combat organized crime – Janice Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s New York Division; Daniel Petrole, Acting Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Labor; Lanny Breuer, Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Loretta Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Preet Bharara, United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York; Paul Fishman, United States Attorney for the District of New Jersey; Peter F. Neronha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island; and Ray Kelly, Commissioner of the New York City Police Department.

We are pleased to announce an important step forward in our nation’s ongoing fight against the organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra – the mafia.

Today, more than 800 federal, state and local law enforcement officials have arrested over 110 individuals, including dozens of La Cosa Nostra members and associates.   In total, 127 people have been charged in 16 indictments unsealed today in four districts in New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.

This is one of the largest single-day operations against the mafia in the FBI’s history, both in terms of the number of defendants arrested and charged, and the scope of the criminal activity alleged.   Defendants from numerous La Cosa Nostra families have been charged, including defendants from all five New York-based families: the Bonanno, Colombo, Gambino, Genovese and Luchese families.

We have charged mob associates and mob bosses alike, including the former boss of La Cosa Nostra operations in New England; the Street Boss, Acting Underboss, and Consigliere of the Colombo family; and the Gambino family Consigliere and a member of that family’s ruling panel.

Their alleged crimes include numerous violent and illegal acts – from murder and narcotics trafficking to extortion, illegal gambling, arson, loan sharking, and labor racketeering.

Some allegations involve classic mob hits to eliminate perceived rivals.   Others involve senseless murders.   In one instance, a victim allegedly was shot and killed during a botched robbery attempt.   And two other murder victims allegedly were shot dead in a public bar, because of a dispute over a spilled drink.

Other charged criminal activity reflects the mafia’s continued influence in various economic sectors, and its alleged schemes to steal money by preying on vulnerable Americans.   One fraud scheme carried out by the Colombo crime family allegedly defrauded consumers with poor credit histories out of one-time payments that the consumers believed they were making to secure loans. Other charges allege that the crime families’ extorted money from various labor union members, including some belonging to the International Longshoremen’s Association, and a concrete union in New York.

Today’s arrests mark an important, and encouraging, step forward in disrupting La Cosa Nostra’s operations.   But our battle against organized crime enterprises is far from over.   This is an ongoing effort and it must, and will, remain a top priority.   Members and associates of La Cosa Nostra are among the most dangerous criminals in our country.   The very oath of allegiance sworn by these mafia members during their initiation ceremony binds them to a life of crime.

As we’ve seen for decades, criminal mafia operations can negatively impact our economy – not only through a wide array of fraud schemes but also through the illegal imposition of mob “taxes” at our ports, in our construction industries, and on our small businesses.   In some cases, La Cosa Nostra members and associates allegedly seek to corrupt legitimate businesses and those who have sworn to uphold the public trust.   And many of them are lethal.   Time and again, they have shown a willingness to kill – to make money, to eliminate rivals, and to silence witnesses.

Today’s successful arrests – across multiple cities and involving multiple mafia families – send a clear message that, in our fight against organized crime, the Justice Department is targeting federal resources and working with our state and local law enforcement partners like never before.    We are committed – and determined – to eradicate these criminal enterprises once and for all and to bring their members to justice.

As part of our commitment to battling organized crime, the Justice Department’s Criminal Division has announced that it is working to merge its historic Organized Crime and Racketeering Section with its Gang Unit – a move that will bring together an elite group of prosecutors with extensive knowledge and experience in combating criminal enterprises.

In addition, due to the continued threat that these criminal organizations pose, in September of last year I issued an order directing the Department’s Criminal Division, our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and the FBI to ensure that sufficient resources are allocated to effectively combat these domestic organized crime groups, as well as international criminal organizations that threaten our nation’s security.   I want to thank my colleagues in the Criminal Division, in our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, and in the FBI for their outstanding efforts – and their commitment to collaboration.

Today’s actions are a reflection – and a direct result – of that renewed commitment.   I am grateful to, and proud of, all of the investigators, prosecutors, law enforcement officers, and agency partners involved in today’s take-down.   This investigation and prosecution reflects unprecedented collaboration among four U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department’s Criminal Division, and the FBI.   Thank you all, and congratulations on a job well done.

And, now, I’d like to turn things over to Assistant Director Fedarcyk.

New York City Police Department Detective Arrested on Federal Civil Rights Charges for Sexual Misconduct

Victims Were Female Arrestees and the Relative of an Arrestee

May 18, 2010 - A criminal information was unsealed this morning in Brooklyn federal court charging New York City Police Department Detective Oscar Sandino, a 13-year veteran of the NYPD who was assigned to the Queens North Narcotics Bureau from June 2006 until March 2008, with violating the civil rights of three women through sexual misconduct. Sandino was arrested earlier today and will make his initial appearance this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge Viktor V. Pohorelsky at the U.S. Courthouse, 225 Cadman Plaza East, Brooklyn, New York.

The case was announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New, George Venizelos, Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office, and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.

As alleged in court filings by the government, in February 2008, Sandino arrested a woman identified in the Information as Jane Doe 1 (“the victim”) and her boyfriend on drug distribution charges following the execution of a search warrant at their apartment. During the arrest, Sandino forced the victim to undress in front of him in the bedroom of the apartment. Later, at the precinct, Sandino told the victim that she was going to jail and would lose her children unless she had sex with him. When the victim went to the restroom at the precinct, Sandino followed her inside and made her perform oral sex. Upon the victim’s release from custody, Sandino told her that he expected her to have sex with him at a later time. Thereafter, Sandino called the victim on numerous occasions. The victim subsequently reported Sandino’s misconduct to NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau, which began an investigation. In March 2008, Sandino was removed from active duty.

As further alleged in the government’s court filings, Sandino engaged in similar misconduct in the summer of 2006 in connection with the arrest of another drug dealer. On that occasion, Sandino coerced a female cousin of the drug dealer, identified in the Information as Jane Doe 2, to engage in sex acts with him based on threats he made concerning the lengthy prison sentence faced by the drug dealer.

More recently, in September 2009, Sandino allegedly engaged in lewd sexual behavior in front of a female arrestee and then forced her to raise her shirt to expose her upper body.

“This prosecution affirms our commitment to vigorously protect the constitutional right of individuals to be free from sexual misconduct by officers whose duty it is to uphold the law,” stated United States Attorney Lynch.

FBI Acting Assistant Director-in-Charge Venizelos stated, “The citizens of New York expect and deserve honest police officers. There is a trust that must exist between law enforcement and the citizens, and Detective Sandino allegedly broke that trust. Threats and coercion against anyone, whether a criminal subject or not, cannot and should not be tolerated.”

NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “I want to commend the NYPD’s Internal Affairs Bureau for its important work in uncovering police misconduct and in bringing to justice those who dishonor themselves and the department.”

Sandino has been charged with three misdemeanor counts. If convicted of all counts, he faces a maximum sentence of three years’ imprisonment.

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Pamela Chen and Licha Nyiendo.

The Defendant:
OSCAR SANDINO
Age: 37

Homicide Investigations

On August 1, 2008, Conversations with Cops at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Lieutenant-Commander Vernon J. Geberth, M.S., M.P.S. (NYPD, ret.) on homicide investigations.

Program Date: August 1, 2008
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Homicide Investigations
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

About the Guest

Vernon J. Geberth, M.S., M.P.S. is a retired Lieutenant-Commander of the New York City Police Department with over forty years of law enforcement experience. He has personally investigated, supervised, assessed, researched and consulted on over 8000 death investigations. In addition, Commander Vernon J. Geberth has been the recipient of more than 60 awards for bravery and exceptional police work and is a member of the New York City Police Department’s Honor Legion.

Commander Vernon J. Geberth has a Master’s Degree of Professional Studies (M.P.S.) C.W. Post College, Long Island University and a second Master’s of Science Degree in Psychology (M.S.), California Coast University, Santa Ana, California. He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration (B.B.A.) at Iona College in New Rochelle, New York and he is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia 119th Session, (1979). Commander Vernon J. Geberth is a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences (AAFS).

Commander Geberth, is the author of Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques, which is now in it’s Fourth Edition and is recognized in the law enforcement field as "The Bible of Homicide Investigation" and the Practical Homicide Investigation Checklist and Field Guide, which is considered by professionals as an essential prerequisite in conducting proficient death inquiries. He is also the author of Sex-Related Homicide and Death Investigation: Practical and Clinical Perspectives, which is considered the framework textbook on sex-related murder.

In addition, he created and serves as the Series Editor of Practical Aspects of Criminal and Forensic Investigations for Taylor & Francis CRC Press, LLC Inc. in Boca Raton, Florida and has proposed and edited over forty publications within this series.

About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.

About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in law enforcement, public policy, law enforcement technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in law enforcement.

Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole.
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement

Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530

Public Safety Technology in the News

Military WrapsTM Unveils New Camouflage Technology PIRATETM
Stockhouse.com, (06/13/2008)

To aid law enforcement and military personnel in achieving realistic training exercises, Military WrapsTM, Inc., which specializes in camouflage concealment, has created Photo-Immersive Realistic Aides for Training Environments (PIRATETM). The system is designed to accurately create and depict situations based on high-megapixel images that can be altered to enhance the perception of scale and perspective for the user, and then the images are printed to special vinyls. These vinyls can be used to make rooms, offices, city blocks, schools, or parade routes and then be applied to the interior or exterior of the agencies training facility.
www.stockhouse.com/News/USReleasesDetail.aspx?n=6939185

Tasers Getting More Prominent Role in Crime Fighting in City
The New York Times, (06/15/2008), Al Baker

One of the Nation's largest police forces is re-evaluating the use of the Taser as a less-lethal option for the department. However, the New York City Police Department (NYPD) isn't just putting the units out on the streets; it is using a study from the RAND Corporation, using feedback from department personnel about the study, and using an internal study between two similar departments (one with the Taser and one without) as a guide for the implementation of the Taser. The RAND study was commissioned in 2007 after a police-involved shooting found two things: that additional study would be needed based on current available Taser use data, and the department's 455 fatal police-involved shootings may have ended differently had a Taser been an alternative. For now, NYPD's plan is to move Tasers from the trunks of certain vehicles to the gun belts of the agency's 3,500 sergeants while continuing to analyze full implementation of the Taser units.
www.nytimes.com/2008/06/15/nyregion/15taser.html?_r=1&ref=nyregion&oref=slogin

GE Security's MobileTrace Helps Iredell County Sheriff Identify Narcotics-Tainted Cash
BusinessWire.com, (06/16/2008)

Iredell County Sheriff's Office officers using GE Security, Inc's MobileTrace were able to seize almost $300,000 cash from a rental car stop. The MobileTrace technology is portable and capable of detecting explosive and narcotics at the same time. The information collected by the units can be used as evidence and allows officers to evaluate findings in a timely fashion while in the field.
www.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20080616005275&newsLang=en

DuPont Announces New Kevlar Technology
Forbes.com, (06/16/2008), Randall Chase

The development of a more demanding National Institute of Justice (NIJ) standard for body armor has resulted in DuPont, Inc., producing a new Kevlar product. The new product is a lighter woven material coupled with a new process for coating the fibers. According to DuPont, the new material will stop the projectile sooner with less layers, allowing the remaining layers to protect against backface deformation. The new material will have a broad range of applications for the company, but initially the aim is greater protection for law enforcement against high-caliber handguns.
www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2008/06/16/ap5121589.html

Tech-Savvy: Mineral Co. Sheriff's Office Gets New Equipment
News-Tribune, (06/13/2008), Bobbie Carpenter

The Mineral County Sheriff's Office is purchasing laptops to be installed in 6 of the agency's 12 cruisers. These laptops must be in place and be used to transmit electronic traffic reports by 2009 in order to comply with a State mandated law. The first six laptops were purchased using a Federal grant from the Governor's Highway Safety Program, and additional laptops for the remaining cruisers will hopefully be funded through the county's budget. The sheriff's office used concealed weapons funding to purchase the mounts for the first six vehicles to be equipped with the laptops.
www.newstribune.info/news/x822800157/Tech-savvy-Mineral-Co-Sheriff-s-Department-gets-new-equipment

Police Use GPS-Equipped Bait Car to Catch Car Thieves
Government Technology, (06/09/2008), Jim McKay

Catching car thieves using a bait car began in the late 1990s, but required much police manpower to monitor the vehicle. Times have changed, and now officers can go about their regular duties instead of monitoring the vehicle. In Sacramento, California, the bait car is equipped with GPS that activates should the car be tampered with or started, and alerts police dispatch at the command center so they can track the vehicle's location and notify nearby officers to respond. Should the thief try to run when officers attempt to stop the vehicle, the dispatcher will be notified and has the ability to activate the car's kill switch, which will gradually slow down and shut off the vehicle. For added measure, the dispatcher can also lock the car to prevent the thief from running away on foot. Benefits of this type of system are huge, both for police and the public because it eliminates and/or significantly reduces the opportunity for a high-speed chase.
www.govtech.com/gt/366274?topic=117680

CSI: Anchorage-Summertime Sleuths
Anchorage Daily News, (06/16/2008), Megan Holland

Riding the popularity wave of the "CSI" series and subsequent spinoffs, a summer camp started by a South Anchorage High biology teacher draws on the popularity to teach students and maybe develop future forensic specialists. Students participate in mock crime scenes to gather and analyze evidence to help solve the "crime." Along the way, and without noticing because of the fun they are having, students learn biology, chemistry, and physics. The camp is operated by the Fraternal Order of Alaska State Troopers.
www.adn.com/crime/story/437803.html

DNA Evidence Gains Acceptance as a Key Tool in Robbery Cases
The Wall Street Journal, (06/19/2008), Gautam Naik

DNA evidence more commonly used for serious offenses like rape or murder is now being considered as an option for helping to solve property crimes. However, the down side to what seems to be an effective tool is the cost associated with such analysis. Analysis may be or can be more than some jurisdictions can afford. A five-city pilot project funded by the National Institute of Justice indicated that DNA evidence can have a powerful and positive affect on property crime investigations. According to Steve Allison of the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center at Denver University, "People committing serious crimes usually start on smaller ones. So through this process you can get these people identified and in the system earlier." This concept is now new in Great Britain, which has embraced a broader use of DNA evidence, and because of the results the U.S. Department of Justice funded this five-city project.
online.wsj.com/article_email/SB121384113207187445-lMyQjAxMDI4MTEzOTgxNDkxWj.html

Tracking the Event Horizon
Corrections.com, (06/17/2008), Ann Coppola

The 9th Annual Innovative Technologies for Community Corrections conference highlighted the latest innovations in tools for offender monitoring, as well as risk assessment and testing, but it also showcased tools and technology not yet available to practitioners. Conference attendees involved in various aspects of community corrections came from several foreign countries and 44 U.S. States. One technology on display was hybrid GPS tracking that incorporated cellular communications to ensure indoor tracking and monitoring. The conference sponsor, the National Law Enforcement and Corrections Technology Center-Rocky Mountain, introduced the newest version of Field Search and discussed the future release of a Macintosh compatible version. Of particular note was the increase in law enforcement attendees. Agencies are seeing advantages to working with those in the community corrections field due to the information produced as a result of offender monitoring.
www.corrections.com/news/article/18816

Pistol Cam: When Cops Draw This Point-and-Shoot, Say Cheese
Wired.com, (06/23/2008), Vince Beiser

The SWAT team of the Orange County (New York) Sheriff's Office has recently begun using the PistolCam. The PistolCam is a small device, combining a video camera, a flashlight, and a laser sight, that attaches to the underside of a gun barrel. The camera begins recording when the gun is drawn and can store an hour of video. Developed by Legend Technologies, the PistolCam is priced at $695.
www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/16-07/st_pistolcams