18TH STREET GANG MEMBER SENTENCED TO OVER 24 YEARS IN PRISON FOR A RACKETEERING CONSPIRACY RELATED TO GANG ACTIVITIES

Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Silvia Martinez, a/k/a "Crazy," age 23, of Washington, D.C., to 293 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with her activities as a member of the 18th Street gang.

The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Acting Special Agent in Charge Marino F. Vidoli of the ATF - Baltimore Field Division; Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg Police Department; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George's County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Larry Brownlee of the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Prince George's County Division; Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Montgomery County State's Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George's County State's Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

According to her plea agreement, from 2007 through March 2010, Martinez, a native of El Salvador, was a member of the 18th Street gang. The gang originated in the Los Angeles, California area and operates in Central America and across the United States, including Maryland. The gang is divided into subsets called cliques, and operates according to rules which the gang enforces by punishment for their violation, including beating the violating gang member. For serious transgressions, the gang will "green light" or order the murder of a gang member.

On January 18, 2009, Martinez and other gang members, including Joel Ventura Quintanilla and Ysaud Flores, participated in the kidnapping and murder of 15 year old Dennys Alfredo Guzman-Saenz, who was thought to be a rival gang member. Ventura Quintanilla and another gang member forced Guzman-Saenz into a car in Langley Park, Maryland, then took him to Gaithersburg, Maryland, where Martinez and other gang members became involved. Martinez and other gang members took Guzman-Saenz to a park in Gaithersburg where he was stabbed and beaten by several gang members, including Martinez, causing his death. Guzman-Saenz's body was found in a creek in the park the next morning.

On February 8, 2009, Martinez and other gang members were at a residence in Gaithersburg discussing the killing of rival gang members. Martinez rode in a car with other gang members into the District of Columbia in search of rival gang members. Ventura Quintanilla and another gang member in the car were both armed with guns. After the car stopped near a restaurant, Ventura Quintanilla and the other gang member approached two men who were standing in front of the restaurant. Ventura Quintanilla shot two men, killing one of the victims, Manuel Garcia-Fuentes, age 24.

Judge Titus previously sentenced gang members Joel Ventura Quintanilla, aka "Clon," age 25, and Ysaud Flores, a/k/a "Snyder," age 33, both of Germantown, Maryland, to life in prison and 22 years in prison, respectively. Martinez, Ventura Quintanilla and Flores were also convicted on related state charges in Montgomery County Circuit Court, where Ventura Quintanilla was sentenced to life in prison, and Flores was sentenced to life in prison, with all but 75 years suspended. Martinez is awaiting sentencing in the state case.

A total of seven 18th Street gang members, including Martinez, Ventura Quintanilla and Flores, have been convicted in federal court on charges related to their gang activities and sentenced to between 94 months and life in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the members of ATF-led RAGE Task Force, including the Gaithersburg Police Department, the Prince George's County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, and the Maryland National Capital Park Police - Prince George's County Division, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and the Montgomery County and Prince George's County State's Attorneys' offices for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys William Moomau and Jonathan Lenzner, who prosecuted the case.

Indictment: Dodge City Woman Lied To Grand Jury During Investigation of Nortenos Gang

WICHITA, KAN. — A Dodge City, KAN., woman has been indicted on a charge of lying to a grand jury during an investigation of the Nortenos gang, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Petra Garcia–Martinez, 29, Dodge City, KAN., is charged with one count of perjury.

She also is charged with one count of aiding and abetting her husband, Hector L. Martinez–Ramirez, who is not a citizen of the United States, in the unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, one count of aiding and abetting him in the unlawful possession of ammunition by an illegal alien, and one count of misprision of a felony.

Her husband, Hector L. Martinez–Ramirez, is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, one count of unlawful possession of ammunition by an illegal alien, and one count of using false documents, including a counterfeit Social Security card, and one count of aggravated identity theft.

On the perjury count, the indictment alleges that on May 25, 2011, Petra Garcia–Martinez testified falsely before a grand jury when she was questioned about her brother, Peter Garcia, also known as Pedro Garcia. The indictment recites a series of questions and answers:

•Q: Does Peter (Garcia) claim that the Norteno gang is in Dodge City?

•A: No.

•Q: Is Peter a Norteno gang member?

•A: No.

•Q: Has Peter told you he is not a Norteno gang member?

•A: He’s never said he was, so he’s...”

•Q: Have you ever discussed his gang membership with him?

•A: No.

The indictment alleges Petra Garcia–Martinez was aware Peter Garcia was a member of the Nortenos street gang. Peter Garcia was one of 23 defendants charged in a racketeering indictment announced May 11 in Dodge City.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Perjury: A maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Aiding and abetting unlawful possession of a firearm, aiding and abetting unlawful possession of ammunition: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Unlawful possession of a firearm, unlawful possession of ammunition: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Using false documents: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years to run consecutive to other sentences and a fine up to $250,000.

Misprision of a felony: A maximum penalty of three years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Dodge City Police Department and the KBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch and Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith are prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

Chad L. Irvin, 34, Lacrosse, KAN., is charged with unlawfully killing a golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The crime is alleged to have occurred Jan. 9, 2012, in Trego County, KAN.

If convicted on the misdemeanor count, he faces a maximum penalty of one year in federal prison and a fine up to $100,000. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

Tammy L. Harris, 37, Dodge City, KAN., is charged with one count of being an accessory after the fact to bank robbery and one count of making a false statement to an investigator from the FBI. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 17, 2012.

The indictment alleges Harris was aware that Carlos Manuel Buten had robbed the Western State Bank at 2121 N. 14th in Dodge City, KAN., when she attempted to help him avoid arrest. Buten was indicted in April on the bank robbery charge.

If convicted, Harris faces a maximum penalty of 12.5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of accessory after the fact, and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of making a false statement. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

Marc Joseph Miller, 40, is charged with failing to register as required by the federal Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred from Oct. 27, 2011, to May 2, 2012, in Shawnee County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Brian Welch, 45, Pomona, KAN., is charged with one count of distributing child pornography and one count of possessing child pornography. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March and May 2012 in Franklin County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the distribution charge and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the possession charge. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Sonni L. Peerman, 25, Russell, KAN., and Eric P. Ouse, 28, Natonia, KAN., are charged with one count of counterfeiting and two counts of passing counterfeit $100 bills. In addition, Ouse is charged with one count of counterfeiting. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in April 2012, in Meade County, KAN.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Ponciano Munoz–Meraz, 20, Sugar Creek, Mo., and Justin R. Trotter, 27, Wichita, KAN., are charged with drug trafficking. Munoz–Meraz is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of distributing methamphetamine, and two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm by a person under indictment. Trotter is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

Distributing methamphetamine: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Unlawful possession of a firearm by a person under indictment: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Wichita Police Department investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s is investigating.

Dustin J. Hanson, 27, Pratt, KAN., Christopher A. Gould, 29, Pratt, KAN., Cody Wayne Ly, 22, Pratt, KAN., and Amy Marie Ryan, 30, Pratt, KAN., are charged with counterfeiting $20 and $50 bills. In addition, Ryan is charged with passing counterfeit $20 and $50 bills. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in March 2012 in Pratt County, KAN.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Lind is prosecuting.

Joe Rodriguez, 27, Dodge City, KAN., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a user of controlled substances and one count of unlawful possession of a sawed–off firearm made from a rifle. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 16, 2012, in Ford County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the count of unlawful possession by a user of controlled substances, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $10,000 on the other count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron Smith is prosecuting.

Grant Alon Mares, 24, Fort Morgan, Colo., Anthony Lee Reese, 48, Great Bend, KAN, and Wesley Jerome Laplant, 36, Garden City, KAN., are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine and one count of distributing methamphetamine. In addition, Mares is charged with one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in December 2009 and January 2010 in Finney County, KAN.

If convicted, they face a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $5 million on each count. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Raymond J. Hickman, Jr., 39, Hutchinson, KAN., is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction.The crimes are alleged to have occurred June 22, 2011, in Reno County, KAN.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine: A maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million.

Unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.

Unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Reno County Sheriff’s investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Courtland J. Gray, 27, Wichita, KAN., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana. The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 8, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the firearm charge and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on the marijuana charge. The Wichita Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart is prosecuting.

Marco A. Gramajo, 28, Garden City, KAN., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction, one count one count of unlawful possession of ammunition after a felony conviction, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm. The crime are alleged to have occurred Jan. 16, 2012, in Garden City, KAN

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

Hugo Nelson Campos–Rodriguez, 41, a citizen of El Salvador, is charged with illegally re–entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 7, 2012 in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Rosario Zavala–Lopez, 30, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession of false documents, four counts of aggravated identity theft, one count of making a false statement on an I–9 Employment Eligibility Verification form, one count of misusing a Social Security number and one count of producing a false document. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2008 in Ford County, KAN.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession of false documents: A maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000.

Aggravated identity theft: A mandatory two years to run consecutively to other sentences on each count and a fine up to $250,000.

Making a false statement: A maximum penalty of five years without parole and a fine up to $250,000.

Misusing a Social Security number: A maximum penalty of five years without parole and a fine up to $250,000.

Producing a false identification: A maximum penalty of 15 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000.

ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Felipe Vega–Ramos, 22, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, four counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2012 in Shawnee County, KAN.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:

Possession with intent to distribute cocaine: Maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine: Not less than five years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $250,000.

Unlawful possession of a firearm: A maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

The Topeka Police Department investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.

Allan M. Firman, III, 32, Augusta, KAN., is charged with possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 30, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $4 million. The Butler County Sheriff’s and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Luis Avalos–Estrada, 37, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re–entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 14, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Anthony M. Dickens, 51, a citizen of Jamaica, is charged with unlawfully re–entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 7, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Carlos Barrerra–Lara, 30, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re–entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 14, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

Rigoberto Hernandez–Castillo, 38, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re–entering the United States after being deported. He was found May 9, 2012, in Sedgwick County, KAN.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of two years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000. ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Blair Watson is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

Meth-Dealing Gang Associate Gets 121 Months in Federal Prison

Seven Others Await Sentencing

BOISE—Shawn Lynn Gordon, 32, of Caldwell, Idaho, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for distribution of methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney Wendy J. Olson announced. Chief U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill also ordered Gordon to serve five years of supervised release following his prison term and to forfeit $2,800. Gordon pleaded guilty to the charge in January.

According to court documents, on May 5, 2011, Gordon—an associate of the Northside, or “Norteno,” street gang—sold an individual at his residence approximately 26 grams of methamphetamine for $1,400. Gordon admitted that between April 27 and May 5, 2011, he distributed 48.1 grams of actual methamphetamine. Gordon agreed to forfeit $2,800 as proceeds of his methamphetamine dealing and abandoned all rights to the firearm he unlawfully possessed when arrested on the federal charges.

The Northside street gang is active in the Treasure Valley. Gordon and 10 other gang members and associates were indicted in October and November last year for a number of drug trafficking and firearms offenses. Eight of the defendants have pleaded guilty; Gordon is the first to be sentenced.

“This 10-year sentence underscores that violent street gang members who engage in drug trafficking will receive swift and sure punishment,” said Olson. “The Special Assistant United States Attorney who handled this case is funded by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho. Taxpayers can be assured that its federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies will work together to combat gang crime.”

The case was investigated by the Treasure Valley Metro Violent Crimes Task Force and is being prosecuted by the Special Assistant U.S. Attorney hired by the Treasure Valley Partnership and the State of Idaho to address gang crimes. The Treasure Valley Partnership is comprised of a group of elected officials in southeast Idaho dedicated to regional coordination, cooperation, and collaboration on creating coherent regional growth. For more information, visit treasurevalleypartners.org.

Barrio Azteca Gang Members and Associates Plead Guilty in Texas to Racketeering Conspiracy

WASHINGTON – Two Barrio Azteca (BA) gang members and one BA associate pleaded guilty this week for their participation in a racketeering conspiracy and money laundering, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Robert Pitman for the Western District of Texas, FBI Assistant Director of the Criminal Investigative Division Kevin Perkins and Administrator Michele M. Leonhart of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).

Today, Yolanda Barba Chavira, 42, aka “Yoli,” of El Paso, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Kathleen Cardone of the Western District of Texas to money laundering conspiracy.   Yesterday, her co-defendants, Adam Garcia, 34, aka “Bad Boy,” of El Paso, and Carlos Perez, 38, aka “Bandit,” of El Paso, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Norbert Garney in the Western District of Texas to racketeering conspiracy.

According to court documents, the Barrio Azteca gang began in the late 1980s as a violent prison gang and has expanded into a transnational criminal organization.  The BA is primarily based in West Texas; Juarez, Mexico; and throughout state and federal prisons in the United States and Mexico.

According to court documents, members and associates of the BA have engaged in a host of criminal activity committed since Jan. 1, 2003, including drug trafficking, extortion, money laundering, kidnapping and murder, including the March 13, 2010, murders in Juarez of U.S. consulate employee Leslie Ann Enriquez Catton, her husband Arthur Redelfs and Jorge Alberto Salcido Ceniceros, the husband of a U.S. consulate employee.

The BA profits by importing heroin, cocaine and marijuana into the United States from Mexico.  Gang members and associates also allegedly charge a “street tax” or “cuota” on businesses and criminals operating in their turf.  These profits are used to support gang members in prison by funneling money into prison commissary accounts of gang leaders and to pay for defense lawyers or fines.  The “cuota” profits also are allegedly reinvested into the organization to purchase drugs, guns and ammunition.

According to information presented in court, Chavira was an associate of the Barrio Azteca in El Paso.   Chavira admitted that on a regular basis BA members gave her extortion money that they had collected.   In turn, she used that money to purchase money orders and would send those money orders to BA leaders in jail.   During her plea hearing, she admitted that she had reason to believe that the BA was laundering more than $120,000 of extortion fees.  

During their plea hearings, Garcia and Perez admitted that they were BA members and participated in gang affairs in many places, including the El Paso area and New Mexico.   They admitted that they helped distribute controlled substances like marijuana, cocaine and heroin.   They also admitted that they participated in the collection of extortion fees from drug dealers operating on BA turf, and that this money was sent to jailed BA leaders.

As part of his plea agreement, Perez agreed not to contest the forfeiture an SKS 7.62x39 rifle, a 995 Hi Point rifle and 143 rounds of ammunition that were recovered after the execution of a federal search warrant at his residence on March 9, 2011.

Thirty-five members and associates of the BA gang, including Chavira, Garcia and Perez and 19 others who have pleaded guilty, were charged in a third superseding indictment unsealed in March 2011 with various counts of racketeering, murder, drug offenses, money laundering and obstruction of justice.  Trial against defendant Ramon Renteria, aka “Spook,” is set to begin May 18, 2012, before Judge Cardone.

Two of the BA members who previously pleaded guilty were sentenced last week by Judge Cardone in accordance with their plea agreements.   On Feb. 23, 2012, Jorge Diaz, aka “Payaso,” was sentenced to 20 years in prison and to pay a $5000 fine.   On Feb. 24, 2012, Santiago Lucero, aka “Sonny,” was sentenced to 12 years in prison and to pay a $1000 fine.  

Chavira faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and is scheduled to be sentenced on May 24, 2012.   If U.S. District Judge Cardone accepts plea agreements of Garcia and Perez, each defendant will be sentenced to 20 years in prison.  

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Joseph A. Cooley of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Trial Attorney Brian Skaret of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Texas - El Paso Division.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico provided significant assistance in this case, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Davenport.  Valuable assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Offices of International Affairs and Enforcement Operations.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s El Paso Field Office and Albuquerque, N.M., Field Office (Las Cruces Resident Agency).   Special assistance was provided by the DEA; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Immigration and Customs Enforcement; the U.S. Marshals Service; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Diplomatic Security Service; the Texas Department of Public Safety; the Texas Department of Criminal Justice; El Paso Police Department; El Paso County Sheriff’s Office; El Paso Independent School District Police Department; Texas Alcohol and Beverage Commission; New Mexico State Police; Dona Ana County, N.M., Sheriff’s Office; Las Cruces, N.M., Police Department; Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility and Otero County Prison Facility New Mexico.

New Haven Man Sentenced to More Than Three Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that VIRGIL JEFFERIES, 22, also known as “Mook” and “Murder Mook,” of New Haven, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for distributing cocaine.

This matter stems from a joint law enforcement investigation conducted by the FBI New Haven Safe Streets Task Force, the DEA New Haven Task Force, the New Haven Police Department and the Hamden Police Department. Through the use of court-authorized wiretaps, investigating officers identified and dismantled a large drug trafficking organization that was centered in the Newhallville section of New Haven and Hamden, and was responsible for the distribution of crack cocaine and cocaine throughout the Greater New Haven area.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from June 2010 through October 2010, JEFFERIES was intercepted several times over a wiretap ordering distribution quantities of cocaine and crack cocaine from other members of the drug trafficking organization, which he then sold to his own customer base for profit.

On November 4, 2011, JEFFERIES pleaded guilty to one count of using a telephone to facilitate a narcotics trafficking felony.

Forty-seven individuals have been charged in federal court with various narcotics offenses as a result of this investigation.

U.S. Attorney Fein noted that federal prisoners are required to serve at least 85 percent of their sentenced term of imprisonment and are not eligible for parole.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s New Haven Safe Streets Task Force (composed of members of members of the New Haven, Ansonia, Milford, Hamden and East Haven Police Departments, the Connecticut State Police and the Connecticut Department of Correction), the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force (composed of members of the New Haven, West Haven, Meriden, Ansonia, Hamden and Branford Police Departments), along with substantial participation by members of the New Haven and Hamden Police Departments. The United States Marshals Service also has assisted the investigation.

The investigation was funded in significant part by the United States Attorney’s Office Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force and supported by the Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods and Anti-Gang programs.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Christopher M. Mattei and Robert M. Spector.

Strong and Thriving Partnerships

By Tracy Russo

The following post appears courtesy Laurie Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

Last week at the National District Attorneys Association (NDAA) Capital Conference, I was honored to receive the prestigious NDAA President’s Award and to deliver one of my last speeches as Assistant Attorney General.  The occasion provided me the opportunity to reflect on the Department of Justice’s productive partnership with state and local prosecutors.

The elected prosecutor plays an indispensable leadership role, embodying the will of the community to address its most pressing crime and justice problems.  In an era of diminishing resources and growing public safety responsibilities, that role is more important than ever.  I am proud that the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) continues to provide these professionals with the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently.

Through our Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), we have awarded almost $18.5 million to state and local prosecutors’ offices to support mortgage fraud investigation and prosecution, joining our work to a Department- and Administration-wide effort to fight this crime.  NDAA has been a key training and technical assistance partner and is helping to develop a mortgage fraud training curriculum for prosecutors.

Prosecutors are also on the front line in our fight against child abuse and exploitation.  OJP’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and NDAA’s National Center for Prosecution of Child Abuse have worked closely together to train and assist thousands of professionals who investigate and prosecute these cases.  Last year alone, we provided training to more than 12,500 people.

And prosecutors are central to reducing the influence of gangs.  With support from BJA, NDAA published a guide for prosecutors on the use of civil gang injunctions and has disseminated several thousand copies to jurisdictions across the nation.  As a result of a site visit to Ogden, Utah conducted under the auspices of this project, prosecutors won an injunction against the Ogden Trece gang that resulted in a 40 percent decline in gang graffiti and a drop in overall gang crime of 10 percent from the previous year.

These are among the many areas in which OJP is supporting the work of state and local prosecutors.  As I depart OJP at the end of February and hand over leadership to my Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General, Mary Lou Leary – herself a former prosecutor – I am satisfied that, thanks to strong partnerships with organizations such as NDAA, we will continue to make important gains in public safety.

Our Continuing Efforts to Prevent Youth Violence

The following post appears courtesy of  Attorney General Eric Holder.

Throughout my career, I have seen the devastating effects of youth violence far too often.  As a prosecutor and a judge; as a U.S. Attorney, as Deputy Attorney General – and, above all, as the father of three teenage children – I’ve been determined to make the progress that our nation’s young people deserve. 

In September of 2009, this country was shocked by a video depicting the brutal beating and murder of a 16-year-old Chicago honor student.  That savage attack was seared into our collective memory, and it left an indelible mark on the community where it took place.  But, tragically, it is just one horrifying example of the violence that many young people face every day, in cities and towns across this country.

In response to this crisis, last year, President Obama directed the Departments of Justice and Education to partner with other federal agencies – and with representatives from six cities – to launch the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention, a network of committed stakeholders dedicated to stopping the brutality and bloodshed that devastates too many of the youngest members of our society.  The six cities participating in the Forum — Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Memphis, Salinas, Calif. and San Jose, Calif. — have made great strides toward developing and implementing comprehensive crime prevention strategies tailored to eradicating the violence that has ravaged their communities and stolen so many promising futures.

Last week, teams from these cities — comprised of law enforcement officers, policy and public-health experts, educators, researchers, city officials, social services providers, community and faith leaders, and concerned parents — gathered in Washington, D.C., to share their progress in using cost-effective and evidence-based strategies to prevent youth violence and help formerly incarcerated youth become productive citizens.

Also last week, at a hearing before the House of Representatives’ Committee on the Judiciary’s Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security,  Congressmen Bobby Scott, John Conyers, and Steve Cohen congratulated Laurie O. Robinson, Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Justice Programs, and this Administration for our efforts on the Forum and urged us to keep up the important work.

It’s clear that these efforts are already beginning to take hold.  For example, the City of Memphis launched a Crime Prevention Unit this year that includes 90 officers focused on reaching youth before they come in contact with the criminal justice system.   Meanwhile, officials in Chicago have established a Youth Shooting Review panel — a pilot project that reviews fatal and non-fatal shootings, drawing on both public health and criminal justice perspectives, to gain a more substantive understanding of their causes and context.  The panel will identify patterns, gaps in key services, and effective strategies to prevent shootings among school-age youth. 

Forum participants have also taken steps to better understand, and more thoroughly address, the joblessness, illiteracy, violence, and other challenges that formerly incarcerated young people often face when they return to their communities.  To improve the outcomes for these youth and help them become contributing community members, San Jose, Calif. has become part of a county-wide Reentry Network.  The Network provides assessment and programming to youth who are both in custody and in the community, along with resources to help them transition to a more stable, self-sufficient and successful lifestyle.

In each of these six cities, the National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention has brought local experts together with federal officials and other key stakeholders, in order to share best practices; to develop strategies for reducing brutality among, and directed toward, young people; and to address and overcome common challenges.

I’m proud to say that the work we are leading is sending an unmistakable message that, in this country, we will not give up on our children.  And it’s ensuring that the priorities we set now will allow America’s next generation of leaders to break destructive cycles and seize tomorrow’s opportunities.