Ohio Resident Charged with Jan. 15 Robinson Township Bank Robbery

PITTSBURGH, PA - A former resident of Wintersville, Ohio, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of armed bank robbery, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

The one-count Indictment named Montague Howard, 40, as the sole defendant.

According to the Indictment, on Jan. 15, 2020, Howard entered the First Commonwealth Bank, located at 198 Park Manor Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15205, pointed what appeared to be a firearm at the tellers, and stole $8,583.00 in United States currency. Later that day, Howard was apprehended in Wintersville, Ohio with the assistance of the Wintersville Police Department.

The law provides for a maximum total sentence of 25 years in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant. Howard remains incarcerated pending the resolution of the case.

Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca L. Silinski is prosecuting this case on behalf of the government.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Robinson Township Police Department, and the Wintersville, Ohio Police Department conducted the investigation leading to the Indictment in this case.

An indictment is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Hartford Gang Member Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Role in Violent Kidnapping and Assault

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LUIS PITT, also known as “Macho,” 24, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 144 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for a kidnapping and violent assault he committed with four other members of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”).

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 26, 2018, Anthony Carillo and Josue Franco lured an individual (“the victim”) to a residence on Benton Street in Hartford.  When the victim entered the residence, Pitt and Jonathan Otero were waiting. Carillo, Franco, Pitt and Otero then threatened, assaulted and tortured the victim, prevented him from leaving the residence, and demanded a ransom.  After the victim was restrained, Pedro Carillo arrived at the residence and participated in the ongoing assault and torture of the victim, which included burning him with cigarettes, pistol-whipping him and throwing a dart into his foot.

The defendants forced the victim to call someone to deliver money in exchange for his release.  The victim then called his father.  Franco grabbed the phone and told the victim’s father if he did not deliver $500 they were going to kill his son.  After the call, Otero put a bullet in the victim’s hand and told him he would use that bullet to shoot him in the head if the victim could not get the ransom money.  The victim was then transported to different locations in Hartford in an effort to collect ransom before he was eventually released.

The victim was treated at a hospital for a fractured cheekbone, a facial laceration, a concussion and other injuries.

Pitt has been detained since his arrest on October 4, 2018.  On September 25, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon in aid of racketeering, and one count of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence.

The other four defendants pleaded guilty to related charges and were sentenced last month.  On December 10, Otero was sentenced to 154 months of imprisonment; on December 16, Franco was sentenced to 132 months of imprisonment; on December 18, Anthony Carillo was sentenced to 125 months of imprisonment, and on December 19, Pedro Carillo was sentenced to 161 months of imprisonment.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Gang Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The Hartford Police Department’s Major Crimes Division has provided critical assistance to the investigation.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

Mexican National Sentenced to 600 Months for Sex Crimes Against a Child

A Mexican national was sentenced Thursday to 600 months in federal prison for the sexual exploitation of a child and for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Trent Shores.

Upon release from prison, Rogelio Hernandez Rodriguez, 30, will be placed on supervised release for life and required to register as a sex offender. When handing down the sentence, U.S. District Judge Gregory K. Frizzell noted that the law is insistent that such acts are severely punished.

“Rogelio Hernandez was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. He will now spend the next 50 years in prison for his crimes against a child victim,” said U.S. Attorney Trent Shores. “Investigators, attorneys, and victim advocates are committed to providing justice and healing resources for this young child. Our Project Safe Childhood initiative gets child predators off the streets, and it will continue full speed ahead.”

A federal jury convicted Hernandez on Oct. 24, 2019, of exploiting the minor victim and inducing the victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Rodriguez was further found guilty of knowingly possessing child pornography. The 524 sexually graphic images and videos depicted the sexual abuse of the prepubescent victim and were stored on hard drives and multiple SD cards.

"Rogelio Hernandez willfully preyed upon a child victim and exploited their innocence," said Melissa Godbold, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI's Oklahoma City Field Office. "The FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to aggressively investigate child predators who sexually exploit and abuse young victims."

"The safety of children is priority for our officers here at the Wagoner Police Department. No child should have to endure sexual abuse. Our office initially investigated Hernandez's crimes, and we are thankful for today’s sentence," said Lt. Detective Benjamin Blair of the Wagoner Police Department.

Hernandez remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service until transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility.

The Wagoner Police Department and FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reagan V. Reininger, Dennis A. Fries and Shannon Cozzoni prosecuted the case.