South Carolina Man Dubbed the Nike Hat Bandit Indicted on Charges of Bank Robbery in South Florida

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, and John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office, announced the filing of a three-count indictment charging defendant Wesley Todd McCracken, 41, of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, with bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).

The indictment charges that McCracken, nicknamed the “Nike Hat Bandit,” robbed a Wells Fargo Bank in Palm Beach Garden, Florida on November 21, 2012; attempted to rob another Wells Fargo Bank in Dania Beach, Florida on November 30, 2012; and on that same day, robbed a BB&T Bank in Pompano Beach, Florida. McCracken was arrested on December 29, 2011 in Georgetown, South Carolina, after committing a robbery at the South Carolina Bank and Trust. The South Carolina United States Attorney’s Office indicted McCracken in March 2012, charging him with four counts of bank robbery.

McCracken wore a Nike baseball hat when he allegedly robbed banks in South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania, usually approaching bank tellers with threatening notes indicating he had a gun and demanding a particular amount of cash.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI’s South Florida Violent Crime/Fugitive Task Force, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, and the Palm Beach Gardens Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Corey Steinberg.

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

Miami Gardens Man Arrested and Charged with Mailing Hoax Threats to Broward Government Offices

Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Addy Villanueva, Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE), Miami Field Office; and Al Lamberti, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO), announced that the defendant Tarvess David Taylor, 26, of Miami Gardens, was charged and arrested for mailing hoax threats to various local government offices in Broward County. The five-count indictment, which was returned on April 12, 2012, charges Taylor with mailing five envelopes containing a powdery substance, in violation of the hoax threat statute, Title 18, United States Code, Section 1038(a)(1).

More specifically, the indictment alleges that on October 4, 2011, Taylor mailed five separate envelopes, each containing a powdery substance. The envelopes were addressed to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the State Courthouse of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida. As a result of these mailings, the Broward County Sheriff’s Office and the State Courthouse of the 17th Judicial Circuit of Florida had to be closed while the Broward County Fire-Rescue HAZMAT Team responded to the scene to collect the powdery substance and ensure the safety of the facilities.

If convicted, Taylor faces a maximum statutory term of imprisonment of up to five years on each of the five counts.

Mr. Ferrer commended the investigative efforts of the FBI, FDLE, and BSO. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Walleisa.

An indictment is only an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Child Pornography Charges

February 13, 2010 - Jeffrey H. Sloman, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida; John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Miami Field Office; Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Office of Investigations; and Al Lamberti, Sheriff, Broward County Sheriff’s Office, announced that defendant Randy L. Eisner, 38, of Sunrise, was indicted on charges of distribution and possession of child pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 2252(a)(2) and 2252(a)(4)(B), respectively. Eisner originally was arrested on January 28, 2010, and a criminal complaint was filed against him in federal court on January 29, 2010.

According to court documents and statements made in court, undercover law enforcement officers downloaded numerous images depicting child pornography from Eisner’s computer via a peer-to-peer file sharing program, and received images of child pornography via an instant message from Eisner. After receiving child pornography from Eisner, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Eisner’s home, where they discovered a DVD containing numerous image and video files depicting child pornography. According to statements made in open court, Eisner was involved in a national youth organization as a Cub Scout leader.

According to the Complaint Affidavit previously filed with the court, Eisner engaged in inappropriate contact with minors during the last three years. Anyone with information regarding the allegations in the Indictment or new information regarding Eisner’s conduct is urged to contact Special Agent Alexis Carpinteri of the FBI at 305-944-9101, or Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS or www.browardcrimestoppers.org.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Sawgrass

On February 27, 2009, Conversations with Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion Deputy Sheriff Alex J. McDonald, Broward County Sheriff’s Office (ret.) about his novel – Sawgrass.

Program Date: February 27, 2009
Program Time: 2100 hours, Pacific
Topic: Conversation with Sergeant Alex J. McDonald (ret.)
Listen Live: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/LawEnforcement/2009/02/28/Sawgrass

About the Guest
Alex J. McDonald retired in June 2007 after thirty seven years in law enforcement. He began as a police cadet with Ft. Lauderdale Police Department, in 1970. In 1974, two weeks out of high school, he was hired by Davie Police Department. He was one of the first police officers hired in the State of Florida who was under the age of twenty-one. In 1976, he became a police officer for the Deerfield Beach Police Department; and, in 1982 began his career as a deputy sheriff with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office (Florida).

During his career with the Broward County Sheriff’s Office, he was a member of the Dignitary Protection team, a field training officer, lead defensive tactics instructor, firearms and driving instructor. An avid martial and competitive shooter, he has had numerous articles published in Police Marksman. Alex J. McDonald is the author of Sawgrass.

According to the book description of Sawgrass, “A missing cop is found dead in his car in an orange grove. Suicide or murder? The evidence points to murder but the bureaucrats want it to be suicide. Detective Sergeant Daniel Quinn is in charge of the investigation and sets out to prove murder. A second murder occurs and Quinn finds the two are connected. Quinn becomes embroiled in a drug smuggling investigation and is forced to battle politics, a smuggling group and even the DEA. All of this leads to a surprise ending.”

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 Criminal Justice Department chair, 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/2009/02/28/Sawgrass

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