Tattoo Shop Owner Pleads Guilty to Money Laundering, Conspiracy to Distribute Marijuana

COLUMBUS—Edward A. Rife, 31, of Westerville pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana and one count of money laundering.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio, Tracey E. Warren, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation (IRS), Acting Franklin County Sheriff Stephan L. Martin, Columbus Police Chief Walter Distelzweig and J. Mark Batts, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced the pleas entered today before U.S. District Judge Gregory L. Frost.

According to a statement read by an IRS agent during the hearing, Rife came to law enforcement’s attention during an investigation into a major drug trafficking organization. Rife was receiving and distributing between 10 and 20 pounds of marijuana per month from the organization starting in 2008. In 2009, Rife developed another source of marijuana and began receiving up to 500 pounds of marijuana at a time. He occasionally used his business, Fine Line Ink Tatoos and Piercings, to launder the drug proceeds.

Rife distributed more than 400 kilograms but less than 700 kilograms of marijuana between 2008 until April 1, 2010. The plea agreement requires Rife to forfeit $50,000 which is equal to the amount he acquired as a result of his drug trafficking activities.

Conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana is punishable by at least five years and up to 40 years’ imprisonment. Money laundering is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. Judge Frost will schedule a date for sentencing.

Stewart commended the cooperative investigation by the task force agents who are conducting the investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin W. Kelley, who is prosecuting the case.

Arrests Made on Federal Gun and Drug Charges in Round-Up by Violent Crime Impact Team

COLUMBUS — Teams of federal, state and local law enforcement officers today began arresting people charged in multiple separate federal indictments alleging that they committed violent crimes while trafficking marijuana, cocaine and heroin, and illegally possessed or used firearms. The charges are the result of an ongoing joint investigation conducted by Columbus Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The investigation is known as Operation MTV Network because it centers around the

Mt. Vernon Avenue

area.

A list of those in custody as of 3:30 p.m. today, when the indictments were unsealed, is attached.

Carter M. Stewart, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio; Wayne Dixie, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Columbus Police Chief Walter Distelzweig announced the arrests and charges today.

“For four years, officers and agents have investigated violent crime and drug trafficking in Columbus’ 6th Precinct,” Stewart said. “The investigators cast the net as wide as possible to get as many people as possible and to make the greatest impact on violent crime they could.”

During the course of the four-year investigation, more than 50 firearms including a machine gun were seized, along with almost two kilograms of crack cocaine.

The long-term investigation is part of an effort to reduce violent crime in targeted neighborhoods by employing Violent Crime Impact Teams (VCIT) of federal, state and local law enforcement officers.

ATF launched the VCIT initiative in June 2004. The VCIT teams target areas of the community affected by violent crimes and firearms violence. Federal, state and local law enforcement agencies team together to identify, disrupt, arrest and prosecute the most violent criminals. The investigators work together to proactively build cases, develop evidence, and bring the most violent criminals to justice. Teams now exist in 31 cities nationwide, including Columbus.

Those arrested have received or will receive their initial appearances in U.S. District Court in Columbus. The U.S. Attorney’s Office will ask that most of those arrested be held without bond pending trial.

The U.S. Marshals Service’s Southern Ohio Fugitive Apprehension Strike Team (SOFAST) assisted with the arrests.

An indictment is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in court.

Contact:

Fred Alverson,

U.S. Attorney's Office

614) 469-5715

Kim Riddell

Special Agent, ATF

(330) 360-2063

Sgt. Rich Weiner

Columbus Division of Police

(614) 645-4593

Ohio Police Writers

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added three police writers from departments in the state of Ohio.

Drafted into the United States Army at age 19, and the height of the 1968 Tet offensive in Vietnam, Joseph Reass found himself suddenly transformed from a naïve teenager into a rifleman in the 25th Infantry Division, 9th Infantry Regiment. Arriving in Vietnam as a Private First Class, he survived a year of combat with the famed “Manchu” Regiment and returned to the United States with the rank of Sergeant. Back at home, he readjusted to civilian life by continuing his education. Earning a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from Capital University and a master’s degree from Ohio University in Political Science, Joe put the war behind him and reentered the world.

After a 25 year career with Columbus Police Department (Ohio), including 13 years as a criminal investigator, he retired in 1997. Returning to Ohio University as a member of the faculty, he currently teaches in the Bachelor of Criminal Justice Program and is the director of the Southern Ohio Police Training Institute.

Joseph Reass’ first novel is Dragon Men. According to the book description, “In it he depicts real events pulled from long clouded memories of his combat experiences in Vietnam. Pieced together and told by a fictitious protagonist, David Reno, the story brings into perspective, true events, honest, tragic and even humorous that young men of Charlie Company, 4th Brigade, 9th Regiment, faced in the unconventional combat of the Vietnam War.

Along with graphic descriptions of combat and death, there are insights into men who served and how they coped with difficult situations of surviving not only the fighting, but the arduous life in the boonies. Live with young soldiers who deal with extreme situations of war, weather and military life.

It is an honest story that will interest anyone who served in combat, who want an unglorified glimpse of combat life or anyone who likes personal adventures told by real characters.”

David Swords is a retired Police Lieutenant, having served thirty years with the Springfield Police Department (Ohio). Nearly half of his police career was spent as an investigator, working on cases ranging from simple vandalisms to armed robberies and murders. His varied experience has given him a unique understanding of human nature; an understanding that brings the characters of “Shadows on the Soul” to life in the mind of the reader.

In David Swords’ book his proposes the questions what would have happened in the Nazis had won and the United States was occupied territory. According to his book description, “the story takes you with John as he tries his best to live a normal life as a government official in the 1960’s America that might have been - Nazi occupied America. John’s normal life is disrupted as he reluctantly helps a prisoner who has escaped from a labor camp; a man imprisoned for no crime, except the color of his skin.”

Edward A. Stein, Sr., a 35 year veteran of the Cleveland Police Department published an autobiography entitled My Badge is My Intergity.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 420 police officers (representing 183 police departments) and their 894 books in six categories, there are also listings of United States federal law enforcement employees turned authors, international police officers who have written books and civilian police personnel who have written books.