Buffalo Man Pleads Guilty to Anthrax Mail Hoax

BUFFALO—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Cory T. Kent, 30, of Buffalo, New York, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to perpetrating a hoax by mailing a threatening envelope. The charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Moscati, who is handling the case, stated that on November 1, 2011, Kent placed two envelopes in a mailbox at Daemen College addressed to two large U.S. banks. When a postal carrier was emptying the contents of the mailbox, a puff of powder emanated from the envelopes. Further investigation revealed the defendant put baby powder in the two envelopes as a prank intended to “freak out” whoever opened the envelopes. Kent stated he was mailing the envelopes after watching a YouTube video from the Occupy Wall Street group that advocated mailing pre-paid envelopes received from banks back to the banks stuffed with additional items in order to increase their costs.

The plea is the culmination of an investigation on the part of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Joint Terrorism Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota; the United States Postal Service Inspection Service, under the direction of Inspector in Charge Robert Bethel; the Amherst Police Department, under the direction of Chief of Police John C. Askey; and the Town of Amherst Emergency Services, under the direction of James Zymanek.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 14, 2012 at 1:00 p.m. before Judge Arcara.

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.

New Mexico State University Student Charged with Making False Bomb Threat

LAS CRUCES—This morning, Daud Anwar, 29, a resident of Albuquerque, New Mexico, who is a student at the New Mexico State University (NMSU), made his initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Las Cruces, New Mexico on an indictment charging him with making a false bomb threat. If convicted of the offense charged, Anwar faces up to 10 years of imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Anwar is temporarily detained pending a detention hearing, which has yet to be scheduled.

According to the indictment, on March 3, 2011, Anwar used a telephone and the Internet to maliciously convey false information to the effect that buildings and occupants of buildings on the NMSU campus would be damaged and destroyed by an explosive device. The indictment, which was filed under seal on March 21, 2012, was unsealed yesterday by the U.S. District Court after Anwar was arrested without incident on the NMSU campus by the FBI and NMSU Police.

“Threats like the one alleged in the indictment are serious crimes and warrant a serious response,” said U.S. Attorney Kenneth J. Gonzales. “In a post-9/11 world, each and every bomb threat must be taken seriously. False bomb threats drain our already overburdened public safety agencies and prevent them from pursuing real threats to our security and other serious crimes. For this reason, we will diligently investigate and prosecuted these cases.”

The case was investigated by the FBI and the NMSU Police Department, with assistance from the Computer Security Team in the NMSU Information and Communications Technology Department, and is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Branch Office in Las Cruces.

Bogus “FBI Funds Notifications” E-Mails

The Baltimore FBI office is receiving a large number of telephone calls concerning e-mails supposedly from the FBI Director, the Baltimore Special Agent in Charge, or other top Bureau officials. These e-mails claim that you are the “rightful beneficiary” of large sums of money wired from the Central Bank of Nigeria but intercepted by the FBI and that you can release the funds by obtaining your “Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer” through the Baltimore FBI office. The e-mails also threaten legal action against you, including arrest and detention, if you do not comply.

These e-mails are not from the FBI and entirely fraudulent. Please do not respond to them or contact our office. Instead, please report this scam to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.

Below is an example of one of these e-mails (and note the many grammatical errors):

ATTENTION BENEFICIARY:

This is to officially inform you that it has come to our notice; the Federal Bureau Investigation (FBI) that the sum of $8.3 Million U.S Dollars is here in the United State of America in your name wired to you from the Central Bank of Nigeria but was intercepted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in Baltimore (Maryland) U.S.A. That is why we have decided to contact you directly to acquire the proper verifications and proof from you to show that you are the rightful owner of the fund, because the above mentioned amount is a huge amount of money, we want to make sure that money you are about to receive is legal and we need to verify that you are not involved in any terrorist movement and money laundry.

It has already been confirmed in your name, your funds and all other legal documents are right now in our custody in WASHINGTON D.C UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, waiting to be released to you, we have verified and Investigated that you are the rightful beneficiary to claim the funds, all we need from you is verification and proof by providing to this office the Hard Copy of your Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer (DIST) due to the huge amount of money.

As a matter of national security, we are to serve and to protect the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. The only advice we can give to you as at this time is to provide the required document so that your funds will be release to you, this funds are rightfully yours. If you do not have this documents in your possession, which I don’t think you do not have, You can obtain it from the FBI Special Agent in Charge in Baltimore (Maryland) here in the United States, using the following information:

Richard A. McFeely

FBI SPECIAL AGENT IN CHARGE

INVESTIGATIONS DEPARTMENT

BALTIMORE (MARYLAND) U.S.A

E-mail: investigationsunit@usa.com

PHONE: 410-265-8080 (Voice)

410-277-6677 (Fax)

We have done our verification on your FBI Identification Record and checked your criminal records, the only documents remaining now is the Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer(DIST) to “certisy” to us that the money you are about to receive is free from Terrorism and Money Laundry act and it is rightfuly yours.

You are to scan and forward the documents to us immediately if you have it with you, but if you don’t have it, you can get it from the FBI Special Agent in charge in Baltimore (Maryland) here in the States, you are to contact the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in Baltimore (Maryland) to obtain the above required document.

An FBI Identification Record and Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer (DIST) are often referred to as a Criminal History Record or Rap Sheet, is a listing of certain information taken from fingerprint submissions retained by the FBI in connection with arrests and, in some instances, federal employment, citizenship, or military service.

An individual may request a copy of his or her own FBI Identification Record for personal review or to challenge information on the Record. Other reasons an individual may request a copy of his or her own Identification Record may include international adoption or to certify a requirement to live or work in a foreign country ( i.e., Diplomatic Immunity Seal Of Transfer, letter of good conduct, criminal history background, etc.).

NOTE: We have asked for the above documents to be made available the most complete and up-to date records possible for no criminal justice purposes before your fund could be released to you. You are here by advice to Contact the FBI in Baltimore (Maryland), through the e-mail address above to inquire from them on how you are going to get the required document if not in your possession at present.

You are to do this immediately if you really want your fund to be released to you and also if you do not want any legal action to be taken on you. We have already informed the FBI in Baltimore (Maryland) about the present situation, so go ahead and contact the FBI Special Agent in charge immediately.

Your fund is now in our custody and will only be released to you upon the confirmation of your Diplomatic Immunity Seal of Transfer (DIST) documents, after that the fund will be released to you immediately without any delay.

WARNING: Failure to produce the above requirement in the next 48 hours, legal action will be taken immediately by arresting and detaining you, justificatory and if found guilty, you will be jailed for ancillary support to terrorist, drug trafficker and money launderer. I believe you know this is a serious offense in the United States of America today. The F.B.I will not stop at any length in tracking down and persecuting any criminal who indulges in this criminal acts.

CONTACT HIM IMMEDIATELY FOR HIS ASSISTANCE IN GETTING YOU A DIPLOMATIC IMMUNITY SEAL OF TRANSFER (DIST) AND GET BACK TO US, SO THAT YOUR FUNDS CAN BE AUTHORIZED FOR FINAL RELEASED TO YOU.

FBI DIRECTOR

ROBERT S. MULLER

Former Western Illinois University Student Sentenced for Making Hoax Bomb Threats

PEORIA, IL—U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced Cameron McKoy, a former Western Illinois University (WIU) student, to 12 months and one day in prison for making hoax bomb threats to WIU freshmen residence halls last fall. McKoy, 19, of Chicago, has been in federal law enforcement custody since Nov. 16, 2010.

A grand jury returned its indictment of McKoy in December 2010 and McKoy pled guilty on Apr. 25, 2011. McKoy admitted that he used the telephone to make hoax bomb threats beginning on Oct. 25, 2010. McKoy used a telephone to make the first threat, on Oct. 25, 2010, to Tanner Hall, a freshman dormitory on WIU’s Macomb campus. McKoy used an automated calling service known as RoboTalker.com to make eight additional hoax bomb threats, from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11, 2010.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety. Agencies assisting in the response and investigation include the Illinois Secretary of State Bomb Squad, the Scott County Sheriff’s Department, and the Adams County Sheriff’s Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greggory R. Walters in cooperation with the McDonough County State’s Attorney’s Office.

Auburn, New York Man Pleads Not Guilty to Sending Anthrax Hoax Letters

United States Attorney Richard S. Hartunian today announced that 46-year-old Roberto Cepeda, appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Andrew T. Baxter and entered a plea of not guilty to a five-count indictment charging him with sending anthrax hoax letters to United States District Court Clerk’s offices in Syracuse, New York; Washington, D.C.; and Harrisonburg, Charlottesville, and Alexandria, Virginia during April of 2007. The indictment alleges that Cepeda sent the letters from the New York State prison in Auburn, New York where he was serving time in connection with unrelated state crimes. The indictment alleges that the letters contained an unknown substance and notes stating “This is ANTHRAX,” “ANTHRAX for you...,” “Die from ANTHRAX,” etc.

If convicted, Cepeda now faces as much as five years of additional federal prison time for each of the anthrax hoax letters, as well as fines of up to $250,000, and an additional term of supervised release.

The underlying investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, the New York State Police and the Inspector General’s Office for the New York State Department of Correctional Services. The prosecution is now being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Greg West of the United States Attorney’s Office in Syracuse New York.

The indictment contains mere accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.