Knoxville Man Pleads Guilty to Copyright Infringement and Trafficking Counterfeit Labels

KNOXVILLE—Ernest Chie Ekwuribe, 49, of Knoxville, Tennessee, pleaded guilty today to a two-count indictment charging him with criminal copyright infringement and trafficking in counterfeit labels, documentation, and packaging. Ekwuribe entered his guilty plea before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of Tennessee.

The activities that led to Ekwuribe’s indictment were brought to the attention of the Knoxville Police Department by the Motion Picture Association of America, which had received a confidential complaint of movie piracy by a business owned by the defendant. The resulting joint investigation by the Knoxville Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation involved the execution of numerous search warrants and the seizure of hundreds of counterfeit CDs, DVDs, DVD case inserts, and other items.

Sentencing has been scheduled for October 4, 2012 at 2:00 p.m. The United States is represented in this matter to Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr.

Sean Widmer Sentenced for Receipt of Child Pornography

KNOXVILLE, TN—Sean Jay Widmer, 41, of Concord, Tenn., was sentenced today in U.S. District Court in Knoxville, to serve 97 months in federal prison and supervised release for five years upon his release from prison. Widmer pleaded guilty on February 22, 2011, to an indictment charging him with receipt of child pornography. The sentencing was held before U.S. District Court Judge Thomas W. Phillips.

Widmer came to the attention of law enforcement through an online investigation conducted by the Knoxville Police Department, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). A subsequent forensic examination found seven images and 134 videos of child pornography on his computer.

This conviction was the result of an investigation by the ICAC Units of the Knoxville Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal, 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 visit ProjectSafeChildhood.gov.

Multi-Agency Investigation Leads to Arrest of Three Individuals Suspected of Robbing Knox County Teachers Federal Credit Union

The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Chief David Rausch of the Knoxville Police Department (KPD), Chief James Akagi of the Oak Ridge Police Department (ORPD), and Chief Kenneth Morgan of the Oliver Springs Police Department (OSPD) announce the arrest of Clyde J. Hubbard, Jimmie Dean Wells III, and Stephawn Lashawn Lewis on robbery charges related to the May 7, 2010 robbery of the Knox County Teachers Federal Credit Union, 301 S. Gallagher View Road, Knoxville, Tennessee.

On August 29, 2011, Hubbard, age 23 of Knoxville, Tennessee, was arrested without incident by members of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF) and KPD Major Crimes Unit in Knoxville, Tennessee. Hubbard is facing state charges for bank tobbery.

On August 30, 2011, Wells, age 23, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee was arrested without incident by members of the FBI’s SSTF, KPD Major Crimes Unit, and ORPD in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Wells is facing state charges for bank robbery.

On September 1, 2011, Lewis, age 23, of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was arrested without incident by members of the FBI’s SSTF, KPD Major Crimes Unit, and OSPD in Oliver Springs, Tennessee. Lewis is facing state charges for bank robbery.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in a court of law.

Contact:

Special Agent Kelly L. Kindness

865-602-7035

Searching for Two Men Suspected in Multiple Convenience Store Robberies

The Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Sheriff Jimmy "J.J." Jones of the Knox County Sheriff's Office (KCSO) are asking for the public's assistance in identifying the men who robbed three Weigel's convenience stores.

The first robbery occurred on 10/15/2010, at the Weigel's store located at

1506 Emory Road

. The second robbery occurred on 11/08/2010, at the Weigel's store located at

6802 Central Avenue

Pike. The third robbery occurred on 01/23/2011, at the Weigel's store located at 5904 Washington Pike. In the first and third robberies, the suspects brandished a shotgun and a semi-automatic handgun. During the second robbery, both suspects brandished

semi-automatic handguns.

Witnesses describe Suspect #1 as a white male, between 5'5" and 5'7" tall, wearing a black hoodie, black ski mask, and blue rubber gloves. Suspect #2 is described as a white male, between 5'9" and 6' tall, wearing black pants, a gray hoodie, a black ski mask, and blue rubber gloves.

During each of the robberies, the suspects obtained an undetermined amount of money and fled the scene by automobile. Possible vehicles used in the robberies are a red, 1996-1998 model Chevrolet Monte Carlo and/or a four-door Chevrolet Tracker. A reward is being offered for any information which leads to the arrest of these individuals. Anyone with information is asked to please call the Knoxville FBI at 865-544-0751 or the KCSO at 865-215-2243.

This matter is being investigated jointly by the FBI Safe Streets Task Force—which consists of personnel from the FBI, KPD, and KCSO—and the KCSO Major Crimes Unit.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

This article was sponsored by Police Leadership Books.

Rockwood Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography

KNOXVILLE, TN—Aubrey Dean Cole, 78, of Rockwood, Tenn., entered a plea of guilty on January 25, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville, to possession of child pornography. Sentencing has been set for May 11, 2011, at 2:00 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Knoxville.

Cole faces a term of between 78 and 97 months in prison, along with criminal forfeiture and a potential fine and the obligation to pay restitution and a statutory assessment.

On June 15, 2010, a two-count indictment, which included the aforementioned charge, was returned against Cole by a federal grand jury sitting in Knoxville. This indictment was the result of an ongoing investigation by the Internet Crimes Against Children Units of the Knoxville Police Department and Harriman Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Frank M. Dale, Jr. represented the United States.

This case was brought as part of Public Safe Childhood (PSC), a Department initiative launched in 2006 that aims to combat the proliferation of technology-facilitated sexual exploitation crimes against children. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, PSC marshals federal, state, tribal 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 visit ProjectSafeChildhood.gov.