Two Southeast Texas Residents Guilty of Child Pornography Violations

BEAUMONT, TX—Two Southeast Texas residents have pleaded guilty to child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Stacey Marie Barron, 24, of Nederland, Texas; and Johnny Ray Baldwin, II, 27, of Lumberton, Texas, have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce child pornography today before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone.

According to information presented in court, on February 1, 2012, federal officials conducted a search warrant at a home in Orange County, Texas, after receiving information from an Internet-based image hosting website reporting that a customer had uploaded digital images from a cell phone that contained sexually explicit conduct of a young child and an adult. An investigation revealed that although the adult in the photos was deceased, another person identified as Charles Reese had been paying money for several years in return for digital pictures of sexually explicit conduct involving minor children. On March 12, 2012, a search warrant was executed at Reese’s home in Louisiana, during which multiple child pornography images and videos were discovered. Financial records indicate Reese paid over $700,000 between 2004 and 2012 for the production of child pornography.

Reese was arrested on March 5, 2012, and indicted by a federal grand jury on March 21, 2012. He pleaded guilty on May 24, 2012, and is awaiting sentencing.

Further investigation led to additional child pornography thst had been produced by Barron and Baldwin for Reese from July 2009 to August 2011 using two young children. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 6, 2012, charging Barron and Baldwin with child pornography violations.

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 www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

Barron, Baldwin, and Reese each face a minimum of 15 years, and up to 30 years, in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not been set.

This case is being investigated by the FBI, Jefferson County Child Protective Services, the Garth House, and Orange County Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher T. Tortorice.

Orange County Man Sentenced for Federal Firearms Violation

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 27-year-old Orange, Texas, man has been sentenced to federal prison for federal firearms violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today.

Michael George Mitchell pleaded guilty on Mar. 29, 2012, to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 105 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 24, 2012, law enforcement authorities were called to family disturbance on Know Street in Orange, Texas where Mitchell was holding an adult male and an 11-year-old child hostage with a revolver. During the almost three-hour stand-off, Mitchell threatened his hostages with the weapon and fired shots into the ceiling of the home. Mitchell eventually surrendered to SWAT officers and exited the house leaving his hostages inside unharmed. Further investigation revealed Mitchell was a convicted felon, having been previously found guilty of robbery in 2002, felony assault in 2002, possession of a controlled substance in 2005, and delivery of a controlled substance in 2005, all in Orange County, Texas. As a convicted felon, Mitchell is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Mitchell was indicted on federal firearms violations on Feb. 14, 2012.

This case was prosecuted as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative. Project Safe Neighborhoods is aimed at reducing gun and gang violence, deterring illegal possession of guns, ammunition and body armor, and improving the safety of residents in the Eastern District of Texas. Participants in the initiative include community members and organizations as well as federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

This case was investigated by the ATF and the Orange County Sheriff's Office and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Batte.

Convicted Felon With Loaded Firearm and Drugs Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison

Orlando, Florida – United States District Judge Charlene Honeywell sentenced Ronald William Jones (25, Orlando) yesterday to 12 years and 8 months in federal prison for gun and drug violations. On March 16, 2012 a federal jury found Jones guilty of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number, possession of crack cocaine with the intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.

According to testimony and evidence presented in court, Jones was apprehended by deputies from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on February 8, 2010, after he was involved in a car accident while attempting to avoid a speeding checkpoint. After hitting a power pole with his car, Jones immediately fled the crash on foot, but was captured by deputies a short distance away. Inside of Jones’ car, deputies recovered a loaded semi-automatic handgun on the driver’s floorboard, a box of ammunition on the back seat, and a plastic container with 17.9 grams of crack cocaine in the dashboard. The serial number on the firearm had been intentionally removed. Jones subsequently admitted that the items in the car belonged to him. As a previously convicted felon for narcotics distribution, Jones is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Orange County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert E. Bodnar, Jr.

It is another case prosecuted as a part of the Department of Justice’s “Project Safe Neighborhoods” program – a nationwide, gun-violence reduction strategy led by ATF. United States Attorney Robert E. O’Neill, along with Virginia O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge, ATF, is coordinating the Project Safe Neighborhoods effort here in the Middle District of Florida in cooperation with federal, state, and local law enforcement officials.

Zellwood Cocaine and Firearms Dealer Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison

ORLANDO, FL—U.S. Attorney Robert E. O’Neill announces today that U.S. District Judge Anne C. Conway sentenced Brandon Denard Smith (27, Zellwood) to 123 months in federal prison for possession of firearms by a convicted felon, distribution of cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. Smith pled guilty on February 2, 2012.

Smith was charged in September 2011 as part of Operation Woodchop, an investigation into two neighborhood-based street gangs in the Orange and Lake County areas. This joint federal, state, and local effort targeted firearms offenders, drug dealers, and violent criminals in the Zellwood and Tangerine communities. To date, this multi-agency investigation has led to the arrest of approximately 60 individuals who have been charged in federal and state court.

According to court documents, during the summer of 2010, Smith sold firearms and cocaine on multiple occasions. Four of the seven firearms sold by Smith were stolen. The weapons sold included assault rifles, semi-automatic pistols and hundreds of rounds of ammunition. Smith is a previously convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition under federal law.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Mount Dora Police Department. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney E. Jackson Boggs Jr.

Agents confiscate thousands of counterfeit goods at NBA All-Star Weekend

ORLANDO, Fla. — More than 2,500 counterfeit items were confiscated as the result of a joint operation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office during the 2012 NBA All-Star Weekend in Orlando.

"Counterfeiters prey on sports fans at events like the NBA All-Star Game," said Susan McCormick, special agent in charge of HSI in Tampa, Fla. "I urge buyers to beware. Counterfeiting is not a harmless crime. Counterfeiting costs U.S. businesses more than $200 billion each year and accounts for the loss of more than 750,000 American jobs."

During the days leading up to the NBA All-Star Game, HSI agents operated in teams throughout the Orlando-area, targeting suspicious activity that might lead them to counterfeiters. HSI agents seized counterfeit items including t-shirts, caps and jerseys. The items are valued at more than $69,000. Ten individuals were arrested for possessing or offering to sell counterfeit NBA merchandise in violation of Florida state law.

"The NBA is committed year-round to protecting both our fans and legitimate, tax-paying retailers from being victimized by counterfeiters seeking to profit illegally from the public's enthusiasm for the NBA," said Ayala Deutsch, senior vice president and chief intellectual property counsel for the NBA. "We greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of HSI, the Orlando Police Department and the Orange County Sheriff's Office throughout All-Star Weekend and are pleased to have their support in working to address this important issue."

As the largest investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, HSI plays a leading role in targeting criminal organizations responsible for producing, smuggling, and distributing counterfeit products. HSI investigations focus not only on keeping counterfeit products off U.S. streets, but also on dismantling the criminal organizations behind this activity.

To report or learn more about intellectual property theft, visit IPRcenter.gov.

Paranormal Fiction, Westerns and True Crime

Police-Writers.com is a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books. The website added three police officers: Candace Sams; Craig Johnson and Timothy Carney.

Candace Sams had an eleven year law enforcement career. She was a police officer for the Texas A & M University and the San Diego Police Department. She has a BS in Agriculture from Texas A & M University. Candace Sams is the senior woman on the U.S. Kung Fu Team, awarded the Medal of Putien from China and the Statue of Tao for martial arts, holder of several International Martial Arts Titles, and is an Award Winning author of Fantasy fiction. She is the author of six books: Stone Heart; Gryphon's Quest; The Craftsman; The Gazing Globe; Goblin Moon; and, is a contributing author to the anthology Wyrd Wravings: An Anthology of Humorous Speculative Fiction.

Candace Sams book Gypon’s Quest was awarded the Road to Romance Readers’ Choice Award for best paranormal book. According to the book description of Gypon’s Quest, “The Sorceress of the Ancients sends a Druid Warrior on a mission. He must retrieve three rune stones that were stolen from an ancient, Irish burial site. Can he recover them before the world learns of their powers? Can he keep a mythic Order of creatures safe? Will revealing his secrets, to the woman he loves, cost them both their lives?”

Craig Johnson is a former New York Police Department police officer who worked both the 23rd and Central Park Precincts. He has received both critical and popular praise for his novels The Cold Dish and Death Without Company with starred reviews in Kirkus and Booklist. The Cold Dish and Death Without Company have been made Booksense 76 selections by the Independent Booksellers Association, and Killer Picks by the Independent Mystery Booksellers Association. On its day of release in Penguin paperback, The Cold Dish began a six-week run on the Barnes & Noble top-fifty best-sellers list.

Death Without Company was selected by Booklist as one of the top-ten mysteries of 2006 and has been nominated for the Wyoming Historical Society as it's fiction book of the year. His first short story, Old Indian Trick, won a Tony Hillerman Mystery Short Story Award and appeared in Cowboys & Indians Magazine.

Craig Johnson’s third in the Walt Longmire series, Kindness Goes Unpunished, was released March of 2007. According to Booklist, in Kindness Goes Unpunished, “Absaroka County, Wyoming, Sheriff Walt Longmire goes on a rare road trip in this third entry in a consistently entertaining series. The trip has two purposes: visit Walt's daughter, Cady, a lawyer in Philadelphia, and support his best friend, Henry Standing Bear, who is the guest of honor at the opening of an exhibit of Native American photographs. Plans change quickly when Cady, the victim of a vicious attack, hovers near death.”

Timothy Carney was raised in an orphanage in the Midwest. He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and served thirteen months in Vietnam. Upon discharge, he joined the Orange County sheriff's Department. He worked in various capacities for the Orange County sheriff’s Department as an investigator, including narcotics and homicide. After serving as a homicide investigator and a sergeant, he was promoted to lieutenant. Timothy Carney is a graduate of Regis University, Denver, Colorado.

Timothy Carney co-authored Final Affair, a truce crime book. According to the book description, “When Janet Overton died from "unexplained causes," no one in her Orange County community suspected foul play. But a year later, Sheriff's Investigator Tim Carney sensed something amiss in this so-called "nothing case"-and uncovered the shocking truth about Dr. Richard Overton's past.”

Police-Writers.com now hosts 535 police officers (representing 219 police departments) and their 1142 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.

Cops on Evidence

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books, added two authors who have written extensively on the subjects of evidence collection and crime scenes.

Randal Davis has been an Investigator or Police Officer with departments in the Los Angeles and Orange County areas for 26 years. As a Police Officer and District Attorney Bureau of Investigation Investigator, he has conducted or participated in thousands of criminal investigations and arrests. He has received considerable police training and experience in Crime Scene Investigation, Homicide Investigation, the California Street Terrorism Act, Patrol Procedures, General Criminal Investigation, Narcotics, Sexual Assault, and Crimes Against Children.

Randal holds a Masters degree in Criminal Justice (with honors) and a Bachelors degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from California State University Long Beach. Davis is a Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society member. He has been an Adjunct Professor teaching Criminal Justice courses at Santa Ana and Santiago Canyon Colleges since 1997. He has also been a guest instructor at Western State Law School.

Since 1992 Randal has been a POST instructor for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, instructing courses in Homicide Investigation, Criminal Law, Ethics, Professionalism, Weapons Laws, Search and Seizure, Crimes Against Persons, Constitutional Law, and Civil Rights. Additionally, prior to his civilian law enforcement career he was a military police officer in the United States Army.

Randal Davis’ book, Evidence Collection and Presentation, is designed to introduce the concepts involved in collecting and presenting audio and visual evidence. The students will also be introduced to the documentation methods for preserving visual evidence. The text gives the student and understanding of the courtroom technology available for presentation methods utilizing audio and visual means. The disciplines include digital photography, film photography, video, voice and audio recordings.

Jon Lewis received his Master of Arts Degree in Criminal Justice from Chapman University in Orange California. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Speech Communication from Long Beach State University in California. He is a veteran officer with the Newport Beach Police Department, currently serving as a Sergeant and a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team.

Jon Lewis’, Biological Evidence, is an introduction to the types of biological evidence commonly found at crime scenes and how to collect it. This book is written in an easy to read and understand style for non-science majors and for professionals working in the criminal justice system. Specific biological evidence discussed includes blood, semen, saliva, urine, feces, hair, and fingernails. Additional topics include autopsy, the basic departments of the crime laboratory, toxicology, forensic entomology, and uncollectible biological evidence. Packaging, preservation, and care of biological evidence is discussed and chain of custody is explained. Additional topics include DNA, case studies, courtroom testimony, and exhibits for the courtroom.

Jon Lewis’ second book, Criminalistics for Crime Scene Investigators, is an introduction to the concepts involved in the field of Criminalistics from the professional and scientific disciplines dedicated to the recognition, collection, identification, and individualization of physical evidence and the application of the natural sciences to the matters of the law.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 315 police officers (representing 135 police departments) and their 736 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.