Chambers County Woman Gets 15 Years for Conspiracy Involving Bomb Making and Weapons Possession

HOUSTON – Pamela Leggett, 32, of Anhuac, has been handed a 15-year prison sentence following her conviction of conspiracy to illegally make and possess unregistered firearms, including bombs, and to aiding and abetting illegal possession of an unlawful machine gun, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Special Agent-in-Charge Melvin King Jr. Leggett pleaded guilty March 30, 2012.

Today, U.S. District Judge Melinda Harmon, who accepted the guilty plea, handed Leggett the 180-month sentence. Leggett was given the statutory maximum of 120 months for possession of an unlawful machine gun and 60 months for conspiracy to make and possess the unregistered firearms and bombs, with her sentences to run consecutively. At the hearing today, the Judge listened to argument about to what degree Leggett contributed to the events that led to the death of a deputy sheriff and noted the lengthy sentence should reflect the seriousness of the crime and the need to protect the community.

The charges and subsequent conviction arose from an altercation with local authorities on July 13, 2009, during which the deputy was shot and killed.

On that morning, two utility workers arrived at the residence to turn off the water for non-payment of the utility bill, at which time Leggett fired two shots in their direction, telling them to get off the property. The utility workers immediately dialed 911. Four officers immediately responded, one of which was aware that a man, woman and child resided at the home. The officers approached the front door, knocked and announced themselves to be police. When no one responded, one of the deputies loudly ordered they open the door or police would force entry. No one responded. Shortly thereafter, Leggett opened the front door and exited the home, at which time a deputy saw a weapon tucked into her waistband which he soon confiscated.

According to court records, deputies were told by Leggett that there was no one else in the home, however, concerned there was a child present and for potential safety, officers entered the home. Hearing rustling noises, the officers continued to announce they were the police and to come out, when suddenly, shots were fired through a wall and a deputy was immediately struck twice in the head and killed. A flurry of gunfire was exchanged and law enforcement withdrew from the house, dragging the deputy with them.

Shortly thereafter, additional law enforcement agencies and officers arrived on the scene, surrounded the house and were in a perceived stand off because no one within the home would respond. Eventually, a front end loader was utilized to tear down a wall of the home and police observed a man inside with a fatal gunshot wound to his head. A subsequent autopsy concluded that the cause of his death was a self-inflicted gunshot to the head.

A search warrant was later executed on the home where 122 improvised explosive devices, stores of precursor chemicals for making explosives, a guide book on explosives assembly, a machine gun, an illegal short barrel rifle and three illegal silencers, along with assorted other weapons were discovered. Records revealed Leggett was the person responsible for ordering many of the precursor chemicals used to assemble the destructive devices. She also admitted to labeling many of the storage containers that held those precursor chemicals. One of Leggett's fingerprints was also discovered on the underside of tape that was affixed to one of the destructive devices during its assembly. Law enforcement was also able to trace the paperwork for initial purchase of the short barrel firearm and for the weapon that was later converted to be a machine gun. In each case, Leggett was the purchaser.

During an interview with law enforcement, Leggett admitted she knew of the machine gun and was willing to accept responsibility for being in possession of the weapon.

Leggett will remain in custody pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

This investigation leading to the federal charges was conducted by the Texas Rangers, FBI, ATF, the Chambers County Sheriff‘s Office, the Baytown Police Department, the Bay Area Regional Bomb Squad, the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Houston Police Department, Metro Police Department Bomb Squad and the Pasadena Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Jocher is prosecuting the case.

North Hollywood Man Arrested After Being Indicted Under New Legislation Making it a Crime to Point a Laser at an Aircraft

LOS ANGELES—A North Hollywood man was taken into custody this morning after being charged in a federal indictment that alleges he pointed the beam of a laser at multiple aircraft, announced Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office; and André Birotte, Jr., the United States Attorney in Los Angeles.

Adam Gardenhire,18, was arrested this morning at his North Hollywood residence without incident. Gardenhire was named in a two-count indictment filed yesterday in United States District Court in Los Angeles that alleges he pointed the beam of a laser at a private plane and a police helicopter.

The federal statute used to charge Gardenhire is part of new legislation recently signed into law by President Obama that makes it a federal crime to deliberately point a laser at an aircraft. The indictment marks the second time a violation of the new statute has been charged in the United States, and the first time one has been charged on the West Coast.

According to the indictment, Gardenhire deliberately aimed a commercial-grade green laser at multiple aircraft on the evening of March 29, 2012. The laser attack was initially reported by a pilot operating a privately owned Cessna Citation. The indictment further alleges that the beam of Gardenhire’s laser was pointed at a helicopter operated by a pilot with the Pasadena Police Department who was responding to the report of the laser attack on the Cessna. Air and ground investigators with the Los Angeles Police Department and the Pasadena Police Department identified Gardenhire as a suspect later that evening, and Gardenhire was taken into custody on state charges of pointing a laser at an aircraft. Gardenhire subsequently posted bail and was released from local custody while the joint investigation continued.

Reports of laser attacks have increased dramatically in recent years as laser devices have become more affordable and widely available to the public. In addition, technology has advanced the effectiveness of laser devices, with a resulting increase in the potential safety hazards for pilots operating aircraft and their passengers and crew. Such safety hazards include temporary distraction and impaired vision, which is particularly dangerous during the critical takeoff or landing phase of flight. In addition, pilots have reported the need to abort landings or relinquish control of the aircraft to another pilot as a result of laser attacks. California consistently leads the nation in reports of laser attacks. Over 3,500 laser attacks were reported in 2011.

Gardenhire is scheduled to make an initial appearance before a federal magistrate judge this afternoon in federal court in downtown Los Angeles.

If convicted of both charges in the indictment, Gardenhire faces a statutory maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison. Gardenhire is also subject to civil penalties by the Federal Aviation Administration.

This investigation was conducted by the Los Angeles Police Department, the Pasadena Police Department, the Burbank Police Department, the Federal Aviation Administration, and the FBI.

Gardenhire is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in the Central District of California. An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Fugitive Sought in Relation to Serial Robberies of Banks in Grocery Stores

HOUSTON—An 18-count federal superseding indictment has been unsealed today charging nine area men for their roles in the robbery of eight area banks, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today along with Special Agent in Charge Stephen L. Morris of the FBI.

The indictment, unsealed just moments ago, charges Patrick Wayne Simmons, 27, along with eight others for robbing several area banks, including one involving the shooting of an off duty Harris County deputy. Simmons is currently a fugitive and a photo of him is below. Anyone with knowledge if his whereabouts is asked to contact the FBI at 713-693-5000.

“Even in this high-tech age, old fashioned bank robberies are still a cause for concern,” said Morris, “The FBI will continue to support our local law enforcement partners in the vigorous pursuit of those who commit the most violent crimes.”

Charged with Simmons are Marcus Rosemond Tarpley, 30, Anthony Demonde Nowlin, 22, Alonzo Horace Harris, 35, Hakim Ibn Ahmad, 29, Reginald Mosley, 35, Mark Eric Simpson, 28, Shelton McGowen, 22, and Derrick Williams 26. Six have been in federal custody since their initial arrest on Sept. 16, 2011, and will remain in federal custody pending trial, while Simpson and Harris have been in state custody on unrelated charges. Simpson and Harris made their his initial appearances Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, at which time both were ordered temporarily detained pending detention hearings set for Monday, Nov. 21, 2011, at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nancy Johnson.

The indictment alleges that the conspiracy began on May 4, 2007, and ended with the arrest of Tarpley, Nowlin, Ahmad, Mosley, McGowen and Williams on Sept. 16, 2011.

The 18-count indictment includes one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce through robbery, one count of conspiracy to commit bank robbery, eight counts of bank robbery and eight counts of possessing and/or discharging firearms during a violent crime. According to the superseding indictment, the defendants would “case” banks and credit unions that were located in grocery stores, using force, violence and intimidation to rob them. During the robberies, which were committed on weekday mornings between 9:00 a.m. and noon, the defendants would use semi-automatic pistols, shotguns and Uzi style firearms to intimidate the bank employees. The superseding indictment further alleges that the defendants would also use stolen vehicles, primarily Dodge products, during the robberies to elude law enforcement.

During the Aug. 4, 2011, robbery of Wells Fargo Bank in Sugar Land involving Tarpley, Simmons, Mosley, Nowlin, Harris and Simspon, according to the indictment, a firearm was discharged and an off-duty Harris County deputy who was in the bank on personal business was shot.

Tarpley, Nowlin, Ahmad, Mosley, McGowen and Williams were arrested on the morning of Sept. 16, 2011, on Interstate 45 North after several of them were observed both driving and going in and out of a stolen Dodge Intrepid. Officers later observed McGowen enter the Associated Credit Union for the purpose of casing it for a robbery. Law enforcement officers observed several suspicious vehicles with paper plates near the Kroger that housed the Associated Credit Union on the day of their Sept. 16 arrest. Due to previous robberies of groceries store banks and credit unions, law enforcement had reason to believe that the defendants were about to commit a robbery.

This matter was investigated by the FBI Bank Robbery Task Force which is comprised of personnel from the FBI, Houston Police Department and the Harris County Sheriff’s Office with special assistance from the Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office and the Baytown and Pasadena Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Suzanne Elmilady and Kebharu H. Smith.

An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.

A defendant is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

Closing in on 800 books

Police-Writers.com, a website dedicated to listing state and local police officers who have authored books added three police officers who have brought the total number of books by police officers to nearly 800. Added where Victor Cass, William Nikkel and Jack Mullen.

In 1991, Victor Cass joined the Pasadena Police Department. An artist and writer, Victor is a graduate of the Art Center College of Design. In addition to his duties as a police officer, he has created a diverse portfolio of artwork; designing the cover of the Pasadena Police Department’s “Pasadena Welcomes the World” pamphlet for World Cup Soccer matches at the Rose Bowl to having original paintings exhibited a prestigious art galleries. From 1994 to 1997, Victor Cass served as a patrol officer and a Community Policing Officer. In 1998, he was promoted to detective; and, in the same year designed the official logo for the XXXIII California Police Summer Games.

Victor Cass’ published his first book, Love, Death, and Other War Stories: Tales of Crime and Punishment in the Wild West, in 2005. According to the book description, “What the beautiful people don’t know can hurt them, as the bodies pile up in Pasadena.”

William A. Nikkel, a detective with the Kern County Sheriff’s Department (California) wrote Isle of Bones. According to one reviewer, “We are introduced to Jake Stone , a cop who's been through the trenches and wants some peace in his life. Unfortunately, trouble won't leave him be and we ride with Jake to see when, and if, he'll live to drink another Carta Blanca. First off, I have to say what I liked best about this book is how well William A. Nikkel sets the scene. You almost feel like you're at the bar or on the deck of a boat in the dock. Secondly, though it's not the first time we've seen a lonely character down on his luck, you will find yourself pulling for Stone to get out of the way of danger.”

Jack Mullen is a retired sergeant from the San Diego Police Department. He has written two novels: Behind the Shield, In the Line of Duty and Behind the Shield 10cc. On reviewer of Behind the Shield wrote, “Vincent Dowling is a fascinating, fully developed character who should live on in a long series of novels by this talented storyteller. Ex-cop Jack Mullen knows his businesses -- homicide investigation and writing -- and the result is a gripping plot, wonderful characters, a tight story, a lot of insight into the police world. In short, a great read. I want to see more by Jack Mullen.” Jack retired to the State of Washington.

Police-Writers.com now hosts 356 police officers (representing 148 police departments) and their 790 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.