January 26, 2010 - Robert D. Grant, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), announced today the arrest of two west suburban men, who are alleged to have operated a Ponzi scheme which defrauded over 100 investors out of more than $4 million.
CHRISTOPHER R. ANDERSEN, age 54, of 520 Hamilton Avenue in Westmont, Illinois, was arrested late Friday, without incident, by FBI Special Agents at his residence. DANIEL J. PARRILLI, age 59, of 502 Yardley Drive in Carol Stream, Illinois, surrendered to FBI agents in Chicago earlier today. Both men were charged in a criminal complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court in Chicago with one count of Wire Fraud, which is a felony offense.
According to the complaint, ANDERSEN and PARILLI operated Sundown Entertainment, Inc., a Westmont, Illinois based business which purported to be involved in the buying, selling, and producing of films, comic books, and other forms of intellectual property. Beginning in 2006 and continuing until they were arrested, ANDERSEN and PARILLI are alleged to have sold to investors, promissory notes based on the revenues the intellectual property was expected to generate. The promissory notes that were offered carried a return of 25 percent to 100 percent over periods as short as seven days. The complaint also alleges that ANDERSEN and PARILLI made material misstatements to potential investors, including the expected return on their investment, the status of the business transactions, and the source of the funds that were used to re-pay investors.
ANDERSEN appeared before Magistrate Judge Susan E. Cox in Chicago, Friday afternoon, at which time he was formally charged. ANDERSEN was released on a secured bond, pending his next scheduled court appearance. PARILLI appeared before Magistrate Judge Jeffrey Cole earlier today, at which time he was formally charged. PARILLI was ordered held without bond until his next court appearance which is scheduled for tomorrow at 1:45 p.m. PARILLI will be held overnight at the Metropolitan Correctional Center (MCC) in Chicago. If convicted of the charge filed against them, ANDERSEN and PARILLI face a possible sentence of up to twenty (20) years' incarceration and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Copies of the criminal complaint filed in this case are available from the Chicago FBI’s press office at (312) 829-1199.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Area Bank Robber Threatens Tellers but Leaves Empty Handed
January 26, 2010 - The FBI Houston Bank Robbery Task Force is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a man who attempted to rob the Bank of America at 8110 W. Sam Houston Parkway in Houston this afternoon.
Witnesses say the robber entered the bank and approached the teller counter, handing a note to tellers. The note threatened that someone would get hurt if he didn’t get some money. Apparently, the robber got tired of waiting for his cash, and left the bank empty handed. He was seen getting into a dark colored vehicle of unknown make and model as he fled the scene.
He is described as a black male with medium complexion, age 25-30, 5’7” - 5’8” tall, slender build, wearing a dark baseball cap, blue jacket, and jeans.
Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000.00 for information leading to the charging and arrest of this robber, or any felony suspect. If you have information about this crime, please call the Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 713-222-TIPS.
Mason Handyman-Turned-Commodities Trader Indicted in Fraud Scheme
January 26, 2010 - Ty Allan Klotz, 48, formerly of Mason, Michigan, was indicted on multiple counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering in a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors out of more than $2,000,000.00, announced U.S. Attorney Donald A. Davis. Mr. Davis was joined in the announcement by FBI Special Agent in Charge, Andrew G. Arena, and IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge, Maurice M. Aouate.
According to the indictment, prior to 2004, Klotz earned a living as a handyman, performing construction and other odd jobs in and around Mason, Michigan. He began trading stocks and commodities for family and friends, using an Internet-based electronic trading website. In 2004, Klotz allegedly began telling area residents that he was an expert in commodities trading and was earning substantial returns from his trading activities. Soon after, he established several businesses in Mason, including Aurifex Investment, Aurifex Research LLC, and Aurifex Commodities Research Company, and created the appearance that he was a licensed commodities broker.
According to the indictment, from April 2004 through March 2006, Klotz devised a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors by making several misrepresentations, including that he was averaging a return of twenty-percent per month, that investors’ funds would remain on deposit in an FDIC-insured financial institution, and that investors’ funds were additionally insured by Lloyd’s of London. It is further alleged that Klotz fueled his scheme to defraud by creating monthly statements of account, which he mailed to investors, showing large investment returns that were entirely false and that caused many investors to increase the amount of their investments with the Aurifex entities. As alleged in the indictment, Klotz actually used the investors’ funds to pay wages and bonuses to and buy gifts for his employees and their relatives, and for his own personal expenditures, including the purchase of Rolex watches, luxury vehicles, expensive clothing and a personal residence, and other expenditures not disclosed to investors.
According to the indictment, in December 2005, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission began investigating the Aurifex entities and Klotz. It is alleged that after learning about the investigation, Klotz started returning some of the investors’ initial deposits, characterizing the payments as a “Christmas Bonus.” Klotz then allegedly traveled to Carbondale, Illinois, where he resided in secrecy with the company accountant and attempted to explain his disappearance by claiming that he had been ordered to serve on a secret mission for the military. It is alleged in the indictment that during his fraudulent scheme, Klotz obtained over two million dollars from investors. Although he returned some of the investors’ funds and additional amounts were recovered by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, most investors are still owed significant sums of money.
On January 14, 2010, the FBI arrested Klotz in Carbondale, Illinois, and he appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in East St. Louis, Illinois, who ordered his detention. Klotz will be arraigned on the charges in the indictment in United Stated District Court in Grand Rapids after his transfer from Illinois.
Mail fraud and wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation, along with the Mason Police Department and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, for their hard work in this investigation. This case is being prosecuted on behalf of the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Stella.
According to the indictment, prior to 2004, Klotz earned a living as a handyman, performing construction and other odd jobs in and around Mason, Michigan. He began trading stocks and commodities for family and friends, using an Internet-based electronic trading website. In 2004, Klotz allegedly began telling area residents that he was an expert in commodities trading and was earning substantial returns from his trading activities. Soon after, he established several businesses in Mason, including Aurifex Investment, Aurifex Research LLC, and Aurifex Commodities Research Company, and created the appearance that he was a licensed commodities broker.
According to the indictment, from April 2004 through March 2006, Klotz devised a scheme to defraud hundreds of investors by making several misrepresentations, including that he was averaging a return of twenty-percent per month, that investors’ funds would remain on deposit in an FDIC-insured financial institution, and that investors’ funds were additionally insured by Lloyd’s of London. It is further alleged that Klotz fueled his scheme to defraud by creating monthly statements of account, which he mailed to investors, showing large investment returns that were entirely false and that caused many investors to increase the amount of their investments with the Aurifex entities. As alleged in the indictment, Klotz actually used the investors’ funds to pay wages and bonuses to and buy gifts for his employees and their relatives, and for his own personal expenditures, including the purchase of Rolex watches, luxury vehicles, expensive clothing and a personal residence, and other expenditures not disclosed to investors.
According to the indictment, in December 2005, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission began investigating the Aurifex entities and Klotz. It is alleged that after learning about the investigation, Klotz started returning some of the investors’ initial deposits, characterizing the payments as a “Christmas Bonus.” Klotz then allegedly traveled to Carbondale, Illinois, where he resided in secrecy with the company accountant and attempted to explain his disappearance by claiming that he had been ordered to serve on a secret mission for the military. It is alleged in the indictment that during his fraudulent scheme, Klotz obtained over two million dollars from investors. Although he returned some of the investors’ funds and additional amounts were recovered by the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, most investors are still owed significant sums of money.
On January 14, 2010, the FBI arrested Klotz in Carbondale, Illinois, and he appeared before a United States Magistrate Judge in East St. Louis, Illinois, who ordered his detention. Klotz will be arraigned on the charges in the indictment in United Stated District Court in Grand Rapids after his transfer from Illinois.
Mail fraud and wire fraud each carry a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Money Laundering carries a maximum penalty of 10 years’ imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
The charges in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Davis commended the Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and IRS Criminal Investigation, along with the Mason Police Department and the Commodities Futures Trading Commission, for their hard work in this investigation. This case is being prosecuted on behalf of the United States by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald M. Stella.
Monday, January 25, 2010
Former Police Officer, Wife Plead Guilty to Identity Theft Conspiracy
Students at CMSU Targeted for Credit Card Fraud
January 25, 2010 - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former officer for the University of Central Missouri Police Department and his wife have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in an identity theft conspiracy that targeted students at the university.
Amanda J. Drake, 30, of Warrensburg, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan this morning to the charge contained in an Aug. 12, 2009, federal indictment. Her husband, James B. Drake, 46, pleaded guilty to the same charge on Jan. 4, 2010.
By pleading guilty, the Drakes admitted that they stole a University of Central Missouri student enrollment list containing names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. That identity information was used to fraudulently obtain credit cards in the students’ names. The government contends there were more than 250 victims of the conspiracy, with a total loss of more than $30,000.
During the time of the conspiracy, in May 2009, James Drake was a police officer with the University of Central Missouri Police Department.
Under federal statutes, James and Amanda Drake are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. Meiners. It was investigated by the University of Central Missouri Police Department in conjunction with the FBI.
January 25, 2010 - Beth Phillips, United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, announced today that a former officer for the University of Central Missouri Police Department and his wife have pleaded guilty in federal court to their roles in an identity theft conspiracy that targeted students at the university.
Amanda J. Drake, 30, of Warrensburg, Mo., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Fernando J. Gaitan this morning to the charge contained in an Aug. 12, 2009, federal indictment. Her husband, James B. Drake, 46, pleaded guilty to the same charge on Jan. 4, 2010.
By pleading guilty, the Drakes admitted that they stole a University of Central Missouri student enrollment list containing names, Social Security numbers and dates of birth. That identity information was used to fraudulently obtain credit cards in the students’ names. The government contends there were more than 250 victims of the conspiracy, with a total loss of more than $30,000.
During the time of the conspiracy, in May 2009, James Drake was a police officer with the University of Central Missouri Police Department.
Under federal statutes, James and Amanda Drake are each subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole, plus a fine up to $250,000 and an order of restitution. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney William L. Meiners. It was investigated by the University of Central Missouri Police Department in conjunction with the FBI.
Man Sentenced to 24 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Offense
January 25, 2010 - Ted Lewis Girdner, of Jackson, California, has been sentenced to 24 years and two months in prison for coercing an 8-year-old girl to engage in sexual acts, announced Daniel G. Bogden, United States Attorney for the District of Nevada.
Girdner, 53, was sentenced on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks, who also placed Girdner on lifetime supervised release. On December 28, 2008, while Girdner was residing in Reno, Nevada, he coerced an 8-year-old girl to undress and engage in sexually explicit conduct while he took pictures of the conduct. Girdner also transmitted the pictures by computer to another individual in Montana. Girdner was arrested in California on August 3, 2009, and pleaded guilty on October 15, 2009, to production of child pornography. Girdner had no prior criminal convictions.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald C. Rachow. The 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.
Girdner, 53, was sentenced on Tuesday, January 19, 2010, by U.S. District Judge Larry R. Hicks, who also placed Girdner on lifetime supervised release. On December 28, 2008, while Girdner was residing in Reno, Nevada, he coerced an 8-year-old girl to undress and engage in sexually explicit conduct while he took pictures of the conduct. Girdner also transmitted the pictures by computer to another individual in Montana. Girdner was arrested in California on August 3, 2009, and pleaded guilty on October 15, 2009, to production of child pornography. Girdner had no prior criminal convictions.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald C. Rachow. The 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.
K-9 Discovers Marijuana in Vehicle’s Rocker Panels at Douglas Port
January 22, 2010 - Douglas, Ariz. - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a drug smuggling attempt when a special trained CBP K-9 team discovered nearly 30 pounds of marijuana concealed in the rocker panels of a vehicle attempting entry into the United States.
On January 21 at about 12:30 a.m. CBP officers at the Douglas port of entry were screening travelers and vehicles when they came in contact with a 20-year-old man driving a 2003 Mitsubishi. The man was identified as a Mexican national and resident of Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
The CBP officers became suspicious of the man and selected him for further inspection. The vehicle was searched by a special trained K-9 team and discovered that the rocker panels of the Mitsubishi were loaded with packages of marijuana. The total weight of marijuana was nearly 30 pounds with an estimated street value of $67,000.
CBP officers seized the vehicle and marijuana. The man was turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for further investigation.
Seeking Information on Robbery of Wells Fargo Bank in Eagan
January 25, 2010 - On Friday, January 22, 2010, at approximately 5:45 p.m., Wells Fargo Bank, located at 3390 Pilot Knob Road, Eagan, Minnesota, was robbed by a lone individual. The robber entered the bank, approached a personal banker at her desk, then walked up to the victim teller and verbally demanded cash while threatening a handgun. After the teller complied with the demand, the robber placed the cash into a dark-colored shoulder bag and fled the bank on foot in an unknown direction.
The robber is described as a white male in his mid to late 20’s, approximately 5’1” to 5’ 3” tall, with a medium build. He was wearing a gray knit cap with a dark stripe, a dark blue jacket with gray fleece lining over a dark t-shirt, blue jeans, and amber-lens sunglasses. He carried a black briefcase-style shoulder bag with “Bethel University” embroidered on it.
Ralph S. Boelter, Special Agent in Charge of the Minneapolis Office of the FBI, requests that anyone with information regarding this bank robbery contact the Minneapolis FBI at 612-376-3200, the Eagan Police Department, or Crime Stoppers. A reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and indictment of this bank robber.
Former Freightliner Employee Sentenced to Federal Prison
Restitution Ordered to be Paid to Daimler Trucks North America LLC
January 25, 2010 - Sabina Vieru, 40, Boring, Oregon, was sentenced to serve four years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown for wire fraud. The court also ordered Vieru to pay $7,075,781.49 restitution to the victim, Daimler Trucks North America LLC, formerly Freightliner LLC, of Portland, Oregon.
Freightliner LLC manufactured, sold, and serviced commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle components. Between March 2003 and March 2005, while serving as a Freightliner Export Credit Accounts specialist, Vieru devised a sophisticated scheme to defraud the company.
Vieru’s fraudulent scheme cleared more than $6.7 million of overdue invoices from Freightliner customer accounts over a two year period. In turn, Vieru received wire transfers of over $3 million to a U.S. Bank account under her sole control and not associated with Freightliner in any way. Vieru used most of the funds to purchase property in Oregon and Washington, and to invest in a condominium project on the Black Sea in Romania.
Vieru was instructed to report to the Bureau of Prisons on March 4, 2010. Upon her release from prison Vieru will be on supervised release for a period of three years.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Portland, Oregon and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Fay.
January 25, 2010 - Sabina Vieru, 40, Boring, Oregon, was sentenced to serve four years in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Anna J. Brown for wire fraud. The court also ordered Vieru to pay $7,075,781.49 restitution to the victim, Daimler Trucks North America LLC, formerly Freightliner LLC, of Portland, Oregon.
Freightliner LLC manufactured, sold, and serviced commercial vehicles and commercial vehicle components. Between March 2003 and March 2005, while serving as a Freightliner Export Credit Accounts specialist, Vieru devised a sophisticated scheme to defraud the company.
Vieru’s fraudulent scheme cleared more than $6.7 million of overdue invoices from Freightliner customer accounts over a two year period. In turn, Vieru received wire transfers of over $3 million to a U.S. Bank account under her sole control and not associated with Freightliner in any way. Vieru used most of the funds to purchase property in Oregon and Washington, and to invest in a condominium project on the Black Sea in Romania.
Vieru was instructed to report to the Bureau of Prisons on March 4, 2010. Upon her release from prison Vieru will be on supervised release for a period of three years.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Portland, Oregon and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Claire M. Fay.
Officers Arrest 2 Juveniles Attempting to Smuggle Marijuana at El Paso Port
January 22, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers working at El Paso area ports of entry made 29 marijuana seizures during the last week. CBP officers confiscated a total of 1,701 pounds of marijuana. Two of the seizures involved juvenile drug smugglers. “Smuggling organizations will use every imaginable method to get the narcotics through our international ports of entry including using teens who are barely old enough to drive,” said Ana Hinojosa, CBP director of Field Operations in El Paso. “These seizures show the focus and hard work that all our officers put forth every day.”
CBP officers at the Bridge of the Americas in the El Paso port of entry confiscated 14.87 pounds of marijuana on Wednesday from a 16-year-old female from El Paso. The seizure was made during a pre-primary inspection of a 1998 Nissan Pathfinder that was selected for inspection. CBP drug sniffing dog “Chip” searched the vehicle and alerted to the engine area of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a separate inspection area where an extensive inspection of the vehicle was conducted. CBP officers discovered 19 packages concealed in the area of the dashboard. The contents of the bundles tested positive for marijuana.
The second juvenile was arrested when CBP officers at the Paso Del Norte crossing in El Paso seized 47.52 pounds of marijuana just before 11 a.m. Thursday from a 17-year-old male from Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The drugs were concealed in the gas tank of a 1992 Ford Explorer that entered the port from Mexico.
Both Juveniles were turned over to the El Paso Police Department.
CBP officers in the El Paso area stopped a total of 61 juvenile (17 and under) drug smugglers during 2009, seizing just under 2,800 pounds of drugs. So far this year they have made three juvenile drug smuggling busts, confiscating 103 pounds of marijuana.
Officers in California Seize 708 Pound Marijuana Load Concealed in Fish Shipment
January 22, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Otay Mesa cargo facility discovered 708 pounds of marijuana commingled with a load of fish. Officers intercepted the marijuana smuggling attempt when a 34-year-old Ensenada man driving a 1992 Bobtail truck, entered the port for inspection with a cargo of fish. The primary officer decided the truck required an intensive examination and referred it to the port’s X-ray imaging system.
The X-ray image showed anomalies with the shipment so it was sent to the dock for offloading. Officers probed one of the containers and extracted a green leafy substance that field-tested positive for marijuana. They subsequently removed 29 wrapped packages, valued at $424,565.
The driver was arrested was booked into the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment for the failed smuggling attempt. CBP seized the marijuana and conveyance.
Douglas CBP Officers Intercept Vehicle with Marijuana-Filled Fenders
January 22, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers stopped a drug smuggling attempt when they seized approximately 31 pounds of marijuana concealed in the front fenders of a vehicle. On January 22 at about 7 a.m. CBP officers at the Douglas port of entry were screening travelers and vehicles when they came in contact with a 37-year-old man driving a 2000 Buick Regal. The man was identified as a Mexican national from Agua Prieta, Sonora, Mexico.
The CBP officers selected the vehicle for inspection. It was discovered that both front fenders of the Buick were loaded with packages of marijuana. The total weight of marijuana was approximately 31 pounds with an estimated street value $69,000.
Hartford Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Heroin and Cocaine
January 25, 2010 - Nora R. Dannehy, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that REYNALDO LAUREANO, also known as “Pichy,” 36, of Allen Place, Hartford, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Warren W. Eginton in Bridgeport to 97 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his participation in a Hartford-area narcotics trafficking ring. On November 4, 2009, LAUREANO pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.
This matter stems from “Operation Solid Gold,” a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin, and physical surveillance. As a result of the investigation, 56 individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and heroin in and around Hartford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September and November 2008, investigators intercepted calls over LAUREANO’s cell phone that, along with physical surveillance and other information developed during this investigation, revealed that LAUREANO controlled a set of drug dealers who, in turn, controlled the drug trade in the area of Broad Street and Madison Street in Hartford. During an approximately two-month period in which investigators intercepted calls over LAUREANO’s phone, LAUREANO was continually involved in drug-related communications throughout the day. On the calls, LAUREANO discussed with his associates the distribution of cocaine and heroin, their ongoing concern regarding the police, and their use, or threatened use, of violence against competitors.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the Statewide Cooperative Crime Control Task Force of the Connecticut State Police and the Hartford Police Department, with assistance from the Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut State Police, Troop H, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Brian P. Leaming.
This matter stems from “Operation Solid Gold,” a joint law enforcement investigation headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force. The year-long investigation included the use of court-authorized wiretaps, controlled purchases of cocaine and heroin, and physical surveillance. As a result of the investigation, 56 individuals were charged with various offenses related to the distribution of cocaine and heroin in and around Hartford.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September and November 2008, investigators intercepted calls over LAUREANO’s cell phone that, along with physical surveillance and other information developed during this investigation, revealed that LAUREANO controlled a set of drug dealers who, in turn, controlled the drug trade in the area of Broad Street and Madison Street in Hartford. During an approximately two-month period in which investigators intercepted calls over LAUREANO’s phone, LAUREANO was continually involved in drug-related communications throughout the day. On the calls, LAUREANO discussed with his associates the distribution of cocaine and heroin, their ongoing concern regarding the police, and their use, or threatened use, of violence against competitors.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, the Statewide Cooperative Crime Control Task Force of the Connecticut State Police and the Hartford Police Department, with assistance from the Statewide Organized Crime Investigative Task Force of the Connecticut State Police, Connecticut State Police, Troop H, and the Connecticut Department of Correction. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Geoffrey M. Stone and Brian P. Leaming.
Violence Against Police Officers
On February 19, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a conversation with Chief of Police Joel F. Shults on Violence Against Police Officers.
Program Date: February 19, 2010
Program Time: 2100 Hours Pacific
Topic: Violence Against Police Officers
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/violence_against_police_officers.html
About the V.A.L.O.R. Project
The Violence Against Law Officer Research (V.A.L.O.R.) Project hypothesizes that “Police officers who are victims of crime as defined by statute are routinely denied the rights afforded to other crime victims. As a result of this wholesale denial of their rights police officers suffer a handicap in being empathetic to civilian crime victims; have pathologies like other repeat crime victims; and are at risk of acting out in ways that constitute misconduct or in self destructive ways including substance abuse and suicide.”
About the Guest
Chief Joel F. Shults, Ph.D., currently serves as a college police administrator for the Adams State College Police Department (Colorado). Chief Joel Shults earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Shults earned a Master's in Public Services Administration from the University of Central Missouri after completing an Associate and Bachelor's degrees in Criminal Justice Administration at UCM. Chief Joel F. Shults began his law enforcement as a US Army Military Police Officer. He served in the Missouri Army National Guard as a Military Police Investigator with MP and CID units.
Chief Joel Shults was sworn in to his first civilian police position with the Warrensburg Police Department. After a brief period of field training and his first six months as a patrol officer, Shuts attended the Basic Law Enforcement Academy at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Training Academy. While with WPD, Shults served as shift supervisor, investigator, community relations officer, field training officer, and coordinator of reserve officers and interns.
Chief Joel Shults ran for the elective office of sheriff and after a close race was appointed Chief of Police for the combined police services of two small Missouri towns. After serving there, Shults retired briefly from law enforcement to work in the insurance and real estate appraisal business for a short time before accepting a position in Kansas City as head of the Tarkio College law enforcement program where he served as supervisor of admissions, lead instructor, and supervisor over adjunct faculty. Chief Joel F. Shults’ most recent appointment was as Director of Public Safety at Adams State College.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/violence_against_police_officers.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Program Date: February 19, 2010
Program Time: 2100 Hours Pacific
Topic: Violence Against Police Officers
Listen Live: www.americanheroesradio.com/violence_against_police_officers.html
About the V.A.L.O.R. Project
The Violence Against Law Officer Research (V.A.L.O.R.) Project hypothesizes that “Police officers who are victims of crime as defined by statute are routinely denied the rights afforded to other crime victims. As a result of this wholesale denial of their rights police officers suffer a handicap in being empathetic to civilian crime victims; have pathologies like other repeat crime victims; and are at risk of acting out in ways that constitute misconduct or in self destructive ways including substance abuse and suicide.”
About the Guest
Chief Joel F. Shults, Ph.D., currently serves as a college police administrator for the Adams State College Police Department (Colorado). Chief Joel Shults earned his doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Shults earned a Master's in Public Services Administration from the University of Central Missouri after completing an Associate and Bachelor's degrees in Criminal Justice Administration at UCM. Chief Joel F. Shults began his law enforcement as a US Army Military Police Officer. He served in the Missouri Army National Guard as a Military Police Investigator with MP and CID units.
Chief Joel Shults was sworn in to his first civilian police position with the Warrensburg Police Department. After a brief period of field training and his first six months as a patrol officer, Shuts attended the Basic Law Enforcement Academy at the Missouri State Highway Patrol Training Academy. While with WPD, Shults served as shift supervisor, investigator, community relations officer, field training officer, and coordinator of reserve officers and interns.
Chief Joel Shults ran for the elective office of sheriff and after a close race was appointed Chief of Police for the combined police services of two small Missouri towns. After serving there, Shults retired briefly from law enforcement to work in the insurance and real estate appraisal business for a short time before accepting a position in Kansas City as head of the Tarkio College law enforcement program where he served as supervisor of admissions, lead instructor, and supervisor over adjunct faculty. Chief Joel F. Shults’ most recent appointment was as Director of Public Safety at Adams State College.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
www.americanheroesradio.com/violence_against_police_officers.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Jury Convicts Detroit Area Doctor of Health Care Fraud Conspiracy
January 25, 2010 - Troy, Mich., physician Toe Myint was convicted today by a Detroit jury of conspiracy to commit health care fraud in a $4.2 million Medicare Fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Barbara L. McQuade of the Eastern District of Michigan; Special-Agent-in-Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office; and Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
After a week-long trial in Detroit, the jury convicted Dr. Myint of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The conspiracy count carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Dr. Myint was acquitted on charges of filing three specific false claims. Prior to trial, 10 of Dr. Myint’s co-conspirator defendants pleaded guilty to a variety of Medicare fraud related charges.
Evidence at trial showed that Dr. Myint was the physician at Sacred Hope Center, a Southfield, Mich., clinic that purported to specialize in providing infusion therapy to Medicare beneficiaries. Evidence established that Dr. Myint ordered medications for patients that he knew were not needed. Specifically, Dr. Myint signed patient files ordering infusions and injections of corticosteroids and other medications, despite being aware that the patients did not need the drugs and that Medicare was being billed for the drugs.
Trial evidence established that patients were not referred to Sacred Hope Center or Dr. Myint by their real physicians for any legitimate purpose, but rather were recruited to come to the clinic through the payment of kickbacks. In the six months between September 2006 and March 2007, Dr. Myint and his co-conspirators caused approximately $4.2 million to be submitted to the Medicare program for services that were unnecessary and never provided.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney John K. Neal and Trial Attorney Benjamin D. Singer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The FBI and the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) conducted the investigation. The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in seven districts have obtained indictments of 508 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $1 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the HEAT team, go to: http://www.stopmedicarefraud.gov/.
After a week-long trial in Detroit, the jury convicted Dr. Myint of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. The conspiracy count carries a maximum prison sentence of 10 years. Dr. Myint was acquitted on charges of filing three specific false claims. Prior to trial, 10 of Dr. Myint’s co-conspirator defendants pleaded guilty to a variety of Medicare fraud related charges.
Evidence at trial showed that Dr. Myint was the physician at Sacred Hope Center, a Southfield, Mich., clinic that purported to specialize in providing infusion therapy to Medicare beneficiaries. Evidence established that Dr. Myint ordered medications for patients that he knew were not needed. Specifically, Dr. Myint signed patient files ordering infusions and injections of corticosteroids and other medications, despite being aware that the patients did not need the drugs and that Medicare was being billed for the drugs.
Trial evidence established that patients were not referred to Sacred Hope Center or Dr. Myint by their real physicians for any legitimate purpose, but rather were recruited to come to the clinic through the payment of kickbacks. In the six months between September 2006 and March 2007, Dr. Myint and his co-conspirators caused approximately $4.2 million to be submitted to the Medicare program for services that were unnecessary and never provided.
The case was prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney John K. Neal and Trial Attorney Benjamin D. Singer of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The FBI and the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) conducted the investigation. The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan.
Since their inception in March 2007, Strike Force operations in seven districts have obtained indictments of 508 individuals who collectively have falsely billed the Medicare program for more than $1 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with the HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the HEAT team, go to: http://www.stopmedicarefraud.gov/.
Justice Department Announces Release of New Information Online as Part of President’s Open Government Initiative
January 25, 2010 - As part of the Obama Administration’s Open Government Initiative, and in compliance with the Open Government Directive issued by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), Associate Attorney General Tom Perrelli today announced the online publication of three high-value sets of data not previously made available by the Department of Justice. The new data sets include statistics on crime victimizations, information about compensation for radiation victims, and final reports from federal bankruptcy trustees. This information is being posted on the department’s Web site and is also available on www.Data.gov . A number of other department components are in the process of identifying and publishing newly available data in machine-readable format, the department said.
The department is releasing information not previously available online to increase accountability and responsiveness; improve public knowledge of the department’s operations; create economic opportunity; and respond to need and demand as identified through public consultation.
"We are committed to achieving the President’s goal of making this the most transparent Administration in history," Perrelli said. "The information we are making available today represents another step in our ongoing commitment toward becoming a more open and accessible Justice Department to the public, the media, academia and others interested in what we do every day."
The three data sets posted today are:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Criminal Victimization (data for 2008)
The survey enables the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to estimate the likelihood of victimization by rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, theft, household burglary and motor vehicle theft for the population as a whole, as well as for different segments of the population, such as women, the elderly, members of various racial groups, city dwellers or others.
The report is based on the National Criminal Victimization Survey, the nation’s primary source of information on criminal victimization. Each year, data are obtained from a nationally representative sample of 76,000 households comprising nearly 135,300 persons on the frequency, characteristics and consequences of criminal victimization in the United States.
The Civil Division’s Radiation Exposure Compensation Program
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECA) will make available three new reports not currently publicly available on line:
• RECA claims as of Jan. 13, 2010 by state/country. The data reflect the number of claims filed, pending, denied, approved, and compensation awarded, by state or country.
• Outreach log since FY 2006. Each time RECA staff attempt to reach an individual, that action is recorded as an "outreach event," with numbers of staff and hours detailed.
• RECA Summary Report FY 1992-2010, containing two charts; one a count of claims received and the second reflecting the number of claims awarded and denied, with award amounts for each fiscal year since 1992.
• RECA was passed by Congress in 1990 to provide partial restitution for individuals who developed serious illnesses after exposure to radiation released during atmospheric nuclear tests or after employment in the uranium industry. The program enables claimants to use existing records so that their claims can be resolved in a reliable, objective and non-adversarial manner, with little administrative cost to the person filing the claim.
The U.S. Trustee Program
The U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) is making available certain final reports filed by trustees after a Chapter 7 case with assets is closed. These reports contain the disposition of assets, distribution of funds to creditors, and administrative expenses for the calendar years 2000 to 2008. For privacy reasons, the files will not identify case numbers or the names of debtors or trustees. The USTP is also releasing information on instances where interpreter services were used.
USTP oversees the administration of federal bankruptcy cases, including oversight of approximately 1,100 private trustees who administer Chapter 7 cases. Chapter 7 trustees collect and liquidate non-exempt assets and distribute funds to creditors in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code. In FY 2008, Chapter 7 trustees administered approximately 69,000 Chapter 7 asset cases that generated more than $3 billion in funds.
In addition to the above data sets, other department components have identified and will publish additional high-value data sets including:
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) will publish FY 2009 grant award data for the Secure Our Schools (SOS), including number of applicants, number of awards and list of successful applicants with award amount, schools served and items requested. COPS anticipates posting the new data within a few days.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will post the following new statistical graphs and table: graphs showing for each year and month the count and rate of incidents of assault on both staff and other inmates. The graphs are updated monthly and cover each month for the previous five years. BOP will also provide a table showing the count of inmates who have court-imposed financial responsibilities and their current status in meeting them; updated monthly.
BJS is also releasing three additional data files:
• National Corrections Reporting Program 2004; the program annually collects administrative information on adults admitted to and released from prison, and on parole entries and discharges, in participating jurisdictions.
• Census of Jails 2006; the census of jails is conducted every five to seven years, and provides information on one-day counts plus average daily populations, staffing and programs of individual jails
• Annual Survey of Jails 2007; the annual survey of jails collects data from a nationally representative sample of local jails on jail inmate populations, jail capacity and other related information. The 2007 data set marks the first release of facility-level data.
USTP will release next month summary statistical tables on civil enforcement activity, which provide comparison data for the Fiscal Years 2004 to 2009.
The department is releasing information not previously available online to increase accountability and responsiveness; improve public knowledge of the department’s operations; create economic opportunity; and respond to need and demand as identified through public consultation.
"We are committed to achieving the President’s goal of making this the most transparent Administration in history," Perrelli said. "The information we are making available today represents another step in our ongoing commitment toward becoming a more open and accessible Justice Department to the public, the media, academia and others interested in what we do every day."
The three data sets posted today are:
Bureau of Justice Statistics Criminal Victimization (data for 2008)
The survey enables the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) to estimate the likelihood of victimization by rape, sexual assault, robbery, assault, theft, household burglary and motor vehicle theft for the population as a whole, as well as for different segments of the population, such as women, the elderly, members of various racial groups, city dwellers or others.
The report is based on the National Criminal Victimization Survey, the nation’s primary source of information on criminal victimization. Each year, data are obtained from a nationally representative sample of 76,000 households comprising nearly 135,300 persons on the frequency, characteristics and consequences of criminal victimization in the United States.
The Civil Division’s Radiation Exposure Compensation Program
The Radiation Exposure Compensation Program (RECA) will make available three new reports not currently publicly available on line:
• RECA claims as of Jan. 13, 2010 by state/country. The data reflect the number of claims filed, pending, denied, approved, and compensation awarded, by state or country.
• Outreach log since FY 2006. Each time RECA staff attempt to reach an individual, that action is recorded as an "outreach event," with numbers of staff and hours detailed.
• RECA Summary Report FY 1992-2010, containing two charts; one a count of claims received and the second reflecting the number of claims awarded and denied, with award amounts for each fiscal year since 1992.
• RECA was passed by Congress in 1990 to provide partial restitution for individuals who developed serious illnesses after exposure to radiation released during atmospheric nuclear tests or after employment in the uranium industry. The program enables claimants to use existing records so that their claims can be resolved in a reliable, objective and non-adversarial manner, with little administrative cost to the person filing the claim.
The U.S. Trustee Program
The U.S. Trustee Program (USTP) is making available certain final reports filed by trustees after a Chapter 7 case with assets is closed. These reports contain the disposition of assets, distribution of funds to creditors, and administrative expenses for the calendar years 2000 to 2008. For privacy reasons, the files will not identify case numbers or the names of debtors or trustees. The USTP is also releasing information on instances where interpreter services were used.
USTP oversees the administration of federal bankruptcy cases, including oversight of approximately 1,100 private trustees who administer Chapter 7 cases. Chapter 7 trustees collect and liquidate non-exempt assets and distribute funds to creditors in accordance with the Bankruptcy Code. In FY 2008, Chapter 7 trustees administered approximately 69,000 Chapter 7 asset cases that generated more than $3 billion in funds.
In addition to the above data sets, other department components have identified and will publish additional high-value data sets including:
Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) will publish FY 2009 grant award data for the Secure Our Schools (SOS), including number of applicants, number of awards and list of successful applicants with award amount, schools served and items requested. COPS anticipates posting the new data within a few days.
The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) will post the following new statistical graphs and table: graphs showing for each year and month the count and rate of incidents of assault on both staff and other inmates. The graphs are updated monthly and cover each month for the previous five years. BOP will also provide a table showing the count of inmates who have court-imposed financial responsibilities and their current status in meeting them; updated monthly.
BJS is also releasing three additional data files:
• National Corrections Reporting Program 2004; the program annually collects administrative information on adults admitted to and released from prison, and on parole entries and discharges, in participating jurisdictions.
• Census of Jails 2006; the census of jails is conducted every five to seven years, and provides information on one-day counts plus average daily populations, staffing and programs of individual jails
• Annual Survey of Jails 2007; the annual survey of jails collects data from a nationally representative sample of local jails on jail inmate populations, jail capacity and other related information. The 2007 data set marks the first release of facility-level data.
USTP will release next month summary statistical tables on civil enforcement activity, which provide comparison data for the Fiscal Years 2004 to 2009.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Social Media and Law Enforcement
On February 18, 2010, Conversations with American Heroes at the Watering Hole will feature a discussion with Lauri Stevens on Social Media and Law Enforcement.
Program Date: February 18, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours, Pacific
Topic: Social Media and Law Enforcement
Listen Live: http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html
About the Guest
Lauri Stevens “is an interactive media professional with over 25 years of media experience. She is the Department Chair of Web Design & Interactive Media at The New England Institute of Art (NEiA) in Boston, a position she's held for over ten years. During her tenure at NEiA she has written several bachelors’ programs, served on NEASC accreditation review committees and visiting teams, and chaired several groups to further the college's mission.
Lauri is passionate about the Internet, the web, social media and helping law enforcement leverage these tools to help them do their jobs, connect with their communities, and promote their departments. Having used the net since the mid-80s, before the web existed, makes her one of the first fraction of a 1% of people in the world on the net.
She holds an MBA in eBusiness from Bentley University, an MS in Mass Communication/Communication Technology from Boston University, and a BA in Political Science from Clemson University.”
About LAwS Communications
LAwS Communications has been providing web design and interactive media advice to law enforcement since 2005. They “offer media expertise at all levels, traditional and interactive. LAwS Communications specialize in offering consultative services in the world of web 2.0 (and beyond) to law enforcement agencies. Web 2.0 and Open Source communication technologies available today allow organizations to efficiently gather and distribute information like never before. Many law enforcement agencies are catching on to and using the new social media technologies. LAwS Communications can help make sense of the tools available, help your agency craft a plan and social media policy as well as provide the training needed to get your organization running. LAwS Communications can help law enforcement organizations not only understand why your organization should take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies, but also how to leverage these vast resources.
The agencies that are effectively using these tools are shrinking their communities, improving communication with citizens and enhancing their reputations through the transparency provided. Other agencies are developing sophisticated methods for investigation, crime solving and prevention. Police departments, in particular, have an opportunity to better educate their communities about who they are and what they do and to therefore increase and improve communication with the public they serve.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Program Date: February 18, 2010
Program Time: 1700 hours, Pacific
Topic: Social Media and Law Enforcement
Listen Live: http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html
About the Guest
Lauri Stevens “is an interactive media professional with over 25 years of media experience. She is the Department Chair of Web Design & Interactive Media at The New England Institute of Art (NEiA) in Boston, a position she's held for over ten years. During her tenure at NEiA she has written several bachelors’ programs, served on NEASC accreditation review committees and visiting teams, and chaired several groups to further the college's mission.
Lauri is passionate about the Internet, the web, social media and helping law enforcement leverage these tools to help them do their jobs, connect with their communities, and promote their departments. Having used the net since the mid-80s, before the web existed, makes her one of the first fraction of a 1% of people in the world on the net.
She holds an MBA in eBusiness from Bentley University, an MS in Mass Communication/Communication Technology from Boston University, and a BA in Political Science from Clemson University.”
About LAwS Communications
LAwS Communications has been providing web design and interactive media advice to law enforcement since 2005. They “offer media expertise at all levels, traditional and interactive. LAwS Communications specialize in offering consultative services in the world of web 2.0 (and beyond) to law enforcement agencies. Web 2.0 and Open Source communication technologies available today allow organizations to efficiently gather and distribute information like never before. Many law enforcement agencies are catching on to and using the new social media technologies. LAwS Communications can help make sense of the tools available, help your agency craft a plan and social media policy as well as provide the training needed to get your organization running. LAwS Communications can help law enforcement organizations not only understand why your organization should take advantage of Web 2.0 technologies, but also how to leverage these vast resources.
The agencies that are effectively using these tools are shrinking their communities, improving communication with citizens and enhancing their reputations through the transparency provided. Other agencies are developing sophisticated methods for investigation, crime solving and prevention. Police departments, in particular, have an opportunity to better educate their communities about who they are and what they do and to therefore increase and improve communication with the public they serve.”
About the Watering Hole
The Watering Hole is police slang for a location cops go off-duty to blow off steam and talk about work and life. Sometimes funny; sometimes serious; but, always interesting.
About the Host
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster was a sworn member of the Los Angeles Police Department for 24 years. He retired in 2003 at the rank of Lieutenant. He holds a bachelor’s from the Union Institute and University in Criminal Justice Management and a Master’s Degree in Public Financial Management from California State University, Fullerton; and, has completed his doctoral course work. Raymond E. Foster has been a part-time lecturer at California State University, Fullerton and Fresno; and is currently a Criminal Justice Department chair, faculty advisor and lecturer with the Union Institute and University. He has experience teaching upper division courses in Law Enforcement, public policy, Public Safety Technology and leadership. Raymond is an experienced author who has published numerous articles in a wide range of venues including magazines such as Government Technology, Mobile Government, Airborne Law Enforcement Magazine, and Police One. He has appeared on the History Channel and radio programs in the United States and Europe as subject matter expert in technological applications in Law Enforcement.
Listen, call, join us at the Watering Hole:
http://www.americanheroesradio.com/social_media_law_enforcement.html
Program Contact Information
Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.), MPA
editor@police-writers.com
909.599.7530
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thoughts on Justice
Editor's Note: The following is a response to :Nash, Robert J. Liberating Scholarly Writing: The Power of Personal Narrative. New York: Teachers College Press, 2004.
Nash was a surprise, relief and a challenge. The surprise was the time I spent rethinking the push I give to undergraduates - APA format, third person, objective, scholarly, etc. In the end, I decided you still need to learn the prevailing academic as well as editorial styles. On the other hand, Nash was a relief in that I don’t know how writing can be objective. Each word, each reference, the research, the thesis, all of it is a choice. If the writer is making the choices those choices are biased to the writer. Yes, we write neutral 3rd person properly formatted stuff. But we are still making huge, consequential choices within those guidelines. Another surprise - Nash is making me argue, albeit thinly, for postmodernism.
The choices are even more apparent when you publish. Don’t we defend our dissertation? What are we defending if not our choices? Words are the little decisions that we made along the way. The words stretch into larger decisions - sentences, thoughts; perhaps it’s all a matter of perspective and opinion. The challenge Nash expressed to me was to come out from behind the curtain of metaphor and analogy and say it straight. Express it from me, not shielded by APA format and couched in academicesee. This challenge occurred as soon as he mention Richard Kimble.
For me, Nash hit the trifecta - Kimble, Sheppard and Jean Val Jean. Nash used them as examples of his search to remake himself. However, my thoughts turned to Justice. I watched The Fugitive as a child. It was very scary - an innocent, good man could be pursued relentlessly by the Law. Even then, I wondered how the Law could be allowed to be so powerful, yet wrong.
A few years later, in Junior High School, I was exposed to Sheppard. I tried out for the debate team (yep, our Junior High has a debate team and there were “try outs). I was given the task of research and defending Sheppard. After weeks of research I was not sure if he was guilty or innocent. But, my job was to defend him, and I did, and I won. I walked away thinking that the Law, as powerful as it was, couldn’t always make a decision - right or wrong. Now, Justice (or the Law) was all powerful, could be wrong and it also couldn’t decide. Either Sheppard is evil incarnate or he is one of the most victimized people on the planet: Justice is blind, deaf and dumb.
On to being a High School Freshman and Les Miserables. Jean Val Jean being pursued through the sewers of Paris over a loaf of bread! Is Justice this petty? The moment I read the passages of the pursuit through the sewer, I thought of my father. He had been a police officer for over thirty years. One night, when I was nine or so, he came home from the second Watts Riot. He was in his motorcycle police officer’s uniform - tall, young, strong, with the helmet and the high shinny boots; and, he smelled of smoke. He smelled like what a city smells like when it burns itself down.
He sat at the kitchen table and talked with my mother. Me, I hovered in the background. like every child that wants to hear the adults - close enough to hear but not to be seen. I only remember one thing, he said, “How do you arrest someone when they just want bread for their family.” My father felt like Javert should have felt. Duty bound yet seriously conflicted. Returning to Jean Val Jean - Is Justice all powerful, mistaken, blind, deaf, dumb and now petty? So, how did I do a quarter of century in municipal law enforcement?
How do you have a man die in your arms and then relentless pursue his murderer only to find that when Justice is done and the murder is in jail the murdered is still dead? This happened to me. This wasn’t Justice; it didn’t bring the man back; it didn’t provide the mythical closure for his family. At best, when a police officer arrests someone they might be preventing the next injustice.
This small story is what Nash showed me. This is my search for the meaning in Justice, Ethics and Truth. This is what influences my research and writing. My question is - will my search be better served through Nash’s vehicle of personal narrative writing or should I “just keep swimming” with the academics?
Nash was a surprise, relief and a challenge. The surprise was the time I spent rethinking the push I give to undergraduates - APA format, third person, objective, scholarly, etc. In the end, I decided you still need to learn the prevailing academic as well as editorial styles. On the other hand, Nash was a relief in that I don’t know how writing can be objective. Each word, each reference, the research, the thesis, all of it is a choice. If the writer is making the choices those choices are biased to the writer. Yes, we write neutral 3rd person properly formatted stuff. But we are still making huge, consequential choices within those guidelines. Another surprise - Nash is making me argue, albeit thinly, for postmodernism.
The choices are even more apparent when you publish. Don’t we defend our dissertation? What are we defending if not our choices? Words are the little decisions that we made along the way. The words stretch into larger decisions - sentences, thoughts; perhaps it’s all a matter of perspective and opinion. The challenge Nash expressed to me was to come out from behind the curtain of metaphor and analogy and say it straight. Express it from me, not shielded by APA format and couched in academicesee. This challenge occurred as soon as he mention Richard Kimble.
For me, Nash hit the trifecta - Kimble, Sheppard and Jean Val Jean. Nash used them as examples of his search to remake himself. However, my thoughts turned to Justice. I watched The Fugitive as a child. It was very scary - an innocent, good man could be pursued relentlessly by the Law. Even then, I wondered how the Law could be allowed to be so powerful, yet wrong.
A few years later, in Junior High School, I was exposed to Sheppard. I tried out for the debate team (yep, our Junior High has a debate team and there were “try outs). I was given the task of research and defending Sheppard. After weeks of research I was not sure if he was guilty or innocent. But, my job was to defend him, and I did, and I won. I walked away thinking that the Law, as powerful as it was, couldn’t always make a decision - right or wrong. Now, Justice (or the Law) was all powerful, could be wrong and it also couldn’t decide. Either Sheppard is evil incarnate or he is one of the most victimized people on the planet: Justice is blind, deaf and dumb.
On to being a High School Freshman and Les Miserables. Jean Val Jean being pursued through the sewers of Paris over a loaf of bread! Is Justice this petty? The moment I read the passages of the pursuit through the sewer, I thought of my father. He had been a police officer for over thirty years. One night, when I was nine or so, he came home from the second Watts Riot. He was in his motorcycle police officer’s uniform - tall, young, strong, with the helmet and the high shinny boots; and, he smelled of smoke. He smelled like what a city smells like when it burns itself down.
He sat at the kitchen table and talked with my mother. Me, I hovered in the background. like every child that wants to hear the adults - close enough to hear but not to be seen. I only remember one thing, he said, “How do you arrest someone when they just want bread for their family.” My father felt like Javert should have felt. Duty bound yet seriously conflicted. Returning to Jean Val Jean - Is Justice all powerful, mistaken, blind, deaf, dumb and now petty? So, how did I do a quarter of century in municipal law enforcement?
How do you have a man die in your arms and then relentless pursue his murderer only to find that when Justice is done and the murder is in jail the murdered is still dead? This happened to me. This wasn’t Justice; it didn’t bring the man back; it didn’t provide the mythical closure for his family. At best, when a police officer arrests someone they might be preventing the next injustice.
This small story is what Nash showed me. This is my search for the meaning in Justice, Ethics and Truth. This is what influences my research and writing. My question is - will my search be better served through Nash’s vehicle of personal narrative writing or should I “just keep swimming” with the academics?
Former Fumo Associate Sentenced for Defrauding the Senate of Pennsylvania
January 22, 2010 - Michael Palermo, 69, of Philadelphia, was sentenced today to five years' probation, the first year of which will be served in home confinement. He was also ordered to pay restitution of $50,000 to the Senate of Pennsylvania, pay a $25,000 fine, and a $100 special assessment. Palermo was sentenced in connection with his conviction for conspiring with former State Senator Vincent Fumo to defraud the Senate Democratic Appropriations Committee (“SDAC”), announced United States Attorney Michael L. Levy. Palermo received a contract from the SDAC for consulting services which paid his firm, M.P. Consulting, Inc., a total of $287,000 in state funds between 1999 and 2004. The contract provided payments of $150 per hour for consulting services to the SDAC regarding the fiscal and operational analysis of intrastate transportation issues. But Palermo provided little or no actual work to the SDAC. Palermo was a friend of Fumo's who worked as an aide to the former senator in the early 1970s, when Fumo was director of a Pennsylvania agency, and, again, as chief of staff in Fumo's legislative district office in Philadelphia.
Palermo admitted that, beginning in or about July 1999, he submitted an invoice each month to the SDAC which fraudulently represented that he was entitled to payments under the contract in exchange for legitimate consulting services provided to the SDAC when, in fact, he provided little or no services to the Senate at all.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Pease and Robert Zauzmer.
Palermo admitted that, beginning in or about July 1999, he submitted an invoice each month to the SDAC which fraudulently represented that he was entitled to payments under the contract in exchange for legitimate consulting services provided to the SDAC when, in fact, he provided little or no services to the Senate at all.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John Pease and Robert Zauzmer.
Seeking Information on Robbery of TD Bank Branch in Devon
January 22, 2010 - The FBI and the Tredyffrin Township (PA) Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify and locate the subject responsible for the robbery of the TD Bank branch located at 100 East Swedesford Road in Devon, PA (Chester County) earlier today.
At approximately 10:36 a.m., the subject entered the bank, approached a teller, and made a threatening verbal demand for money. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the subject fled the bank. The subject was last seen fleeing the area of the bank in a white or light-colored mini-van, driven by a white female with long, shaggy brown hair.
The subject is described as a white male, in his mid 20’s, approximately 5'7" to 5’10” tall, thin build, with short-cropped blonde hair, unshaven with a mustache and goatee, wearing a dark blue New York Yankee’s baseball cap, a baggy thermal long-sleeve t-shirt, and cargo-style pants. The subject’s hands and/or clothes may be stained.
Three photographs from the bank’s security cameras are below.
These subjects are considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 215-418-4000 or the Tredyffrin Township Police Department. There may be a reward for information leading to the identification and apprehension of this subject, and tipsters can remain anonymous.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Stock Scheme That Swindled Millions from Investors
January 22, 2010 - A Florida man pleaded guilty today to his role in a $20 million stock fraud and money laundering scheme, admitting that he cost public investors over $1 million in losses, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Gary Brown, 61, of Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to a one-count Information that charges conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Judge Simandle continued the defendants’ release on a $70,000 secured bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 7.
At his plea hearing, Brown admitted that beginning in May 2002 and continuing through October 2005, he operated a sophisticated scheme, involving more than five co-conspirators, which used deceptive and manipulative practices in connection with the fraudulent issuance, purchase, and re-sale of shares of stock of Skylynx Communications, Inc. to defraud more than 50 victims. The company’s stock was publicly traded on the Over the Counter Electronic Bulletin Board System (OTC Bulletin Board).
Brown admitted that he conspired with Joseph Morgan, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., who was sentenced to 48 months for his role in the Skylynx fraud, among others, and Edward McPhee, also of Florida, who is pending sentencing for his role in the Skylynx fraud.
Brown admitted that he and his co-conspirators acquired ownership and control of a substantial number of Skylynx stock shares, without disclosing this ownership and control to the public. Brown further admitted that he and his co-conspirators paid undisclosed cash, free-trading Skylynx stock, and restricted Skylynx stock to securities brokers for purchasing Skylynx in their retail customers’ accounts. For example, Brown admitted that in July 2003, he caused 100,000 shares of Skylynx stock to be issued to McPhee’s nominee as a kickback for McPhee’s role in manipulating the market for Skylynx stock.
Brown further admitted that he and his co-conspirators caused false and fraudulent consulting agreements to be issued which were designed to allow the conspirators to receive free-trading Skylynx shares which they could later sell for substantial profit and to artificially inflate the price of Skylynx stock. For example, Brown admitted that in November 2003, he and Morgan discussed preparing a bogus consulting agreement in order to place 250,000 freetrading Skylynx shares into the hands of an insider in return for the insider raising $500,000 for Skylynx.
As part of his plea, Brown also agreed to forfeit approximately $650,000.
In pleading guilty to a criminal Information, a defendant waives his right to be indicted by a grand jury and instead appears directly before a judge to plead guilty.
The charge to which Brown pleaded guilty, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 5 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the aggregate loss to the victims or gain to the defendants.
In determining an actual sentence, Judge Simandle will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors.
The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents with the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise in Newark, and IRS Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William P. Offord, for the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Stephen Stigall of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Gary Brown, 61, of Sarasota, Fla., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle to a one-count Information that charges conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering. Judge Simandle continued the defendants’ release on a $70,000 secured bond pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 7.
At his plea hearing, Brown admitted that beginning in May 2002 and continuing through October 2005, he operated a sophisticated scheme, involving more than five co-conspirators, which used deceptive and manipulative practices in connection with the fraudulent issuance, purchase, and re-sale of shares of stock of Skylynx Communications, Inc. to defraud more than 50 victims. The company’s stock was publicly traded on the Over the Counter Electronic Bulletin Board System (OTC Bulletin Board).
Brown admitted that he conspired with Joseph Morgan, of St. Pete Beach, Fla., who was sentenced to 48 months for his role in the Skylynx fraud, among others, and Edward McPhee, also of Florida, who is pending sentencing for his role in the Skylynx fraud.
Brown admitted that he and his co-conspirators acquired ownership and control of a substantial number of Skylynx stock shares, without disclosing this ownership and control to the public. Brown further admitted that he and his co-conspirators paid undisclosed cash, free-trading Skylynx stock, and restricted Skylynx stock to securities brokers for purchasing Skylynx in their retail customers’ accounts. For example, Brown admitted that in July 2003, he caused 100,000 shares of Skylynx stock to be issued to McPhee’s nominee as a kickback for McPhee’s role in manipulating the market for Skylynx stock.
Brown further admitted that he and his co-conspirators caused false and fraudulent consulting agreements to be issued which were designed to allow the conspirators to receive free-trading Skylynx shares which they could later sell for substantial profit and to artificially inflate the price of Skylynx stock. For example, Brown admitted that in November 2003, he and Morgan discussed preparing a bogus consulting agreement in order to place 250,000 freetrading Skylynx shares into the hands of an insider in return for the insider raising $500,000 for Skylynx.
As part of his plea, Brown also agreed to forfeit approximately $650,000.
In pleading guilty to a criminal Information, a defendant waives his right to be indicted by a grand jury and instead appears directly before a judge to plead guilty.
The charge to which Brown pleaded guilty, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, wire fraud and money laundering, carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of 5 years and a fine of $250,000 or twice the aggregate loss to the victims or gain to the defendants.
In determining an actual sentence, Judge Simandle will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors.
The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents with the FBI’s Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise in Newark, and IRS Criminal Investigation Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William P. Offord, for the investigation leading to the guilty plea.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney R. Stephen Stigall of the Criminal Division in Camden.
Former Mayor of North Arlington and Wife Plead Guilty to Attempted Tax Evasion
January 22, 2010 - Leonard Kaiser, the former mayor of North Arlington, who also previously served as the executive director of the Bergen County Utilities Authority and a commissioner of the New Jersey Meadowlands Commission, and his wife both pleaded guilty today to attempted tax evasion charges, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Kaiser, 61, and his wife, Barbara Kaiser, 60, both of North Arlington, made their first appearances in federal court and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh to a one-count Information that charges them both with attempted tax evasion. Judge Cavanaugh released both defendants on $25,000 unsecured bonds pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 17.
According to the Information, Leonard and Barbara Kaiser established an election fund in connection with Leonard Kaiser’s 2002 mayoral reelection campaign. Barbara Kaiser served as Treasurer of the election fund.
At their plea hearing, Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser admitted that while they knew that New Jersey election laws prohibited the personal use of campaign funds, after Leonard Kaiser lost the 2002 election, they nevertheless caused a number of checks to be issued from the election fund to Barbara Kaiser personally. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser further admitted that, though many of the checks indicated on their face that they were for “salary,” the payments were neither disclosed on campaign finance forms filed with the N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission, nor reported as income to the IRS. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser admitted that from 2002 to about 2004, they received just under $30,000 in income from the election fund that they deliberately did not report as income on their federal tax returns in order to avoid paying taxes.
“The misappropriation of campaign funds and attempts to conceal such activity pose a significant threat to the political process,” said Fishman. “Contributors to an election fund expect that their contributions will be used for the intended purpose, and not to personally enrich the candidate.”
The charge to which the defendants pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In determining an actual sentence, Judge Cavanaugh will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents of the IRS, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William P. Offord, and Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise, with investigation of the case against Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Calcagni and Rachael A. Honig of the U.S. Attorney's Special Prosecutions Division, in Newark.
Kaiser, 61, and his wife, Barbara Kaiser, 60, both of North Arlington, made their first appearances in federal court and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh to a one-count Information that charges them both with attempted tax evasion. Judge Cavanaugh released both defendants on $25,000 unsecured bonds pending sentencing, which is scheduled for May 17.
According to the Information, Leonard and Barbara Kaiser established an election fund in connection with Leonard Kaiser’s 2002 mayoral reelection campaign. Barbara Kaiser served as Treasurer of the election fund.
At their plea hearing, Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser admitted that while they knew that New Jersey election laws prohibited the personal use of campaign funds, after Leonard Kaiser lost the 2002 election, they nevertheless caused a number of checks to be issued from the election fund to Barbara Kaiser personally. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser further admitted that, though many of the checks indicated on their face that they were for “salary,” the payments were neither disclosed on campaign finance forms filed with the N.J. Election Law Enforcement Commission, nor reported as income to the IRS. Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser admitted that from 2002 to about 2004, they received just under $30,000 in income from the election fund that they deliberately did not report as income on their federal tax returns in order to avoid paying taxes.
“The misappropriation of campaign funds and attempts to conceal such activity pose a significant threat to the political process,” said Fishman. “Contributors to an election fund expect that their contributions will be used for the intended purpose, and not to personally enrich the candidate.”
The charge to which the defendants pleaded guilty carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
In determining an actual sentence, Judge Cavanaugh will consult the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide appropriate sentencing ranges that take into account the severity and characteristics of the offense, the defendant's criminal history, if any, and other factors. The judge, however, is not bound by those guidelines in determining a sentence.
Parole has been abolished in the federal system. Defendants who are given custodial terms must serve nearly all that time.
Fishman credited Special Agents of the IRS, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge William P. Offord, and Special Agents of the FBI, under the direction of Acting Special Agent in Charge Kevin B. Cruise, with investigation of the case against Mr. and Mrs. Kaiser.
The United States is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas R. Calcagni and Rachael A. Honig of the U.S. Attorney's Special Prosecutions Division, in Newark.
Local Bank Robbery Thwarted Thanks to Multi-Agency Effort
January 22, 2010 - Richard Lambert, Special Agent in Charge of the Knoxville Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, in partnership with Sheriff Tim Guider of the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), Chief Don White of the Lenoir City Police Department (LCPD), as well as the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and the Knoxville Police Department, as part of the FBI Safe Streets Task Force (SSTF), announce the arrest of Joe D. Adams on Bank Robbery charges related to the attempted robbery of the BB&T Bank located at 391 Highway 321N in Lenoir City, Tennessee, on 01/22/2010.
At approximately 10:30 this morning, Adams, age 31, of Greenback, Tennessee, was arrested without incident outside the BB&T Bank by members of the SSTF, the LCPD and the LCSO. Adams is facing federal charges for Bank Robbery.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
At approximately 10:30 this morning, Adams, age 31, of Greenback, Tennessee, was arrested without incident outside the BB&T Bank by members of the SSTF, the LCPD and the LCSO. Adams is facing federal charges for Bank Robbery.
All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.
Chameleon Bandit Sentenced to Federal Prison
January 22, 2010 - United States Attorney Karen P. Hewitt announced that Miguel Dario Florez was sentenced today in federal court in San Diego by United States District Judge William Q. Hayes to serve 57 months in custody based on the defendant’s conviction for five counts of bank robbery, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a). In addition to the custodial sentence, Judge Hayes ordered that Florez serve a three-year term of supervised release following his release from prison and pay $10,462 in restitution to Wells Fargo Bank ($5,136) and Bank of America ($5,326). Florez tendered his guilty pleas on September 21, 2009.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman, who prosecuted the case, Florez admitted to robbing five banks in the San Diego area between May 22, 2009 and June 2, 2009. Florez, nicknamed the “Chameleon Bandit” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation because he changed his appearance at every bank robbery, took $10,462 from the five banks during his two-week crime spree. He was arrested on June 2, 2009 by the Chula Vista Police Department after a patrol officer received a radio broadcast with a description of a robber who had just completed a heist at a Wells Fargo Bank in Chula Vista, California. The officer observed an individual matching the description of the robber near a city bus and detained the individual, later identified as Florez. Following Florez’s arrest, the officer discovered a demand note in Florez’s pocket, which read: “This is a bank robbery. Give me all of the money from your drawer. No ink bombs and no GPS.”
United State Attorney Hewitt praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chula Vista Police Department in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Braverman, who prosecuted the case, Florez admitted to robbing five banks in the San Diego area between May 22, 2009 and June 2, 2009. Florez, nicknamed the “Chameleon Bandit” by the Federal Bureau of Investigation because he changed his appearance at every bank robbery, took $10,462 from the five banks during his two-week crime spree. He was arrested on June 2, 2009 by the Chula Vista Police Department after a patrol officer received a radio broadcast with a description of a robber who had just completed a heist at a Wells Fargo Bank in Chula Vista, California. The officer observed an individual matching the description of the robber near a city bus and detained the individual, later identified as Florez. Following Florez’s arrest, the officer discovered a demand note in Florez’s pocket, which read: “This is a bank robbery. Give me all of the money from your drawer. No ink bombs and no GPS.”
United State Attorney Hewitt praised the efforts of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Chula Vista Police Department in bringing this case to a successful conclusion.
Attorney General Eric Holder Addresses the National Sheriffs’ Association’s 2010 Winter Conference
Washington, D.C. ~ Friday, January 22, 2010
Thank you, Sheriff Zaruba. I appreciate your kind words. I also want to thank you, and the NSA’s outstanding leadership team, for inviting and welcoming me here today.
It’s good to be among friends. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to work with many of you, and, today, I’m proud to stand alongside each of you in answering our nation’s call to attain justice.
In that effort to attain justice, enforce our laws, and – most importantly – protect the American people, America’s sheriffs serve as essential partners to the Justice Department. This morning, I’m eager to discuss the work we share. But I’m also here to ask for your help in building the future we all seek.
In looking toward this future, and to the needs that must be met and challenges that must be faced, I’m reminded of the wisdom that our nation’s most iconic sheriff left us. As John Wayne once said, “Tomorrow hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
It’s true that tomorrow’s success is informed by our past experiences. And I’m certain it will be defined by our current priorities.
In establishing the Department’s agenda for this year and beyond, we are guided by the knowledge that moving forward effectively requires a commitment to getting back to basics. We’ve begun by reinvigorating the traditional missions of the Justice Department and by re-instilling an ethos of integrity, independence and transparency in everything we do.
Even as we confront the complex challenges posed by global terrorism, and even as we recognize this work as the Department’s top priority, we must also embrace the historic and most fundamental roles of law enforcement: fighting crime, protecting civil rights, preserving the environment, and ensuring fairness in the market place.
Your entire membership, indeed every person in this room, can play a role. And your guidance can make a critical difference. In the work of making our neighborhoods and communities safer, you are the front lines. You know what works. You know what doesn’t. And you have taught me that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer to the dynamic and evolving problem of crime.
This lesson became clear to me years ago, when I served as a young federal prosecutor. And it’s been reinforced by my experiences as a judge, as a U.S. Attorney, as Deputy Attorney General and, today, as Attorney General. I have learned, repeatedly and unequivocally, that good police work is a critical first step to understanding, punishing and preventing crime. It’s the cornerstone of sound policy and the basis for effective resource investments.
But good police work is not done in isolation. It’s done in partnership. And it’s done with a commitment to exchanging information, ideas and experiences.
I know that collaboration is the most powerful law enforcement tool we have. This effort begins with the brave men and women who police our neighborhoods, manage our jails and help secure our borders.
This work – your work – makes a difference in communities, in families, and in individual lives. And it will be a key component in meeting the Justice Department’s goals for this year and beyond.
I want to talk more specifically about several of our priorities. And I want to tell you about some of the ways the Justice Department is working to provide much-needed support to sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel.
One of the top priorities of this Justice Department is to re-establish our relationships with state, local and tribal authorities. These partnerships are critical. Yet, in recent years, many of them have suffered, been neglected or been taken for granted. No longer. We are committed to rebuilding these bonds. And we are actively working to open new channels of communication and collaboration.
At every level, we’re focused on strengthening the Department’s core missions of combating terrorism and fighting crime.
In the months ahead, we plan to give particular emphasis to initiatives aimed at tackling economic crime, international organized crime, youth violence and the exploitation of children.
We will also be focusing on improving our corrections system and ensuring that conditions are secure, humane and aimed at rehabilitation.
There’s no question that problems in our jails and prisons are alarming, especially the increased prevalence of sexual assault. The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently found that 12 percent of young offenders in our juvenile facilities have been sexually victimized. This is horrifying. It’s also unacceptable.
As we work toward making improvements, many of you have raised practical concerns about some of the recommendations included in the Prison Rape Elimination Act Commission Report. I am committed to working with you. And I’m determined to address this problem effectively, collaboratively, and as quickly as possible.
Sheriffs must be a part of this work. I’m pleased that several of you will be meeting with the Department’s PREA Working Group on Monday. And I want each of you to know that there will be additional opportunities to offer input and to comment on proposed regulations.
We’ll also be soliciting your assistance in our reinvigorated drug enforcement efforts. This work is driving an enhanced focus on Mexico and on our southwest border. To date, the Department has launched a series of efforts aimed at confronting the threats posed by Mexican cartels, by sophisticated criminal organizations, by smugglers of guns, drugs, and cash, and by those intent on illegally crossing into our country.
Some of you work along our southwest border. You know, as surely as I do, that we simply cannot afford to ignore the problem of illegal immigration. Several of you have reached out to us and to our colleagues across the Administration. You’ve warned that tension is building. And you’ve described its consequences: spikes in hate crimes, an increased fear of local law enforcement, and growing concerns for public safety.
We hear you. And we are working to ensure that the federal government lives up to its responsibility to create and enforce effective immigration laws.
President Obama has signaled his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform. He’s engaged the Justice Department in finding a workable solution for the millions who are in our country without lawful status. And he’s called on us, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to provide technical assistance on issues of enforcement, administrative and judicial review, and civil rights.
As we encourage and pursue reforms, let me be clear about two points: We will fulfill our obligation to enforce current immigration laws. And we will also honor our commitment to safeguard civil rights in our border areas, as well as in our workplaces, our housing markets and our voting booths.
I realize that achieving the goals I’ve laid out will not be easy. Success will depend on how well we support our law enforcement partners. It will also depend on our ability to provide the investments you need to do your jobs well.
In this time of mounting deficits and budget cuts, I know that your work has become more difficult. But it’s never been more important. The needs of your offices cannot be ignored or overlooked. You deserve better, and our communities deserve better.
That ’ s why, from day one, this Administration has been focused on providing local law enforcement officials with sufficient resources. And the Justice Department is an enthusiastic partner in this work.
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act alone, we have awarded more than $2 billion through the Office of Justice Programs. And we ’ ve allocated more than $1 billion through the office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Many of you - but not enough of you - have benefited from these investments. As part of our OJP Recovery Act rural law enforcement program, $36 million was awarded to sheriffs’ offices. And sheriffs have received nearly $9 million under our Southern Border program.
However, addressing the challenges faced by law enforcement requires more than simply moving money out the door. We must match resources effectively with local needs, something that can only be achieved through strong federal-local partnerships. We must also recognize that, in the work of ensuring public safety, these partnerships go far beyond funding decisions.
We must seek out new ways to deepen and extend these partnerships. This includes participating in each others’ task forces. It includes sharing data and research. And it requires taking what we know, and what we have learned from each other, and making sure this information is put to good use.
There’s no question that this type of cooperation among law enforcement agencies is vital to fulfilling our missions and responsibilities. And one of our core objectives must be to work together to protect the safety of our law enforcement officers.
A key part of this work is the Department’s Body Armor Initiative and our Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. Through our National Institute of Justice, we run a rigorous standards and testing program to ensure that body armor does what it’s supposed to do: keep law enforcement safe. Through our Bureau of Justice Assistance, we’ve helped law enforcement personnel in more than 13,000 jurisdictions purchase some 800,000 protective vests -- vests that can make a critical difference to our officers in the field.
Unfortunately, in the past, some body armor was poorly manufactured. Some materials degraded to the point of being ineffective against the bullets they were designed to defeat. The Justice Department’s Civil Division has been in litigation with several companies over defective vests made from a material called Zylon. In October 2008, one of the companies – Armor Holdings Products – agreed to pay $30 million as part of a settlement.
Today, I’m pleased to announce that $11 million from this and other settlements will be invested in law enforcement officers across the country. These resources will not be going back into the Treasury. They will be pumped into our Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. And, this year, they will enable us to purchase an estimated 26,000 additional bullet-resistant vests.
Through this and other programs, we will take every step possible to protect your safety.
I want you all to know that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. At every level of your Justice Department, and in every corner of our country, acts of violence against law enforcement will be pursued. They will be prosecuted. And they will be punished.
There is nothing more basic, or more important, to our work than keeping our law enforcement officers safe. Recently, our nation, and our law enforcement community, was tragically reminded of this truth.
As you well know, less than two months ago, in a coffee shop in Lakewood, Washington, four police officers sat together, preparing for a work day they would not live to see. At 8:30 that morning, these officers were ambushed by a gunman and killed in cold blood. It’s believed that they were targeted, murdered, simply because of the uniforms they wore and the public service they provided.
These victims, of course, were members of Lakewood’s 100-member police department. But they were part of something much larger. They were part of a law enforcement community that includes federal, state, local and tribal officials. They were part of our nation’s law enforcement family.
Their memorial service was attended by more than 20,000 people. Officers from as far away as New York, Boston and Chicago drove hundreds of miles to be there, creating a processional that lasted nearly three and a half hours. But tragically, this type of senseless killing of law enforcement officers is not an isolated incident. Just last week, Captain Chad Reed of the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office in Dixie County, Florida lost his life in the line of duty during a gunfight with a murder suspect. Captain Reed and his family are in our thoughts and prayers- today and always.
The program from the Lakewood officers’ memorial service included the Police Officers’ Prayer. A prayer for courage, for strength, for dedication and for compassion. These are the qualities I see and admire in law enforcement officials across our country, and within this room.
It is your gifts, your dedication and your leadership that will enable our Justice Department to make a positive, historic difference.
Let us commit to this work. Let us learn from each other. Let us work in partnership to develop law enforcement programs that are sophisticated, smart, tough and effective. And let us do so today.
I look forward to working with you, and learning from you, over the next several years. Together, we can make a better America. Thank you.
Thank you, Sheriff Zaruba. I appreciate your kind words. I also want to thank you, and the NSA’s outstanding leadership team, for inviting and welcoming me here today.
It’s good to be among friends. Over the years, I’ve been privileged to work with many of you, and, today, I’m proud to stand alongside each of you in answering our nation’s call to attain justice.
In that effort to attain justice, enforce our laws, and – most importantly – protect the American people, America’s sheriffs serve as essential partners to the Justice Department. This morning, I’m eager to discuss the work we share. But I’m also here to ask for your help in building the future we all seek.
In looking toward this future, and to the needs that must be met and challenges that must be faced, I’m reminded of the wisdom that our nation’s most iconic sheriff left us. As John Wayne once said, “Tomorrow hopes we’ve learned something from yesterday.”
It’s true that tomorrow’s success is informed by our past experiences. And I’m certain it will be defined by our current priorities.
In establishing the Department’s agenda for this year and beyond, we are guided by the knowledge that moving forward effectively requires a commitment to getting back to basics. We’ve begun by reinvigorating the traditional missions of the Justice Department and by re-instilling an ethos of integrity, independence and transparency in everything we do.
Even as we confront the complex challenges posed by global terrorism, and even as we recognize this work as the Department’s top priority, we must also embrace the historic and most fundamental roles of law enforcement: fighting crime, protecting civil rights, preserving the environment, and ensuring fairness in the market place.
Your entire membership, indeed every person in this room, can play a role. And your guidance can make a critical difference. In the work of making our neighborhoods and communities safer, you are the front lines. You know what works. You know what doesn’t. And you have taught me that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all answer to the dynamic and evolving problem of crime.
This lesson became clear to me years ago, when I served as a young federal prosecutor. And it’s been reinforced by my experiences as a judge, as a U.S. Attorney, as Deputy Attorney General and, today, as Attorney General. I have learned, repeatedly and unequivocally, that good police work is a critical first step to understanding, punishing and preventing crime. It’s the cornerstone of sound policy and the basis for effective resource investments.
But good police work is not done in isolation. It’s done in partnership. And it’s done with a commitment to exchanging information, ideas and experiences.
I know that collaboration is the most powerful law enforcement tool we have. This effort begins with the brave men and women who police our neighborhoods, manage our jails and help secure our borders.
This work – your work – makes a difference in communities, in families, and in individual lives. And it will be a key component in meeting the Justice Department’s goals for this year and beyond.
I want to talk more specifically about several of our priorities. And I want to tell you about some of the ways the Justice Department is working to provide much-needed support to sheriffs and other law enforcement personnel.
One of the top priorities of this Justice Department is to re-establish our relationships with state, local and tribal authorities. These partnerships are critical. Yet, in recent years, many of them have suffered, been neglected or been taken for granted. No longer. We are committed to rebuilding these bonds. And we are actively working to open new channels of communication and collaboration.
At every level, we’re focused on strengthening the Department’s core missions of combating terrorism and fighting crime.
In the months ahead, we plan to give particular emphasis to initiatives aimed at tackling economic crime, international organized crime, youth violence and the exploitation of children.
We will also be focusing on improving our corrections system and ensuring that conditions are secure, humane and aimed at rehabilitation.
There’s no question that problems in our jails and prisons are alarming, especially the increased prevalence of sexual assault. The Bureau of Justice Statistics recently found that 12 percent of young offenders in our juvenile facilities have been sexually victimized. This is horrifying. It’s also unacceptable.
As we work toward making improvements, many of you have raised practical concerns about some of the recommendations included in the Prison Rape Elimination Act Commission Report. I am committed to working with you. And I’m determined to address this problem effectively, collaboratively, and as quickly as possible.
Sheriffs must be a part of this work. I’m pleased that several of you will be meeting with the Department’s PREA Working Group on Monday. And I want each of you to know that there will be additional opportunities to offer input and to comment on proposed regulations.
We’ll also be soliciting your assistance in our reinvigorated drug enforcement efforts. This work is driving an enhanced focus on Mexico and on our southwest border. To date, the Department has launched a series of efforts aimed at confronting the threats posed by Mexican cartels, by sophisticated criminal organizations, by smugglers of guns, drugs, and cash, and by those intent on illegally crossing into our country.
Some of you work along our southwest border. You know, as surely as I do, that we simply cannot afford to ignore the problem of illegal immigration. Several of you have reached out to us and to our colleagues across the Administration. You’ve warned that tension is building. And you’ve described its consequences: spikes in hate crimes, an increased fear of local law enforcement, and growing concerns for public safety.
We hear you. And we are working to ensure that the federal government lives up to its responsibility to create and enforce effective immigration laws.
President Obama has signaled his commitment to comprehensive immigration reform. He’s engaged the Justice Department in finding a workable solution for the millions who are in our country without lawful status. And he’s called on us, as well as the Department of Homeland Security, to provide technical assistance on issues of enforcement, administrative and judicial review, and civil rights.
As we encourage and pursue reforms, let me be clear about two points: We will fulfill our obligation to enforce current immigration laws. And we will also honor our commitment to safeguard civil rights in our border areas, as well as in our workplaces, our housing markets and our voting booths.
I realize that achieving the goals I’ve laid out will not be easy. Success will depend on how well we support our law enforcement partners. It will also depend on our ability to provide the investments you need to do your jobs well.
In this time of mounting deficits and budget cuts, I know that your work has become more difficult. But it’s never been more important. The needs of your offices cannot be ignored or overlooked. You deserve better, and our communities deserve better.
That ’ s why, from day one, this Administration has been focused on providing local law enforcement officials with sufficient resources. And the Justice Department is an enthusiastic partner in this work.
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act alone, we have awarded more than $2 billion through the Office of Justice Programs. And we ’ ve allocated more than $1 billion through the office of Community Oriented Policing Services.
Many of you - but not enough of you - have benefited from these investments. As part of our OJP Recovery Act rural law enforcement program, $36 million was awarded to sheriffs’ offices. And sheriffs have received nearly $9 million under our Southern Border program.
However, addressing the challenges faced by law enforcement requires more than simply moving money out the door. We must match resources effectively with local needs, something that can only be achieved through strong federal-local partnerships. We must also recognize that, in the work of ensuring public safety, these partnerships go far beyond funding decisions.
We must seek out new ways to deepen and extend these partnerships. This includes participating in each others’ task forces. It includes sharing data and research. And it requires taking what we know, and what we have learned from each other, and making sure this information is put to good use.
There’s no question that this type of cooperation among law enforcement agencies is vital to fulfilling our missions and responsibilities. And one of our core objectives must be to work together to protect the safety of our law enforcement officers.
A key part of this work is the Department’s Body Armor Initiative and our Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. Through our National Institute of Justice, we run a rigorous standards and testing program to ensure that body armor does what it’s supposed to do: keep law enforcement safe. Through our Bureau of Justice Assistance, we’ve helped law enforcement personnel in more than 13,000 jurisdictions purchase some 800,000 protective vests -- vests that can make a critical difference to our officers in the field.
Unfortunately, in the past, some body armor was poorly manufactured. Some materials degraded to the point of being ineffective against the bullets they were designed to defeat. The Justice Department’s Civil Division has been in litigation with several companies over defective vests made from a material called Zylon. In October 2008, one of the companies – Armor Holdings Products – agreed to pay $30 million as part of a settlement.
Today, I’m pleased to announce that $11 million from this and other settlements will be invested in law enforcement officers across the country. These resources will not be going back into the Treasury. They will be pumped into our Bulletproof Vest Partnership Program. And, this year, they will enable us to purchase an estimated 26,000 additional bullet-resistant vests.
Through this and other programs, we will take every step possible to protect your safety.
I want you all to know that violence against law enforcement will not be tolerated. At every level of your Justice Department, and in every corner of our country, acts of violence against law enforcement will be pursued. They will be prosecuted. And they will be punished.
There is nothing more basic, or more important, to our work than keeping our law enforcement officers safe. Recently, our nation, and our law enforcement community, was tragically reminded of this truth.
As you well know, less than two months ago, in a coffee shop in Lakewood, Washington, four police officers sat together, preparing for a work day they would not live to see. At 8:30 that morning, these officers were ambushed by a gunman and killed in cold blood. It’s believed that they were targeted, murdered, simply because of the uniforms they wore and the public service they provided.
These victims, of course, were members of Lakewood’s 100-member police department. But they were part of something much larger. They were part of a law enforcement community that includes federal, state, local and tribal officials. They were part of our nation’s law enforcement family.
Their memorial service was attended by more than 20,000 people. Officers from as far away as New York, Boston and Chicago drove hundreds of miles to be there, creating a processional that lasted nearly three and a half hours. But tragically, this type of senseless killing of law enforcement officers is not an isolated incident. Just last week, Captain Chad Reed of the Dixie County Sheriff’s Office in Dixie County, Florida lost his life in the line of duty during a gunfight with a murder suspect. Captain Reed and his family are in our thoughts and prayers- today and always.
The program from the Lakewood officers’ memorial service included the Police Officers’ Prayer. A prayer for courage, for strength, for dedication and for compassion. These are the qualities I see and admire in law enforcement officials across our country, and within this room.
It is your gifts, your dedication and your leadership that will enable our Justice Department to make a positive, historic difference.
Let us commit to this work. Let us learn from each other. Let us work in partnership to develop law enforcement programs that are sophisticated, smart, tough and effective. And let us do so today.
I look forward to working with you, and learning from you, over the next several years. Together, we can make a better America. Thank you.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Live Beetle Worn as Jewelry at Brownsville Port of Entry
January 20, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers intercepted a jeweled beetle at Gateway International Bridge. The beetle was being worn as live jewelry by a traveler as she approached the primary lanes. On January 12, a traveler arriving from Mexico declared a live jeweled beetle to a primary CBP officer. The traveler bought the jeweled incrusted beetle in Mexico to be worn as jewelry. The brooch was attached to the travelers’ sweater by a chain and safety pin. CBP officers referred the vehicle to secondary for agriculture inspection. At secondary the traveler once again declared the crawling beetle to CBP officers. The importer lacked the required live plant pest importation documentation for the live jewelry.
CBP officers seized the decorative clothing accessory and sent the live beetle to the Plant Inspection Station at Los Indios International Bridge for further identification. Because the traveler declared the insect no monetary civil penalty was issued.
Moving live plant pests in any form, including pets, imported into or exported from the United States must be declared to CBP on PPQ form 526 declaration for importation or exportation, must be properly labeled and packaged prior to release by CBP.
CBP officers seized the decorative clothing accessory and sent the live beetle to the Plant Inspection Station at Los Indios International Bridge for further identification. Because the traveler declared the insect no monetary civil penalty was issued.
Moving live plant pests in any form, including pets, imported into or exported from the United States must be declared to CBP on PPQ form 526 declaration for importation or exportation, must be properly labeled and packaged prior to release by CBP.
NEW TWIST ON COUNTERFEIT CHECK SCHEME TARGETING U.S. LAW FIRMS
01/21/10—The FBI continues to receive reports of counterfeit check scheme targeting U.S. law firms. As previously reported, scammers send e-mails to lawyers, claiming to be overseas and seeking legal representation to collect delinquent payments from third parties in the U.S. The law firm receives a retainer agreement, invoices reflecting the amount owed, and a check payable to the law firm. The firm is instructed to extract the retainer fee, including any other fees associated with the transaction, and wire the remaining funds to banks in Korea, China, Ireland, or Canada. By the time the check is determined to be counterfeit, the funds have already been wired overseas.
In a new twist, the fraudulent client seeking legal representation is an ex-wife "on assignment" in an Asian country, and she claims to be pursuing a collection of divorce settlement monies from her ex-husband in the U.S. The law firm agrees to represent the ex-wife, sends an e-mail to the ex-husband, and receives a "certified" check for the settlement via delivery service. The ex-wife instructs the firm to wire the funds, less the retainer fee, to an overseas bank account. When the scam is executed successfully, the law firm wires the money before discovering the check is counterfeit.
All Internet users need to be cautious when they receive unsolicited e-mails. Law firms are advised to conduct as much due diligence as possible before engaging in transactions with parties who are handling their business solely via e-mail, particularly those parties claiming to reside overseas.
Please view an additional public service announcement posted to the IC3 web site regarding a similar Asian extortion scheme located at the following link, http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/090610.aspx. Individuals who receive information pertaining to counterfeit check schemes are encouraged to file a complaint at http://www.ic3.gov/.
In a new twist, the fraudulent client seeking legal representation is an ex-wife "on assignment" in an Asian country, and she claims to be pursuing a collection of divorce settlement monies from her ex-husband in the U.S. The law firm agrees to represent the ex-wife, sends an e-mail to the ex-husband, and receives a "certified" check for the settlement via delivery service. The ex-wife instructs the firm to wire the funds, less the retainer fee, to an overseas bank account. When the scam is executed successfully, the law firm wires the money before discovering the check is counterfeit.
All Internet users need to be cautious when they receive unsolicited e-mails. Law firms are advised to conduct as much due diligence as possible before engaging in transactions with parties who are handling their business solely via e-mail, particularly those parties claiming to reside overseas.
Please view an additional public service announcement posted to the IC3 web site regarding a similar Asian extortion scheme located at the following link, http://www.ic3.gov/media/2009/090610.aspx. Individuals who receive information pertaining to counterfeit check schemes are encouraged to file a complaint at http://www.ic3.gov/.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing the Past
One reader of Criminal Investigation: A Method for Reconstructing the Past said, “The text is divided into four sections with thirty chapters. New in this edition is a chapter on automobile theft. Earlier editions of the book were required reading for the International Association for Identification's crime scene certification course and I expect that will continue to be true with this edition. The third edition continues to be bound in paperback which was one my main complaints from the second edition. The dimensions of the book of the been changed resulting in a rather more solid feel to this edition. I'd still prefer to see it in hard cover, however, I understand some of the cost factors involved, which lead to the use of a paper cover.
The third edition also includes a 228 page study guide. The instructors edition includes both an instructors guide, and a set of PowerPoint slides, although I didn't receive the slides with my review copy. Given the popularity of PowerPoint presentations I have to believe this is a valuable addition for those that are using the text in a college course. Overall the book continues to be well written and illustrated with appropriate photographs or illustrations.
Section one is the Foundation and Principles of Criminal Investigation. Part A is the Sources and Uses of Information, which includes the History of Criminal Investigation, Uses of Physical Evidence, Using People as a Source of Information, and investigations involving records and files.
Section one Part B Seeking and Obtaining Information from People and Records, includes detailed information on Interviews, using Records and Files and Informants. Part C follow-up measures includes chapters on Surveillance, Eyewitness Identification (which includes sketches, composites and line-ups) and two chapters on Interrogation.
Section two: Applying the Principles to Criminal Investigation, includes a chapter on Reconstructing the Past, and chapters on specific crimes including Homicide, Robbery, Rape, Burglary and Arson.
Section three is specialized investigations and includes Terrorism, Computers, White-collar Crime and Crimes Involving Vehicles.
Section four is specialized topics and includes chapters on What is Crime? Managing Criminal Investigations, Controlling Investigations through Constitutional Law, Evidence and Effective Testimony. Chapters which review the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Lindbergh kidnapping, a chapter on Satanism, Cults and Ritual Crime (which in my opinion is still a waste of paper) and a chapter on Raids.
The text also includes five appendices: FBI suggestions for Packaging Physical Evidence, Photographing a Crime Scene, the Vicap Crime Analysis Report, Missing Person Checklist and a Glossary.
Given the breadth of the material presented, the authors can't go into great detail about any particular subject, however, each of the chapters includes an extensive list of supplemental readings. The third edition continues to be an excellent introductory text on criminal investigation and remains one of my top recommendations.”
The third edition also includes a 228 page study guide. The instructors edition includes both an instructors guide, and a set of PowerPoint slides, although I didn't receive the slides with my review copy. Given the popularity of PowerPoint presentations I have to believe this is a valuable addition for those that are using the text in a college course. Overall the book continues to be well written and illustrated with appropriate photographs or illustrations.
Section one is the Foundation and Principles of Criminal Investigation. Part A is the Sources and Uses of Information, which includes the History of Criminal Investigation, Uses of Physical Evidence, Using People as a Source of Information, and investigations involving records and files.
Section one Part B Seeking and Obtaining Information from People and Records, includes detailed information on Interviews, using Records and Files and Informants. Part C follow-up measures includes chapters on Surveillance, Eyewitness Identification (which includes sketches, composites and line-ups) and two chapters on Interrogation.
Section two: Applying the Principles to Criminal Investigation, includes a chapter on Reconstructing the Past, and chapters on specific crimes including Homicide, Robbery, Rape, Burglary and Arson.
Section three is specialized investigations and includes Terrorism, Computers, White-collar Crime and Crimes Involving Vehicles.
Section four is specialized topics and includes chapters on What is Crime? Managing Criminal Investigations, Controlling Investigations through Constitutional Law, Evidence and Effective Testimony. Chapters which review the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, and the Lindbergh kidnapping, a chapter on Satanism, Cults and Ritual Crime (which in my opinion is still a waste of paper) and a chapter on Raids.
The text also includes five appendices: FBI suggestions for Packaging Physical Evidence, Photographing a Crime Scene, the Vicap Crime Analysis Report, Missing Person Checklist and a Glossary.
Given the breadth of the material presented, the authors can't go into great detail about any particular subject, however, each of the chapters includes an extensive list of supplemental readings. The third edition continues to be an excellent introductory text on criminal investigation and remains one of my top recommendations.”
Police Officer Examination Preparation Guide: The Path of the Warrior
One reader of Police Officer Examination Preparation Guide: The Path of the Warrior said, “This book contains exactly what it says it does. The general info is presented in an interesting way so it makes for an easy and informative read. I'm not sure how useful test preps are for police exams as the exams test a general approach to policing rather than specific knowledge. The author's comments for each answer provide information about what approach to take and what things to consider when answering so I felt like I was getting great direction. However my results for the subsequent tests dropped a point each time, so I might have been better off trying not to overanalyze each response.
One reader of Police Officer Examination Preparation Guide: The Path of the Warrior said, “This book has been very helpful to me. I read it cover to cover and then went through it again, following the directions and making notes. It is easy to understand, and the way it is written (as if the author is talking directly to you) makes it interesting as well. Using this book I scored an "outstanding" on my interview. Even though the officers asked me some questions I was not prepared for, I knew how to think with my answers and what they were looking for, and I was not very nervous. The one note for this book is that your local testing process may be easier than that Mr. Jetmore lays out -- it depends on where you are applying. I am going for LAPD and their written test and physical test are both much easier. However, it is far better to be over-prepared than not ready! This book will also help you if you are not quite sure if you want to be a cop or not.”
One reader of Police Officer Examination Preparation Guide: The Path of the Warrior said, “This book has been very helpful to me. I read it cover to cover and then went through it again, following the directions and making notes. It is easy to understand, and the way it is written (as if the author is talking directly to you) makes it interesting as well. Using this book I scored an "outstanding" on my interview. Even though the officers asked me some questions I was not prepared for, I knew how to think with my answers and what they were looking for, and I was not very nervous. The one note for this book is that your local testing process may be easier than that Mr. Jetmore lays out -- it depends on where you are applying. I am going for LAPD and their written test and physical test are both much easier. However, it is far better to be over-prepared than not ready! This book will also help you if you are not quite sure if you want to be a cop or not.”
Advanced DNA Technologies Training
Receive FREE advanced DNA laboratory training at the Marshall University Forensic Science Center in Huntington , WV. The week-long hands-on training session will be taught by qualified DNA trainers as described in the list of training modules provided below. Individuals should have a basic knowledge of DNA applications for forensic testing. Members of laboratories who want to develop a high-throughput testing format or are switching from a gel-based analysis to capillary systems will benefit from the training modules. MUFSC can customize training to meet specific needs of the participants.
More Information
http://forensics.marshall.edu/Projects/PDI-DNA.html
More Information
http://forensics.marshall.edu/Projects/PDI-DNA.html
COMPLIANCE WITH STANDARDS GOVERNING COMBINED DNA INDEX SYSTEM ACTIVITIES AT THE IDAHO STATE POLICE
The Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General (OIG), Audit Division, has completed an audit of compliance with standards governing Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) activities at the Idaho State Police Forensic Services Laboratory (Laboratory). The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) CODIS program blends forensic science and computer technology to provide an investigative tool to federal, state, and local crime laboratories in the United States, as well as those from select international law enforcement agencies. The CODIS program allows laboratories to compare and match DNA profiles electronically to assist law enforcement in solving crimes and identifying missing or unidentified persons.1 The FBI’s CODIS Unit manages CODIS, as well as develops, supports, and provides the program to crime laboratories to foster the exchange and comparison of forensic DNA evidence.
The FBI implemented CODIS as a distributed database with hierarchical levels that enable federal, state, and local crime laboratories to compare DNA profiles electronically. The hierarchy consists of three distinct levels that flow upward from the local level to the state level and then, if allowable, the national level. National DNA Index System (NDIS), the highest level in the hierarchy, is managed by the FBI as the nation’s DNA database containing DNA profiles uploaded by law enforcement agencies across the United States. NDIS enables the laboratories participating in the CODIS program to electronically compare DNA profiles on a national level. The State DNA Index System (SDIS) is used at the state level to serve as a state’s DNA database containing DNA profiles from local laboratories and state offenders. The Local DNA Index System (LDIS) is used by local laboratories.
Read On
http://www.justice.gov/oig/grants/g6010001.pdf
The FBI implemented CODIS as a distributed database with hierarchical levels that enable federal, state, and local crime laboratories to compare DNA profiles electronically. The hierarchy consists of three distinct levels that flow upward from the local level to the state level and then, if allowable, the national level. National DNA Index System (NDIS), the highest level in the hierarchy, is managed by the FBI as the nation’s DNA database containing DNA profiles uploaded by law enforcement agencies across the United States. NDIS enables the laboratories participating in the CODIS program to electronically compare DNA profiles on a national level. The State DNA Index System (SDIS) is used at the state level to serve as a state’s DNA database containing DNA profiles from local laboratories and state offenders. The Local DNA Index System (LDIS) is used by local laboratories.
Read On
http://www.justice.gov/oig/grants/g6010001.pdf
Review of FBI use of Exigent Letters and other Informal Request for Telephone Records
On March 9, 2007, the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General issued is first report on the FBI’s use of national security letters. Issued in response to requirements in the USA PATRIOT Improvement and Reauthorization Act of 2005, the first report described the use and effectiveness of national security letters, including “any illegal and improve use,” in calendar years 2003 through 2005.
On March 13, 2008, the OIG issued its second report on national security letters, which assessed the corrective actions the FBI and DOJ had taken in response to the OIG’s first report. In this third report, the OIG describes the results of its latest inquiry.
Read the Report
http://www.justice.gov/oig/special/s1001r.pdf
On March 13, 2008, the OIG issued its second report on national security letters, which assessed the corrective actions the FBI and DOJ had taken in response to the OIG’s first report. In this third report, the OIG describes the results of its latest inquiry.
Read the Report
http://www.justice.gov/oig/special/s1001r.pdf
Fiction or Not?
Someone asked me if the scene of the chase through the woods with the K9 was true or not. You bet. It was a surreal night, almost exactly as I wrote it. I consider myself an adrenaline junky, and that search met all my heart-racing needs…
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Criminal Justice (Cliffs Quick Review)
According to the description of Criminal Justice (Cliffs Quick Review), “When it comes to pinpointing the stuff you really need to know, nobody does it better than CliffsNotes. This fast, effective tutorial helps you master the core criminal justice concepts -- and get the best possible grade. From criminal law to the court system to the law enforcement community, you get clear, jargon-free explanations of the American justice system, brought to life with vivid real-world examples.”
One reader of Criminal Justice (Cliffs Quick Review) said, “I'm not sure why there hasn't been a review on this book yet, but this book is awesome if you're preparing for the DSST tests. I studied for about a day, took both tests back to back, and got A's on both of them. Just make sure that you know:
1. All of the important Supreme Court decisions (such as Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright),
2. How criminal and juvenile courts work, (their procedures, etc)
3. The 4th, 5th, and 6th & 14th amendments to the Constitution
4. Everything related to the development of the American police force & crime statistics
The only thing that is missing that you would need outside of the cliffsnotes book is current information on police dept's hiring statistics on minorities and women. At least 4 of the questions on law enforcement test were related to that subject.”
One reader of Criminal Justice (Cliffs Quick Review) said, “I'm not sure why there hasn't been a review on this book yet, but this book is awesome if you're preparing for the DSST tests. I studied for about a day, took both tests back to back, and got A's on both of them. Just make sure that you know:
1. All of the important Supreme Court decisions (such as Mapp v. Ohio, Gideon v. Wainwright),
2. How criminal and juvenile courts work, (their procedures, etc)
3. The 4th, 5th, and 6th & 14th amendments to the Constitution
4. Everything related to the development of the American police force & crime statistics
The only thing that is missing that you would need outside of the cliffsnotes book is current information on police dept's hiring statistics on minorities and women. At least 4 of the questions on law enforcement test were related to that subject.”
Woman Charged with Armed Robbery Using a Semi-Automatic Pistol
January 19, 2010 - Teresa G. Bellamy, 49, Evansville, Indiana, was indicted on January 14, 2010, by a federal grand jury sitting in Indianapolis for robbery and use of a firearm in commission of a robbery, announced Timothy M. Morrison, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Indiana, following an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Indictment alleges that on September 19, 2009, Bellamy robbed a Motor Mart gas station located at 1900 North Green River, Evansville, Indiana, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who is prosecuting the case for the government, Bellamy faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Bellamy is currently in state custody and an initial hearing will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge after the state case is concluded.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Indictment alleges that on September 19, 2009, Bellamy robbed a Motor Mart gas station located at 1900 North Green River, Evansville, Indiana, brandishing a semi-automatic pistol.
According to Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd S. Shellenbarger, who is prosecuting the case for the government, Bellamy faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment and a $250,000 fine. Bellamy is currently in state custody and an initial hearing will be scheduled before a U.S. Magistrate Judge after the state case is concluded.
An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Joint-Agency CBP, ICE, USPIS Arrest Subjects Traveling Southbound
January 15, 2010 - U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers and agents, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service worked together to arrest a man attempting to leave the country with $30,323 and man with U.S. mail belonging to other people, during southbound inspections at the San Ysidro port of entry.
Yesterday morning at 11:55 a.m. on the I-5 freeway south, an ICE agent targeted a 29-year-old U.S. citizen male driving a 2005 Honda Civic and pulled him over for a secondary inspection. During the inspection, a CBP officer searched the man for officer safety and discovered bundles of money strapped to both ankles.
The man had a total three bundles strapped to his right ankle, two strapped to his left ankle, and money in his wallet totaling $30,323 in undeclared U.S. currency.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested the man and transported him to the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment. CBP seized the money and vehicle.
Earlier in the day at about 11 a.m. a CBP officer and Border Patrol agent encountered a 23-year-old Mexican man onboard a bus heading into Mexico. During the course of their inspection the officer and agent found various documents, U.S. mail, and checks that did not belong to the man.
U.S. Postal Inspectors responded and arrested the man for possession of stolen property and transported him to the San Diego County Jail.
“These two apprehensions are great examples of what can be accomplished when there is cooperation and coordination between agencies,” said San Ysidro Port Director Chris Maston. “Not only did we stop money from getting into the hands of the cartels, but we also protected citizens from fraud and identity theft.”
Southbound examinations have successfully stopped a myriad of other illegal activity such as stolen vehicles and trade and immigration violations, he said.
"Instead of a trip out of the country, this individual gets a trip to jail by stealing the mail. The Postal Inspection Service remains committed to the protection and security of the nation's mail system," said Bernard B. Ferguson, Inspector in Charge, Los Angeles Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Yesterday morning at 11:55 a.m. on the I-5 freeway south, an ICE agent targeted a 29-year-old U.S. citizen male driving a 2005 Honda Civic and pulled him over for a secondary inspection. During the inspection, a CBP officer searched the man for officer safety and discovered bundles of money strapped to both ankles.
The man had a total three bundles strapped to his right ankle, two strapped to his left ankle, and money in his wallet totaling $30,323 in undeclared U.S. currency.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested the man and transported him to the Metropolitan Correctional Center to await arraignment. CBP seized the money and vehicle.
Earlier in the day at about 11 a.m. a CBP officer and Border Patrol agent encountered a 23-year-old Mexican man onboard a bus heading into Mexico. During the course of their inspection the officer and agent found various documents, U.S. mail, and checks that did not belong to the man.
U.S. Postal Inspectors responded and arrested the man for possession of stolen property and transported him to the San Diego County Jail.
“These two apprehensions are great examples of what can be accomplished when there is cooperation and coordination between agencies,” said San Ysidro Port Director Chris Maston. “Not only did we stop money from getting into the hands of the cartels, but we also protected citizens from fraud and identity theft.”
Southbound examinations have successfully stopped a myriad of other illegal activity such as stolen vehicles and trade and immigration violations, he said.
"Instead of a trip out of the country, this individual gets a trip to jail by stealing the mail. The Postal Inspection Service remains committed to the protection and security of the nation's mail system," said Bernard B. Ferguson, Inspector in Charge, Los Angeles Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Kaplan College Honors Fallen Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas Criminal Justice Training Lab Named in His Honor
San Diego – On January 13, in a moving and compassionate ceremony at the Kaplan College campus, the college’s newest Criminal Justice Training Lab was dedicated and named in honor of fallen Border Patrol Agent Robert Rosas. Agent Rosas was tragically murdered on the evening of July 23, 2009, while on patrol in Campo, Calif. Kaplan College Criminal Justice Training Lab features a new Firearms Training Simulator system where law enforcement officers and trainees will face various lethal threat situations that will help them make not only instant decisions, but know if it was the right decision and who survived the encounter.
Addressing a group of nearly 75 family and friends, law enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents; Kevin Prehn, Campus President, said, “Our campus is honored to commemorate Agent Robert Rosas’ service and sacrifice. We feel very privileged to have our Criminal Justice Training Lab bear his name.”
Mr. Prehn explained that one of the reasons that Kaplan chose to dedicate the lab to Agent Rosas was because one of its employees is a cousin of Agent Rosas and the organization wanted to show its support. It was also a way to thank other Border Patrol agents and law enforcement personnel for their service in protecting the country.
Amy Thompson-Smith, the Criminal Justice Program Director said, “Kaplan College is sincerely honored to dedicate the lab to the memory and sacrifice of Agent Rosas.” She expressed her pleasure that the lab will have a hand in improving and honing the training of future law enforcement personnel.
Agent Rosas’ sister, Arlene Brambilia, commented that Kaplan College’s dedication “sends a message of respect and gratitude to those that serve our country with honor everyday.”
Rosalie Rosas, Agent Rosas’ wife and her two young children were also present. She said to the group, “Kaplan College’s decision to dedicate this lab in Robert’s name is a blessing and honor to all of us.” She went on to say, “When our children are a little older, I will bring them here to share the honor you left in our hearts.”
John Kolacinski, the Regional Vice President of Operations at Kaplan, thanked Ms. Rosas and presented to her a combined $10,000 scholarship for her two children should they attend Kaplan College in the future.
The group proceeded into the Criminal Justice Training Lab where a plaque was unveiled that commemorated the dedication of the lab to Agent Rosas. On the plaque, under the proud portrait of Agent Robert Rosas, were inscribed the words, “In honor of your ultimate sacrifice and dedication to your family and country.”
Addressing a group of nearly 75 family and friends, law enforcement officers and Border Patrol agents; Kevin Prehn, Campus President, said, “Our campus is honored to commemorate Agent Robert Rosas’ service and sacrifice. We feel very privileged to have our Criminal Justice Training Lab bear his name.”
Mr. Prehn explained that one of the reasons that Kaplan chose to dedicate the lab to Agent Rosas was because one of its employees is a cousin of Agent Rosas and the organization wanted to show its support. It was also a way to thank other Border Patrol agents and law enforcement personnel for their service in protecting the country.
Amy Thompson-Smith, the Criminal Justice Program Director said, “Kaplan College is sincerely honored to dedicate the lab to the memory and sacrifice of Agent Rosas.” She expressed her pleasure that the lab will have a hand in improving and honing the training of future law enforcement personnel.
Agent Rosas’ sister, Arlene Brambilia, commented that Kaplan College’s dedication “sends a message of respect and gratitude to those that serve our country with honor everyday.”
Rosalie Rosas, Agent Rosas’ wife and her two young children were also present. She said to the group, “Kaplan College’s decision to dedicate this lab in Robert’s name is a blessing and honor to all of us.” She went on to say, “When our children are a little older, I will bring them here to share the honor you left in our hearts.”
John Kolacinski, the Regional Vice President of Operations at Kaplan, thanked Ms. Rosas and presented to her a combined $10,000 scholarship for her two children should they attend Kaplan College in the future.
The group proceeded into the Criminal Justice Training Lab where a plaque was unveiled that commemorated the dedication of the lab to Agent Rosas. On the plaque, under the proud portrait of Agent Robert Rosas, were inscribed the words, “In honor of your ultimate sacrifice and dedication to your family and country.”
Drug Suspect Caught
January 19, 2010 - A man wanted by the Savannah-Chatham Counter Narcotics Team (CNT) and the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department was arrested by the United States Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force, Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department (SCMPD) Patrol Officers, SCMPD K-9, and a CNT agent on January 18, 2010.
Herman Lamont Dessasure, 26, was wanted by the Savannah-Chatham Counter Narcotics Team on numerous drug related warrants for drug incidents that occurred in 2009. The warrants include Sale of Marijuana, two warrants for Sale of Crack Cocaine, Possession of Ecstasy, and two for the Use of a Communication Device in the Commission of a crime. He was also wanted on a Chatham County warrant for Failure to Appear on an Indictment warrant for Theft by receiving, Possession of Controlled Substance and traffic charges.
The case was referred to the United States Marshals Service Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate and arrest Dessasure. An intensive investigation was conducted by the Marshals Task Force which led investigators to the Eastside of Savannah. On January 18th at approximately 2pm, Task Force investigators received information that Deesasure was at the Center Stage Barber Shop located in a shopping center located in the Eisenhower Drive and Skidaway Road area of Savannah. Marshals Task Force members, SCMPD Patrol and K-9 units, and a CNT agent responded to the area and arrested Dessasure while he sat in the barber’s chair. Dessasure was arrested without incident and half a haircut. Dessasure also has an outstanding warrant from Jasper County, South Carolina. Dessasure was taken to the Chatham County Jail.
Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 36, 000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by the Marshals Service than all other federal agencies combined.
The Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force has three offices: Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. The task force covers the whole state of Georgia. The Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of investigators from the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department, the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug crimes, sex offenders, and other felonies. In 2008, U.S. Marshals led task forces arrested more than 73,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.
Herman Lamont Dessasure, 26, was wanted by the Savannah-Chatham Counter Narcotics Team on numerous drug related warrants for drug incidents that occurred in 2009. The warrants include Sale of Marijuana, two warrants for Sale of Crack Cocaine, Possession of Ecstasy, and two for the Use of a Communication Device in the Commission of a crime. He was also wanted on a Chatham County warrant for Failure to Appear on an Indictment warrant for Theft by receiving, Possession of Controlled Substance and traffic charges.
The case was referred to the United States Marshals Service Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force to locate and arrest Dessasure. An intensive investigation was conducted by the Marshals Task Force which led investigators to the Eastside of Savannah. On January 18th at approximately 2pm, Task Force investigators received information that Deesasure was at the Center Stage Barber Shop located in a shopping center located in the Eisenhower Drive and Skidaway Road area of Savannah. Marshals Task Force members, SCMPD Patrol and K-9 units, and a CNT agent responded to the area and arrested Dessasure while he sat in the barber’s chair. Dessasure was arrested without incident and half a haircut. Dessasure also has an outstanding warrant from Jasper County, South Carolina. Dessasure was taken to the Chatham County Jail.
Annually, investigations carried out by the U.S. Marshals result in the apprehension of approximately 36, 000 federal fugitives. More federal fugitives are arrested by the Marshals Service than all other federal agencies combined.
The Marshals Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force has three offices: Atlanta, Macon, and Savannah. The task force covers the whole state of Georgia. The Savannah Office of the Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force is a team comprised of investigators from the Georgia Department of Corrections, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department, the Savannah Chatham Metropolitan Police Department and the United States Marshals Service. The task force objective is to seek out and arrest fugitives charged with violent crimes, drug crimes, sex offenders, and other felonies. In 2008, U.S. Marshals led task forces arrested more than 73,000 state and local fugitives on felony charges.
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