Criminal Justice System as a Counterterrorism Tool: A Fact Sheet

January 26th, 2010 Posted by Tracy Russo

The Obama administration is committed to using every instrument of national power to fight terrorism – including intelligence and military operations as well as the criminal justice system. As a counter-terrorism tool, the criminal justice system has proven incredibly effective in both incapacitating terrorists and gathering valuable intelligence from and about terrorists. In every instance, the administration will use the tool that is most effective for fighting terrorism, and will make those decisions based on pragmatism, not ideology.

I. Intelligence Collection

The criminal justice system has been the source of extremely valuable intelligence on al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations. The criminal justice system provides powerful incentives for suspects to provide accurate, reliable information, and the Department of Justice and FBI work closely with the rest of the intelligence community to maximize information and intelligence obtained from each cooperator. Below are just a few public examples.

Cooperators Provide Intelligence on al-Qaeda and Other Terror Groups

L’Houssaine Kherchtou, who was arrested, Mirandized, charged with terrorism offenses, and cooperated with the government, provided critical intelligence on al-Qaeda. He testified in 2001 against four al-Qaeda members who were later sentenced to life in prison after being convicted in connection with the East Africa Embassy bombings.

After his capture in Afghanistan, John Walker Lindh pleaded guilty in 2002 to supporting the Taliban and, as part of his plea agreement, provided valuable intelligence about training camps and fighting in Afghanistan.

Mohammed Junaid Babar, arrested in 2004 for supporting al Qaeda and plotting attacks in the United Kingdom, has provided intelligence on terrorist groups operating along the Afghanistan/Pakistan border and has testified in the successful trials of terrorists in the United Kingdom and Canada. He is scheduled to testify in another terrorism trial in New York later this year.

David Headley, arrested in 2009 and charged in connection with a plot to bomb a Danish newspaper and his alleged role in the November 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai, has provided extremely valuable intelligence regarding those attacks, the terrorist organization Lashkar y Tayyiba, and Pakistan-based terrorist leaders.

Adis Medunjanin, an alleged associate of Najibullah Zazi, was taken into custody in January 2010, and, after waiving his Miranda rights, provided detailed information to the FBI about terrorist-related activities of himself and others in the United States and Pakistan. He has been charged with conspiring to kill U.S. nationals overseas and receiving military-type training from al-Qaeda.

Other law enforcement cooperators are currently providing important intelligence regarding terrorist activity from East Africa to South Asia and regarding plots to attack the United States and Europe.

II Incapacitating Terrorists

Hundreds of terrorism suspects have been successfully prosecuted in federal court since 9/11. Today, there are more than 300 international or domestic terrorists incarcerated in U.S. federal prison facilities. Events over the past year demonstrate the continuing value of federal courts in combating terrorism. In 2009, there were more defendants charged with terrorism violations in federal court than in any year since 9/11.

Past Terrorism Convictions and Recent Terrorism Indictments

• Richard Reid was arrested in December 2001 and convicted pursuant to a guilty plea in October 2002 of attempting to ignite a shoe bomb while on a flight from Paris to Miami carrying 184 passengers and 14 crewmembers. He is serving a life prison term.
• Ahmed Omar Abu Ali was convicted in November 2005 of conspiracy to assassinate the U.S. President and conspiracy to commit air piracy and conspiracy to destroy aircraft. Ali was sentenced to 30 years in prison.
• In May 2006, Zacarias Moussaoui was sentenced to life in prison after pleading guilty to various terrorism violations, admitting that he conspired with al-Qaeda to hijack and crash planes into prominent U.S. buildings as part of the 9/11 attacks.
• In September 2009, Najibullah Zazi was charged with conspiring to use a weapon of mass destruction as part of an al-Qaeda plot bomb targets in the United States. Several of his alleged associates have been arrested and charged in federal court.
• During 2009, 14 individuals were charged in the District of Minnesota connection with an ongoing investigation of individuals who have traveled from Minnesota to Somalia to train with or fight on behalf of the terrorist group al-Shabaab.
• In September 2009, Daniel Patrick Boyd and others were charged with plotting an attack on U.S. military personnel at the Quantico Marine Base, as well as recruiting young people to travel overseas in order to kill.

Inmate Charged with Possessing a Shank

January 26, 2010 - Juan Pedro Valdez, 22, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary, Leavenworth, Kan., is charged with one count of possession of a homemade knife (a shank), a prohibited object. If convicted, Valdez faces a maximum of five years. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Smith is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

The federal grand jury also returned the following indictments:

Craig N. Jarrett, 27, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with being a felon in possession of a handgun. If convicted, he faces a maximum of 10 years in prison. The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

Jose Guadalupe Mayorga-Diaz, 32, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and with re-entry of a previously deported alien. If convicted, Mayorga-Diaz faces a maximum of 10 years for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and a maximum of two years for re-entry of a previously deported alien. The case was investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

Kansas City, Missouri Man Sentenced for Stealing from His Employer in DeSoto, Kansas

January 26, 2010 - Joseph S. Bowen, 35, Kansas City, Mo., has been sentenced to 21 months in federal prison for stealing from the DeSoto, Kan., company where he worked, U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch said today. Bowen was ordered to pay more than $329,000 in restitution.

Bowen pleaded guilty to eight counts of wire fraud committed from April 12, 2006, to Aug. 8, 2008. According to an indictment filed in July 2009, Bowen worked as “deductions coordinator” for Huhtamaki U.S., a speciality packaging company with headquarters in DeSoto, Kan. The company provides consumer goods, packaging, and food service containers, as well as a line of premium disposable tableware. Bowen’s duties included receiving invoices from vendors and processing payments to vendors and customers who qualify for rebates for large volume discounts, special promotions, or refunds for overpayment.

Bowen redirected vendor and customer payments into his personal bank account by making false entries into the company’s accounting system. He attempted to hide his activities by using another employee’s username and password to access the computer system. Welch commended the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Oakley for their work on the case.

LaFollette Man Pleads Guilty to $1.8 Million Check Fraud Scheme

January 26, 2010 - John Dale Henegar, 42, of LaFollette, Tennessee, pled guilty in federal court today before the Honorable Thomas A. Varlan, United States District Judge, to an Indictment charging him with a federal bank fraud offense arising from a check fraud scheme involving a $1.8 million check drawn on a Canadian company's account. Sentencing has been scheduled for June 10, 2010. Henegar could receive a sentence of up to thirty (30) years' imprisonment and a $1,000,000 fine.

Today's guilty plea was to a July 21, 2009, federal grand jury indictment which charged Henegar with defrauding Home Federal Bank, located at 300 Main Street, Jacksboro, Tennessee. According to court documents, Henegar admitted that in February 2005, he presented a check to Home Federal Bank for deposit and withdrawal, in the amount of $1,843,322.39, that was payable to “JOHNSGIFTS (CHEQUE # 222361) 101 APRIL LANE LAFOLLETTE, TENNESSEE 37766 REF: JOHN HENEGAR” and drawn on a Bank of Montreal account of Agilysys Canada, Inc. Henegar falsely represented to Home Federal Bank that he had received the $1.8 million check as payment for a “computer software program” that he had sold to Agilysys Canada, Inc. for $1,843,322.39. Relying on Henegar’s fraudulent and material misrepresentation and inter-bank automated clearinghouse verification procedures, Home Federal made the proceeds of the $1.8 million Agilysys check available to Henegar. The $1.8 million check had originally been payable to International Business Machines. Prior to being indicted, Henegar admitted to law enforcement agents that “in terms of the Agilysys check I knew this check was a scam.”

This investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney F. M. (Trey) Hamilton III represented the United States.

$50,000 Reward

Bank of America Offers up to $50,000 Reward in Exchange for Information Leading to Arrest and Conviction of the "20 Questions Bandits," a Violent Group Responsible for Bank Robberies in Multiple Counties


January 26, 2010 - The FBI and detectives with multiple police and sheriffs' departments in Ventura, Los Angeles, and Orange Counties are seeking the public’s assistance in learning the identity of the “20 Questions Bandits," the moniker for at least four unidentified men believed to be responsible for six violent, armed takeover bank robberies; four in Ventura County; one in Los Angles County; and most recently, in Orange County late last week. The Bank of America and its employees were victimized in four of the robberies, and the bank is offering a reward of up to $50,000 in exchange for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individuals responsible for these robberies.

The most recent robbery attributed to the 20 Questions Bandits occurred on January 21, 2010 at a Bank of America in the city of Westminster. During the robberies, the bandits are extremely violent and have assaulted employees inside the bank. Witnesses have described four black males armed with guns, who have forced the employees and customers in the bank to comply with their demands while they robbed the bank, and in some cases, victims of their personal belongings. During the initial robberies linked to this group, the suspects asked several questions during the robberies, according to witnesses, and were therefore nicknamed the "20 Questions Bandits."

Then following is a list of robberies law enforcement has linked to the 20 Questions Bandits:

• 3/3/09: U.S. Bank, Thousand Oaks, CA
• 7/2/09: Bank of America, Thousand Oaks, CA
• 11/13/09: U.S. Bank, Ventura, CA
• 12/7/09: Bank of America, Oxnard, CA
• 12/10/09: Bank of America, El Monte, CA
• 1/21/10: Bank of America, Westminster, CA

This investigation is being conducted jointly by the Ventura County Sheriff's Department, the Oxnard Police Department, the Ventura Police Department, the LAPD, the Westminster Police Department, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the FBI. Photographs can be found at www.labankrobbers.org. Anyone with info can call these agencies or 911. The FBI may be reached 24 hours a day at 888 CANT HIDE (888 226-8443).

FBI Plans to Hire Thousands

January 26, 2010 - The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is hiring 3,450 new employees this year. We are looking to fill 900 special agent and 2,550 non-agent positions—from intelligence analysts to cyber experts, from scientists to accountants, from translators to engineers.

Job openings nationwide may be found at www.FBIjobs.gov. Applications are only accepted online.

People interested in applying can visit with an FBI employee to find out more about the job openings. There will be an information session on the last Thursday of every month. (The first one will be held on January 28, 2010.) In November, the session will be held on the 3rd Thursday. There will be no session in December.

Location: Harris Stowe State College

Southwestern Bell Library in the Telecommunity Room

3026 Laclede Ave.

St Louis, MO, 63103.

Start time: 3:00 p.m. until last question is answered

The sessions are for informational purposes only. NO hiring will take place. People can bring resumes for review. Each session is FREE and open to the public. The sessions are informal but business attire is recommended.

Interested applicants with questions can all the Applicant Unit at 314-589-2700 or e-mail applicants.stlouis@ic.fbi.gov

For more information, visit http://stlouis.fbi.gov/employment.htm

Cincinnati Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking

January 26, 2010 - Michael McCoy, 29, of Cincinnati, Ohio, was sentenced today by United States District Court Judge Danny C. Reeves to 11 years in prison for drug trafficking offenses.

McCoy was convicted in a one-day trial in October of 2009 of the charges. Evidence at trial established that in May of 2009, McCoy possessed and intended to distribute approximately eight grams of crack cocaine, 36 grams of powder cocaine, and 40 tablets containing methamphetamine.

McCoy committed the offenses shortly after being released on parole after serving approximately five years on a prior drug trafficking conviction out of Ohio.

McCoy was indicted in August of 2009.

Under federal law, McCoy will have to serve at least 85 percent of his prison sentence before being released. He will also be under the supervision of the U.S. Parole Office for 10 years following his release.

James A. Zerhusen, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky, and Timothy D. Cox, Special Agent in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, jointly made the announcement today after McCoy was sentenced.

The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Covington Police Department. The United States was represented by Assistant United States Attorneys Anthony J. Bracke and Benjamin G. Dusing.

Philadelphia Man Indicted on Armed Robbery Charges

January 26, 2010 - An indictment was filed today against John Gassew charging him with two Hobbs Act robberies and two counts of carrying and using a firearm during a crime of violence stemming from two gunpoint robberies in October 2009, announced United States Attorney Michael L. Levy. According to the indictment, on October 26, 2009, Gassew robbed the 7-Eleven convenience store, located at 2634 Bridge Street, Philadelphia, of approximately $263 worth of cigarettes and $306 in cash. The indictment further alleges that on October 28, 2009, Gassew robbed the 7-Eleven convenience store, located at 8101 Oxford Avenue, Philadelphia, of approximately $4,854 worth of cigarettes and $140 in cash.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFENDANT

NAME: John Gassew

ADDRESS: Philadelphia, PA

AGE OR YEAR OF BIRTH: 23

If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum possible sentence of life imprisonment and a mandatory minimum of seven years' imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment for the first firearm offense, and a mandatory minimum of 25 years' imprisonment consecutive to any other sentence of imprisonment for the second firearm offense.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Philadelphia Police Department and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ewald Zittlau.

Chiropractor and Assistant Charged in Health Care Fraud Scheme

January 26, 2010 - Dr. Neil H. Hollander was charged today by Indictment with health care fraud, mail fraud, and making false statements in a health care investigation, announced United States Attorney Michael L. Levy. The indictment alleges that Hollander was a chiropractor who maintained an office and treated patients at the Hollander Chiropractic Center located at 10014 Sandmeyer Lane in Philadelphia from approximately 1992 until on or about January 27, 2006. In addition to seeing patients in his office, it is alleged that Dr. Hollander saw some patients in a van known as Hollander Mobile Chiropractic Services that traveled to various locations in the vicinity of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The indictment alleges that between 2002 and 2006, Hollander billed Independence Blue Cross (“IBC”) approximately $914,503.19 for chiropractic treatments that he had not actually rendered to the insured patients, for which IBC paid approximately $304,096.28. The indictment also charges that in 2005, when IBC requested patient files from Hollander, Hollander and his assistant, Lidia Garcia, created false documents to submit to IBC in an effort to justify the fraudulent billings that had been submitted. Both Hollander and Garcia are charged with making false statements in a health care matter for their alleged roles in the creation of these false records.

The indictment further charges Garcia with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. These charges are based on the allegation that Garcia operated a company called Advanced Diagnostic Alternatives, through which Garcia provided diagnostic tests to patients of Dr. Hollander and another chiropractor. In billing IBC for tests, Garcia allegedly represented that evaluation of the tests was performed by a neurologist who was a participating provider in the IBC network, when the evaluations were actually performed by a different neurologist who was not a member of the IBC network. It is alleged that the neurologist who was not a member of the IBC network charged Garcia only $55 to review the diagnostic tests, while the participating IBC provider charged Garcia more than twice that amount for the same service. By falsely claiming in her bills to IBC that a participating provider was reviewing the diagnostic tests, it is alleged that Garcia was able to profit from the difference in charges by these two neurologists.

INFORMATION REGARDING THE DEFENDANTS

Neil H. Hollander Huntingdon Valley, PA Born 1956

Lidia Garcia Holland, PA Born 1968

If convicted, Hollander faces a substantial term of imprisonment, a fine of $14,000,000, and five years' supervised release. Hollander may also be required to pay restitution of as much as $914,503.19.

If convicted, Garcia faces a substantial term of imprisonment, including a mandatory two years' imprisonment, a fine of $1,850,000, and five years' supervised release. Garcia may be ordered to pay restitution of as much as $174,960.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Postal Inspection Service and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Emily McKillip.

International FBI Fugitive Captured in Toronto

January 26, 2010 - Acting Special Agent In Charge Kevin Cruise announced today the capture of Myfit Dika, age 44, of Wycoff, New Jersey, who was captured by the Toronto Fugitive Task Force in Toronto, Canada sometime yesterday afternoon. Dika was wanted in connection with the takedown of a Balkan criminal enterprise that occurred in New Jersey and New York in March of 2009 in which 26 individuals were charged by indictment with a laundry list of crimes including narcotics and firearms trafficking, money laundering, interstate transportation of stolen property, and criminal conspiracy. At the time, 22 defendants were arrested or already in custody and four of the subjects were fugitives. In November of 2009, Gazmir Gjoka was arrested in Albania by Albanian authorities. The following month, Rodan Kote surrendered to the FBI at Newark Liberty airport after returning from Albania. The one remaining fugitive is Kujtim “Timmy” Lika.

Both Dika and Lika were featured prominently in a November 21, 2009 episode of the Fox Television show America’s Most Wanted. Although not a direct lead, FBI agents credit information from tips called into the show with yesterday’s capture of Dika. Dika was being tracked by the Toronto Fugitive Task Force when he was captured during a car stop sometime yesterday afternoon. Dika allegedly provided Toronto law enforcement false identification, but later admitted his true identity. He will face an initial appearance in the Canadian court system today. Extradition proceedings are expected to begin shortly after. There is no time frame for the duration of the extradition proceedings and Dika’s actual arrival in the United States.

Cruise credits several law enforcement entities around the world for the success in this case, including: the Toronto Fugitive Task Force, the Albanian State Police, the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, DEA offices in Canada and Amsterdam, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Dutch Law Enforcement authorities, and the various municipal law enforcement agencies who provided support in this matter. “Cooperation is the key,” said Cruise. “It’s very difficult to hide when you are being hunted virtually everywhere in the world. Between the cooperation of global law enforcement and the media, it was only a matter of time before we caught Mr. Dika. Our focus is now on Kujtim Lika. Anyone with information on his whereabouts should contact the FBI at 973-792-3000.”

All defendants are assumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Citizens are reminded that they should never attempt to apprehend a fugitive themselves. In an emergency, people should call 911.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Malagold at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Newark, New Jersey under the direction of U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

Holyoke Man Sentenced to 10 Years on Drug Charges

January 26, 2010 - A Holyoke man was sentenced on Friday, January 22, 2010 in federal court for conspiracy and distribution of cocaine base.

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Warren T. Bamford, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Boston Field Division; Chief Anthony R. Scott of the Holyoke Police Department; Commissioner William J. Fitchet of the Springfield Police Department; Colonel Marian McGovern, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Sheriff Michael Ashe of Hampden County announced today that JOHN HARLEY, age 41, of Holyoke, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael A. Ponsor to 10 years' imprisonment, to be followed by eight years of supervised release. HARLEY pled guilty to conspiracy and distribution of cocaine base and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base on July 23, 2009.

At the earlier plea hearing, the prosecutor told the court that had the case proceeded to trial the government’s evidence would have proven that on November 19, 2007, HARLEY cooked powder cocaine into 25 grams of crack cocaine, which was then sold by a co-defendant.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s Western Massachusetts Gang Task Force, a Safe Street/HIDTA Initiative. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Ortiz's Springfield Branch Unit.

Intelligence Career Education Fair

The United States Intelligence Community (IC), an integrated network of agencies that work together to protect our Nation's security, is seeking a culturally diverse, technically savvy workforce for exciting careers in a number of fields. Join us at the IC Virtual Career Fair to explore career opportunities, chat with recruiters, and apply for job openings - all from the comfort of your computer!

Tuesday, March 16, 2010
10 a.m. - 8 p.m. ET

The IC Virtual Career Fair will offer hundreds of career opportunities available in a diverse array of disciplines, including:

• Cybersecurity/Information Assurance
• Engineering and Physical Science
• Foreign Languages*
• Information Technology
• Intelligence Analysis
• Law Enforcement
• Many others

Note: The majority of positions are located in the Baltimore/Washington, DC area. Not all opportunities are available at all agencies.

*Proficiency in one of the following languages is highly desirable - Arabic, Dari, Farsi, Mandarin, Pashto, Somali, or Urdu.

At the IC Virtual Career Fair you will be able to:

• Visit virtual booths for Intelligence Community agencies
• Chat with recruiters in real time
• Apply to job openings
• Network with other job seekers
• Watch live presentations
• Download electronic brochures and videos

Best of all there are no travel expenses and suits are not required!

The following Intelligence Community Agencies will be participating in the event:

• Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
• Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA)
• Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
• Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
• National Geospatial Intelligence Agency (NGA)
• National Reconnaissance Office (NRO)
• National Security Agency (NSA)
• Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI)
• Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI)

More Information
http://www.icvirtualfair.com/

Two West Suburban Men Arrested in Fraud Scheme

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

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/.

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.

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

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?

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.