Steven Blackwell Pleads Guilty in Multi-Million Dollar Heroin and Money Laundering Conspiracy

Drug and Tax Case is Part of Federal Effort to Combat Violent Crime

BALTIMORE, MD—Steven Blackwell, age 27, of Elkton, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin, conspiracy to launder money and conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government relating to the collection of income taxes.

The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Acting Special Agent in Charge Jeannine A. Hammett of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Baltimore City State’s Attorney Gregg L. Bernstein; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

“This case will be recorded in the books as a drug and tax prosecution, but it is an example of how we use federal law enforcement resources to fight violent crime,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Drug dealers whose criminal enterprises spawn violence are at the top of our list.”

According to his plea agreement, Blackwell was the leader of a conspiracy to distribute heroin in Maryland, New York and the Dominican Republic since December 2003, managing five or more participants. Blackwell made millions of dollars and distributed more than 30 kilograms of heroin. Blackwell became a member of the conspiracy as a Baltimore-based seller of heroin, which he obtained from suppliers in New York for approximately $70,000 per kilo. The heroin was then diluted and sold from “shops” and “outlets” operated by Blackwell in the Pimlico area of Baltimore City, on West Patterson Park Avenue, and elsewhere. The heroin was either delivered to Blackwell in Baltimore, or he sent Tahirah Carter and others to New York to deliver money and receive heroin, which was then transported back to Baltimore.

According to the plea agreement, Blackwell admits that he and Joy Edison conspired to launder the millions of dollars in proceeds from Blackwell’s heroin sales through the purchase of multiple properties, cars and other expensive items. In addition, in an effort to conceal the nature and the extent of the illegal income from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Blackwell and Edison engaged in financial transactions designed to prevent the IRS from properly assessing taxes due. Those financial transactions included using cash from drug proceeds to purchase: gambling casino playing chips; winning Maryland Lottery tickets from the actual lottery winners; residences and investment properties, often using corporations controlled by Steven Blackwell and Joy Edison; and luxury and consumer items. Blackwell also gave hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to individuals operating used car businesses in an effort to launder large amounts of drug proceeds. These financial transactions were intended to provide the IRS with the appearance of “legitimate income,” which in fact were the proceeds from the sale of multiple kilograms of heroin. At the same time, the income reported by Blackwell and his conspirators was a small fraction of the actual income derived from the sale of heroin.

According to the plea agreement, Blackwell and the government have agreed that if the Court accepts the plea agreement Blackwell will be sentenced to 20 years in prison. U.S. District Judge J. Frederick Motz has scheduled sentencing for January 12, 2012 at 2:15 p.m.

As part of his plea agreement, Blackwell must forfeit any money, property, or assets traceable to the illegal activity, including at least eight pieces of property held in the name of JJM and J Edison, LLC, Steven Blackwell, and Joy Edison, located in Elkton and Baltimore.

On August 26, 2011, Judge Motz sentenced Joy Edison, age 25, of Elkton, Maryland, to 70 months in prison for conspiring to launder over $400,000 in drug proceeds. Edison was also ordered to forfeit her interest in eight properties purchased with drug proceeds, and any other property purchased with drug trafficking proceeds. Tahirah Carter, age 34, of Baltimore, pleaded guilty to her participation in the heroin conspiracy and was sentenced on August 22, 2011, to 135 months in prison.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein thanked Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorneys Tony Gioia, Michael Studdard and Tim Lake, the Drug Enforcement Administration Federal Bureau of Investigation, IRS-Criminal Investigation, the Baltimore Police, and Maryland State Police for their work in this investigation. Mr Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys James G. Warwick and James T. Wallner, who are prosecuting this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Corvallis Man Sentenced to Two Years in Federal Prison For Bankruptcy Fraud

Scheme to Discharge $384,000 Gambling Debt Obtained by Posing as Family Members

EUGENE, OR—Viengkham Virasak, 44, of Corvallis, Oregon, was sentenced on November 22, 2011, to serve two years in prison and three years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining more than $384,000 of debt in his family members’ names and attempting to fraudulently discharge that debt through bankruptcy. He was also ordered to pay $384,036 in restitution.

According to court documents, defendant falsely obtained more than $380,000 by using the names of his father, mother, brother, and sister to feed his gambling addiction. In fact, he opened more than 50 credit cards in their names without their knowledge. Once the debt started to mount, defendant filed fraudulent bankruptcy petitions in his family members’ names and impersonated them at various bankruptcy proceedings. When his family discovered the fraud and confronted him, defendant attempted to solicit his family member’s participation to help him conceal the fraud.

U.S. Attorney Amanda Marshall remarked, “This defendant victimized not only his own family but also the bankruptcy court and the individuals who truly need and are entitled to protection under our bankruptcy laws. When you lie, steal, and cheat, you put the entire system in jeopardy, and you will be held accountable.”

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott E. Bradford.

Seven Ohio Men Arrested for Hate Crime Attacks Against Amish Men

CLEVELAND—Seven Ohio men were arrested today on charges that they committed and conspired to commit religiously-motivated physical assaults in violation of the Matthew Shepard-James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The arrests were announced today by Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division and Steven M. Dettelbach, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio.

The criminal complaint, filed in Cleveland, charges Samuel Mullet Sr., Johnny S. Mullet, Daniel S. Mullet, Levi F. Miller, Eli M. Miller and Emanuel Schrock, all of Bergholz, Ohio; and Lester S. Mullet, of Hammondsville, Ohio, with willfully causing bodily injury to any person, or attempting to do so by use of a dangerous weapon, because of the actual or perceived religion of that person. The maximum potential penalty for these violations is life in prison.

According to the affidavit filed in support of the arrest warrants, the defendants conspired to carry out a series of assaults against fellow Amish individuals with whom they were having a religiously-based dispute. In doing so, the defendants forcibly restrained multiple Amish men and cut off their beards and head hair with scissors and battery-powered clippers, causing bodily injury to these men while also injuring others who attempted to stop the attacks. In the Amish religion, a man’s beard and head hair are sacred.

This case is being investigated by the Cleveland Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Bridget M. Brennan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio and Deputy Chief Kristy Parker of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. All defendants are presumed innocent of the charges until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.

Tomball Man Pleads Guilty To Involvement In Murder

BEAUMONT, Texas – A 48-year-old Tomball, Texas, man has pleaded guilty to charges related to a 2008 Liberty County homicide, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales of the Eastern District of Texas.

Steven Cooke pleaded guilty to committing a violent crime in aid of racketeering activity, (VCAR) today before U.S. District Judge Marcia Crone. Specifically, Cooke admitted that he murdered Scott Freeman, 37.

According to information presented in court, Cooke was a general of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas (ABT), a race-based state-wide organization which operates inside and outside of state and federal prisons throughout the state of Texas and the United States. The command structure has a militaristic ranking structure. The ABT enforces its rules and promotes discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise.

In 2002, a division within the ABT resulted in two separate rival ABT factions. Freeman and Cooke each belonged to separate rival factions. At the time of his murder, Freeman was actively recruiting members of the opposing faction to join forces with his rival faction. Cooke’s particular faction had been given a “greenlight” to assault or kill members of the rival faction.

In the early morning hours of Oct. 12, 2008, Cooke, using the ruse that his own vehicle was overcrowded, persuaded Freeman to pull over as both men were traveling in separate vehicles from Cooke’s residence in Rye, Texas to Cleveland, Texas. One of the passengers in Cooke’s vehicle disembarked and sat on the passenger side of Freeman’s truck. Freeman came around the side of his truck to greet Cooke and a co-defendant. At this point, Cooke shot Freeman six times. After Cooke and his co-defendant moved Freeman's body behind Freeman’s vehicle, they fled the scene.

U.S. Attorney Bales expressed his appreciation for the hard work performed by so many officers and agents and added, “In both word and deed, the ABT has consistently demonstrated a flagrant disrespect for the law and a pitiless disregard for the standards and norms of conduct that bind our society together. Scott Freeman’s murder was a completely senseless act of violence that accomplished nothing but to further cement the ABT’s reputation as a loathsome gang dedicated to enforcing a foolish and evil code of conduct.”

“We have now convicted two of the five ABT generals from the Poncho faction. A third general has died from natural causes. This most recent accomplishment signals not only the end of Steven Cooke’s criminal career but underscores our present intention to completely dismantle the ABT’s ability to do harm,” said U.S. Attorney Bales.

Cooke faces Life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

This case is being investigated by the ATF the Texas Rangers and the Cleveland Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by the Office of the U.S. Attorney in Lufkin, Texas, in full cooperation with the Liberty County District Attorney’s Office.

CBP K-9 Unit at JFK Airport Sniffs Out $700,000 Worth of Cocaine

Jamaica, N.Y. — Customs and Border Protection officers arrested an alleged narcotics smuggler at JFK Airport on Tuesday, November 22, 2011. The arrest was made possible by the keen senses of a K-9 unit trained to detect the illicit substances.

Dayanet Rodriguez of Corona, New York arrived Tuesday morning from Santiago, Dominican Republic and was arrested by CBP officers for allegedly smuggling approximately 22 pounds of cocaine into the United States.

The narcotics were discovered in three checked bags that she claimed as her own. CBP officers examined her luggage after a specially trained drug-detecting dog alerted to her baggage. Officers checked the bags and upon further inspection found a white powdery substance concealed within the bag’s sides. That substance tested positive for cocaine.

 “The K-9 units we use are just another tool CBP implements in our multi-layered approach to enforcement,” said Robert E. Perez, Director of CBP’s New York Field Operations. “The handlers and the dog train together constantly, to be prepared for these very scenarios.”

The seized narcotics have an approximate street value of more than $700,000.

Rodriguez 32, was placed under arrest and turned over to agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations. She now faces federal narcotics smuggling charges and will be prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Armed Career Criminal Sentenced for Possessing a Nine–Millimeter Pistol

MINNEAPOLIS — Earlier today in federal court, a 35–year–old felon was sentenced for possessing a nine–millimeter pistol. United States District Court Judge Joan N. Ericksen sentenced Jesse Lamond Jones, no known address, to 300 months in prison on one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Jones was indicted on December 14, 2010, and was convicted on July 8, 2011. According to the indictment and evidence presented at trial, Jones was arrested in connection with a series of four shootings in St. Cloud that occurred between April 23 and May 10, 2010.

On April 23, 2010, shots were fired into a group of people walking in southeast St. Cloud. Just days later, on May 5, two of the victims of the April 23 incident were targets of another shooting, this time outside a St. Cloud bar. Then, on May 10, at 4:00 a.m., St. Cloud police received a report of yet another shooting and ultimately located two bullet holes in the wall of a St. Cloud residence. About seven minutes later, they received still another call about a shooting, this one at a St. Cloud apartment complex. Again, they responded to the call and, at the scene, found a woman who had been shot in the hand. An empty nine–millimeter ammunition magazine was found nearby.

Jones was later arrested in a St. Cloud trailer on an active warrant unrelated to the shootings. At the time of the arrest, officers recovered from the residence a nine–millimeter pistol that was missing its magazine. They also recovered additional ammunition. The ammunition was the same brand and caliber as found at the four shooting locations. The spent shell casings recovered from the scenes of the shootings were forensically matched as having been shot from the firearm retrieved from the trailer when Jones was arrested. The defendant’s DNA was also found on the firearm.

Because he is a felon, Jones is prohibited under federal law from possessing firearms or ammunition at any time. His prior convictions include second–degree burglary (1998), third–degree sale of a controlled substance (2001), third–degree assault (2005), terroristic threats (2008 and 2009) and simple robbery (2006). Since at least three of Jones’s past felony convictions were for crimes of violence or serious drug offenses, Jones was subject to the Armed Career Criminal Act in this case. That act mandated a minimum 15–year sentence if Jones was convicted in the current federal case.

This case was the result of an investigation by the St. Cloud Police Department and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys LeeAnn K. Bell and Kevin S. Ueland.

Note, this case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, an initiative launched by the U.S. Justice Department in 2001 to promote a multi–jurisdictional, comprehensive approach to reducing gun crime in America. PSN provides resources to strengthen law enforcement and crime prevention partnerships that work to make our streets and communities safer.

Agents Rescue Dog from Icy Pond

Blaine, Wash. - On Monday, Border Patrol agents rescued a dog that had fallen through the ice on a pond, after the dog was spooked by nearby hunter’s gunfire.

A Border Patrol agent from the Blaine Sector, Blaine Station, was flagged down by a passerby on the Canadian side of the border and notified that a dog had just fallen through the ice of a partially frozen beaver pond. The beaver pond is located on the United States side of the International Boundary.

Border Patrol agents responded to the property and found a small six foot aluminum rowboat complete with plastic oars near the pond. One of the agents attempted to make contact with the owner of the house, but no one answered. Agents then jumped into the boat and rowed towards the dog. One agent broke through the ice with the end of an oar in front of the boat while the other agent rowed towards the struggling dog. The ice was approximately one inch thick.

One agent wrapped a rope around the dog and held the dog by the collar as the other agent rowed back towards the shore. The dog is a Great Pyrenees, and weighs 150 pounds. The agents were able to get the dog to shore and reunite the dog with its owner, who had witnessed most of the rescue from the edge of the pond. The dog is doing fine and the dog’s owners were very appreciative of the agents’ efforts.

A witness in Canada videotaped the rescue and posted the video on YouTube (titled "Dog rescued after falling through ice at border")

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Recognizing the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

The following post appears courtesy of Susan B. Carbon, Director, Office on Violence Against Women

On November 25th, the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) proudly joins with our global partners who work tirelessly to end violence against women in observing the International Elimination of Violence Against Women Day.

On this day we are reminded of all the women who are victims of domestic and dating violence, sexual assault and stalking in this country and around the world, and the urgent need to eradicate all forms of violence against them, their children and their families.

The statistics are staggering, and the impact on the lives of women and their children more so.  When seeking food, water or shelter for one’s children comes at the expense of physical assault or rape; when trying to leave an abusive husband comes at the expense of being stoned to death; when being in the accompaniment of a man not one’s spouse comes at the expense of disfiguration or death from acid or being burned alive; or when little girls must walk miles to go to school and risk terror on the way, we are reminded, painfully so, that the struggles of women around the world are grave, and rooted in the deepest of prejudice and oppression.

We must stand together, united in our repudiation of this unspeakable violence, whether we live and work here or abroad.  These conditions of inhumanity cannot be tolerated, anywhere or any time.

Here in this country, the Office on Violence Against Women has awarded over $4 billion in grants and cooperative agreements to implement a multifaceted approach to ending violence against women.  In recognition of the severity of the crimes associated with domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking, Congress passed the first Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) in 1994.  The act has been reauthorized twice with broad bi-partisan support, and is being considered for reauthorization again.

This law takes a comprehensive approach to violence against women by combining tough new penalties to prosecute offenders with programs to aid the victims of this violence. In the years since the law’s enactment, we have witnessed a sea-change in the ways that communities respond to violence against women.   The coordinated community approach established under VAWA allows OVW to have significant impact on the lives of women and children across the world.

For example, our office recently joined with the University of Minnesota to provide training and technical assistance to judges, attorneys and legal advocates on the problem of battered women losing custody of their children to a batterer.  The University of Minnesota houses the Hague Domestic Violence Project, which is made up of a group of researchers, volunteer lawyers, law students and advisors who work to provide a comprehensive resource for parties involved in a custody case brought under the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction.

The Seeking Safety in America Project will help enhance the knowledge and skills of a variety of professionals so that when Hague Convention cases involving violence against women are heard in court, battered mothers and their children will have informed legal representation and advocacy.  The project will also help enable judges hearing these cases to understand violence against women and the grave risk that returning children to an abusive parent presents for both the children and their mothers.

In addition, the Project will coordinate with the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges, the National Family Justice Center Alliance, the Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center, and the Battered Women’s Justice Project in order to offer new training modules at these organizations’ existing or planned events.

We look forward to joining the U.S. Department of State in January for the second part of the Special Commission on the Practical Operation of the 1980 and 1996 Hague Convention to discuss the possibility of drafting a “Guide to Good Practices” for judges. The guide may be used by judges when implementing the requirement to consider grave harm to a child in an international custody proceeding. These issues are challenging for judges world-wide.  Ensuring safety for children is a universal goal.

 The Office on Violence Against Women remains committed to supporting the work of our partners to create a safe and violence-free life for women, their children and families. We look forward to expanding the dialogue to involve all our partners, individually and collectively.  We are grateful for the work of individuals and organizations around the world that work every day to end violence against women in all its forms.

For more information about the Office on Violence Against Women, visit ovw.usdoj.gov.

We remind all those in need of assistance, or other concerned friends and individuals, to call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE.

FBI Boston Division Reminds Holiday Shoppers to Beware of Fraudulant Cyber Activity

Tips You Can Use to Avoid Being a Victim

BOSTON, MA—With the holiday season approaching, Special Agent in Charge Richard DesLauriers, of the FBI’s Boston Division, wants to remind New England shoppers to beware of cyber criminals and their aggressive and creative ways to steal money and personally identifiable information from you this season.

Black Friday has traditionally been the “biggest shopping day of the year.” The e-commerce industry designated the Monday following Thanksgiving, Cyber Monday, the day for merchants and manufacturers to offer online sales and promotions without interfering with Friday’s traditional retail shopping.

On Cyber Monday and throughout the holiday season, consumers are encouraged to beware of bargain e-mails advertising one day only promotions for recognized brands or websites. Fraudsters often use the hot items of the season to lure bargain hunters into providing credit card information. The old adage “if it seems too good to be true” is an easy indicator to determine if the e-mails are legitimate.

“Especially during the holiday season, consumers should remain vigilant and proceed with caution when conducting an online transaction. Fraudsters prey on consumers to provide their personally identifiable information through bogus web sites,” said Supervisory Special Agent Kevin Swindon.

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

■Log on directly to the official website for the business identified in the e-mail, instead of “linking” to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.

■Use anti-virus and anti-spyware software and keep up with the security updates to prevent viruses and malicious programs from infecting your computer.
■Make purchases using websites with secure connections. Look for websites that use Secure Socket Layer (SSL) security which protects your personal information. Check the browser’s status bar for an unbroken “padlock” icon that indicates the sites’ using SSL.
■Use your credit card instead of debit card when making a purchase. Credit cards offer added protection from fraudulent transactions.
■Never use your Social Security Number to make online purchases.
■Use strong passwords. A strong password should include at least five letters and one number.

For more information on how to safely shop online this holiday season, please go to the Internet Crime Complaint Center website at IC3.gov/media/2011/111121.aspx.  For more information on e-scams, please visit FBI.gov E-scams and Warnings webpage at FBI.gov/cyberinvest/escams.htm.

Armored Car Robber Found Guilty

Kevin Christopher Watson, 41, formerly of Detroit was found guilty today following a jury trial in federal court, announced United States Attorney Barbara L. McQuade. Watson was convicted of Conspiracy to Commit Bank Robbery, Bank Robbery Murder, and First Degree Murder With a Firearm During a Federal Crime of Violence.

U.S. Attorney McQuade was joined in the announcement by Andrew G. Arena, Special Agent in Charge of the Detroit, Michigan office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The jury deliberated for three days before returning the verdict, concluding a trial that began on November 7, 2011, before United States District Judge Victoria A. Roberts.

The evidence presented at trial established that, on December 14, 2001, Kevin Watson and five cohorts robbed armored car guards attempting to deliver money to ATMs at the Dearborn Federal Credit Union outside Fairlane Mall in Dearborn, Michigan of $204,000. During the robbery, Kevin Watson and Timothy O’Reilly (who was found guilty by another jury in 2010) shot Total Armored guard Norman Anthony Stephens in the back with shotguns. Mr. Stephens died at the scene. The crime went unsolved for several years until cooperating witnesses came forward with information.

A sentencing date for Kevin Watson has not yet been set by the Court. Watson faces a mandatory life sentence by virtue of his convictions today.

“For the victim’s family, this verdict cannot remedy the loss of a husband and father,” McQuade added, “but we hope that this federal prosecution and the mandatory life sentence that goes with it will deter others from committing such brutal crimes in the future.”

McQuade commended the excellent work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation for its lengthy, complex and thorough investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Watson. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth R. Chadwell and Margaret M. Smith.

Three Men Plead Guilty to Fraud Involving Sports Memorabilia

ROCKFORD—Three men pleaded guilty today in Federal Court to separate but related fraud schemes involving the sports memorabilia business and the purchase and sale of equipment and uniforms used by professional and collegiate athletes:

BERNARD GERNAY, 37, a resident of Howell, N.J., involved in the business operations of Pro Sports Investments, Inc., a New Jersey business;

BRADLEY HORNE, 39, a Sunset, S.C. resident, involved in the business operations of Authentic Sports Memorabilia, Inc., a South Carolina business; and,

JARROD OLDRIDGE, 37, a resident of Las Vegas, involved in business operations of JO Sports, Inc., a Nevada business.

According to the plea agreements, each case involved the sale, consignment, or auction of jerseys, in which each defendant falsely and fraudulently represented to buyers that the jerseys were “game used,” when they were not. Jerseys worn by professional and collegiate athletes during a game are usually known as “game used” or “game worn,” and are commonly bought and sold by collectors and others. The value of game used jerseys varies based on the popularity of the player that used the jersey and how long it had been since the player had actively played the sport. The value of a jersey was greater if it was game used. The fraud charges also involved the defendants selling what were represented to be game used jerseys to other persons knowing the jerseys were intended to then be sold to sports trading card companies. As stated in the charges, to increase the value and price of packages of sports trading cards, manufacturers frequently purchase game used jerseys, cut the jerseys into small pieces, and insert the pieces into card packages. When game used jerseys were purchased for this purpose, the manufacturers often required that the seller provide a “certificate of authenticity” that the jerseys were authentic game used jerseys.

Gernay, Horne and Oldridge each admitted the jerseys they sold were altered to appear game worn, such as replacing the name and number on a jersey from one player to another more noteworthy player, changing the shape of the jerseys, and adding patches or other identifiable marks on the jerseys. Even though jerseys were not game used, the three men sold the jerseys to other persons they knew intended to re-sell, consign, and auction the jerseys, or to sports trading card companies and others, by falsely representing the jerseys were game used.

Each mail fraud charge in these cases carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and a $250,000 maximum fine, or an alternate fine totaling twice the loss or twice the gain, whichever is greater. Sentencing for all three defendants has been scheduled for May 4, 2012. The Court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.

The guilty pleas were announced today by Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert Grant, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.

Elementary School Principal Sentenced to 30 Years in Prison for Producing Child Pornography

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA—The former principal of Sageville Elementary School in Dubuque, Iowa, who produced child pornography by secretly videotaping students in the boys’ bathroom at the school, was sentenced today to 30 years in federal prison.

Robert Burke, 43, from Dubuque, Iowa, received the prison term after an Aug. 2, 2011, guilty plea to one count of producing child pornography.

In a plea agreement, Burke admitted that, between January 2011 and June 3, 2011, while he was principal at Sageville Elementary School, he used hidden cameras in the school bathroom to secretly capture videos depicting the genitals of male students at the school. Burke admitted he saved these videos on hard drives at his house in Dubuque.

According to a previously filed criminal complaint, law enforcement officers were alerted to Burke after an FBI agent in Washington, D.C., downloaded eight images of child pornography from a computer that was later traced to Burke’s residence. On June 3, 2011, federal, state and local law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the residence. During an interview, Burke said he had placed a hidden video camera in a boys’ bathroom at this school and recorded students who were using the bathroom.

According to information disclosed in court, Burke has claimed he has not touched any children in a sexual manner, and the government has gathered no evidence to contradict Burke’s claim.

Also according to information disclosed in court, investigators recovered evidence of an online chat where Burke told another person that he had captured depictions of “some boys peeing at urinals” and offered to make the depictions available for sharing. A forensic examination of Burke’s computer equipment revealed no evidence that Burke shared the videos he produced at the school.

Burke was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade to 360 months’ in prison and fined $25,000. A special assessment of $100 was imposed. He must also serve a 20-year term of supervised release after the prison term. There is no parole in the federal system.

“As an elementary school principal, Burke was in a position of trust and authority over his students,” said U.S. Attorney Rose. “He took advantage of that trust, and he used his position of authority to exploit the children he was supposed to protect. Although Burke victimized many young children and caused tremendous concern to the entire community, the harm in this case might have been even worse had law enforcement not intervened when it did. The federal, state and local law enforcement officers whose excellent work put a stop to Burke’s criminal behavior should be commended, as should the school administrators, educators and parents whose assistance in this case was invaluable.”

Burke is being held in the U.S. Marshal’s custody until he can be transported to a federal prison.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the FBI, the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Dubuque County Sheriff’s Office and the Dubuque Police Department.

CBP Officers at the Hidalgo International Bridge Disrupt Child Smuggling Attempt-Man Arrested

Hidalgo, TX.—U .S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers working at the Hidalgo/Reynosa International Bridge arrested a U.S. citizen man from Weslaco, Texas for allegedly attempting to smuggle a 10-year-old Mexican national child into the United States.

On November 19, 2011 CBP officers working at the Hidalgo Port of Entry encountered a northbound gold 1996 Ford Windstar minivan driven by a 34-year-old male U.S. citizen from Weslaco. The driver allegedly presented a U.S. birth certificate for himself and his presumed minor female daughter. The vehicle and occupants were referred to secondary for further inspection and it was there that CBP officers discovered that the child was not related to the adult traveler but was in fact a Mexican national with no valid documents to enter or reside in the U.S.

The male traveler remains incarcerated pending appearance before a U.S. Federal Magistrate on criminal charges for violations of U.S. immigration law. CBP officers were able to contact the biological parents and the mother arrived at the port of entry to take custody of her child subsequently returning back to Mexico together.

Efrain Solis Jr., Port Director, Hidalgo/Pharr said, “Our officers’ excellent observational techniques and keen interviewing skills allow for these types of interceptions to be made. The safety and well-being of children is always of utmost importance to CBP.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Judge Limas Associate Pleads Guilty

BROWNSVILLE, TX—Another defendant has entered a guilty plea in the FBI’s public corruption investigation of former 404th District Court Judge Abel Corral Limas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. Jose Manuel “Meme” Longoria, 52, a resident alien from Mexico residing in San Benito, Texas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Andrew S. Hanen to four counts as alleged in an indictment returned April 26, 2011 - one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce under color of official right or extortion, two counts of extortion and one count of aiding and abetting honest services wire fraud by Limas.

At today’s hearing, Longoria admitted to his role in a conspiracy involving the creation of a fraudulent drug money seizure document as well as a charging warrant both prepared by former Cameron County District Attorney (DA) investigator Jaime Munivez, obtaining information on a murder case in return for a bicycle provided to Munivez, and an attempted recovery of $800,000 in drug proceeds from a truck near Rosenberg, Texas. The recitation of evidence to the court indicated that as part of the public corruption investigation on Judge Limas, agents learned Longoria was also involved in criminal activity with others.

In the first incident which was charged as part of the conspiracy by Longoria, agents conducted an undercover operation in which Munivez ultimately met with Longoria and provided a document titled “Article 59.03 Statement of Seized Property” indicating $200,000 was seized on “11/20/07” by an investigator with the DA’s office. The document was provided in return for payment of money. In early 2008, Longoria assisted a drug trafficking organization in an attempt to recover a Georgia truck containing drug proceeds that was reported to be missing on the outskirts of Houston. Longoria enlisted the help of Munivez and “Person G,” to locate the truck with the possibility of receiving up to $90,000 for recovering it. In a recorded conversation, Person G informed Longoria to “be careful because maybe they’ll pick you up when...the truck is picked up and ...they’re (law enforcement) seeing, watching and they (sic) arrest you.” Ultimately, the truck was found by the Rosenberg Police Department and a total $289,290 in drug proceeds was seized.

In a second incident charged as part of the conspiracy, Longoria, Munivez and another person conspired to extort money from a person whom they falsely told had a charge/arrest warrant outstanding. Longoria extorted the money while Munivez created the fraudulent warrant document to show to the individual. In return for the money, Longoria promised the warrant would “disappear.”

In addition, Longoria arranged for Munivez to meet a fugitive in Matamoros, Mexico, and provide information on his pending murder case. Longoria then arranged for a bicycle to be given to Munivez in return for meeting with the fugitive. Agents conducting surveillance observed Longoria and Munivez arrive at and enter Bicycle World in Brownsville. On Jan. 23. 2008, Munivez picked up the bicycle which had been paid for by the fugitive.

Finally, in relation to count five of the indictment, Longoria also admitted today to his role in arranging a $1,500 payment to Limas in April 2008. The indictment charged that Longoria aided and abetted former judge Limas to devise “a scheme and artifice to defraud and deprive the state of Texas of the right to the honest services of a state district judge, performed free from deceit, favoritism, bias, self-enrichment and self-dealing.” Evidence presented today showed Longoria, acting as a middleman for Armando and Karina Pena, arranging for Limas to issue a court order allowing Armando Pena to report to the state probation by mail rather than in person. Pena, who had left Texas without authorization to reside in Arkansas, was subject to arrest and revocation of his deferred adjudication probationary term for violating a condition of his eight-year probationary term imposed for aggravated robbery in March 2006.

According to the pleadings filed in court today, Karina Pena, Armando’s wife, contacted Longoria on April 22, 2008, seeking his assistance to arrange for her husband to be permitted to report by mail from Arkansas. Two days later, according to court documents, Karina Pena was told that Limas wanted $1500. Longoria sought $300 for himself for arranging the deal. On April 24, 2008, Armando Pena finalized the arrangements with Longoria and wire transferred $1800 to Harlingen, Texas. FBI agents later reviewed the Armando Pena state court case file and located a progress report written by Pena’s probation officer indicating that, “On April 23, 2008, the Honorable Court (Limas) contacted our office in reference to allowing the defendant to report by mail.” Furthermore, on May 13, 2008, Judge Limas signed an order allowing Pena to report by mail.

Both Armando and Karina Pena have previously entered a guilty plea to the wire fraud violation and are scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 30, 2011. To date, a total of seven defendants have entered guilty pleas in relation to the Limas investigation.

Sentencing is set before Judge Hanen on Feb. 27, 2012. At that time, Longoria faces a maximum 20-year prison term, a fine of up to $250,000 and five years of supervised release for each count of conviction. Following his guilty plea today, Longoria was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service where he will remain pending his sentencing hearing.

Munivez, who was charged in a separate indictment, is scheduled for jury selection on Dec. 3, 2011, before Judge Hanen. He is presumed innocent unless convicted through due process of law.

The charges in relation to this case are the result of an ongoing three-year investigation being conducted by the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration and the Brownsville Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael Wynne and Oscar Ponce are prosecuting the case.

Identity Theft: Holiday Shopping Tips

In advance of the holiday season, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reminds shoppers to beware of cyber criminals and their aggressive and creative ways to steal money and personal information.

Scammers use many techniques to fool potential victims including fraudulent auction sales, reshipping merchandise purchased with a stolen credit card, sale of fraudulent or stolen gift cards through auction sites at discounted prices, and phishing e-mails advertising brand name merchandise for bargain prices or e-mails promoting the sale of merchandise that ends up being a counterfeit product.

Here are some tips you can use to avoid becoming a victim of cyber fraud:

■ Do not respond to unsolicited (spam) e-mail.

■Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
■Be cautious of e-mail claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders. Always run a virus scan on attachment before opening.
■Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
■Always compare the link in the e-mail to the web address link you are directed to and determine if they match.
■Log on directly to the official Web site for the business identified in the e-mail, instead of “linking” to it from an unsolicited e-mail. If the e-mail appears to be from your bank, credit card issuer, or other company you deal with frequently, your statements or official correspondence from the business will provide the proper contact information.
■Contact the actual business that supposedly sent the e-mail to verify that the e-mail is genuine.
■If you are requested to act quickly or there is an emergency, it may be a scam. Fraudsters create a sense of urgency to get you to act impulsively.

Nogales CBP Officers Seize Cocaine

Drugs concealed inside truck radiator

Nogales, Ariz. — Customs and Border Protection officers assigned to the Tucson Field Office, a component of CBP’s Joint Field Command – Arizona, seized more than $200,000 worth of cocaine Wednesday.

Officers assigned to the Mariposa Commercial Port referred a 23-year-old Mexican man for a secondary inspection of his Ford truck when he attempted to enter the United States. 

After a CBP narcotics detection canine and subsequent x-ray confirmed an anomaly in the radiator, officers located and removed eight packages of cocaine weighing more than 22 pounds. The truck and narcotics were processed for seizure. The subject was arrested and turned over to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

Individuals arrested are charged with a criminal complaint, which raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

CBP's Office of Field Operations is the primary organization within Homeland Security tasked with an anti-terrorism mission at our nation’s ports. CBP officers screen all people, vehicles and goods entering the United States while facilitating the flow of legitimate trade and travel. Their mission also includes carrying out border-related duties, including narcotics interdiction, enforcing immigration and trade laws, and protecting the nation's food supply and agriculture industry from pests and diseases.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

White Collar Crime Stories: Success of Antitrust Enforcement

Success of DOJ/FBI Partnership

What are the two greatest investments for most Americans? Homes and vehicles. And the FBI is working alongside our partners in the Antitrust Division at the Department of Justice (DOJ) to make sure consumers aren’t defrauded by artificial increases in car prices or deflation of home values as a result of antitrust practices.

For example: in September, a Japanese auto parts company with operations in the U.S.—along with three of its executives—agreed to plead guilty in federal court in Detroit to a price-fixing and bid-rigging conspiracy with other companies involving the sale of parts to automobile manufacturers. The victims in this case? Other auto parts dealers who were shut out of the bidding process, car manufacturers who paid higher prices for auto parts, and ultimately, American car buyers who paid more for the price of a car.

A second example: As of October, 18 real estate investors have pled guilty in connection with two separate conspiracies to rig bids by agreeing to refrain from bidding against one another at public real estate foreclosure auctions in Northern California. When real estate properties are sold at these auctions, the proceeds pay off the mortgage and other debt attached to the property. These conspiracies cause the homes to be sold for less than they would go for at a fair and competitive auction. This lower price directly affects anyone in that neighborhood trying to sell their home.

Of course, antitrust violations go beyond auto parts and real estate. Recent criminal antitrust investigations have involved a number of industries, including freight-forwarding, concrete-mixing, optical disks, refrigerant compressors, and electronic LCD panels.

Antitrust activities raise prices and suppress competition, hurting businesses who play by the rules as well as consumers who pay more for products or services. And increasingly, profits from antitrust conspiracies to go foreign companies, which can impact the ability of U.S. businesses to remain competitive in the world market.

DOJ’s Antitrust Division is charged with civil and criminal enforcement of federal antitrust laws, and FBI investigators work jointly with DOJ antitrust prosecutors at several regional DOJ antitrust offices. In the mid-1990s, that partnership really took off when we embarked on a highly aggressive antitrust enforcement program, focusing resources on long-range investigations involving national and international conspiracies that greatly impacted U.S. commerce.

Antitrust violations include:

■Price-fixing—when competitors agree to raise, lower, or maintain the price at which their products or services are sold;

■Bid rigging—an agreement that competitors work out ahead of time about who’s going to be awarded a contract and at what price; and
■Market allocation—involving agreements among conspirators on how to divvy up market share, either geographically or by customer.

To conduct antitrust investigations, we use the full arsenal of investigative tools available to us in all criminal cases, including the execution of search warrants on businesses, interviews, analysis of hard copy and electronic records, court-authorized electronic surveillance, and cooperating witnesses.

Importance of international cooperation. A vital piece of our antitrust effort is increased support and assistance from our foreign law enforcement partners—the Department of Justice currently has in place antitrust cooperation agreements with approximately 10 countries, including Russia and China.

These agreements come in very handy when our antitrust investigations lead us overseas….which happens nearly every day as more companies expand their operations worldwide.

Tips for Spotting Antitrust Schemes
Price fixing, bid rigging, and market allocation can be very difficult to detect because the agreements are usually reached in secret, with only the participants having knowledge of the scheme. We often receive tips about possible antitrust activity from business competitors, but there are some telltale signs that others might be able to recognize:
 
- Large price changes involving more than one seller of similar products but different brands, especially if the price changes happen at about the same time;
 - Statements from a seller suggesting that a particular customer or contract “belongs” to a certain vendor;
 - Fewer competitors than normal submitting bids on a project;
 - The same company repeatedly being the low bidder on contracts for a product or service, or in a particular area;
 - Bidders seeming to win bids on a fixed rotation; and
 - Unusual and unexplainable large-dollar differences between the winning bids and all other bids.
 
Keep in mind that these signs are by no means conclusive evidence of antitrust violations, just indicators that they may be. But if you do suspect someone of violating federal antitrust laws, you can report it to DOJ at antitrust.complaints@usdoj.gov or to the FBI through our Tips webpage.

West Desert Border Patrol Agents Seize Two Tons of Marijuana

Narcotics Worth More Than $2.2 million

Tucson, Ariz. –Border Patrol agents assigned to the Tucson Sector, a component of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Joint Field Command-Arizona, seized more than 4,600 pounds of marijuana over the weekend with the assistance of air assets, a canine team and sophisticated surveillance technology.

Friday evening agents assigned to the Casa Grande station seized 25 bundles of marijuana and arrested one smuggler. The smuggler, a 24-year-old Mexican national, is now facing federal drug charges. The narcotics were located with the assistance of air assets assigned to Customs and Border Protection Office of Air and Marine. The total weight of the marijuana was more than 1,345 pounds with an estimated value of $672,500.

Also on Friday evening, an Ajo Border Patrol agent and his canine partner working in the West Desert responded to smuggling activity. With the help of mobile surveillance technology, the team was able to locate 10 bundles of marijuana, totaling 509 pounds. The marijuana has an estimated value of $254,500.

Early Saturday morning, agents working at a West Desert forward operating base responded to reports of a suspicious vehicle near the United States/Mexico International Boundary fence. Following a search of the area, agents located an abandoned pick-up truck loaded with 120 bundles of marijuana. The narcotics weighed just over 2,740 pounds and have an estimated value of $1,370,000.

Drug and human smuggling are federal crimes for which offenders will face stiff penalties. The likelihood of being detected by Border Patrol agents and the consequences of doing so are higher than ever before in Arizona. As a result, smugglers often choose to abandon their loads rather than risk apprehension and the associated penalties.

Customs and Border Protection appreciates assistance from the community. Citizens can report suspicious activity by calling the Border Patrol at (877) 872-7435 and remain anonymous.

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is the unified border agency within the Department of Homeland Security charged with the management, control and protection of our nation's borders at and between the official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in $670 Million Fraud Scheme

WASHINGTON – A certified public accountant (CPA) and purported outside auditor for Provident Capital Indemnity Ltd. (PCI) pleaded guilty today for his role in a $670 million fraud scheme involving victims throughout the United States and abroad.
 
 The guilty plea was announced today by U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride and Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.  
 
“Mr. Castillo used his position as a CPA to give PCI an air of legitimacy that provided their clients the peace of mind to invest millions,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Auditors stand as a gatekeeper to fraud, and we are aggressively pursuing those who abuse their position to facilitate the fraud rather than take steps to put a stop to it.   I want to commend the outstanding work of the Virginia Securities and Financial Fraud Task Force for detecting and disrupting this massive, ongoing international fraud before the scheme victimized even more investors.”
 
“Mr. Castillo played an integral role in a multi-million dollar fraud scheme that harmed investors throughout the United States and abroad,” said Assistant Attorney General Breuer.  “Trading on his qualification as a CPA, he created false documents that concealed the true nature of PCI’s operations.  We are determined to continue holding accountable those who commit financial fraud, and prey upon unsuspecting investors.”
 
Jorge Luis Castillo, 56, a resident of New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John A. Gibney in the Eastern District of Virginia to conspiring to commit mail and wire fraud, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.  Castillo is scheduled to be sentenced on May 22, 2012.
 
 According to a statement of facts filed with Castillo’s plea agreement, PCI was an insurance and reinsurance company registered in the Commonwealth of Dominica and doing business in Costa Rica.   PCI sold financial guarantee bonds to companies selling life settlements, or securities backed by life settlements, to investors.  These bonds were marketed to PCI’s clients as a way to alleviate the risk of insured beneficiaries living beyond their life expectancy.   The clients, in turn, typically explained to their investors that the financial guarantee bonds ensured that the investors would receive their expected return on investment irrespective of whether the insured on the underlying life settlement lived beyond his or her life expectancy.
 
 Castillo admitted today that he conspired with Minor Vargas Calvo, 60, the president and majority owner of PCI, to prepare audited financial statements that falsely claimed that PCI had entered into reinsurance contracts with major reinsurance companies. These claims, which were supported by a letter from Castillo stating that he conducted an audit of PCI’s financial records, were used to assure PCI’s clients that the reinsurance companies were backstopping the majority of the risk that PCI had insured through its financial guarantee bonds.
 
 Castillo admitted that he never performed an audit of PCI’s financial statements and that, in fact, he personally created the statements he claimed to be independently auditing.  He also admitted that he and others at PCI knew that the company never actually entered into reinsurance contracts with any major companies.  Castillo also admitted that he and other conspirators provided the false financial statements and fraudulent independent auditors’ report to Dun & Bradstreet (D&B), which D&B relied on in compiling its commercial reports on PCI and issuing its 5A rating of PCI’s financial strength.
 
 From 2004 through 2010, PCI sold approximately $670 million of bonds to life settlement investment companies located in various countries, including the United States, the Netherlands, Germany and Canada.  PCI’s clients, in turn, sold investment offerings backed by PCI’s bonds to thousands of investors around the world.   Purchasers of PCI’s bonds were allegedly required to make up-front payments of six to 11 percent of the underlying settlement as “premium” payments to PCI before the company would issue the bonds.
 
 Court records state that Castillo received approximately $84,000 from his work as the purported outside auditor of PCI from 2004 through 2010.
 
 Vargas, a citizen and resident of Costa Rica, and PCI were charged in a superseding indictment on Oct. 5, 2011, with one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, three counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud.  Vargas was also charged with three counts of money laundering.   Vargas was arrested on Jan. 19, 2011, at the John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, and has been incarcerated pending trial, scheduled to be held on Feb. 13, 2012.  An indictment is a formal accusation of criminal conduct, not evidence.  A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until convicted.
 
 This continuing investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Internal Revenue Service and FBI, with assistance from the Virginia State Corporation Commission, the Texas State Securities Board and the New Jersey Bureau of Securities.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. Dry and Jessica Aber Brumberg of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Albert B. Stieglitz Jr. of the Fraud Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division.
 
 The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) conducted a parallel investigation and in January 2011 filed a parallel civil enforcement action against PCI, Vargas and Castillo.    The department thanks the SEC for its assistance in this matter.
 
 The investigation has been coordinated by the Virginia Financial and Securities Fraud Task Force, an unprecedented partnership between criminal investigators and civil regulators to investigate and prosecute complex financial fraud cases in the nation and in Virginia specifically.   The task force is an investigative arm of the President’s Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force, an interagency national task force.
 
 President Obama established the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to wage an aggressive, coordinated and proactive effort to investigate and prosecute financial crimes.  The task force includes representatives from a broad range of federal agencies, regulatory authorities, inspectors general, and state and local law enforcement who, working together, bring to bear a powerful array of criminal and civil enforcement resources.  The task force is working to improve efforts across the federal executive branch, and with state and local partners, to investigate and prosecute significant financial crimes, ensure just and effective punishment for those who perpetrate financial crimes, combat discrimination in the lending and financial markets, and recover proceeds for victims of financial crimes.

Wigged Woman Robber Responsible for Weekend Bank Robbery

The Houston FBI Bank Robbery Task Force is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a woman who robbed the Capital One Bank, located at 10951 Jones Road in Houston, Texas, on Saturday, November 19th, 2011. The bank’s surveillance cameras captured a good photograph of the woman during the robbery.

At approximately 12:55 p.m., the woman entered the bank, waited in line, and then approached a teller. She placed a threatening note on the counter and told the teller she had a gun. While the teller removed cash from the drawer, the woman repeated told her to “hurry up!” The robber placed the money into a black back pack. She was last seen walking across Jones Road. No one was physically hurt during the robbery.

The robber is described a black female, 30 years old, approximately 5’4” with an average build and a medium complexion. She wore a white sweatshirt, blue jeans, black rimmed glasses and a black wig.

Crime Stoppers is offering up to $5,000.00 for information leading to the charging and arrest of this robber. If you have information about this case, please call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 713-222-TIPS (8477), or the Houston office of the FBI at 713-693-5000.