CBP Officers Discover Stowaways Hidden in a Locomotive

Five Canadians Apprehended in Portal, ND Rail Yard

Pembina, N.D. – U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers in Portal, North Dakota intercepted five Canadian citizens on June 25, who were riding concealed aboard a railroad engine after their illegal entry into the United States from Canada.

The stowaways were attempting to enter the U.S. when the train passed through a CBP imaging system where a CBP officer spotted the outlines of the subjects aboard the locomotive engine. The five individuals were taken into custody at the rail yard and transported to the Portal port of entry for processing and returned to Canada.

“The use of technology based tools such as gamma imaging systems are one of the tools in CBP’s arsenal that help identify stowaways and contraband attempting to be imported into the United States,” said Portal Port Director Brent Beeter. “We are very proud of the work our officers do every day.”

Gamma x-ray imaging technology systems produce transmission and reflected images of the contents of a cargo container, rail car, vehicle or trailer-truck. CBP officers analyze these images to determine where there are anomalies associated with the cargo listed on the manifest.

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 official ports of entry. CBP is charged with keeping terrorists and terrorist weapons out of the country while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws.

Former Treasurer of Lakewood Police Independent Guild Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling from Fallen Officers’ Fund

Diverted Donations and Police Officers Guild Money and Used it for Trips, Gambling, and Home Remodel

A Lakewood, Washington Police officer who served as the treasurer of the Lakewood Police Independent Guild was sentenced today to 33 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and $159,000 in restitution for wire fraud in connection with the embezzlement of more than $112,000 from a fund intended to benefit the families of four Lakewood Police Officers who were killed in the line of duty in November 2009. Skeeter Timothy Manos, 34, of Dupont, Washington, also admitted in March 2012 that he embezzled more than $47,000 from the Lakewood Police Independent Guild. Manos was arrested February 8, 2012. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Bryan imposed the sentence.

“Skeeter Manos’ betrayal runs wide and deep. He betrayed the families of the fallen officers, his colleagues in the Lakewood Police Department, and the community which contributed to recognize the four who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said U.S. Attorney Jenny A. Durkan. “His greed casts a deep shadow, but it can never trump the honor and sacrifice of our fallen officers.”

According to the facts in the plea agreement, Manos set up a secret bank account, distinct from the primary account established by the Lakewood Police Independent Guild, for donations to the Lakewood Police Officers’ families. Manos diverted approximately $151,000 intended for the families to this account. Manos then used about $112,000 from the account for purchases at Costco and Home Depot; for Alaska Airlines tickets to Las Vegas, Nevada; and for cash withdrawals at various casinos. Some of the cash withdrawals were made at the Bellagio casino in April 2010 and at the Hawks Prairie Casino in December 2010. The stolen money was just a portion of more than $3.2 million the public contributed for the benefit of the families of the murdered officers.

Additionally, in May 2009, Manos set up an account at Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) in his name. Beginning in May 2009 and into 2011, Manos wrote checks from Lakewood Police Officer Guild accounts and deposited them into his WESCU account. Manos told guild officers he had purchased certificates of deposit with the funds. In fact, only $55,000 of funds went to CDs. Manos embezzled $47,000 of guild funds for his own use.

In asking for a sentence at the top of the guidelines range, prosecutors wrote to the court, “As financial crimes come and go, defendant’s criminal wrongdoing ranks at the very top of despicable acts. Indeed, it would be difficult to imagine thievery that is any more brazen or heartless. Much of the money stolen by defendant had been donated by the community to honor four slain Lakewood Police Officers and to provide care and support for the families of these fallen public servants. Word of this thievery must have jolted those who gave their hard-earned money to their core.”

The case was investigated by the FBI with the assistance of the Lakewood Police Department and the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office.

Criminal Chief Robert Westinghouse prosecuted the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110 or Emily.Langlie@USDOJ.Gov.

Trumbull Resident Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Distributing Child Pornography

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Michael Drzal, 22, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for receiving and distributing child pornography.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in May 2011, a Connecticut State Police Trooper assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit and an FBI special agent assigned to the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force in New Haven each logged into a publicly available Internet file sharing program and downloaded videos of child pornography from shared directories maintained by Drzal. On June 22, 2011, law enforcement agents conducted a court-authorized search of Drzal’s Trumbull residence and seized a computer and hard drives. Forensic analysis of Drzal’s computer, hard drives, and e-mail account revealed approximately 1,738 image files and 685 videos of child pornography.

On December 20, 2011, Drzal pleaded guilty to one count of receipt and distribution of child pornography.

Following his release from prison, Drzal will be required to register as a sex offender. As special conditions of his 10 year-term of supervised release, the United States Probation Office is authorized to monitor Drzal’s computer use and conduct random searches of his residence, automobile, and workplace. Also, Drzal must not have any unsupervised contact with children who are under the age of 18 without the express permission of the U.S. Probation Office and his mental health treatment provider.

This case was investigated by the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The case was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Neeraj Patel.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative and the District of Connecticut’s “Operation Constant Vigilance,” which are aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.

DeWitt Man Sentenced on Federal Child Pornography Charges

DAVENPORT, IA—On June 29, 2012, Travis John Claude, age 23, of DeWitt, Iowa, was sentenced to 120 months of imprisonment for one count of receiving and distributing child pornography, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. United States Chief District Judge James E. Gritzner also ordered Claude to serve a term of supervised release of 10 years following his incarceration and pay an assessment of $100 to Crime Victims Fund.

The case began during an online undercover peer-to-peer investigation. Law enforcement identified an Internet protocol (IP) address associated with the file sharing of child pornography. Subsequent investigation showed that this IP address came back to the residence of Claude’s parents, where he also resided. A search warrant located Claude’s computer, which was found to contain child pornography. During an interview, Claude admitted downloading child pornography via the GigaTribe file-sharing network.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation; the DeWitt, Iowa Police Department; and the Iowa Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office, Southern District of Iowa.

Norfolk FBI’s Awareness Campaign Continues

The Norfolk FBI and its partners launched a five month campaign called Aware.Prepare.Prevent (A.P.P.) in May. The campaign, which will last until September, includes free seminars designed to educate the community on topics that focus on:

1.Cyber Security;

2.National Security;

3.Fraud; and

4.Parental Awareness.

The Cyber Security Seminar will include presentations on identity theft, safety and security travels, financially motivated crimes, and elicitation. The National Security Seminar will include presentations on counterterrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and civil liberties. The Fraud Seminar will include presentations on health care fraud, mortgage fraud, Internet scams, and computer and software safety. The Parental Awareness Seminar will include presentations on Innocent Images, sexting, cyber bullying, and gangs.

A Fraud Seminar will be presented on July 12, 2012 at Virginia Beach Police Training Center, 411 Integrity Way, Virginia Beach, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. This Seminar will include presentations on health care fraud, mortgage fraud, Internet scams, and computer and software safety.

All seminars are free and open to the public. Community members are encouraged to attend and learn ways to protect themselves, their children, families, and businesses from existing threats.

For information about the A.P.P. Campaign please visit http://www.fbi.gov/norfolk/, call (757) 455-3161, or e-mail A.P.P.campaign@ic.fbi.gov.