Texas Man Charged with Hate Crime for Assault Based on Victim’s Sexual Orientation

Brice Johnson, 19, of Springtown, Texas, has been charged with willfully causing bodily injury to a person because of the actual or perceived sexual orientation of that person in a federal criminal complaint, the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas and the FBI Dallas Division announced.  The complaint was filed on Feb. 12, 2014, in the U.S. District Court in Fort Worth, Texas. 

Johnson has been in state custody since his arrest on Sept. 10, 2013, and he made his initial appearance in federal court today.

According to the affidavit filed with the criminal complaint, in the early morning hours of Sept. 2, 2013, the adult male victim, identified as A.K., connected with Johnson through the cell phone application for MeetMe.com.  A.K.’s MeetMe.com page indicated he was a gay man, while Johnson’s page indicated he was not gay.  During their communications, Johnson said that he was interested in engaging in sexual activity with A.K.  He invited A.K. to his home, gave A.K. his cell phone number and address and they exchanged text messages planning their sexual activity.  

After A.K. showed up at the house, Johnson severely beat him, then put him into the trunk of A.K.’s car and drove him to a friend’s home.  Based on ligature marks on A.K.’s wrists, it appears that he was bound with an electrical cord while he was in the trunk of the car.  Individuals at the home told Johnson to take A.K. to the hospital or they would call the police, and Johnson eventually drove the victim to an Emergency Medical Services station in Springtown.   

A.K. was hospitalized for 10 days in Fort Worth, and he was diagnosed and treated for multiple skull and facial fractures.  The investigation revealed that on the night of the incident, Johnson saved A.K.’s cell phone number using a gay slur as a contact name and Johnson later stated that he was playing a prank on the victim because of his sexual orientation, again using a gay slur when referring to A.K.  According to the affidavit, A.K. said that he had no physical contact with Johnson prior to the attack.    

A federal complaint is a written statement of the essential facts of the offenses being charged and must be made under oath before a magistrate judge.  The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.  However, the statutory maximum penalty upon conviction for the offense as charged is 10 years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine.  The U.S. Attorney’s office has 30 days to present the matter to a grand jury for indictment, and an indictment could include other charges that increase the maximum penalty.

The investigation is being conducted by the FBI, the Springtown Police Department and the Parker County Sheriff’s Office.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cara Foos Pierce and Trial Attorney Saeed Mody of the Civil Rights Division.

U.S. Marshals Task Force Arrests U.S. Army Deserter in Lebanon County

Harrisburg, PA – Today, U.S. Marshal Martin J. Pane announced that the United States Marshals Service (USMS) Task Force arrested Captain Beniah Nwankwo – a 33-year old man in Lebanon County.

In June of 2009, Captain Nwankwo entered the United States Army as a Medical Physician Resident. On June 20, 2012, Captain Nwankwo went absent without leave (AWOL) from his unit located at the Brooke Army Medical Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Captain Nwankwo remained AWOL until his arrest earlier today.

On July 23, 2012, the United States Army listed Captain Nwankwo as a deserter. An investigative lead was sent to the United States Marshals Service in the Middle District of Pennsylvania on February 18, 2014 with information that Nwankwo might be in south central Pennsylvania working as a physician.

On the morning of February 19, 2014, Deputy U.S. Marshals and Task Force Officers arrested Nwankwo without incident in the 400 block of East Lincoln Way in Myerstown. At the time of his arrest, Captain Nwankwo was working at the Stone Ridge Nursing and Retirement Center.

Captain Nwankwo will be seen by a Federal Magistrate Judge tomorrow morning, and awaits further transfer to the United States Army for final disposition.

United States Marshal Martin J. Pane stated, “Assisting the U.S. Military in bringing persons charged with desertion is a responsibility the U.S. Marshals Service bears. Persons charged as such deserve to have their day facing justice.”

The USMS worked jointly in this investigation with personnel from the York City Police Department, York County Sheriff’s Office, and the Pennsylvania State Police. These agencies participate in the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Task in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.

U.S. Marshals Holding National Jewelry Sale

Solid 24-Karat Gold Nuts and Bolts, Gold and Silver Bullion and Coins, Diamonds, Fine Jewelry and Watches from Federal Crime Cases Nationwide to be Sold via Live and Web Simulcast Auction

Washington – The U.S. Marshals Service is selling nearly 300 lots of gold and silver bullion and coins, diamonds, fine jewelry and watches from federal crime cases nationwide in a live and Web simulcast auction Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CST at the Fort Worwww.txauction.com.

th Convention Center, Texas, and online at

A public preview will be held Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon CST at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Room 204A, Fort Worth, TX 76102. Registration and pre-bidding are open now.

One item of note is lot 5, 23 pieces of 24-karat gold nuts, bolts and other hardware, painted black or silver as a disguise, from a drug case in New Jersey. Weighing just over four pounds (1,818 grams), the starting bid is $54,060.

Some other cases with assets being sold are as follows:

Philip Wooten, former Army staff sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., stole $210,000 in government funds while deployed in Afghanistan, lot 211, diamond ring set with a starting bid of $29,750

Jean Joseph Ibrahim, former chief financial officer of Trustin Technology in Irvine, Calif., embezzled $15 million from the company, 12 bars of gold bullion (1 kilo each), lots 76, 77, 101, 102, 126, 127, 151-156, worth approximately $500,000 total

Drug-related cases out of northern Texas: gold pellets, lot 264; silver bar, lot 270; and gold bar, lot 271

The U.S. Marshals Service consolidates pieces from cases nationwide and holds a large auction several times a year. Proceeds generated from the auctions are used to compensate victims of crimes and supplement law enforcement programs.

Alabama Family Sentenced to Prison for Identity Theft Scheme

Mary Young and her husband, Christian Young were sentenced today, and her son, Octavious Reeves, was sentenced late yesterday, for their involvement in a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, announced Assistant Attorney General Kathryn Keneally of the Justice Department's Tax Division and U.S. Attorney George L. Beck Jr. for the Middle District of Alabama.  Mary Young was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison, Christian Young was sentenced to serve 70 months in prison, and Octavious Reeves was sentenced to serve 51 months in prison.  Reeves pleaded guilty in February 2013 to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft and the Youngs pleaded guilty to conspiracy and aggravated identity theft in November 2013.  All three defendants’ prison sentences will be followed by three years of supervised release.  Mary and Christian Young were each ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $415,070, and Reeves was ordered to pay $42,257 in restitution.

According to court documents, between January 2010 and June 2012, Mary Young, Christian Young, Octavious Reeves and others obtained stolen identities from individuals and used this information to file false tax returns.  The false tax returns were filed from the Youngs’ residence and the conspirators directed the false tax refunds to prepaid debit cards in the names of the identity theft victims.  The prepaid debit cards were mailed to several addresses in and around Elmore, Ala.  Both Youngs and Reeves used the prepaid debit cards to withdraw the fraudulent proceeds.  In total, the co-conspirators received over $400,000 in fraudulent tax refunds. 

The case was investigated by Special Agents of the IRS - Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department.  Trial Attorneys Michael Boteler, Charles Edgar Jr., and Gregory Bailey of the Justice Department’s Tax Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Brown are prosecuting the case.

Former Puerto Rico Correctional Officer Sentenced for Scheme to Smuggle Heroin into State Prison

A former correctional officer at the Puerto Rico Department of Corrections was sentenced to serve 37 months in prison for attempting to smuggle heroin into the prison where he worked, Bayamón State Penitentiary, in exchange for a $3,000 payment.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico made the announcement.

Luis Lebron-Lebron, 38, of Maunabo, Puerto Rico, pleaded guilty on Oct. 29, 2013, to a one-count indictment charging him with attempt to distribute a controlled substance.   Lebron-Lebron was sentenced by U.S. District Judge José A. Fusté .

On Sept. 9 and 10, 2010, Lebron agreed to introduce 1/8 of a kilogram of heroin to an inmate at the Bayamón State Penitentiary, where Lebron worked as a correctional officer.    Lebron was paid $3,000 to make that delivery.   On Sept. 10, 2010, Lebron met with an undercover agent, who he believed was a drug dealer, and was given what he believed to be 1/8 of a kilogram of heroin.   He delivered the purported heroin to an inmate in the prison that same day.

The case was investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division.   The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Menaka Kalaskar of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Hector Ramirez-Carbó of the District of Puerto Rico.  

YouTube for the Criminal Justice Educator

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Please forward to your colleagues, as appropriate.

Best,

Lieutenant Raymond E. Foster, LAPD (ret.)

U.S. Marshals Arrest Navy SEAL Imposter

Garfield, AR - The U.S. Marshals Service, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and the Benton County Sheriff’s Office arrested Arthur James (AJ) Dicken of Garfield, Arkansas early Friday morning on charges stemming from firearm violations. Dicken was wanted by the Carson City, Nevada Sheriff's Office for Possession of a Firearm by a Person Convicted of a Felony.

Dicken is alleged to have passed himself off as a highly decorated Navy SEAL, who had served in dozens of covert combat missions from the jungles of Vietnam to the caves of Afghanistan. Dicken, as it was later confirmed, had never served in the military. Dicken often wore the Navy SEAL trident insignia and loved to show off his numerous awards to include two Congressional Medal of Honor awards.

The charges stemmed from when Dicken operated a military style self-defense school in Carson City, Nevada. The training he provided included firearms and self-defense tactics. Dicken was exposed after he was profiled on both 20/20 and Inside Edition as the result of alleged criminal acts. Additional allegations include embezzlement and fraud where Dicken bilked investors out of more than $850,000 for a proposed new international security firm.

U.S. Marshals in Reno, Nevada, working closely with the Carson City, Nevada Sheriff’s Office, adopted the case and determined Dicken was likely in the Northwest Arkansas area. Deputy U.S. Marshals in Western Arkansas began working the case and determined Dicken was residing on Slate Gap Road in Garfield, Arkansas. After careful coordination with the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, Dicken was arrested without incident in the early morning hours of February 14, 2014, where he was found residing in small recreational vehicle. Dicken was transported to the Benton County Sheriff’s Office, where he awaits extradition to Nevada to face his pending charges.

Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Federal Racketeering Charges

A member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas gang (ABT) has pleaded guilty to racketeering charges related to his membership in the ABT’s criminal enterprise, announced Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Kenneth Magidson of the Southern District of Texas.

Ronald Lee Prince, aka “Big Show,” 44, of Dallas, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Sim Lake in the Southern District of Texas to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity.

According to court documents, Prince and other ABT gang members and associates agreed to commit multiple acts of murder, robbery, arson, kidnapping and narcotics trafficking on behalf of the ABT gang.   Prince and numerous ABT gang members met on a regular basis at various locations throughout Texas to report on gang-related business, collect dues, commit disciplinary assaults against fellow gang members and discuss acts of violence against rival gang members, among other activities.

By pleading guilty to racketeering charges, Prince admitted to being a member of the ABT criminal enterprise.

According to the superseding indictment, the ABT was established in the early 1980s within the Texas prison system.   The gang modeled itself after and adopted many of the precepts and writings of the Aryan Brotherhood, a California-based prison gang that was formed in the California prison system during the 1960s.   According to the superseding indictment, the ABT was primarily concerned with the protection of white inmates and white supremacy.  Over time, the ABT expanded its criminal enterprise to include illegal activities for profit.

Court documents allege that the ABT enforced its rules and promoted discipline among its members, prospects and associates through murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to murder, arson, assault, robbery and threats against those who violate the rules or pose a threat to the enterprise.   Members, and oftentimes associates, were required to follow the orders of higher-ranking members, often referred to as “direct orders.”

According to the superseding indictment, in order to be considered for ABT membership, a person must be sponsored by another gang member.   Once sponsored, a prospective member must serve an unspecified term, during which he is referred to as a prospect, while his conduct is observed by the members of the ABT.

At sentencing, scheduled for Oct. 9, 2014, Prince faces a maximum penalty of life in prison.

Prince is one of 36 defendants charged with, among other things, conducting racketeering activity through the ABT criminal enterprise.   To date, 19 defendants have pleaded guilty, including the recent plea of Stephen Tobin Mullen, aka “Scuba Steve,” 44, of Dallas, who pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity on Dec. 19, 2013.

This case is being investigated by a multi-agency task force consisting of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Drug Enforcement Administration; FBI; U.S. Marshals Service; Federal Bureau of Prisons; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; Texas Rangers; Texas Department of Public Safety; Montgomery County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Houston Police Department-Gang Division; Texas Department of Criminal Justice – Office of Inspector General; Harris County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Atascosa County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Orange County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Waller County, Texas, Sheriff’s Office; Alvin, Texas, Police Department; Carrollton, Texas, Police Department; Mesquite, Texas, Police Department; Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office; and the Atascosa County District Attorney’s Office.

The case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Texas.

Getaway Driver in Murder of Rhode Island Gas Station Manager Sentenced to 40 Years in Prison

Jose A. Santiago, 36, of Springfield, Mass., was sentenced yesterday in Providence, R.I., to serve 40 years in prison for his role in the September 2010 armed robbery and murder of Woonsocket, R.I., gas station manager David D. Main.

Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha of the District of Rhode Island, Special Agent in Charge Vincent B. Lisi of the FBI’s Boston Field Office, Col. Steven G. O’Donnell of the Rhode Island State Police and Chief Thomas S. Carey of the Woonsocket Police Department made the announcement.

According to court documents, Main, 49, was chased, shot to death at close range and robbed by Jason Wayne Pleau, 36, of Providence, as he approached the doorstep of a Woonsocket bank where he was preparing to deposit thousands of dollars in cash belonging to the gas station.  Santiago was the getaway driver of a box truck parked a block away from the bank in which Pleau fled moments after he robbed and fatally shot Main.

Pleau, who pleaded guilty on July 31, 2013, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and carrying, using and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence resulting in death was sentenced in October 2013 to serve life in prison.

Santiago pleaded guilty on Sept. 5, 2013, to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery, Hobbs Act robbery, and carrying, using, and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a federal crime of violence resulting in death.   No plea agreement was filed in this matter.  At sentencing, U.S. District Court Chief Judge William E. Smith also ordered Santiago to serve five years of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.

Co-defendant Kelly Marie Lajoie, 36, of Springfield, pleaded guilty on Dec. 9, 2011, to Hobbs Act conspiracy, aiding and abetting a Hobbs Act robbery and use of a firearm during a federal crime of violence.  Lajoie is scheduled to be sentenced on Feb. 19, 2014.

The matter was investigated by the Woonsocket Police Department, Rhode Island State Police and the FBI, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rhode Island National Guard.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adi Goldstein and William J. Ferland of the District of Rhode Island and Trial Attorney Jacabed Rodriguez-Coss of the Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section.  

U. S. Marshals Offer Reward for Information Leading to Capture of Georgia Escapees

SAVANNAH, Ga. – The U.S. Marshals Service is offering dual $2,500 rewards for information that leads to the arrests of two Tattnall County Jail escapees. Chad Everette Dasher and Raymond Thomas Smith escaped from the Tattnall County Jail on Jan. 24. They executed an elaborate plan to breach jail security and escaped through the jail’s roof. They are considered armed and extremely dangerous.

Chad Everette Dasher was being held on multiple charges for a multi-county crime spree that occurred in Georgia in 2012. Dasher is a white male, 5’9” tall and 140 pounds. He has green eyes and brown hair. Dasher has an extensive criminal history, including arrests for burglary, firearms, fraud, narcotics, resisting arresting and traffic offenses. He has a history of fleeing from law enforcement.

Smith was being held on multiple counts of aggravated child molestation. Smith is a white male, 6’1” tall and 200 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. In Raymond Thomas Smith addition to Smith’s arrest for sex offenses, he has prior arrests for assault, firearms, and obstruction.

If you have any information about these escapees, call the Tattnall County Sheriff’s Office at 912-557-6777 or the U.S. Marshals Service Communications Center at 1-800-336-0102. Tips can also be emailed to usms.wanted@usdoj.gov. All information is confidential. A $2,500.00 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest of each of these fugitives. In order to collect the reward, tipsters should be prepared to give their name and contact information to law enforcement officials manning the tip lines.

Established in 1789, the U.S. Marshals Service is the nation’s oldest federal law enforcement agency. The U.S. Marshals Service is the federal government’s primary agency for fugitive investigations. In fiscal year 2013, the Marshals apprehended approximately 36,000 federal fugitives and cleared approximately 39,000 felony warrants. Marshals-led fugitive task forces arrested 74,200 state and local fugitives and cleared approximately 95,000 state and local felony warrants in FY 2013.

The U. S. Marshals Service Southeast Regional Fugitive Task Force (SERFTF) was created by the Presidential Threat Protection Act of 2000. Congress recognized the U.S. Marshals expertise in tracking and apprehending dangerous fugitives and ordered the creation of regional fugitive task forces (RFTFs) in core cities throughout the country. Via this mandate, SERFTF was created in 2003 and has offices in Atlanta, Macon and Savannah to assist state, county and local agencies as a central investigative base to identify, locate and apprehend dangerous offenders.

In FY2013, SERFTF arrested approximately 2,534 fugitives and cleared roughly 4,048 warrants statewide in Georgia. Locally, the Savannah Division of SERFTF is composed of state and local law enforcement officers from the Georgia Department of Corrections, Georgia Parole, the Chatham County Sheriff’s Office, the Savannah Chatham Metro Police Department, the Bulloch County Sheriff’s Office, the Liberty County Sheriff’s Office, the Hampton County Sheriff’s Office, and the McIntosh County Sheriff’s Office.