FRESNO, CA—United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced that Leonard Luera, 24, of Hanford, pleaded guilty today to unlawful use of a telephone in a conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Kings County Narcotic Task Force, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement, and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, working closely with the local agencies of Hanford Police Department, Lemoore Police Department, Corcoran Police Department, Kings County Sheriff’s Office, Visalia Police Department, Tulare County Sheriff’s Office, and the California Highway Patrol. The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the U.S. Marshals Service provided assistance. Assistant United States Attorneys Kimberly Sanchez and Kathleen Servatius are prosecuting the case.

According to court documents, between December 2009 and June 2010, Luera was a member of Nuestra Familia (NF) in Kings County, and helped to distribute methamphetamine and collected proceeds from methamphetamine sales transacted by other NF members and associates. The NF obtained large shipments of methamphetamine such as a 10-pound shipment on May 3, 2010 and a 20-pound shipment on June 2, 2010. These shipments were distributed by the NF throughout California and elsewhere. According to the plea agreement, Luera used his phone to speak with Richard Antonio Salas on multiple occasions, facilitating the distribution of the methamphetamine.

Besides Luera, Salas, and 42 others have been charged in this case. The charges against them are pending they are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

Luera is scheduled to be sentenced on April 30, 2012 by United States District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill. The maximum statutory penalty for the charge is four years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Hanford Man and Nuestra Familia Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine Distribution Charge | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

PROVIDENCE, RI—A Providence man and woman arrested a short time after robbing a Warwick bank and then fleeing in a taxi have pled guilty to federal bank robbery charges announced U.S. Attorney Peter F. Neronha, Warwick Police Chief Colonel Stephen M. McCartney, and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office.

Anthony Miller, 24, and Christine Halverson, 37, pled guilty as charged to conspiracy and bank robbery charges and face sentences of up to 25 years in federal prison followed by up to six years of supervised release and a fine of up to $500,000.

Miller pled guilty on Monday and is scheduled to be sentence by U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith on April 27, 2012. Halverson pled guilty on December 20, 2011, and is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge William E. Smith on March 23, 2012.

At the time of their guilty pleas, Miller and Halvorsen admitted to the court that on August 30, 2011, they entered a Citizens Bank branch office together and demanded cash from two tellers. Miller admitted that he presented a note to a bank teller demanding cash. Halvorsen admitted that at the same time she verbally made the same demand of a second teller. The pair fled the bank with approximately $1,900.

According to information presented to the court, bank employees provided police with a description of a taxi in which the pair fled the bank after the robbery. A short time later, a Warwick Police sergeant who heard a police radio broadcast of a description of the taxi observed a vehicle matching that description stopped in traffic. As the officer exited his police vehicle and approached the taxi, Miller fled from the taxi but was quickly chased down by the officer and arrested. Halvorsen exited the taxi cab but was quickly detained.

Warwick officers recovered a large quantity of cash from the roadway in the area of the taxi the two were riding in. Several other items tying Miller and Halvorsen to the robbery were also recovered in and around the taxi.

Miller and Halverson have been detained since their arrest. Their cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen G. Dambruch.

The matter was investigated by Warwick Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Two Plead Guilty to Warwick Bank Robbery | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

A superseding indictment was unsealed in federal court in Brooklyn this morning charging seven members, associates, and leaders of the violent Brooklyn street gang “Six Tre Outlaw Gangsta Disciples Folk Nation,” also known as the “Folk Nation.” The 16-count indictment charges the defendants with violent crimes including racketeering, murder in-aid-of racketeering, murder conspiracy, attempted murder, robbery, assault, and illegal use of firearms.¹ Two defendants will be arraigned later today before United States Magistrate Judge Marilyn D. Go at the federal courthouse in Brooklyn. The defendants face sentences up to life imprisonment if convicted.

The charges were announced by Loretta E. Lynch, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Janice K. Fedarcyk, Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office; and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department. As detailed in the indictment and other court filings submitted by the government, a two-year joint investigation by the FBI and the NYPD revealed that since 2008, a violent set of the Folk Nation gang committed numerous crimes of violence including four murders, three attempted murders, two assaults, and six robberies. The gang was based in the Ebbets Field Houses, a New York City public housing community, although its criminal activities extended into the Tri-State area.

The gang is alleged to have used extreme and indiscriminate violence to further its objectives. The defendants’ victims include a 10-year-old girl, who was severely injured when she was shot in the neck by gang members while they were attempting to murder a rival. The gang is alleged to have committed four murders, in an effort to assert its power over the neighborhoods in which it operated. On at least two occasions, gang members missed their intended targets and hit innocent bystanders—after one murder at a teenager’s birthday party in an Ebbets Field apartment, gang members acknowledged that they had killed the wrong person.

In order to fund its illegal activities, members of the gang allegedly committed violent robberies of individuals and commercial establishments. Members of the gang are alleged to have robbed the Lee Perla jewelry store at the Riverside Square Mall in Hackensack, New Jersey, making off with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of luxury watches. According to the indictment, the gang also targeted individual robbery victims, whom they lured to secluded areas in Brooklyn, via Internet advertisements on Craigslist, and then robbed at gunpoint. According to a detention memorandum filed by the government, the charged murders and other acts of violence took place on public streets, in front of personal residences, and even on a playground, in Brooklyn neighborhoods.

The charges announced today are the latest in a series of federal indictments in this district charging members of violent street gangs with racketeering crimes.

“Motivated by greed, the Folk Nation employed indiscriminate violence to destroy the lives of their perceived enemies. But their violence spread beyond the gang world into the streets and playgrounds of Brooklyn, and innocent bystanders, including a child, were caught in the crossfire. Terrorizing a community, this gang claimed its turf by force and robbed from businesses and individuals alike leaving a trail of victims in its wake,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “We are steadfast in our commitment to dismantling street gangs that put at risk the members of our community, and the seriousness of today’s charges reflect that commitment.”

“The reason the FBI places such a high priority on gang investigations is the extreme violence gangs so often commit. Here, as charged in the indictment, the defendants’ ruthlessness was matched by their recklessness. They allegedly showed no apparent concern for bystanders, and bystanders were seriously hurt as a consequence,” said Assistant Director in Charge Fedarcyk.

NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “Through a variety of partnerships, including clergy, the Brooklyn District Attorney, and in this case United States Attorney Loretta Lynch, the police department is suppressing crime in Brooklyn to the point where last year for the first time since 1963 murder in the Borough fell below 200. As charged in the indictment, members of the Folk Nation have been responsible for multiple murders and shootings, and their apprehension and prosecution should have a continued salutary effect for the residents in and around the Ebbets Field Houses.”

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Zainab Ahmad and Seth DuCharme.

The Defendants:

YASSA ASHBURN, also known as “Indio,” “Swirls,” and “Swerve”
Age: 28

HAILE CUMMINGS, also known as “Ruger” and “Rugah”
Age: 20

GERALDO ELAINOR, also known as “Gunny” and “Geraldo Casimir”
Age: 21

DANIEL HARRISON, also known as “Bones,”
Age: 24

RICKY HOLLENQUEST, also known as “Dancer”
Age: 20

JAMAL LAURENT, also known as “Tails” and “Gunner”
Age: 22

TREVELLE MERRITT, also known as “Tiger”
Age: 19

¹ The charges contained in the superseding indictment are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Seven Members, Associates, and Leaders of Folk Nation Gang Indicted for Racketeering and Murder | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Denver and Lakewood Police Departments, along with the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force (RMSSTF), are investigating two bank robberies, suspected of being committed by the same individual.

Wells Fargo Bank
1905 South Wadsworth Boulevard
Lakewood, Colorado
01/26/2012, 3:22 p.m.

US Bank
1100 South Broadway
Denver, Colorado
01/26/2012, 3:55 p.m.

The suspect is described as a white male, 45 to 60 years of age, approximately 5’5” to 6’0” in height, with a thin to medium build, and is unshaven.

The suspect entered the bank, presented a demand note, and fled.

Bank robbery is punishable by a 20-year prison sentence for each offense and increases if a dangerous weapon is used in the commission of the crime.

The FBI continues to provide financial institutions with the best practices for security to make them less vulnerable to robberies.

If anyone has any information on the bank robbery above, or any bank robbery, please call the FBI Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force at 303-629-7171; or, you can remain anonymous and earn up to $2,000 by calling CRIMESTOPPERS at 720-913-STOP (7867).

Seeking Information on Two Bank Robberies in Colorado | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Christopher H. McCoy, 48, of Granite City, Illinois, was sentenced in federal district court in East St. Louis on January 27, 2012, to a total of 327 months’ (27.25 years) in prison on a five-count indictment that had charged him with enticement of a minor (count one), distribution of child pornography (count two), transfer of obscene matter to a minor (count three), receipt of child pornography (count four), and possession of child pornography (count five), the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The sentence consists of 327 months’ imprisonment on count one; 240 months’ imprisonment on counts two and four; and 120 months’ imprisonment on counts three and five, all to run concurrently. McCoy was also ordered to serve a lifetime term of supervised release on counts one, two, four, and five, and three years’ supervised release on count three, to run concurrently; fined $250 on each count, for a total fine of $1,250, and ordered to pay a $500 special assessment. McCoy previously pled guilty to the five-count indictment on September 19, 2011.

“It is my sincere hope, and belief, that today’s sentence means that a child predator will no longer be able to victimize the innocent. The quality police work done by the Keene (New Hampshire) Police and the Granite City Police, coupled with the cooperation of Tom Gibbons’ office (Madison County State’s Attorney), has saved the lives of any number of victims that this predator was going to molest.” noted United States Attorney Wigginton.

The violations charged in counts one through three occurred between on or about February 20 and February 27, 2010, when McCoy chatted with an undercover officer (UC) in New Hampshire that McCoy believed to be a 14-year old-boy. During the chats, McCoy asked the person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy to send nude pictures of himself engaging in sexually explicit conduct. McCoy eventually sent the boy a digital camera and cell phone so that the individual that he believed to be a 14-year-old boy could take pictures and send them to McCoy. Also during the chats, McCoy sent videos of child pornography to the UC posing as the 14-year-old boy. Finally, during one chat, McCoy sent the person he believed to be a 14-year-old boy a close-up picture of McCoy’s nude penis. After identifying McCoy as the person speaking with the UC, the New Hampshire police contacted the Granite City Police Department.

The violations referenced in counts four and five of the indictment occurred after officers contacted the defendant at his residence and seized multiple media devices, including, but not limited to, a laptop, various DVDs, and a thumb drive. A forensic analysis of these devices revealed approximately 5,571 images and 358 videos of child pornography. Approximately 1/3 of the 1,467 images and 258 videos found on the DVDs and thumb drive depicted infants to toddlers engaged in sexually explicit behavior. The remaining images and videos depicted preteen to prepubescent children engaged in sexually explicit behavior. Several of the images were downloaded and transferred to the thumb drive on November 9, 2006, to include the image charged in count four of the indictment. The DVD that is the subject of count five of the indictment, which the defendant had in his possession in his home on May 5, 2011, contained numerous videos of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

Additional evidence presented at sentencing demonstrated that McCoy had engaged in sexually explicit chats with several minor females on a social networking site. McCoy asked at least one of these minor females to send him explicit pictures of herself. He also hinted at potentially visiting two of the minor females, one of whom was only 10 years old. During one of these chats, McCoy related his fantasy of snatching a girl from a playground and, in his words, using her and then throwing her away, so that he could be as rough with her as he wanted. In another chat with a 14-year-old female, McCoy relates being sexually excited when he changed the diaper of a friend’s infant child. McCoy was eventually removed from the social networking site.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006, by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

The case was investigated by the Keene, New Hampshire, Police Department, the Granite City Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro East Cyber Crimes and Analysis Task Force. The case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Angela Scott.

Granite City Man Sentenced to More Than 27 Years for Child Pornography Offenses | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

HOUSTON—Jose Matilde Quintanilla, 27, Paul Glenn Ballard, 52, and Carl Edward Malone, 50, have been sentenced to federal prison for their involvement in the armed bank robbery of Community Bank in Baytown, Texas, United States Attorney Kenneth Magidson announced today. U.S. District Judge Lee Rosenthal sentenced Quintanilla, Malone, and Ballard to 151, 121, and 120 months in prison, respectively, less than an hour ago.

Quintanilla, Ballard, and Malone pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery on July 27, 2011, admitting that they were responsible for the robbery of the Community Bank on Highway 146 in Baytown, a federally insured institution.

At time of their guilty pleas, the men admitted they entered the bank together at approximately noon on June 7, 2010, wearing dark clothing. Ballard, brandishing a gun in his hand, ordered everyone to the ground, while Quintanilla, wearing a blue bandana around his face, restrained the employees with a “zip tie” or “flex cuff.” The suspects took the money from the teller drawers and placed some of it into a lunch box-type container they brought with them into the bank. They also used a clear plastic bag from inside the bank in which they put the rest of the money.

The Chambers County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) and Baytown Police Department (BPD), who responded to the scene of the robbery, were notified by police dispatchers almost immediately following the bank robbery that they had received information the suspects were heading west on Interstate 10 through the city of Baytown. In response, BPD ordered officers to stop all west bound traffic on Interstate 10. Shortly thereafter, a BPD officer saw an older model Dodge Intrepid with dark tinted windows matching the description of the bank robbers’ getaway vehicle stopped on the interstate. The officer observed a large amount of money in a clear plastic bag and ordered the occupants—Quintanilla, Ballard, and Malone—out of the car and were taken into custody. A further search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery and seizure of a loaded 9 mm Hi Point semiautomatic pistol, a lunch box type container filled with currency, numerous checks and a number of items of dark clothing including a blue bandana.

The three men have been in custody since their arrest where they will remain pending transfer to a U.S. Bureau of Prisons facility to be determined in the near future.

The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by the FBI, CCSO, and BPD. Assistant United States Attorney Suzanne Elmilady is prosecuting the case.

Three Houston Men Get Lengthy Sentences for Baytown Bank Robbery | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that THOMAS WOODWARD, 37, last residing in Fall River, Mass., pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of bank robbery.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 24, 2010, WOODWARD vaulted the counter at a Citizens Bank branch, located at 23 Broadway in Mystic, and robbed the bank of approximately $4,267.

Judge Underhill has scheduled sentencing for April 5, 2012, at which time WOODWARD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years and a fine of up to $250,000.

WOODWARD has been detained since August 20, 2010, after his arrest on unrelated charges by the Massachusetts State Police.

This case has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Stonington Police Department, with the assistance of the Massachusetts State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

Massachusetts Man Admits Robbing Mystic Bank | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BUFFALO, NY—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Douglas Harville, 23, and Jairo Hernandez, 24, both of Buffalo, N.Y., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara, to Racketeering Influenced Corrupt Organizations (RICO) conspiracy. Jairo Hernandez also pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of $250,000 or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who is handling the case, stated that between 2000 and 2010, the defendants were both members of the 10th Street Gang. As a part of their involvement in the gang, Harville and Hernandez, along with other members and associates of the gang, possessed firearms, sold marijuana, cocaine, crack cocaine, and other controlled substances on the West Side of Buffalo. The defendants are the 12th and 13th members or associates of the 10th Street Gang who have pleaded guilty in connection with the investigation.

“These pleas are yet another example of the commitment of our office, along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners, to bring gangs or any other organization involved in criminal activity to justice,” said U.S. Attorney Hochul. “We will not tolerate the violence often associated with such gangs on the streets of our community.”

The pleas are the culmination of an investigation on the part of investigators of the New York State Police, under the direction of Major Christopher Cummings; the Buffalo Police Department, under the direction of Commission Daniel Derenda; and special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Christopher M. Piehota.

Harville is scheduled to be sentenced on May 2, 2012, at 12:30 p.m., and Hernandez will be sentenced on May 3, 2012, at 12:30 p.m., in Buffalo, N.Y., both before Judge Arcara.

10th Street Gang Members Plead Guilty to Racketeering Charges | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Benson E. Legg sentenced Larry W. Warner, Jr., age 33, of Joppa, Maryland, today to 10 years in prison, followed by supervised release for life, for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity. Judge Legg also ordered that upon his release from prison Warner must register as a sex offender in the place where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).

The sentence 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; Special Agent in Charge William Winter of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger.

According to his plea agreement, in September and November, 2010, Warner posted advertisements in an online website seeking girls’ underwear for Warner to use in an act which Warner described in a sexually explicit manner. A Baltimore County detective responded to the ads, in one instance representing that he was the father of a minor girl, and in the second instance representing that he was a prepubescent minor girl. In each case, Warner engaged in graphic sexual conversations and sent sexually explicit electronic photos of children or himself to the undercover detective.

On November 3, 2010, Warner agreed to travel to a Baltimore County hotel to have sexual contact with what he thought was the minor daughter of the undercover detective, but Warner later cancelled the meeting, stating that his father was in the hospital.

In October and November of 2010, Warner posted additional online ads wherein he offered free babysitting services for young children while also describing his own build, genitalia and sexual tendencies.

After several sexually explicit online conversations with the undercover detective, on November 30, 2010, Warner arranged to meet the supposed minor girl and her younger sister in Essex, Maryland, in order to engage in sexual activity. On December 1, 2010, Warner drove to the meeting place and was arrested by Baltimore County Police officers.

On December 2, 2010, Baltimore County Police officers executed a search warrant at Warner’s home and recovered a personal computer containing numerous images of child pornography.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov. Details about Maryland’s program are available at www.justice.gov/usao/md/Safe-Childhood/index.html.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, ICE-HIS; the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark W. Crooks, who prosecuted the case.

Joppa Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Enticing a Minor to Engage in Sexual Activity | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The Sindey, Montana Police Department and the FBI, along with other law enforcement agencies from the region, continue to investigate the disappearance of Sherry Arnold. Ms. Arnold disappeared Saturday, January 7, 2012, while on her morning run in the community of Sidney. It’s believed she went missing at approximately 6:30 a.m. Today, law enforcement officials determined the prudent course of action is to scale back the ground search for Ms. Arnold. Public safety personnel and volunteers spent several days searching the area where it’s believed she was running when she disappeared. At this point, law enforcement resources will be put toward other investigative efforts in this case. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the FBI cannot discuss any evidence in this matter. We are thankful for the public’s assistance and encourage residents in the area to report any information that may help solve Ms. Arnold’s disappearance. The tip line established earlier this week by Richland County has received numerous calls. Anyone with information is urged to call (406) 433-4027.

Seeking Information on Disappearance of Sherry Arnold | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

PROVIDENCE, RI—Kelley M. Lajoie, 33, of Chicopee, Mass., pled guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to Hobbs Act robbery and firearm charges for her participation in the September 2010 robbery and murder of David D. Main, 49, of Woonsocket, R.I. The Shell Gas Station manager was followed as he drove from a Woonsocket gas station to a nearby bank, then chased on foot, robbed and shot to death as he attempted to enter the bank to make a deposit.

Lajoie pled guilty to one count each of Hobbs Act conspiracy; aiding and abetting a Hobbs Act robbery; and use of a firearm during a federal crime of violence. Jason W. Pleau, 34, of Providence, R.I., and Jose A. Santiago, 34, of Chicopee, Mass., co-defendants in this matter, are charged with the same crimes. Their cases are pending in federal district court.

Lajoie’s guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney Peter F. Neronha; Woonsocket Police Chief Thomas S. Carey; Colonel Steven G. O’Donnell, Superintendent of the Rhode Island State Police; and Richard DesLauriers, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Boston Field Office.

Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge William E. Smith, Lajoie admitted that on September 20, 2010, she participated in a conspiracy and robbery which resulted in the murder of David Main. Lajoie admitted that shortly after 7:30 a.m., she and her co-defendants, Jason Pleau and Jose Santiago, entered the gas station’s convenience store and purchased some items, at the same time identifying Mr. Main as the manager of the business and identifying his car which was parked outside the store.

Lajoie admitted to the court that after leaving the gas station, and after her failed protest to her co-defendants’ insistence that she participate in the robbery as a lookout, a robbery plan was formulated and the three did a dry run of the robbery and planned escape. Lajoie admitted that her role was to park across from the gas station and to alert Jason Pleau when Mr. Main left the gas station to travel to the bank to make the deposit. After the dry run, she drove Pleau to an area near the back of the bank and dropped him off. At the same time, Santiago waited in a nearby cul-de-sac in a white box van to be used by Pleau and Santiago to flee after the robbery. Lajoie was to reunite with Pleau and Santiago at an apartment in Providence after the robbery.

Lajoie told the court that after having gone into the gas station at 10:43 a.m. to use a bathroom, she returned to her car and waited for Mr. Main to leave the gas station to make the bank deposit. Lajoie admitted that at 11:08 a.m. she called Jason Pleau and reported that she was witnessing Mr. Main leaving the gas station and heading to the bank. She followed him the short distance to the bank and watched as he pulled into the parking lot. Lajoie then departed the area and headed to Providence. At 11:10 a.m., Pleau allegedly chased, shot and robbed Mr. Main of a deposit bag containing $12,542 in cash as he tried to enter the bank.

Lajoie admitted meeting up with her co-defendants later in the day where they spoke about the robbery and shooting, and split the proceeds of the robbery. Lajoie admitted that she and Santiago shared approximately $6,500.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adi Goldstein and William J. Ferland.

The matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Woonsocket Police and Rhode Island State Police, with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service and the Rhode Island National Guard.

Massachusetts Woman Pleads Guilty in Federal Court in Robbery and Murder of Woonsocket Gas Station Manager | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

TRENTON, NJ—A Trenton man admitted today that he robbed a Mercerville, N.J., bank in June 2011, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Kenneth Darrian, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton federal court to an Information charging him with one count of bank robbery.

According documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Darrian entered the Mercerville Chase Bank on June 23, 2011, wearing a dress and a woman’s wig. He pointed what appeared to be a handgun at the bank teller, jumped over the counter, and told the teller to open the cash drawer. In response to this demand, another bank employee opened the drawer and Darrian grabbed the money before fleeing the bank. He was captured by the Hamilton Police Department on June 27, 2011, in relation to other matters.

The bank robbery count to which Darrian pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing before Judge Thompson is scheduled for March 14, 2012.

U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark; the Mercer County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Prosecutor Joseph L. Bocchini Jr.; and the Hamilton and Trenton Police Departments for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Davenport and John E. Clabby of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Trenton.

Defense counsel: Andrea Bergman Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Trenton

Trenton Man Admits Robbing Bank in Dress Disguise | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

DENVER—Timothy Wayne Lee, age 45, formerly of Denver, was sentenced late today to serve 180 months (15 years) in federal prison by U.S. District Court Judge Robert E. Blackburn for sex trafficking of a child and aiding and abetting, United States Attorney John Walsh and FBI Special Agent in Charge James Yacone announced. Following his 15 year sentence, Lee was ordered by Judge Blackburn to serve 10 years on supervised release. The defendant appeared at the sentencing in custody, and was remanded at the conclusion of the hearing.

Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in Denver on September 30, 2010. He pled guilty before Judge Blackburn to charges from both the District of Colorado and the Eastern District of California on July 12, 2011. He was sentenced today, December 2, 2011.

According to court documents, beginning in 2003 and ending in 2009, Lee was responsible for the sex trafficking of minors who had not yet attained the age of 18. Lee did knowingly transport minors who had not attained the age of 18 across state lines.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Rocky Mountain Safe Streets Task Force and its Innocence Lost Working Group, which includes the Lakewood Police Department, the Denver Police Department, the Aurora Police Department, the Thornton Police Department, and the Commerce City Police Department.

The defendant was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brenda Taylor.

Former Denver Man Sentenced for Sex Trafficking of a Child and Aiding and Abetting | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

OKLAHOMA CITY—Oklahoma City Police Department Chief William Citty and James E. Finch, Special Agent in Charge of the Oklahoma City Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation announce the arrest of eight individuals charged with aggravated drug trafficking. Mario Alvarez Espinoza, 29 years of age; Chris Edwin Thrift, 50 years of age; Jose Alfredo Sanchez-Higuera, also known as “Chi Chi,” 48 years of age; Saul Sanchez, 27 years of age; Jaime Torres, 45 years of age; and Joe Bernard Curtis, 35 years of age all from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma were arrested. Three other individuals were also arrested. In addition to the above arrests, eight search warrants were executed at various homes throughout Oklahoma City.

Today’s events are a culmination of a four-month investigation. The Oklahoma Metropolitan Safe Streets Gang Task Force received information about individuals selling large quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine in Oklahoma City. Law enforcement developed enough information to obtain arrest and search warrants which were executed today. As a result of the searches, approximately 14 kilograms of cocaine, over seven pounds of methamphetamine, six firearms, and approximately $40,000 in cash were seized. The defendants charged today face a minimum penalty of 15 years in prison.

The Oklahoma Metropolitan Safe Streets Gang Task Force is still searching for two individuals who were not located today. Eduardo Higuera-Sanchez, also known as “La Lo,” 47 years of age and Ventura Esquival-Ochoa, 54 years of age both from Oklahoma City are wanted for Aggravated Drug Trafficking. Anyone with information of their whereabouts is asked to call the FBI at (405) 290-7770 or Oklahoma City Police Department at (405) 316-6830. Callers may remain anonymous.

The Oklahoma Metropolitan Safe Streets Gang Task Force is comprised of law enforcement officers and agents from the FBI, Oklahoma City Police Department, Midwest City Police Department, and Homeland Security. Today’s events would not have been possible without the assistance of the Oklahoma Metropolitan Fugitive Task Force, the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office and Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The public is reminded that these arrests are merely an accusation and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Drug Traffickers Arrested, Two Fugitives Sought | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

A High Ridge, Missouri resident pled guilty to the charge of illegally possessing a firearm when he was a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton announced today. Arlanda Antonio Jones, 31, was indicted by a federal grand jury on August 18, 2010. Jones is being held without bond.

According to court documents, on May 4, 2010, agents working the WAVE (Working Against Violent Elements) detail in East St. Louis had a tip that drugs were sold out of a residence on North 45th Street. Agents went to the address and saw a number of people standing around in the yard. As agents approached, they heard a gun shot. After taking cover, the agents cuffed all of the bystanders and began to investigate. Agents found a firearm on the ground in the back yard of the home. The firearm, a .380-caliber, Hi-Point, semi-automatic pistol, was loaded with ammunition. Jones admitted to possessing the firearm, and that he knew that he was not allowed to possess a firearm because of his prior felony conviction (Jones had a prior felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance in the Circuit Court of Jefferson County, Missouri). The Illinois State Police crime lab found Jones’s DNA on the firearm.

At his sentencing, Jones faces a maximum sentence of 10 years’ in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both; and three years’ supervised release. The sentencing hearing is set for March 16, 2012.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (MEGSI). The case resulted from the efforts of the WAVE (Working Against Violent Elements) Task Force, which focuses its efforts on combating violent crime in East St. Louis, Washington Park, and surrounding communities. WAVE was formed in November 2009, and is a collaboration of law enforcement officers from the Illinois State Police, MEGSI, the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department, the East St. Louis Police Department, the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the United States Marshals Service (USMS). The WAVE Task Force receives financial support through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide federal program which endeavors to address gun-related violence.

The case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorney Liam Coonan.

Gun Shots in East St. Louis Result in Guilty Plea by High Ridge, Missouri Man | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

GREENBELT, MD—U.S. District Judge Roger W. Titus sentenced Omar Rafael Villegas-Martinez, a/k/a “Lunar,” age 36, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, yesterday to 23 years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise in connection with his membership in the 18th Street gang, including a murder. Today, Judge Titus sentenced co-defendant and fellow gang member Hector Antonio Amaya Flores, a/k/a “Nené,” age 35, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, to nine years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for the racketeering conspiracy and for being an illegal alien in possession of firearm and ammunition.

The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein; Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Chait of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives-Baltimore Field Division; Chief Mark P. Sroka of the Gaithersburg Police Department; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief J. Thomas Manger of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Cathy Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department; Chief Larry Brownlee of the Maryland National Capital Park Police-Prince George’s County Division; Montgomery County Sheriff Darren Popkin; Special Agent in Charge Richard A. McFeely of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Angela D. Alsobrooks.

“The mission of the ATF Regional Area Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Task Force is to conduct complex long term, multi-defendant criminal investigations of violent street gangs while relying on the partnerships of our federal, state and local counterparts,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Mark R. Chait. “These sentences highlight our dedication to the complete investigation, prosecution and dismantling of the most violent street gangs throughout the State of Maryland.”

According to their plea agreements, Flores and Martinez, natives of El Salvador, were members of the 18th Street gang, which originated in the Los Angeles, California area and operates in Central America and across the United States, including Maryland. The gang is divided into subsets called cliques, including the Shatto Park Locos, Hollywood Locos and Hoover Locos. 18th Street members operate according to various rules, which the gang enforces by meting out punishment for their violation, including physically beating the violating gang member or for serious transgressions, ordering and carrying out the murder of a violating gang member; known as a “green light.” 18th Street gang members sometimes wear tattoos and clothing bearing the number 18, to signify their membership in the gang.

According to their plea agreements, on the evening of May 5, 2007, Martinez and other 18th Street gang members and associates, including Mario Molina-Valladares, were gathered at a member’s residence in Hyattsville, Maryland. Late that night, Martinez and Molina-Valladares got into a car driven by fellow gang member Jose Edy Molina Marquez, along with other 18th Street gang members and Jose Felix Carcamo, who was at the residence as well. There was a struggle in the vehicle between Carcamo and the gang members, including Martinez and Molina-Valladares. During the struggle, Carcamo disabled the automobile by kicking the gear shifter located between the two front seats. The struggle continued and either Martinez, Molina-Valladares, or other occupants of the vehicle shot Carcamo twice in the head, causing his death. Martinez and Molina-Valladares either personally killed Carcamo, or they aided and abetted the commission of this crime.

After Carcamo was killed, Martinez and Molina-Valladares have admitted that they and the other gang members ran back to the Hyattsville residence where they had been before, leaving the automobile and Carcamo’s body on a nearby overpass. Martinez and other gang members devised a plan to mislead police by telling them that Carcamo was killed as part of a carjacking. Martinez and Molina-Valladares directed Marquez and another person to go back to the scene of the murder and lie to police about the murder of Jose Carcamo. Shortly thereafter, in order to protect the gang members responsible for the shooting, Marquez approached law enforcement officers at the scene of the shooting and provided false information, orally and in writing, that individuals other than gang members were responsible for the shooting. Martinez also lied to homicide detectives about the murder in a written statement, made with the intention of deceiving the investigators and impeding the investigation of the murder of Jose Carcamo.

Flores, who is in the United States illegally, admitted that he was an organizer and leader within the 18th Street gang in the Maryland/D.C. metropolitan area in 2007, and conducted gang affairs at residences he owned in Riverdale Park and Upper Marlboro, Maryland. On October 15, 2007, Prince George’s County Police officers executed a search warrant at Flores’ home and recovered a 7.62 x 38mm caliber Russian Nagant revolver and a box containing sixteen .32 caliber cartridges in a plastic bag beneath the bathroom sink. Four of these cartridge cases, which were found on top of a drawing relating to the 18th Street gang, had been fired from the Russian Nagant revolver.

Mario Molina-Valladares, a/k/a “Tiger,” age 33, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the racketeering conspiracy and is awaiting sentencing. Jose Edy Molina Marquez, age 33, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, was previously sentenced to 94 months in prison for conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and proceeding, in connection with the investigation of Carcamo’s murder.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the members of ATF-led Regional Area Gang Enforcement (RAGE) Task Force, including the Gaithersburg Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and the Maryland National Capital Park Police-Prince George’s County Division, as well as the Metropolitan Police Department, the FBI and the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys’ offices for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorney William Moomau and Jonathan Lenzner, who prosecuted the case.

18th Street Gang Members Sentenced to Prison for Participating in a Racketeering Conspiracy Related to Gang Activities | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

David B. Fein, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Kimberly K. Mertz, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Colonel Danny R. Stebbins of the Connecticut State Police today announced that DANIEL HARRISON, 30, of New Haven, was arrested yesterday and charged by federal criminal complaint with possession of child pornography.

The criminal complaint alleges that, on October 28, 2011, a Connecticut State Police Trooper assigned to the Computer Crimes Unit logged into a publicly available Internet file-sharing program and downloaded images and videos of child pornography from a system connected to the network with an Internet Protocol (IP) address assigned to HARRISON. At approximately 5:35 p.m. on November 28, 2011, law enforcement officers executed a federal search and seizure warrant at HARRISON’s residence and seized several items, including a laptop computer and a video game console.

HARRISON, who was present for the search, was arrested at that time.

Today, HARRISON appeared before United States Magistrate Judge Joan G. Margolis in New Haven who ordered HARRISON detained pending a hearing that is scheduled for Friday, December 2.

If convicted of the charge of possession of child pornography, HARRISON faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and a fine of up to $250,000. The penalties in this matter are enhanced based on HARRISON’s prior state conviction for possession of child pornography.

U.S. Attorney Fein stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case is being investigated by the Connecticut State Police Computer Crimes Unit, the New Haven Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Connecticut Computer Crimes Task Force, which includes federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The case is being 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.

New Haven Man Charged with Possessing Child Pornography | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Rances Ulices Amaya, a/k/a “Blue” or “Murder,” 23, of Springfield, Va., was indicted today accused of participating in an underground prostitution business involving underage females.

Neil H. MacBride, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, and James W. McJunkin, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, made the announcement.

“Sex trafficking is an unconscionable crime that results in a lifetime of trauma for the young victims,” said U.S. Attorney MacBride. “Mr. Amaya is the fifth gang member charged in this ongoing investigation by the FBI and the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force, and we are committed to eradicating juvenile sex trafficking from our communities.”

Amaya was indicted today on charges of conspiracy and three counts of sex trafficking of a minor. If convicted, he faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years and a maximum of life in prison for each sex trafficking count and a maximum penalty of five years in prison for conspiracy.

According to court documents, Amaya is a leader of the Guanacos Lokotes Salvatrucha (GLS) clique of MS-13. In June 2009 and throughout the fall of that year, Amaya is accused of conspiring with others to recruit multiple juvenile females to work as a prostitutes and transporting them throughout Northern Virginia for appointments that Amaya had arranged with clients. He is accused of providing the juveniles with alcohol and narcotics to facilitate the prostitution scheme, along with remaining with the juveniles during prostitution appointments to ensure the clients did not violate the rules he had set for the sexual encounter.

The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with the assistance of Fairfax County Police Department and the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Zachary Terwilliger is prosecuting the case on behalf of the United States.

Founded in 2004, the Northern Virginia Human Trafficking Task Force is a collaboration of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies – along with nongovernmental organizations – dedicated to combating human trafficking and related crimes.

Criminal complaints are only charges and not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed to be innocent until and unless proven guilty.

A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.justice.gov/usao/vae. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia at http://www.vaed.uscourts.gov or on https://pcl.uscourts.gov.

MS-13 Leader Indicted for Sex Trafficking Juveniles | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BALTIMORE—U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Antonio Hall, a/k/a “Mack,” age 31, of Baltimore, to four life terms: one each for the murder of federal witness Kareem Kelly Guest on September 20, 2009, conspiring to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine, using a gun during the murder of Mr. Guest, and being a felon in possession of ammunition. A federal jury convicted Hall of those charges on August 11, 2011.

The sentence 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; and Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld III.

“This tragic case demonstrates what can happen when information about witnesses in criminal cases is not protected,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “We use every available resource to pursue criminals who attack or intimidate witnesses.”

According to testimony at the two week trial, from at least 2004 to 2010, Hall sold crack cocaine on the streets of Westport. Witnesses testified that Hall used a 9mm pistol on February 10, 2004, in the 2400 block of Huron Avenue in the Westport area of Baltimore to shoot one of his drug customers in retaliation for the customer having provided information to the police about an individual who was under investigation for a shooting. Trial evidence showed that on March 21, 2009, at 2635 Maisel Street in Westport, Hall and another individual shot a crack dealer, Martie Williams, eight times with a .40 caliber handgun and a .32 caliber handgun, resulting in the death of Williams.

Trial testimony further showed that Hall killed Guest in retaliation for Guest providing information to the Baltimore City Police Department and the FBI about drug trafficking and firearms violations in Westport. The substance of the FBI’s January 9, 2008, interview of Kareem Guest was detailed in a nine page FBI report that was disclosed to a defense attorney with the attorney’s promise that it would not be further distributed. According to the evidence presented at trial, the defense attorney distributed copies of the FBI interview reports of Kareem Guest and several other individuals, which were then distributed and displayed throughout the Westport community, including on telephone poles and on a common area known as “the blacktop.” On September 20, 2009, at approximately 10:00 p.m., Hall used a 9mm handgun to shoot and kill Kareem Guest on a walkway near the 2400 block of Maisel Court in Westport. Mr. Guest suffered numerous gunshot wounds to the head and body.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys John F. Purcell and Clinton J. Fuchs, who prosecuted the case.

Violent Westport Drug Dealer Sentenced to Life in Prison for Murdering a Federal Witness | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The FBI and San Diego Police Department are seeking the public’s assistance to identify the man responsible for robbing the US Bank located at 5407 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, California, on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

On Tuesday, November 15, 2011, at approximately 9:35 a.m. an unknown male entered the US Bank, located at 5407 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, California, and robbed an on-duty teller. At the time of the robbery, the robber walked up to the teller, lifted up his shirt to expose a weapon in his waistband. The robber placed his hand on the weapon and made a verbal demand for money from the teller. The teller complied with the robber’s demand and provided a sum of money. The robber walked quickly out of the bank and was observed getting into the driver’s side of a late-model Mercury four-door sedan with a tan vinyl top and gray body color. The vehicle was last seen traveling east on Balboa Avenue.

The robber is described as follows:

Sex: Male
Race: White
Age: Approximately 60 years old
Height: Approximately 5’10” tall
Build: Medium
Hair: Gray curly hair
Clothing: Navy blue long sleeve shirt without collar, light blue jeans, tennis shoes, baseball cap blue and tan in color, bearing the St. Louis Rams logo
Vehicle: Late-model Mercury four-door sedan, with tan vinyl top and gray body color.
Weapon: Handgun

Bank surveillance photographs from US Bank, 5407 Balboa Avenue, San Diego, California, on Tuesday, November 15, 2011.

Anyone with information concerning this robbery should contact the FBI at telephone number (858) 565-1255 or Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477. You may remain anonymous by calling the FBI or Crime Stoppers. This robber should be considered armed and dangerous.

FBI and San Diego Police Seek Public’s Assistance to Identify Man Who Robbed US Bank on Balboa Avenue | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.