A two-count indictment was unsealed today in federal court in Central Islip, New York, charging three alleged members of the Ñetas street gang—Luis Benitez, also known as “Lae”; Alvaro Cabral, also known as “Boobie”; and Jason Cabral, also known as “J-Live”—with the 2004 murders of Anthony Marcano and Fabian Mestres. All three defendants are in custody. Benitez will be arraigned this afternoon before United States Magistrate Judge E. Thomas Boyle at the U.S. Courthouse at 100 Federal Plaza in Central Islip, New York. Alvaro and Jason Cabral were arrested today in Tampa, Florida and will be arraigned in the Middle District of Florida. The case is assigned to United States District Court Judge Joanna Seybert.

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.

According to the indictment and a detention letter filed today, the defendants were all members of the Ñetas and targeted one of the victims, Anthony Marcano, because of his affiliation with a rival gang, the Latin Kings. On August 10, 2004, at the direction of Jason Cabral, the leader of gang, the defendants devised a plan to rob and kill 17-year-old Marcano. As part of the plan, the defendants lured Marcano to a house in Brentwood. Marcano arrived at that house with 17-year-old Fabian Mestres, a fellow “Pee Wee” member of the Latin Kings street gang. Once inside the house, Marcano and Mestres were restrained with duct tape and their drugs, money. and jewelry were stolen. The victims were stuffed into the trunk of a car and taken to another location where Benitez, with the assistance of Alvaro Cabral, shot them with a shotgun. Mestres was shot once in the head, and Marcano was shot once in the head and once in the back of the neck. Marcano’s and Mestres’ bodies were found behind a warehouse in Queens the following day.

If convicted, each defendant faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, or possibly the death penalty, on each of the two counts.

“These charges are particularly heinous because they involve the senseless murder of two adolescents,” stated United States Attorney Lynch. “The passage of time in no way will lessen our commitment to ensuring that justice is served.” Ms. Lynch expressed her grateful appreciation to the Suffolk County Police Department, the Tampa Division of the FBI, and United States Attorney’s Office, Middle District of Florida, for their cooperation and assistance in the investigation. Ms. Lynch added that the government’s investigation is continuing.

FBI Assistant Director in -Charge Fedarcyk stated, “The murders of two teenagers are another example of the ruthless and senseless violence wrought by gangs. While we continue to work with community leaders, educators, and others to break this cycle of violence, we will also continue to identify, arrest, and prosecute gang members who commit crimes.”

The government’s case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Nicole Boeckmann and Christopher Caffarone.

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

Three Ñetas Gang Members Charged with Murdering Two 17-Year-Old Rival Gang Members | 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 J. Frederick Motz sentenced William Larry Diggs, Jr., a/k/a “Sweets,” age 44, of Baltimore to 14 years in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release, for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute heroin.

Judge Motz also sentenced co-defendant Darrin William Scott, age 44, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 65 months in prison, followed by eight years of supervised release on the same charge.

The sentences were 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, Maryland-Delaware Division; Assistant Director in Charge James W. McJunkin of the Federal Bureau of Investigation-Washington Field Office; Baltimore Police Commissioner Frederick H. Bealefeld, III; Major Michael Kundrat, Senior Commander of the Maryland Transportation Authority Police; Michael A. Pristoop, Chief of the Annapolis Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief James Teare, Sr.; Colonel Marcus Brown, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Special Agent in Charge Ava Cooper-Davis of the Drug Enforcement Administration-Washington Field Division; and Chief James W. Johnson of the Baltimore County Police Department.

According to Diggs’ guilty plea, as part of a long-term investigation being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) into a heroin drug trafficking organization, calls were intercepted over Christian Gettis’ phone which revealed that he distributed significant quantities of heroin to others in the Baltimore metropolitan area. The investigation revealed that William Larry Diggs, Jr. was a Baltimore-based distributor of heroin he obtained from Gettis and Charles C. Guy. Calls intercepted over Gettis’s phones revealed that Diggs purchased heroin from Gettis in order to resell that heroin to his own customers.

For example, on April 13, 2010, officers assigned to a Drug Enforcement Agency Task Force arrested Towanda Capel in the O’Donnell Heights area of Baltimore with approximately 55 gel capsules of heroin. The officers had received information from a confidential informant that Capel was scheduled to meet Diggs to be re-supplied with heroin. The officers observed the transaction between the two and later arrested Capel after Diggs had driven away. The next day, on April 14, 2010, Gettis called Diggs and told him that Guy had called Gettis to complain that Diggs’ heroin sales were too low. Diggs was overheard explaining to Gettis that his competition had better product and went on explain that his best customer and reseller, Capel, was arrested in O’Donnell Heights immediately after being re-supplied by Diggs. Diggs told Gettis that Capel owed him $1,300. Toward the end of the call, Diggs talked about how small the profit was from selling heroin because he was paying a higher price due to his low volume, and as a result has to sell the drugs at a higher price than Gettis.

According to Scott’s plea agreement, on September 28, 2010, after law enforcement intercepted telephone conversations between Scott and Gettis arranging for Gettis to provide Scott with heroin, law enforcement officers observed the exchange. A short time later, officers stopped the vehicle in which Scott was a passenger. Later that day, Scott was overheard complaining to Gettis that Gettis had not given him the full amount of the drugs Scott had paid for and Gettis agreed to provide the difference. Scott also told Gettis about being pulled over by police after meeting with Gettis. Scott told Gettis he had hidden the heroin he had just bought from Gettis in his rectum in order to avoid detection by law enforcement.

The amount of heroin that was reasonably foreseeable to Diggs’s participation in the conspiracy was between 700 grams and one kilogram, and Scott was responsible for the distribution of between 100 and 400 grams of heroin during his participation in the conspiracy.

The drug trafficking organization also used a location that was less than 1,000 feet from a charter school in Baltimore City to process and distribute heroin. The investigation revealed that the conspirators distributed heroin in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Anne Arundel County, and a housing project in Annapolis.

Judge Motz previously sentenced Christian Devlon Gettis a/k/a “Cutty Rock,” “C,” and “Chris,” age 39, of Baltimore, the leader of a heroin distribution organization, to 16 years in prison and sentenced co-defendant and heroin supplier Charles C. Guy, a/k/a “Captain,” “Beloved,” “B,” “Billy,” “Billy Guy,” “Gary Peterson,” and Damon Lamont Hackett,” age 43, of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, to 17 years in prison after both pleaded guilty.

To date, 27 defendants, including Towanda Capel, age 42, of Baltimore, have pleaded guilty to their participation in the drug trafficking conspiracy. Capel is scheduled to be sentenced on June 29, 2012.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and FBI agents in Baltimore, Annapolis, and Washington, D.C.; the Baltimore Police Department; MdTA Police; the Annapolis Police Department; the Anne Arundel County Police Department; the Maryland State Police; FBI agents in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania; the DEA; and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the arrest of Diggss, the searches and the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Ayn B. Ducao and Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted this Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force case.

Baltimore Heroin Distributor Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BOSTON,—The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Massachusetts State Police announce the arrest of a bank robber. Johanna P. Quish, born May 19, 1966, of Dorchester, Massachusetts, was arrested without incident by members of the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force and the Massachusetts State Police at approximately 2:00 p.m. in Danvers, Massachusetts. She is charged with a single count of unarmed bank robbery relating to the April 13, 2012 robbery of the Sovereign Bank branch located at 575 Boylston Street in Boston, Massachusetts. The arrest was based on a Massachusetts state warrant obtained by detectives from the Malden and Boston Police Departments, who are part of the task force.

The arrest was a direct result of information obtained from an appeal to the public by the FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force seeking information about a series of bank robberies, including the one Quish is charged with. After the FBI received a tip from the public, further investigation was conducted. Quish was then located, placed under surveillance by the task force, and was arrested following a car stop by the Massachusetts State Police.

This investigation and many others demonstrate the public is always law enforcement’s best ally to prevent, detect, and deter crime.

The FBI’s Violent Crimes Task Force is composed of personnel from the Somerville Police, Malden Police, Saugus Police, Massachusetts State Police, Boston Police, and FBI.

The charging document contains allegations. The defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

Massachusetts Law Enforcement Agencies Announce the Arrest of Serial Bank Robber | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON—Lawrence Etsitty, 30, a former police officer with the Navajo Police Department, pleaded guilty today in federal court to two charges related to the sexual abuse of a woman who was in his custody on January 25, 2009. Etsitty pleaded guilty to violating the civil rights of the victim when he touched and kissed her against her will while she was handcuffed. Etsitty also pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI in connection with the sexual assault. Etsitty did not enter a plea to the portion of the indictment that alleged the offense included kidnapping.

According to court documents, on January 25, 2009, at approximately 2:40 a.m., Lawrence Etsitty, while working in his capacity as an officer of the Navajo Police Department, arrested the victim outside of the Fire Rock Casino in Churchrock, New Mexico. Etsitty then handcuffed the victim and placed her in the back of his patrol vehicle. However, Etsitty then radioed in to dispatch that he did not have evidence for an arrest and that he was going to release the victim.

Rather than releasing the victim and under the auspices of driving her home, Etsitty pulled off onto an isolated road in the desert, choosing this location because of its isolation and because there were no other vehicles or people nearby. He then opened the back door of his patrol car where the handcuffed victim was sitting, and forcibly pulled her toward him and out of the car. Etsitty then began touching the victim while she struggled to get free and pleaded with Etsitty to take her home. Ultimately, Etsitty dropped the victim off in a parking lot near her home, at which point the victim ran away. On January 27, 2009, Etsitty voluntarily spoke to the FBI and made false statements in which he denied any sexually assaultive conduct.

“Any law enforcement officer who uses his official authority as a means of preying upon and sexually abusing a person in his custody undermines the trust between citizens and police officers that is crucial to our justice system,” said Thomas E. Perez, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice and the Civil Rights Division commends the victim who came forward to report this reprehensible conduct and will vigorously prosecute sexual assaults by law enforcement officers.”

Etsitty faces a maximum sentence of up to six years in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque Division of the FBI and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Fara Gold of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice.

Former New Mexico Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

This evening, Nikolay Natividad returned to New York accompanied by FBI agents and NYPD detectives after more than 20 years on the run. Mr. Natividad was wanted for the alleged murder of Jamal Salas-Joya in July of 1991. The defendant was arrested by the Mexican Federal Police in June 2010 and had been appealing his extradition from Mexico; he landed at LaGuardia International Airport this evening at approximately 6:15 this evening.

FBI Assistant Director Janice Fedarcyk said: “Mr. Nativdad was brought home to face the justice he evaded for more than 20 years. The FBI remains committed to locating fugitives who evade both the law and their capture.”

New York City Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said: “I want to commend Detective James Osorio of the NYPD’s Cold Case Squad for tenaciously pursuing homicide suspect Nikolay Natividad for many years, even after he was able to get himself deported in order to avoid prosecution. I also want to thank FBI Assistant Director Janice Fedarcyk and the FBI agents who were instrumental in facilitating Natividad’s return from Mexico.”

Mr. Natividad is wanted for allegedly shooting Jamal Salas-Joya late on the night of July 5, 1991, on Junction Boulevard in Queens, New York. The victim was pronounced dead at the hospital after being shot four times in the leg and back. It is believed the defendant had been living in Mexico since 2007.

A warrant for Mr. Nativdad’s arrest had been issued in February 2009 in New York Supreme Court, and later in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York in May 2009. He was placed on red notice through Interpol in May 2009.

The investigation and apprehension of this fugitive would not have been possible without the assistance of the Mexican government, the New York City Police Department, and the Queens District Attorney’s Office.

FBI, NYPD Return Queens Murder Suspect to New York After More Than 20 Years on the Run | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

A man who possessed child pornography was sentenced April 26, 2012 to 97 months in federal prison.

Timothy Wilker, age 43, of West Branch, Iowa, received the sentence after a January 17, 2012 guilty plea to one count of possessing child pornography. At the guilty plea, Wilker admitted that, in May 2009, he knowingly possessed over 8,000 images and over 275 videos of child pornography.

Wilker was sentenced in Cedar Rapids by United States District Court Chief Judge Linda R. Reade. Wilker was sentenced to 97 months’ imprisonment and fined $10,000. A special assessment of $100 was imposed, and Wilker must also serve a 10-year term of supervised release. He must comply with all sex offender registration and public notification requirements.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mark Tremmel and was investigated by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Cedar County Sheriff’s Office, the West Branch Police Department, and the Iowa City Police Department.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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.

West Branch Man Sentenced on Child Pornography Charge | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Colleen Lyons, 36, and Derrick Baxter, 26, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, were charged today by indictment with conspiracy, access device fraud, and aggravated identity theft, announced United States Attorney Zane David Memeger.

If convicted the defendants face a maximum possible sentence of 39 years’ imprisonment and a $1,250,000 fine.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the United States Secret Service, with the assistance of the West Whiteland Township Police Department, the Philadelphia Police Department, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the Delaware State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney K.T. Newton.

An indictment or information is an accusation. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Two Philadelphia Residents Charged with Aggravated Identity Theft | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—James E. Finch, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Oklahoma City Division announces the arrest of 30 individuals for violation of federal narcotic laws. In addition to the 30 individuals arrested yesterday, law enforcement in Oklahoma is looking for two additional individuals.

Yesterday’s event is a culmination of a three-year investigation into narcotics trafficking from California to Oklahoma. Arrests took place in Oklahoma City; Del City; Norman; Tulsa; Sacramento, California; Stockton, California; and San Francisco, California. These arrests stem from two indictments returned by the federal grand jury in the Western District of Oklahoma.

Law enforcement in Oklahoma is still searching for two individuals who have not been located. Those individuals are Tyrone Tanner, 31, from Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Darnell Banks, 26, from Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Their photos can be seen below.

This investigation and yesterday’s arrests would not have been possible without the assistance of the Homeland Security Investigation, U.S. MarshalS Service, Internal Revenue Service, Oklahoma City Police Department, Del City Police Department, Norman Police Department, Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)-Stockton, FBI-Stockton, Stockton Police Department, FBI-Sacramento, DEA-Sacramento, FBI-San Francisco, and DEA-San Francisco.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of any of the individuals listed above is urged to immediately contact the Oklahoma City Division of the FBI at (405) 290-7770 (24 hour number). You may remain anonymous.

Thirty Arrested in Connection with Narcotics Trafficking | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

SALT LAKE CITY—John Anthony Borell III, age 21, of Toledo, Ohio, is charged with two counts of computer intrusion in a federal indictment unsealed Monday morning in Salt Lake City. The indictment alleges Borell hacked into protected computers without authorization on two occasions in January and intentionally caused damage to servers hosting websites for two Utah law enforcement agencies.

The first count of the indictment charges Borell with an intrusion on January 19, 2012 involving a server hosting a website for the Utah Chiefs of Police Association. The second count alleges a similar attack on January 31, 2012  on the server hosting the Salt Lake City Police Department website. Each count of the indictment alleges the offense caused a loss of more than $5,000.

Borell was arrested in Ohio on March 20, 2012 on a federal complaint. The indictment was returned April 4, 2012. He will be arraigned on the indictment in U.S. District Court in Salt Lake City Monday at 12:30 p.m. The arraignment will be in U.S. Magistrate Judge Sam Alba’s courtroom. Borell has been in a halfway house in Ohio pending his appearance in Utah.

Borell was arrested following an investigation by the FBI. According to documents filed in court, a hacker, using his Twitter account, took credit for both of the intrusions and revealed his knowledge of the details of the intrusions by his online comments. FBI agents tracked the IP addresses used in these intrusions to Borell.

According to the complaint, Borell has links to a group associated with the hacker-activist network Anonymous. Anonymous is a loose affiliation of individuals with no defined leadership or membership. In practice, the label Anonymous is the banner under which individuals or groups commit actions, including intrusions into computer systems, the complaint alleges.

Indictments and complaints are not findings of guilt. Individuals charged in indictments or complaints are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty in court.

The potential maximum sentence for each count of computer intrusion is 10 years in prison and a fine of $250,000.

Ohio Man Faces Federal Indictment in Utah for Hacking into Utah Law Enforcement Websites | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

Perfinna King, 32, of the Navajo Nation, has been arrested in connection with the April 6, 2012 stabbing and shooting of a Navajo woman in Ojo Amarillo, on the Navajo Indian reservation near Farmington, New Mexico.

King was arrested approximately 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 12 at a residence in Upper Fruitland by patrol officers from the Navajo Police Department and members of the New Mexico Safe Trails Task Force.

A federal warrant had been issued for King in the stabbing and shooting of a 33-year-old woman, who is recovering.

The FBI is assisting the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations, which will prosecute the case in U.S. District Court.

The New Mexico Safe Trails Task Force is composed of Navajo law enforcement officers and the FBI.

Suspect Arrested in Connection with Shooting, Stabbing of Navajo Woman | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

The FBI is seeking the public’s assistance to locate and identify the subject responsible for the April 11, 2012 robbery of the PNC Bank branch on 942 State Street in Warminster, Pennsylvaniaa.

At approximately 1:30 p.m., the subject entered the bank branch at 942 West State Street brandishing a weapon and presenting a threatening demand note to the teller. After obtaining an undisclosed amount of cash, the subject fled the bank in what is believed to be a light silver or gold sedan with a rounded back.

The subject is described as a white male, late 40s-early 50s, 5’6” tall, with dark hair and mustache. He was wearing a tan baseball-style cap and a dark jacket. Subject may be responsible for bank robberies that occurred earlier in the month in Marlton, New Jersey and in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.

The subject is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information is asked to call the Warminster Police Department at 215-443-5000 or the FBI at (215) 418-4000. There may be a reward for information leading to this subject’s capture, and tipsters may remain anonymous.

A picture from the bank’s security camera is below.

Robbery of PNC Bank Branch in Warminster | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

GREENBELT, MD—Chief U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow sentenced Rickey Curvey, age 36, of Washington D.C., today to 14 years in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for an armed carjacking, during which Curvey fired his gun at police.

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; Chief Mark A. Magaw of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department.

According to Curvey’s plea agreement, early on September 24, 2010, Curvey and a co-conspirator drove a stolen white Honda Accord to a gas station on Silver Hill Road in Prince George’s County and approached two individuals in a red Toyota Avalon. Curvey, brandishing a gun, stole property from the two victims, including their cell phones. Curvey held the gun to the body of one of the victims and pointed the gun at the other victim, threatening to shoot them. Curvey, still brandishing the gun, then took the red Toyota Avalon from the victims and drove away from the gas station, followed by the white Honda being driven by Curvey’s co-conspirator. The incident was captured on the gas station’s video surveillance system. One of the victims reported the carjacking to police. Soon after the carjacking, Curvey parked the Toyota and got back into the white Honda. A Prince George’s County Police officer, driving a marked police vehicle, attempted to stop the white Honda within minutes of the carjacking, but the Honda sped away towards Washington, D.C. The chase ended when the Honda crashed into Randall’s Circle, coming to a stop in the traffic circle.

As the officers got out of their vehicle, Curvey and his co-conspirator attempted to run away. As Curvey ran away, he pointed his gun in the direction of the Prince George’s County Police officers and fired the gun. When Curvey was arrested a few minutes later by Metropolitan Police officers, a 9mm semi-automatic firearm was recovered from a yard near where he was stopped. A spent bullet casing was jammed in the gun’s ejection port, causing the gun to jam. Metropolitan Police officers transported Curvey and after transport recovered from the floor of the police car the personal property of an individual who had been robbed at gunpoint on September 23, 2010. Law enforcement also recovered Curvey’s DNA from the red Toyota Avalon.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein commended the FBI, Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department for their work in this investigation and thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Lenzner and Robert K. Hur, who prosecuted the case.

D.C. Man Who Shot at Police Exiled to 14 Years in Prison on Gun and Carjacking Charges | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

KANSAS CITY, KS—A Kansas City man has been sentenced to more than 10 years in federal prison for a bank robbery in Leavenworth, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Donnique H. Kelley, 22, Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced to 130 months in federal prison. Kelley pleaded guilty to one count of armed bank robbery and one count of brandishing a firearm during the robbery. In his plea, he admitted that on September 13, 2011, he and co-defendant Dale K. Hill, 52, Kansas City, Missouri, robbed the Country Club Bank, 2310 South 4th Street in Leavenworth, Kansas. They entered the bank and yelled, “Give me all the money. Open all the drawers.” Kelley held a black handgun and pointed it at the tellers. They fled the bank in a black SUV.

They abandoned the SUV, which had been stolen, and attempted to escape in an orange Dodge Challenger. Lansing police spotted the orange car at Main and Ida in Lansing and attempted to stop it. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed with Lansing police and the Kansas Highway Patrol in pursuit. The robbers drove east on I-70 and then east on I-670 into Kansas City, Missouri, where police used stop sticks to disable the getaway car.

Co-defendant Dale K. Hill is set for sentencing April 16.

Grissom commended the Leavenworth Police Department, the Lansing Police Department, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the FBI, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead for their work on the case.

Kansas City Man Sentenced in Leavenworth Bank Robbery | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

BUFFALO—U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. announced today that Angel Laboy and Luther Jones, both 19, of Buffalo, New York, were arrested and charged by criminal complaint with two felony charges of attempted murder in aid of racketeering. Each charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph M. Tripi, who is handling the case, stated that according to the criminal complaint, Angel Laboy and Luther Jones are members of the 10th Street Gang. The complaint alleges that on March 20, 2012, the defendants attempted to kill two victims during a drive-by shooting on Trenton Street on the West Side of Buffalo.

The defendants are being detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for April 4, 2012.

U.S. Attorney Hochul stated that today’s announcement marks the latest developments in the government’s continuing investigation into gang-related violence in Western New York. Regarding ongoing prosecutions of the 10th Street Gang, in September 2009, a federal grand jury charged six 10th Street Gang members and associates with violent crimes in aid of racketeering and other charges. Since that time, three additional indictments have been returned charging an additional 32 10th Street Gang members and associates with a variety of federal criminal offenses. The arrests of Laboy and Jones bring to 40 the total number of 10th Street Gang members and associates charged to date. Fourteen of these defendants have been convicted thus far in connection with this investigation.

The criminal complaint is 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.

The fact that a defendant has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Two Additional Former 10th Street Gang Members Charged with Attempted Murder | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

CINCINNATI—Edward J. Hanko, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the Cincinnati Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI); Carter M. Stewart, U.S. Attorney, Southern District of Ohio; and James E. Craig, Cincinnati Chief of Police, announced today that Phillip Shaw, Antonio Woods, Ryan Neel, Yahmale Brown, and Quenton Thomas have all been indicted by a federal grand jury on multiple charges related to drug trafficking, robbery, and weapons violations.

The indictment alleges that Shaw, Woods, Neel, Brown, and Thomas planned to rob an individual of approximately one half kilogram of heroin, approximately one quarter kilogram of cocaine, and approximately $80,000 in currency on or around March 9 to March 10, 2012.

Shaw, Woods, Neel, Brown, and Thomas have all been charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and a measurable amount of cocaine (maximum of 40 years in prison and/or fines up to $5 million); conspiring to take and obtain personal property consisting of heroin, cocaine, and U.S. currency (maximum of 20 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000); attempt to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin (maximum of 40 years in prison and/or fines up to $5 million); possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense (mandatory minimum penalty of five years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000); and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence (mandatory minimum penalty of 25 years to life in prison and a fine of up to $250,000).

Phillip Shaw was additionally indicted for being a felon in possession of a firearm (maximum of 10 years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000).

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Cincinnati Police Department. All suspects are currently in federal custody.

The public is reminded that indictments contain only allegations of criminal misconduct and that defendants are presumed to be innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.

Five Cincinnati Men Indicted on Multiple Drug and Gun Charges | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

GREENSBORO, NC—United States Attorney Ripley Rand announced today that Noah Hilton METZE, age 45, was indicted yesterday on charges that he violated federal firearms laws.

The ndictment charges METZE with four counts of possession of firearms by a person previously convicted of a felony and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm silencer. METZE lived in Durham at the start of the investigation in 2011 and recently moved to Rougemont, North Carolina.

On the felon-in-possession charges, METZE faces a maximum penalty of not more than 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release. On the other charge, METZE faces a maximum penalty of up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $10,000, and up to three years of supervised release.

The charges are the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Person County Sheriff’s Office; Durham County Sheriff’s Office; Cary Police Department; Raleigh Police Department; Garner Police Department; North Carolina State Highway Patrol; and the North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement Agency. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Terry Meinecke.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Violations of Federal Firearms Laws Alleged | 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 Catherine C. Blake sentenced Baltimore Police officer Jerry Diggs, Jr., age 25, of Baltimore, today to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit and committing extortion under color of official right in connection with a scheme in which brothers Hernan Moreno and Edwin Mejia paid Diggs and over 50 other officers to arrange for their car repair company, Majestic, rather than a city-authorized company, to tow vehicles from accident scenes and make repairs. Judge Blake also ordered that Diggs pay restitution in the amount of $13,105.09.

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.

“Officer Diggs chose a treacherous path that included taking bribes, filing false police reports and committing insurance fraud,” said U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein. “Even as we condemn such criminal conduct, we should pause to thank the many police officers who serve with honor and integrity.”

According to his plea agreement, Diggs agreed with Moreno and Mejia that while acting in his capacity as a Baltimore Police Department (BPD) officer at accident scenes, Diggs would contact Moreno and Majestic for towing and repair services for vehicles even though Majestic was not an authorized tow company for the city of Baltimore. In exchange, Mejia or Moreno would pay Diggs up to $300 for each vehicle that arrived at Majestic. Diggs referred vehicles on a regular basis to Majestic in exchange for payment, usually by contacting Moreno by cell phone.

Specifically, while on the scene of an accident, Diggs would contact Moreno and provide him with the details of the accident, including the type and extent of damage to the car or cars, insurance information, and contact information for the car’s owner. It was agreed that Diggs, while performing his official duties as a police officer, would persuade accident victims to allow their cars to be towed or otherwise delivered to Majestic by telling the victims that Majestic could tow the car, provide repair services, help with the insurance claim, assist in getting a rental car, and waive the owner’s deductible. Diggs advised accident victims that they should not call their insurance company until after they spoke to Moreno.

In February 2010, Diggs and Moreno agreed that Moreno would inflict damage upon Digg’s personal vehicle so that Diggs could make a claim with his insurance company. Diggs’ car had been scratched with a key, and Diggs allowed Moreno to scratch both sides of the car. Diggs filed an insurance claim for the scratched area and his insurance company paid Majestic $2,809 to fix the scratches.

Diggs also understood and agreed that Moreno and Mejia would create additional damage to other vehicles in order to increase the vehicle insurance claims, thereby increasing the net profit for Majestic as well as covering both the cash bribe payment to Diggs and the payment of the vehicle owner’s deductible. Diggs falsified police reports, indicating that some vehicles had more damage than they actually had, so that Moreno could add more damage to the vehicle once it got to Majestic.

Between March 2010 and February 2011, Moreno and Mejia paid Diggs first by check and then in cash a total of $5,050 for vehicles that he had referred to Majestic. Those payments, plus the cost of the additional damages that Moreno and others inflicted upon accident vehicles in the form of insurance claims paid by the insurance companies, caused a total loss of between $120,000 and $200,000.

Hernan Alexis Moreno, age 30, of Rosedale; and Edwin Javier Mejia, age 27, of Middle River, pleaded guilty to the extortion conspiracy and face a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Their sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

To date, 14 Baltimore Police officers have pleaded guilty to their participation in the extortion scheme in federal court and one officer pleaded guilty in state court. The last remaining police officer, Jaime Luis Lugo, age 36, of Aberdeen, Maryland, is scheduled to have his re-arraignment on Thursday, March 22, 2012 at 10:30 a.m. in federal court in Baltimore before Judge Blake.

Diggs is the second officer to be sentenced in the conspiracy. Baltimore Police officer David Reeping, age 42, of Arbutus, Maryland, was sentenced on March 13, 2012 to eight months in prison for his role in the conspiracy.

United States Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein praised the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Rosenstein thanked Assistant United States Attorneys Tonya N. Kelly and Kathleen O. Gavin, who are prosecuting the case.

Baltimore Police Officer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison in Majestic Towing Company Extortion Scheme | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

MIAMI—John V. Gillies, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Miami Division, announces the graduation of six South Florida law enforcement officers from the FBI National Academy today at a ceremony held at the FBI Academy in Quantico, Virginia.

The officers are:

• Major Robert Bage, North Miami Police Department
• Sergeant Ronnie Dimler, Miramar Police Department
• Captain Michael Gregory, Fort Lauderdale Police Department
• Lieutenant Allan Hubrig, Broward Sheriff’s Office
• Lieutenant Linda Miller-Rowe, Martin County Sheriff’s Office
• Captain Sonia Quinones, Hallandale Beach Police Department

As FBI National Academy graduates, these officers enter into a select group made up of less than one percent of the country’s law enforcement officers. They were hand-picked by their departments and, along with about 250 other officers, completed the 10-week course at the FBI training facility in Quantico, Virginia. The course included instruction in law, behavioral science, forensic science, understanding terrorism/terrorist mindsets, leadership development, communication, and health/fitness.

The FBI National Academy is dedicated to the improvement of law enforcement standards and has long been a benchmark for professional continuing education. Participants are drawn from every state in the union, from U.S. territories, and from over 150 partner nations. Police officers who attend the Academy return to their communities better prepared to meet criminal challenges.

The overall goal of the Academy is to support, promote, and enhance the personal and professional development of law enforcement leaders by preparing them for complex, dynamic, and contemporary challenges through innovative techniques, facilitating excellence in education and research, and forging partnerships throughout the world.

The academy was created in 1935 with 23 students in the first class. It has grown over the years to the current enrollment of over 1,000 students a year. The FBI National Academy is one of the premier law enforcement academies in the world.

Six South Florida Law Enforcement Officers Graduate from National Academy | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

WASHINGTON—Thirteen people were arrested today following their indictments on federal charges in connection with an ongoing investigation by the FBI/Metropolitan Safe Streets Task Force into a network that distributed cocaine in the Washington, D.C. area.

The arrests and charges were announced this afternoon by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., James W. McJunkin, assistant director in charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).

Those arrested, along with a 14th person taken into custody earlier this month, were among 27 defendants named in an indictment returned on March 8, 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The indictment, partially unsealed today, charges the defendants with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds derived from the crimes, as well as assets used to commit the offenses. If convicted, the defendants face a minimum of 10 years in custody and a maximum of life in prison.

The FBI, MPD, U.S. Park Police, Prince George’s County Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Maryland State Police joined in today’s law enforcement action. A total of 11 locations were searched in Maryland and three in the District of Columbia. Authorities seized a shotgun, a rifle, and nine handguns, as well as cocaine and marijuana, cash, and five vehicles.

The indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to carry out the drug operation from September 2010 through March of this year, when it was broken up by law enforcement. The network allegedly operated in the District of Columbia as well as in Temple Hills, Maryland.

“Today’s law enforcement activities show our determination to target those selling dangerous drugs in our city,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “This investigation has led to numerous arrests as well as the recovery of 11 firearms and drugs. Thanks to the hard work of the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department and other law enforcement partners, we have taken another step toward making our community safer.”

“This morning’s arrests dismantled a dangerous network which threatened the safety of our community,” said Assistant Director in Charge McJunkin. “Together with our partners on the Safe Streets Task Force, the FBI will continue to pursue and prosecute violent drug traffickers in order to keep our neighborhoods safe for our citizens.”

“Today’s arrests highlight the teamwork between our federal and local partners as we continue to remove drugs, guns and criminals from our streets—in an effort to make our neighborhoods safer,” said Chief Lanier.

Arrested on the charges were: Keith Donnell Boone, 42, of Clinton, Maryland, and his sister, Kimberly Delores Boone, 45, of Temple Hills, Maryland; Andre Linwood Brown, 56, of Washington, D.C.; Kelvin Kevin Heyward, 57, of Clinton, Maryland, and his sons, Kevin Kelvin Hayward, 39, of Greenbelt, Maryland, and Markel Kevin Heyward, 33, of District Heights, Maryland; Anthony Quinn Jones, 47, of District Heights, Maryland; Bernard William Jones, 34, of Bowie, Maryland; Anthony Darryl Kirby, 27, of Fort Washington, Maryland; Jonathan McCoy Logan, 40, of Clinton, Maryland; Willie Bennett Stokes, II, 26, of District Heights, Maryland; Joe Thomas, 76, of Washington, D.C.; and James Ralph Walker, 31, of District Heights, Maryland. Joe Thomas is the father of defendants Kimberly Delores Boone and Andre Linwood Brown.

A 14th defendant, Darnell Antonio Parker, 41, of Arlington, Virginia, was arrested earlier.

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal law and is not evidence of guilt. Every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia. The Safe Streets initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state, and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.

In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director McJunkin, and Chief Lanier thanked those who pursued the investigation from the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force and other agencies. In addition, they expressed appreciation to the Prince George’s County Police Department, the U.S. Park Police, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Maryland State Police for their assistance in the investigation.

They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the investigation from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michelle A. Zamarin, Thomas A. Gillice, and Suzanne Clement Libby, who are prosecuting the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui, Anthony Saler and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Anand Sithian, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, which is assisting with the forfeiture action.

Thirteen People Arrested Today in Drug Conspiracy, Accused of Distributing Cocaine in Washington, D.C. Area | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.

NEW ORLEANS—TIWANA ALEXANDER, age 37, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, and a detective employed by the New Orleans Police Department in the Fourth District, was charged by a federal grand jury today in a two-count indictment charging her with conspiracy and theft of federal funds, announced U.S. Attorney Jim Letten.

According to the indictment, from March 2007 through July 2008, ALEXANDER conspired with a former case manager who worked for the House of Ruth, a non-profit organization receiving federal funds from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to steal approximately $3,600. One of the primary missions of the House of Ruth is to provide short-term rental and other basic assistance to homeless individuals and families. The indictment alleges that from May 2007 through July 2008, ALEXANDER, who was not homeless or jobless at the time and earned an income exceeding $40,000, knew she did not qualify for House of Ruth assistance. Nevertheless, ALEXANDER conspired with the former House of Ruth case manager to steal money from the House of Ruth. The indictment alleges that she used two checks to pay her rent: one in July of 2007 and one in August of 2007. On three occasions in November 2007, December 2007, and January 2008, she deposited House of Ruth checks each in the amount of $900 into her own personal checking account.

If convicted, ALEXANDER faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, a $250,0000 fine, restitution to the House of Ruth, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.

U.S. Attorney Letten reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan E. Lieberman.

New Orleans Police Office Charged with Conspiracy and Theft of Federal Funds | Chicago Press Release Services - Chicago's leading press release newswire service; professional press release services, press release distribution and newswire services.