The former sheriff of East Carroll Parish was sentenced to three years of probation for hunting with a convicted felon who was sentenced prior to 2014 and barred from possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Former East Carroll Parish Sheriff Mark Wayne Shumate, 52, of Lake Providence, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James for one count aiding and abetting a felon in the possession of a firearm. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, on April 1, 2014, Shumate and the convicted felon went hunting on January 8, 2014. Shumate had full knowledge that the person accompanying him was barred from possessing and firing a firearm.
Tuesday, July 08, 2014
Monday, July 07, 2014
Nicodemo S. Scarfo and Salvatore Pelullo Convicted of Racketeering and Other Crimes
A member and an associate of the Lucchese organized crime family and two Texas brothers were convicted of racketeering and other charges after a six-month trial, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman for the District of New Jersey and Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division announced.
Nicodemo S. Scarfo, 49, of Galloway, N.J., a member of the Lucchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and Salvatore Pelullo, 47, of Philadelphia, an associate of the Lucchese and Philadelphia LCN families, were convicted of all the counts against them, including racketeering conspiracy and related offenses, including securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, extortion, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Two other defendants, William and John Maxwell, were also convicted. Co-defendants David Adler, Gary McCarthy and Donald Manno were acquitted on all counts.
“Today, four people stand convicted for giving new meaning to ‘corporate takeover’ – looting a publicly traded company to benefit their criminal enterprise,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “The defendants stole more than $12 million from shareholders through rampant self-dealing, fraudulent SEC filings and intimidation. The public should not have to worry that the interests of shareholders are being subverted to benefit organized crime or for other corrupt ends.”
“Nicodemo Scarfo, Salvatore Pellulo and their cohorts used threats of physical and economic harm to take over a publicly traded financial firm, then callously and systematically looted the company out of millions of dollars to buy luxury items for themselves,” Assistant Attorney General Caldwell said. “As a result of today’s guilty verdict, this mafia member and his conspirators now face substantial prison sentences.”
The jury deliberated two weeks before delivering its verdicts following a six-month trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court. The defendants were charged in an indictment returned in 2011 by a federal grand jury in Camden. It named Nicodemo D. Scarfo (Scarfo Sr.) – Nicodemo S. Scarfo’s father and the imprisoned former boss of the Philadelphia LCN family – and Vittorio Amuso, the imprisoned boss of the Lucchese family, as conspirators.
Five other defendants – Cory Leshner, Howard Drossner, John Parisi, Todd Stark, and Scarfo’s wife, Lisa Murray-Scarfo – have previously pleaded guilty to various charges related to their roles in the criminal scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Scarfo is a made member of the Lucchese family, having become a member after an attempt on his life in 1989 following an internal struggle for control of the Philadelphia family. In the mid-1990s, while Scarfo Sr. and Amuso were in federal prison in Atlanta, Amuso arranged for Scarfo to become a member of the Lucchese family as a favor to Scarfo Sr. As a member of the Lucchese family, Scarfo was required to earn money and participate in the affairs of the Lucchese family.
In April 2007, Scarfo, Pelullo and others devised a scheme to take over FirstPlus Financial Group Inc. (FPFG), a publicly held company in Texas. Scarfo and Pelullo used threats of economic harm to intimidate and remove the prior management and board of directors of replaced those officers with individuals beholden to Scarfo and Pelullo, including William Maxwell, an attorney from Houston, Texas, and his brother, John Maxwell, of Irving, Texas, who acted as the company’s CEO.
Once the takeover was completed, the figurehead board named William Maxwell as “special counsel” to FPFG, a position that he used to funnel $12 million to himself, Scarfo and Pelullo through fraudulent legal services and consulting agreements. The agreements, as well as FPFG’s fraudulent acquisitions of companies controlled by Scarfo and Pelullo, were designed to mask the true identity and nature of the control exerted over FPFG and to conceal the source of the money fraudulently conveyed to Scarfo and Pelullo.
In a telephone call intercepted by law enforcement, Pelullo called Scarfo to tell him about the sudden death of a former FPFG executive. This former executive had provided information to Pelullo and Maxwell that they used to extort control of FPFG. At the time of his death, he was a member of FPFG’s “compliance team.” Scarfo and Pelullo expressed relief regarding his death. After laughing about how he was “crushed” that “the rat is dead,” Pelullo acknowledged that the executive was “the only connection, the only tie to anything.” Scarfo replied: “Oh boy. Yeah, Sal, you wanna know something though? That’s one that I know you can’t take credit for . . . [laughter] . . . and that’s the natural best thing. You know what I mean? That is so like Enron-ish. You know what I mean? Kenneth Lay, he bailed out and took a heart attack.”
Scarfo and Pelullo used their illicit gains to fund extravagant purchases, including an $850,000 yacht for both defendants, a luxury home for Scarfo, a Bentley automobile for Pelullo, and thousands of dollars in jewelry for Scarfo’s wife. As a direct result of the enterprise’s criminal activity, FPFG and its shareholders suffered a loss of at least $12 million.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine; the RICO conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the conspiracy to commit money laundering and felon in possession of a weapon counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the securities fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to make false statements in a loan application and conspiracy to transfer firearms to a prohibited person counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing for Scarfo is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2014; for Pelullo, Oct. 21, 2014; and for both Maxwell brothers, Oct. 23, 2014.
Nicodemo S. Scarfo, 49, of Galloway, N.J., a member of the Lucchese organized crime family of La Cosa Nostra (LCN) and Salvatore Pelullo, 47, of Philadelphia, an associate of the Lucchese and Philadelphia LCN families, were convicted of all the counts against them, including racketeering conspiracy and related offenses, including securities fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, bank fraud, extortion, money laundering and obstruction of justice. Two other defendants, William and John Maxwell, were also convicted. Co-defendants David Adler, Gary McCarthy and Donald Manno were acquitted on all counts.
“Today, four people stand convicted for giving new meaning to ‘corporate takeover’ – looting a publicly traded company to benefit their criminal enterprise,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “The defendants stole more than $12 million from shareholders through rampant self-dealing, fraudulent SEC filings and intimidation. The public should not have to worry that the interests of shareholders are being subverted to benefit organized crime or for other corrupt ends.”
“Nicodemo Scarfo, Salvatore Pellulo and their cohorts used threats of physical and economic harm to take over a publicly traded financial firm, then callously and systematically looted the company out of millions of dollars to buy luxury items for themselves,” Assistant Attorney General Caldwell said. “As a result of today’s guilty verdict, this mafia member and his conspirators now face substantial prison sentences.”
The jury deliberated two weeks before delivering its verdicts following a six-month trial before U.S. District Judge Robert B. Kugler in Camden federal court. The defendants were charged in an indictment returned in 2011 by a federal grand jury in Camden. It named Nicodemo D. Scarfo (Scarfo Sr.) – Nicodemo S. Scarfo’s father and the imprisoned former boss of the Philadelphia LCN family – and Vittorio Amuso, the imprisoned boss of the Lucchese family, as conspirators.
Five other defendants – Cory Leshner, Howard Drossner, John Parisi, Todd Stark, and Scarfo’s wife, Lisa Murray-Scarfo – have previously pleaded guilty to various charges related to their roles in the criminal scheme.
According to documents filed in this case and the evidence at trial:
Scarfo is a made member of the Lucchese family, having become a member after an attempt on his life in 1989 following an internal struggle for control of the Philadelphia family. In the mid-1990s, while Scarfo Sr. and Amuso were in federal prison in Atlanta, Amuso arranged for Scarfo to become a member of the Lucchese family as a favor to Scarfo Sr. As a member of the Lucchese family, Scarfo was required to earn money and participate in the affairs of the Lucchese family.
In April 2007, Scarfo, Pelullo and others devised a scheme to take over FirstPlus Financial Group Inc. (FPFG), a publicly held company in Texas. Scarfo and Pelullo used threats of economic harm to intimidate and remove the prior management and board of directors of replaced those officers with individuals beholden to Scarfo and Pelullo, including William Maxwell, an attorney from Houston, Texas, and his brother, John Maxwell, of Irving, Texas, who acted as the company’s CEO.
Once the takeover was completed, the figurehead board named William Maxwell as “special counsel” to FPFG, a position that he used to funnel $12 million to himself, Scarfo and Pelullo through fraudulent legal services and consulting agreements. The agreements, as well as FPFG’s fraudulent acquisitions of companies controlled by Scarfo and Pelullo, were designed to mask the true identity and nature of the control exerted over FPFG and to conceal the source of the money fraudulently conveyed to Scarfo and Pelullo.
In a telephone call intercepted by law enforcement, Pelullo called Scarfo to tell him about the sudden death of a former FPFG executive. This former executive had provided information to Pelullo and Maxwell that they used to extort control of FPFG. At the time of his death, he was a member of FPFG’s “compliance team.” Scarfo and Pelullo expressed relief regarding his death. After laughing about how he was “crushed” that “the rat is dead,” Pelullo acknowledged that the executive was “the only connection, the only tie to anything.” Scarfo replied: “Oh boy. Yeah, Sal, you wanna know something though? That’s one that I know you can’t take credit for . . . [laughter] . . . and that’s the natural best thing. You know what I mean? That is so like Enron-ish. You know what I mean? Kenneth Lay, he bailed out and took a heart attack.”
Scarfo and Pelullo used their illicit gains to fund extravagant purchases, including an $850,000 yacht for both defendants, a luxury home for Scarfo, a Bentley automobile for Pelullo, and thousands of dollars in jewelry for Scarfo’s wife. As a direct result of the enterprise’s criminal activity, FPFG and its shareholders suffered a loss of at least $12 million.
The conspiracy to commit bank fraud count carries a maximum potential penalty of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine; the RICO conspiracy, wire fraud conspiracy, wire fraud, conspiracy to obstruct justice counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the conspiracy to commit money laundering and felon in possession of a weapon counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine; the securities fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to make false statements in a loan application and conspiracy to transfer firearms to a prohibited person counts each carry a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
Sentencing for Scarfo is scheduled for Oct. 22, 2014; for Pelullo, Oct. 21, 2014; and for both Maxwell brothers, Oct. 23, 2014.
Sunday, July 06, 2014
Busted: A Tale of Corruption and Betrayal in the City of Brotherly Love
In the vein of Erin Brockovich, The Departed, and T. J. English's Savage City comes Busted: A Tale of Corruption and Betrayal in the City of Brotherly Love, the shocking true story of the biggest police corruption scandal in Philadelphia history, a tale of drugs, power, and abuse involving a rogue narcotics squad, a confidential informant, and two veteran journalists whose reporting drove a full-scale FBI probe, rocked the City of Brotherly Love, and earned a Pulitzer Prize .
In 2003,
Benny Martinez became a Confidential Informant for a member of the Philadelphia Police Department's narcotics squad, helping arrest nearly 200 drug and gun dealers over seven years. But that success masked a dark and dangerous reality: the cops were as corrupt as the criminals they targeted.
In addition to fabricating busts, the squad systematically looted mom-and-pop stores, terrorizing hardworking immigrant owners. One squad member also sexually assaulted three women during raids. Frightened for his life, Martinez turned to Philadelphia Daily News reporters Wendy Ruderman and Barbara Laker.
Busted chronicles how these two journalists—both middle-class working mothers—formed an unlikely bond with a convicted street dealer to uncover the secrets of ruthless kingpins and dirty cops. Professionals in an industry shrinking from severe financial cutbacks, Ruderman and Laker had few resources—besides their own grit and tenacity—to break a dangerous, complex story that would expose the rotten underbelly of a modern American city and earn them a Pulitzer Prize. A page-turning thriller based on superb reportage, illustrated with eight pages of photos, Busted is modern true crime at its finest.
In 2003,
Benny Martinez became a Confidential Informant for a member of the Philadelphia Police Department's narcotics squad, helping arrest nearly 200 drug and gun dealers over seven years. But that success masked a dark and dangerous reality: the cops were as corrupt as the criminals they targeted.In addition to fabricating busts, the squad systematically looted mom-and-pop stores, terrorizing hardworking immigrant owners. One squad member also sexually assaulted three women during raids. Frightened for his life, Martinez turned to Philadelphia Daily News reporters Wendy Ruderman and Barbara Laker.
Busted chronicles how these two journalists—both middle-class working mothers—formed an unlikely bond with a convicted street dealer to uncover the secrets of ruthless kingpins and dirty cops. Professionals in an industry shrinking from severe financial cutbacks, Ruderman and Laker had few resources—besides their own grit and tenacity—to break a dangerous, complex story that would expose the rotten underbelly of a modern American city and earn them a Pulitzer Prize. A page-turning thriller based on superb reportage, illustrated with eight pages of photos, Busted is modern true crime at its finest.
Saturday, July 05, 2014
Details of Russell Adler Sentencing in Connection with Rothstein Campaign Finance Fraud Case
Russell S. Adler, 52, of Ft. Lauderdale, was sentenced by United States District Judge James I. Cohn to 30 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years’ supervised release in connection with his conviction for one count of conspiracy to violate the Federal Election Campaign Act and to defraud the United States, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 371. The defendant was a shareholder of the former Ft. Lauderdale law firm of Rothstein, Rosenfeldt and Adler, P.A. (RRA).
During his April 4, 2014 guilty plea, the defendant admitted that, in order to circumvent campaign finance laws setting limitations on the amounts which donors can contribute, RRA Chairman and CEO Scott W. Rothstein enlisted some of the attorneys and administrative personnel of RRA, and other persons associated with RRA, including Adler, to make political contributions to various political campaigns which were unlawfully reimbursed to them by RRA.
During his April 4, 2014 guilty plea, the defendant admitted that, in order to circumvent campaign finance laws setting limitations on the amounts which donors can contribute, RRA Chairman and CEO Scott W. Rothstein enlisted some of the attorneys and administrative personnel of RRA, and other persons associated with RRA, including Adler, to make political contributions to various political campaigns which were unlawfully reimbursed to them by RRA.
Thursday, July 03, 2014
Marcus Valdespino, author of #WhiteBoyConfessions, Appears Tonight on Crime Beat Radio
Marcus Valdespino, author of The White Boy Confessions: The Explosive Story of Marcus Valdespino and San Antonio's Hood, appears tonight on Crime Beat Radio
The White Boy Confessions
is the powerful autobiography of Marcus Valdespino and deals with gang life and violence in San Antonio and such controversial subjects as race relations, poverty, and interracial crime. The first 29 years of Valdespino's was compelling and tragic. He witnessed his father's drug dealing to high profile people and Marcus, unfortunately followed in his footsteps. Valdespino's story shows the worst of humanity and is chilling in its depiction of sex and violence and heartfelt, poignant and sad in its betrayal of the rite of passage of a young person growing up in this world.
The White Boys Confessions is also extremely powerful in its social and political commentary. There are several layers of the story contained within it that are both frightening and humorous.
All of Valdespino's story - the bad and the ugly - is in The White Boy Confessions. It is a story of not just survival but also redemption.
Crime Beat is a weekly hour-long radio program that airs every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. Crime Beat presents fascinating topics that bring listeners closer to the dynamic underbelly of the world of crime. Guests have included ex-mobsters, undercover law enforcement agents, sports officials, informants, prisoners, drug dealers and investigative journalists, who have provided insights and fresh information about the world’s most fascinating subject: crime.
The White Boy Confessions
is the powerful autobiography of Marcus Valdespino and deals with gang life and violence in San Antonio and such controversial subjects as race relations, poverty, and interracial crime. The first 29 years of Valdespino's was compelling and tragic. He witnessed his father's drug dealing to high profile people and Marcus, unfortunately followed in his footsteps. Valdespino's story shows the worst of humanity and is chilling in its depiction of sex and violence and heartfelt, poignant and sad in its betrayal of the rite of passage of a young person growing up in this world.The White Boys Confessions is also extremely powerful in its social and political commentary. There are several layers of the story contained within it that are both frightening and humorous.
All of Valdespino's story - the bad and the ugly - is in The White Boy Confessions. It is a story of not just survival but also redemption.
Crime Beat is a weekly hour-long radio program that airs every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST. Crime Beat presents fascinating topics that bring listeners closer to the dynamic underbelly of the world of crime. Guests have included ex-mobsters, undercover law enforcement agents, sports officials, informants, prisoners, drug dealers and investigative journalists, who have provided insights and fresh information about the world’s most fascinating subject: crime.
Wednesday, July 02, 2014
Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the Chicago Youth Violence Prevention Roundtable
Thank you all for being here – and for welcoming me back to Chicago today. I’d particularly like to thank Mayor [Rahm] Emanuel for convening this important discussion. I want to recognize Jadine [Chou], of the Chicago Public Schools, who is serving as our moderator. And I’d like to acknowledge the work of our outstanding U.S. Attorney, Zach Fardon, in helping to lead federal law enforcement efforts – and maintain strong partnerships with city and state officials – across this great city and throughout the area.
Most of all, I want to thank each of you for taking the time to be here; for lending your voices, and your unique perspectives, to this conversation; and for your ongoing commitment to frank dialogue, close collaboration, and cutting-edge innovation in pursuit of the progress we seek.
As law enforcement leaders, educators, administrators, and community advocates – but, most of all, as concerned parents – you’ve already stepped forward to offer your leadership, your support, and your skills and expertise in our efforts to combat and prevent youth violence.
Today, I want you to know that my Justice Department colleagues and I are grateful for your extraordinary work. And we’re determined to stand with you in taking it to a new level.
Chicago has made tremendous progress in bringing the homicide rate down – largely due to the efforts of many in this room. Yet, I'm sure we can all agree, there is still work to be done.
Statistics show that more than 60 percent of America’s children are exposed to crime, violence, or abuse – as victims or as witnesses – at some point in their lives. This is a staggering reality with devastating implications – and direct consequences.
For me – and I know for all of you – fighting back has always been much more than a professional obligation. As our nation’s Attorney General – and as the father of three wonderful kids – it is also a personal priority.
That’s why the work you’re doing – to rally local stakeholders to make our schools and our city streets safer – is so critical. And it’s why the Obama Administration – led, in part, by this Justice Department – has stepped to the forefront of these efforts, making an unprecedented commitment to help Chicago and other cities stem the tide of violence and protect our youngest citizens.
At the heart of this commitment is our National Forum on Youth Violence Prevention. Thanks to your tireless work – under the leadership of Mayor Emanuel, the Chicago Police
Department, and the Chicago Public Schools – this city has implemented a comprehensive, broad-based strategy to keep our young people safe, to keep them in the classroom, and to keep them on the path to success. With the strong support of the Justice Department, you’re applying innovative, data-driven strategies for contending with local challenges. And as your new report illustrates, these efforts are showing tremendous promise.
As we speak, you’re taking action to disrupt the “school-to-prison pipeline” by reducing out-of-school suspensions and expulsions. You’ve made significant gains in reducing arrests triggered by student misconduct and student-involved shootings. You’re ensuring that kids have safe passage to and from school. You’re supporting mentorship, tutoring, and community engagement efforts. And as a result, as the City announced today, the Chicago Public Schools just marked the safest year on record. Graduation rates are improving. And all of this is only the beginning.
In the days ahead, the Justice Department will continue seeking ways to strengthen and institutionalize our support for Chicago’s locally-driven, multi-pronged anti-violence strategy. Under the 12 current grants administered by our Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention alone, the City of Chicago and Cook County have access to more than $6.6 million to further these efforts.
Moving forward, we’ll keep building on this work – through the support of our Office of Justice Programs; through initiatives like Project Safe Neighborhoods and Defending Childhood; through national efforts such as President Obama’s My Brother’s Keeper initiative; and through our continued work to institutionalize the cooperative solutions you’re pioneering – not just here in Chicago, but throughout the country.
These federal resources will be essential in helping to achieve the public safety goals we share. But I also recognize – as you do – that the challenges we face can only be addressed cooperatively, by entire communities standing together – through the kind of collective action and comprehensive effort that the Mayor, Superintendent [Garry] McCarthy, and other leaders around this table are making possible.
Programs like Chicago’s own CureViolence and the Group Violence Reduction Strategy now being used by the Chicago Police Department have helped to show us what’s possible when the full community becomes involved.
Our nation’s Department of Justice is firmly committed to supporting you in this work. And we’ll continue to rely on the engagement, the expertise, and the resources that you provide.
I want to thank you, once again, for all that you do to drive our efforts forward. I am proud to count you as colleagues and partners. And I look forward to all that we must – and will – accomplish together in the months and years to come.
- Attorney General Eric Holder on Wednesday, July 2, 2014
7 Colombian Nationals Charged in Connection with the Murder of a DEA Agent, James Terry Watson, Extradited to the U.S.
Seven Colombian nationals were extradited to the United States to face charges relating to the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Director Bill A. Miller of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
“DEA Special Agent James ‘Terry’ Watson was a brave and talented special agent who represented everything good about federal law enforcement and our DEA family,” said DEA Administrator Leonhart. “We will never forget Terry’s sacrifice on behalf of the American people during his 13 years of service, nor will DEA ever forget the outstanding work of the Colombian National Police and our other law enforcement partners. Their efforts quickly led to the arrest and extradition of those accused of committing this heinous act.”
“With the extradition of these suspects, we are one step closer to ensuring that justice is served for the kidnapping and murder of an American hero,” said Attorney General Holder. “Special Agent Watson gave his life in the service of his country. We owe him, and his family, a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay. The Justice Department will never waver in our commitment to ensure that those who commit acts of violence against our best and bravest can be caught and held accountable.”
All of the defendants were indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on July 18, 2013. Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 39; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 34; Julio Estiven Gracia Ramirez, 31; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 22, were each charged with two counts of second degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault. Additionally, the grand jury indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 31, also a Colombian national, for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.
The defendants arrived in the United States on July 1, 2014, and made their initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, today before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Rawles Jones Jr. A detention hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2014, before United States Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis.
According to the indictment, Figueroa, Valdes, Bello, Lopez, Gracia and Oviedo-Garcia were part of a kidnapping and robbery conspiracy that utilized taxi cabs in Bogotá, Colombia, to lure victims into a position where they could be attacked and robbed. Once an intended victim entered a taxi cab, the driver of the taxi cab would signal other conspirators to commence the robbery and kidnapping operation.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2013, while he was working for the U.S. Mission in Colombia, Special Agent Watson entered a taxi cab operated by one of the defendants. Special Agent Watson was then allegedly attacked by two other defendants – one who stunned Special Agent Watson with a stun gun and another who stabbed Special Agent Watson with a knife, resulting in his death.
On July 1, 2014, the Government of Colombia extradited the defendants to the United States.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Director Bill A. Miller of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
“DEA Special Agent James ‘Terry’ Watson was a brave and talented special agent who represented everything good about federal law enforcement and our DEA family,” said DEA Administrator Leonhart. “We will never forget Terry’s sacrifice on behalf of the American people during his 13 years of service, nor will DEA ever forget the outstanding work of the Colombian National Police and our other law enforcement partners. Their efforts quickly led to the arrest and extradition of those accused of committing this heinous act.”
“With the extradition of these suspects, we are one step closer to ensuring that justice is served for the kidnapping and murder of an American hero,” said Attorney General Holder. “Special Agent Watson gave his life in the service of his country. We owe him, and his family, a debt of gratitude we can never fully repay. The Justice Department will never waver in our commitment to ensure that those who commit acts of violence against our best and bravest can be caught and held accountable.”
All of the defendants were indicted by a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia on July 18, 2013. Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 39; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 34; Julio Estiven Gracia Ramirez, 31; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 22, were each charged with two counts of second degree murder, one count of kidnapping and one count of conspiracy to kidnap. Oviedo-Garcia was also charged with two counts of assault. Additionally, the grand jury indicted Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 31, also a Colombian national, for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.
The defendants arrived in the United States on July 1, 2014, and made their initial appearance in federal court in Alexandria, Virginia, today before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas Rawles Jones Jr. A detention hearing is scheduled for July 9, 2014, before United States Magistrate Judge Ivan D. Davis.
According to the indictment, Figueroa, Valdes, Bello, Lopez, Gracia and Oviedo-Garcia were part of a kidnapping and robbery conspiracy that utilized taxi cabs in Bogotá, Colombia, to lure victims into a position where they could be attacked and robbed. Once an intended victim entered a taxi cab, the driver of the taxi cab would signal other conspirators to commence the robbery and kidnapping operation.
The indictment alleges that on June 20, 2013, while he was working for the U.S. Mission in Colombia, Special Agent Watson entered a taxi cab operated by one of the defendants. Special Agent Watson was then allegedly attacked by two other defendants – one who stunned Special Agent Watson with a stun gun and another who stabbed Special Agent Watson with a knife, resulting in his death.
On July 1, 2014, the Government of Colombia extradited the defendants to the United States.
Tuesday, July 01, 2014
Latin Kings’ Leader of Little Village, Juan Amaya, Region Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy and Related Gang Crimes
A high-ranking leader of the Latin Kings street gang was sentenced to 35 years in federal prison after being convicted of racketeering conspiracy and related charges involving narcotics trafficking and violence that plagued the Little Village neighborhood on the city’s west side. The defendant, JUAN AMAYA, 38, was convicted by a jury in March of this year after a trial in U.S. District Court.
In 2008, Amaya was the leader, or “Regional Inca,” of the Almighty Latin King Nation’s 26th Street Region, encompassing Little Village, the gang’s most important stronghold. Amaya was “in charge of over 1,000 soldiers ― many of whom were simply boys sent off to kill or be killed” under rules and policies he oversaw, the government argued in seeking a sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.
Amaya was held responsible for participating in a conspiracy to commit murder, according to findings by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer, who imposed the sentence in Federal Court. Amaya must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence.
Last week, Nedal Issa, who was the Inca of the Latin Kings’ Cicero Section of the 26th Street Region and who pleaded guilty, cooperated, and testified as a government witness, was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle. Amaya’s sentencing marks the last significant event in cases since 2008 that resulted in federal convictions of, and lengthy sentences for, Augustin Zambrano, the Latin Kings’ leader or “Corona;” Vicente Garcia, the gang’s “Supreme Regional Inca;” Fernando King, who preceded Garcia as second-incommand; and more than two dozen other top-ranking leaders.
“These sentences hold these defendants accountable for the barbaric enterprise known as the Latin Kings and for their roles in murder, attempted murder, shootings, beatings, drug trafficking, and other crimes,” said Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “I want to thank our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their brave and outstanding work resulting in a major impact on this gang enterprise,” Mr. Fardon added.
The evidence at Amaya’s trial showed that by 2008, just a couple of years after he was released on parole from a 24-year sentence for a 1992 murder conviction, Amaya was promoted to Regional Inca of the Little Village Region, reporting only to Garcia and Zambrano and effectively running the gang at their behest. During his tenure, Amaya discussed 25 shootings committed by his underlings while expressing pride at the consistency of violence. All told, hundreds of shootings resulting from Latin Kings conduct occurred in Little Village during the period of Amaya’s prominence, according to the government.
Amaya was indicted separately in 2012 following the 2008 and 2009 indictments of more than 30 top leaders of the Latin Kings. All have been convicted and sentenced except for a few defendants who remain fugitives. From its origin and base in the west side Little Village neighborhood, the Latin Kings spread throughout Chicago and Illinois and established branches in other states, where local leaders acted with some autonomy but adhered to the rules and hierarchy of the Chicago gang, according to trial evidence and court records.
The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Carl Vasilko, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police also had significant roles in the investigation, which was conducted through the federal High Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
In late 2006, ATF agents led an investigation that resulted in federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 38 Latin Kings members and associates. In 2008, the FBI led an investigation that resulted in state and federal charges against 40 Latin Kings members and associates, including Zambrano and numerous co-defendants. In total, nearly 100 Latin Kings members and associates have faced state or federal charges since 2006. The convictions resulted from a sustained, coordinated effort by federal law enforcement agencies, working together with the Chicago Police Department and other state and local partners, to dismantle the hierarchy of the Latin Kings and other highly-organized, often violent Chicago street gangs.
Zambrano was the highest-ranking Latin King to be convicted and sentenced since Gustavo “Gino” Colon, who also holds the title of “Corona,” was sentenced to life in prison in 2000.
In 2008, Amaya was the leader, or “Regional Inca,” of the Almighty Latin King Nation’s 26th Street Region, encompassing Little Village, the gang’s most important stronghold. Amaya was “in charge of over 1,000 soldiers ― many of whom were simply boys sent off to kill or be killed” under rules and policies he oversaw, the government argued in seeking a sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment.
Amaya was held responsible for participating in a conspiracy to commit murder, according to findings by U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer, who imposed the sentence in Federal Court. Amaya must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence.
Last week, Nedal Issa, who was the Inca of the Latin Kings’ Cicero Section of the 26th Street Region and who pleaded guilty, cooperated, and testified as a government witness, was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Charles Norgle. Amaya’s sentencing marks the last significant event in cases since 2008 that resulted in federal convictions of, and lengthy sentences for, Augustin Zambrano, the Latin Kings’ leader or “Corona;” Vicente Garcia, the gang’s “Supreme Regional Inca;” Fernando King, who preceded Garcia as second-incommand; and more than two dozen other top-ranking leaders.
“These sentences hold these defendants accountable for the barbaric enterprise known as the Latin Kings and for their roles in murder, attempted murder, shootings, beatings, drug trafficking, and other crimes,” said Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “I want to thank our local, state and federal law enforcement partners for their brave and outstanding work resulting in a major impact on this gang enterprise,” Mr. Fardon added.
The evidence at Amaya’s trial showed that by 2008, just a couple of years after he was released on parole from a 24-year sentence for a 1992 murder conviction, Amaya was promoted to Regional Inca of the Little Village Region, reporting only to Garcia and Zambrano and effectively running the gang at their behest. During his tenure, Amaya discussed 25 shootings committed by his underlings while expressing pride at the consistency of violence. All told, hundreds of shootings resulting from Latin Kings conduct occurred in Little Village during the period of Amaya’s prominence, according to the government.
Amaya was indicted separately in 2012 following the 2008 and 2009 indictments of more than 30 top leaders of the Latin Kings. All have been convicted and sentenced except for a few defendants who remain fugitives. From its origin and base in the west side Little Village neighborhood, the Latin Kings spread throughout Chicago and Illinois and established branches in other states, where local leaders acted with some autonomy but adhered to the rules and hierarchy of the Chicago gang, according to trial evidence and court records.
The sentence was announced by Zachary T. Fardon, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Robert J. Holley, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and Carl Vasilko, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The Chicago Police Department, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Office of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) in Chicago, and the Cook County Sheriff’s Police also had significant roles in the investigation, which was conducted through the federal High Intensity Drug-Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Task Force and under the umbrella of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF).
In late 2006, ATF agents led an investigation that resulted in federal drug trafficking and firearms charges against 38 Latin Kings members and associates. In 2008, the FBI led an investigation that resulted in state and federal charges against 40 Latin Kings members and associates, including Zambrano and numerous co-defendants. In total, nearly 100 Latin Kings members and associates have faced state or federal charges since 2006. The convictions resulted from a sustained, coordinated effort by federal law enforcement agencies, working together with the Chicago Police Department and other state and local partners, to dismantle the hierarchy of the Latin Kings and other highly-organized, often violent Chicago street gangs.
Zambrano was the highest-ranking Latin King to be convicted and sentenced since Gustavo “Gino” Colon, who also holds the title of “Corona,” was sentenced to life in prison in 2000.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)