The Venezuelan government is investing $47 million to build dozens of new disarmament centers for civilians to surrender their weapons, President Nicolas Maduro announced Sunday.
“We are building peace from within, and for that, you need disarmament,” the president said at an event commemorating the International Day of Peace in the capital, Caracas, BBC reported. “Let us chase after the dream, after the utopia, the utopia of a Venezuela in peace,” he said, describing the disarmament as part of “the movement of peace and life.”
“Disarmament must come from the conscience of the youth,” Mr. Maduro said, Breitbart News reported.
Mr. Maduro said his government would invest $47 million and create 60 new disarmament centers. He also approved a $39 million plan to put 2,000 new patrols on the streets of the most dangerous neighborhoods.
Venezuela has the second-highest peacetime murder rate in the world after Honduras, and most of those murders are committed using firearms, BBC reported. Venezuela banned private gun ownership in 2012 and extended the ban again in 2013 after a spike in murders.
Earlier this year, many demonstrators took part in a series of mass anti-government protests demanding measures to improve the economy. Opposition activists have accused the Venezuelan government of widespread corruption and hypocrisy, BBC reported.
Thanks to Jessica Chasmar.
Friday, September 26, 2014
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Leon Eddie Mondy, Former Acting Pembroke Township Supervisor, Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Township Accounts for Gambling
A former acting Pembroke Township Supervisor, Leon Eddie Mondy, pled guilty to defrauding township accounts of more than $60,000 from August 2012 to May 2013. Mondy entered his open plea of guilty to one count of wire fraud in an appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge David G. Bernthal. Sentencing has been scheduled for Jan. 23, 2015, in Peoria, before Chief U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid.
Mondy, 35, of St. Anne, Ill., admitted that during the time he was serving as the acting Pembroke Township Supervisor, he withdrew more than $60,000 in cash from various township accounts and spent the money on gambling. Overall, according to court documents, Mondy lost $67,418 from gambling during the same time that he made $66,434 in unauthorized cash withdrawals from Pembroke township accounts.
As township supervisor, Mondy was a signatory and had access to the township’s various bank accounts. Mondy admitted he repeatedly transferred funds between township accounts and withdrew cash from the various accounts under the false pretense that the funds would be used for the benefit of the township. The accounts included Insurance, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, Water, Community Center, Employee Deductions, Senior Nutrition, and Social Security. The cash withdrawals varied from as little as $300 to as much as $3,542.
The charge is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller.
The offense of wire fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
Mondy, 35, of St. Anne, Ill., admitted that during the time he was serving as the acting Pembroke Township Supervisor, he withdrew more than $60,000 in cash from various township accounts and spent the money on gambling. Overall, according to court documents, Mondy lost $67,418 from gambling during the same time that he made $66,434 in unauthorized cash withdrawals from Pembroke township accounts.
As township supervisor, Mondy was a signatory and had access to the township’s various bank accounts. Mondy admitted he repeatedly transferred funds between township accounts and withdrew cash from the various accounts under the false pretense that the funds would be used for the benefit of the township. The accounts included Insurance, the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund, Water, Community Center, Employee Deductions, Senior Nutrition, and Social Security. The cash withdrawals varied from as little as $300 to as much as $3,542.
The charge is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller.
The offense of wire fraud carries a maximum statutory penalty of 20 years in prison and fines of up to $250,000.
3rd Colombian National Pleads Guilty in Kidnapping and Murder of DEA Agent Terry Watson
A third Colombian man extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia pleaded guilty for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 20, 2013.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of 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 U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
“This development marks yet another significant step forward in our effort to achieve justice for Special Agent Terry Watson, who gave his life in the service of his country,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “This nation owes Special Agent Watson, and all of our fallen law enforcement personnel, a debt of gratitude we can never hope to repay. But we will never rest in our commitment to hold accountable all those responsible for his murder. That effort will continue. And his example will continue to guide and inspire us.”
Héctor Leonardo López, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee of the Eastern District of Virginia to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2014.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, López admitted that he and his conspirators agreed to conduct a “paseo milionario” or “millionaire’s ride” in which victims who were perceived as wealthy were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped and then robbed. López admitted that he was part of the group of individuals that targeted and picked up Special Agent Watson, outside of a restaurant in Bogotá. Soon after, two conspirators entered the taxi carrying Special Agent Watson, and one used a stun gun to shock Special Agent Watson and the other stabbed him. Special Agent Watson was able to escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries. López admitted that he drove the second taxi, which carried the two individuals who attacked Special Agent Watson. López also admitted that part of his role in the robbery crew was to receive stolen bank cards and use them at various banks to take out money.
Six other defendants were charged in this case for their alleged involvement in the murder of Special Agent Watson. Gerardo Figueroa Sepúlveda, 39; Omar Fabián Valdes Gualtero, 27; and Édgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27, are each charged by indictment with second degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap. Wilson Daniel Peralta Bocachica, 31, was charged for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.
On Sept. 3, 2014, Julio Estiven Gracia Ramírez, 31, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing for Gracia Ramírez is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2014. On Sept. 17, 2014, Andrés Álvaro Oviedo García, 22, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2014.
Trial for the remaining defendants is set for Jan. 12, 2015.
Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of 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 U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.
“This development marks yet another significant step forward in our effort to achieve justice for Special Agent Terry Watson, who gave his life in the service of his country,” said Attorney General Eric Holder. “This nation owes Special Agent Watson, and all of our fallen law enforcement personnel, a debt of gratitude we can never hope to repay. But we will never rest in our commitment to hold accountable all those responsible for his murder. That effort will continue. And his example will continue to guide and inspire us.”
Héctor Leonardo López, 34, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee of the Eastern District of Virginia to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2014.
In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, López admitted that he and his conspirators agreed to conduct a “paseo milionario” or “millionaire’s ride” in which victims who were perceived as wealthy were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped and then robbed. López admitted that he was part of the group of individuals that targeted and picked up Special Agent Watson, outside of a restaurant in Bogotá. Soon after, two conspirators entered the taxi carrying Special Agent Watson, and one used a stun gun to shock Special Agent Watson and the other stabbed him. Special Agent Watson was able to escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries. López admitted that he drove the second taxi, which carried the two individuals who attacked Special Agent Watson. López also admitted that part of his role in the robbery crew was to receive stolen bank cards and use them at various banks to take out money.
Six other defendants were charged in this case for their alleged involvement in the murder of Special Agent Watson. Gerardo Figueroa Sepúlveda, 39; Omar Fabián Valdes Gualtero, 27; and Édgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27, are each charged by indictment with second degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap. Wilson Daniel Peralta Bocachica, 31, was charged for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.
On Sept. 3, 2014, Julio Estiven Gracia Ramírez, 31, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing for Gracia Ramírez is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2014. On Sept. 17, 2014, Andrés Álvaro Oviedo García, 22, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2014.
Trial for the remaining defendants is set for Jan. 12, 2015.
Mel Ayton, Author of "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt" Guests Tonight on Crime Beat Radio
Mel Ayton discusses his latest book, "Beyond a Reasonable Doubt: The Warren Report and Lee harvey Oswald's Guilt and Motive 50 Years On", tonight on Crime Beat Radio.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
examines how conspiracy theories developed after publication of the Warren Commission's 1964 report into the circumstances surrounding the JFK assassination. Using the evidence compiled by the commissioners, the authors demonstrate how and why the report was rejected by the American public over the past five decades. The book also provides new and compelling evidence which reveals not only Oswald s guilt, by this clear motive which was never satisfactorily addressed by the Warren investigation. The book also looks at the way in which conspiracy writers have succeeded in persuading a majority of the American public that Lee Harvey Oswald was either an innocent Patsy or acted in conjunction with others to assassinate the president. In an examination of the modus operandi of conspiracy writers, Ayton and Von Pien reveal how the public was manipulated into accepting conspiracy allegations and of how their theories were built around nothing more than misinterpretations and misrepresentation of the evidence and crude speculation.
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.
Beyond a Reasonable Doubt
examines how conspiracy theories developed after publication of the Warren Commission's 1964 report into the circumstances surrounding the JFK assassination. Using the evidence compiled by the commissioners, the authors demonstrate how and why the report was rejected by the American public over the past five decades. The book also provides new and compelling evidence which reveals not only Oswald s guilt, by this clear motive which was never satisfactorily addressed by the Warren investigation. The book also looks at the way in which conspiracy writers have succeeded in persuading a majority of the American public that Lee Harvey Oswald was either an innocent Patsy or acted in conjunction with others to assassinate the president. In an examination of the modus operandi of conspiracy writers, Ayton and Von Pien reveal how the public was manipulated into accepting conspiracy allegations and of how their theories were built around nothing more than misinterpretations and misrepresentation of the evidence and crude speculation.
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.
Sunday, September 21, 2014
USA Freedom Act Would Curtail Government Surveillance Programs
Americans are justifiably proud of our military, intelligence, and law enforcement forces. Their bravery, dedication, and sacrifice help keep this nation safe and free. They have the gratitude of the NRA, its members, and the American people.
Americans can also take pride that the nation’s commitment to a free and open society has largely survived efforts to enhance security and intelligence-gathering both abroad and throughout the homeland. This preservation of important principles has required sustained and dedicated efforts on the part of many, including the NRA. The NRA takes a backseat to no one in their support of the men and women of America’s Armed Forces and law enforcement communities. They also understand that the constitutional safeguards our Founding Fathers built into the American system of government were designed as much for challenging times of upheaval and insecurity as for times of peace and calm.
For these reasons, the NRA has been actively involved in efforts to ensure the incredible technological and surveillance capabilities that have arisen in the last decade do not overwhelm fundamental civil liberties, including the privacy of your Second Amendment choices. As reported in January, the NRA has been participating in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that challenges the National Security Administration’s mass collection of communication data under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act.
Specifically, the litigation asserts that the data collection is not authorized by that act and violates Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights. In its original friend-of-the-court brief and a follow-up filing with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the NRA has argued that NSA’s data collection program violates the First Amendment rights of NRA members by potentially chilling their willingness to communicate. It also asserts that the NSA program could use sophisticated metadata analysis to circumvent statutory protections barring the federal government from collecting gun ownership records.
While the ACLU case continues to make its way through the federal courts, Congress has also responded to the privacy concerns raised by a broad coalition of civil rights and privacy advocates with legislation aimed at curbing the excesses of NSA’s runaway data collection. The USA FREEDOM Act of 2014, sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), strengthens safeguards against abuse of the surveillance activities targeted by the ACLU litigation. It requires enhanced justification for these activities, limits their scope and duration, requires destruction of information collected that is not relevant to foreign terrorist activity, and enhances executive and judicial oversight of data collection.
The NRA supports the USA FREEDOM Act--currently pending as S. 2685 and H.R. 3361--as a positive step toward protecting the privacy of innocent Americans and ensuring that surveillance activities are properly and narrowly focused on actual threats to the nation’s security. As well as the NRA and the ACLU, the bill is supported by a diverse range of interest groups, including the American Library Association, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Center for National Security Studies, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Sunlight Foundation.
Americans can also take pride that the nation’s commitment to a free and open society has largely survived efforts to enhance security and intelligence-gathering both abroad and throughout the homeland. This preservation of important principles has required sustained and dedicated efforts on the part of many, including the NRA. The NRA takes a backseat to no one in their support of the men and women of America’s Armed Forces and law enforcement communities. They also understand that the constitutional safeguards our Founding Fathers built into the American system of government were designed as much for challenging times of upheaval and insecurity as for times of peace and calm.
For these reasons, the NRA has been actively involved in efforts to ensure the incredible technological and surveillance capabilities that have arisen in the last decade do not overwhelm fundamental civil liberties, including the privacy of your Second Amendment choices. As reported in January, the NRA has been participating in a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) that challenges the National Security Administration’s mass collection of communication data under Section 215 of the PATRIOT Act.
Specifically, the litigation asserts that the data collection is not authorized by that act and violates Americans’ First and Fourth Amendment rights. In its original friend-of-the-court brief and a follow-up filing with the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, the NRA has argued that NSA’s data collection program violates the First Amendment rights of NRA members by potentially chilling their willingness to communicate. It also asserts that the NSA program could use sophisticated metadata analysis to circumvent statutory protections barring the federal government from collecting gun ownership records.
While the ACLU case continues to make its way through the federal courts, Congress has also responded to the privacy concerns raised by a broad coalition of civil rights and privacy advocates with legislation aimed at curbing the excesses of NSA’s runaway data collection. The USA FREEDOM Act of 2014, sponsored by Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wisc.), strengthens safeguards against abuse of the surveillance activities targeted by the ACLU litigation. It requires enhanced justification for these activities, limits their scope and duration, requires destruction of information collected that is not relevant to foreign terrorist activity, and enhances executive and judicial oversight of data collection.
The NRA supports the USA FREEDOM Act--currently pending as S. 2685 and H.R. 3361--as a positive step toward protecting the privacy of innocent Americans and ensuring that surveillance activities are properly and narrowly focused on actual threats to the nation’s security. As well as the NRA and the ACLU, the bill is supported by a diverse range of interest groups, including the American Library Association, the Center for Democracy and Technology, the Center for National Security Studies, the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and the Sunlight Foundation.
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