On October 12, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland announced that Eric Jordon was sentenced to 72 years in prison and 5 years of supervised in connection to three armed robberies around the Baltimore area.  

On April 30, 2012, Jordon was convicted of one count of conspiracy, three counts of robbery, three counts of brandishing a firearm, one count of possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm.  The judge declared Jordan a career offender.  

According to court documents, Jordon and the co-defendant, Aaron Graham, were arrested after they robbed two different fast food restaurants in under an hour.  During the robberies, Jordan drove the getaway vehicle and Graham robbed the restaurants.  Graham brandished a weapon during both robberies, and he pistol whipped the clerk in the first robbery.  

Witnesses identified Graham during the robberies, and they also identified the getaway vehicle as a gray pick-up truck.  During the arrest, police found a .25 caliber semiautomatic pistol and approximately $1,083.56 in cash.  

During the trial, evidence proved that Jordan and Graham, as well as another man, previously robbed a gas station in Gwynn Oak, Maryland on February 1, 2011.  During the robbery, Graham beat the cashier and brandished the same pistol used in the other two crimes.  The other robber assaulted a customer who tried to run away during the robbery, and the same robber carried a sawed-off shotgun.  The sawed-off shotgun was found at Jordon’s residence along with a .357 caliber revolver, ammunition, and the clothing Graham wore during the robbery of the gas station.  

Graham received 147 years in prison for the crimes.

The case was investigated by the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

On October 12, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced that Roberto A Darden of Newport News was sentenced to 50 years for producing child pornography and witness tampering.  

Darden pled guilty to both offenses on November 23, 2011.  Warning: the details of the crime are described below and may offend some readers.  

Darden admitted that he and the co-defendant, Ujima Crudup, received money to have the victim of 13 years of age perform sexual acts.  Both men transported the young girl around hotels in Hampton Roads for prostitution.  They provided the victim with illegal drugs and alcohol, and the defendants videotaped the victim as she engaged in sexual acts.  

Additionally, the defendants blackmailed the young girl into prostitution by using the videotape.  They made her sign a contract that explained the requirements of prostitution and working under the defendants.  

After they forced the young girl into prostitution, the defendants made fliers and other advertisements on the internet.  The young girl was also given a personal cell phone to contact customers for prostitution.  

After Darden was arrested, he contacted a woman from jail and told her to deny knowing him or anything about his business when talking with the investigators.  He also asked the woman to give the female victim money in order to stay quiet.  

United States Attorney Neil H. MacBride stated, “Roberto Darden changed a 13-year-old girl’s life forever by forcing her to endure violent sexual assaults and memorializing them all on video.  Today’s sentence is just punishment for a man who lured this young girl to a hotel, filmed her sexual abuse, and then used the videos to blackmail her into prostitution—a well-rehearsed pattern he has used on young women before this one.”  

Crudup received 30 years in prison for his role in the crime.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 3, 2012, the FBI’s Boston Field Office asked for assistance from the public in locating a wanted terrorist by the name of Ahmad Abousamra.  He is a U.S. citizen and lived in Mansfield, Massachusetts until he left the United States in 2006.  The FBI reports that he may be living in Aleppo, Syria with his wife, a daughter, and other family members.  

On September 28, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico announced that 66 people were indicted by a federal grand jury for drug trafficking in the Municipality of Ponce.  The investigation was led by the FBI and the Puerto Rico Police Department.  

The defendants face six different counts for possession and intent to distribute crack cocaine, heroin, cocaine, and marijuana.  The members conspired to distribute the drugs around the Dr. Manuel De La Pila Iglesias Public Housing Project and other areas in Ponce, Puerto Rico.  

The FBI and Puerto Rico Police Department believe the crimes started around 2007.  The main leaders of the criminal organization are believed to be Franciso Santiago-Serrano, Edel Lopez, Rafael A Rodriguez-Garcia, Jomar Ramos-Rosado, Isueanette Lopez-Nazario, Wally Gonzalez-Rodriguez, Jesus E. Colon-Salinas, Israel Rodriguez-Zayas, Raymond Santiago Serrano, Justo Bermudez-Stevens, and Teddy Rivera.  These men are believed to have transported wholesale amounts of cocaine to co-conspirators.  

The FBI reports that the criminal organization moved its drug points from location to location in the Dr. Pila Housing Project to avoid investigation from law enforcement.  The organization is reported to have used force and violence in order to deter rival drug organizations.  The indictment found that there were 11 leaders, eight enforcers, nine runners, 31 sellers, one lookout, and six different suppliers.  

The defendants face a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison.  The defendants also face fines up to $10 million.  28 of the defendants face a minimum term of 15 years in prison.  

Rosa Emilia Rodríquez-Vélez, the U.S. Attorney for Puerto Rico, stated: “Violent drug organizations hold our communities hostage and promulgate fear, intimidation, and violence, threatening the well-being of law abiding citizens.  This investigation has taken dangerous criminals off the streets of Puerto Rico and sends a clear message to other violent gangs that we will break their grip on our communities and bring them to justice, no matter where they are.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On September 25, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office in the District of Alaska announced that Coleman L. Barney of North Pole, Alaska, was sentenced to 5 years in prison for conspiring to possess grenades and silencers and 5 years in prison for the possession of an unregistered destructive device.  U.S. Attorney Karen L. Loeffler stated that the sentences will run concurrently. 

Barney and other defendants were found guilty in federal court in Anchorage on June 18, 2012.  Schaffer Cox, a militia leader, and Lonnie G. Vernon, a member of the militia, were found guilty of conspiring to murder several federal officials.  Barney was also a militia member, but the jury could not reach a verdict for his role in conspiring to murder the federal officials. 

The investigation presented recordings between Vernon, Cox, and Barney that mentioned the murder of several state officials.  The retaliation was motivated by an attempted arrest of Cox.  The sentencing for Vernon and Cox is scheduled for November of 2012.  Conspiring to murder a federal official carries a life sentence. 

U.S. Attorney Loeffler stated, “The actions of Mr. Barney and his co-conspirators presented a very real and dangerous threat to our community.”  She praised the efforts of local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshals Service, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Alaska State Troopers. 

The Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Alaska, Mary Rook, stated, “This investigation and prosecution found its genesis in the voice of concerned citizens that a group of people, operating under the auspices of a sovereign militia, were planning to murder state and federal officials.  As a result of the investigation by the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Alaska State Troopers, Coleman Barney and his co-conspirators were arrested before they could carry out their murderous plans.”

Source:Federal Bureau of Investigation

On September 25, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Ohio stated that Nicholas Delbrocco was charged with two counts after he provided items of value to the Ohio and Vicinity Regional Council of Carpenters.  Delbrocco’s intentions were to receive business related to the pension and annuity fund for the union. 

Delbrocco is a resident of North Kingston, Rhode Island.  His official charges were “offering, accepting, or soliciting to influence operations of an employee benefits plan; and conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.”

Delbrocco was an employee and part owner of several advisory firms, and according to the FBI, he tried to persuade an officer, agent, and employee of the Carpenters’ Union—referred to as PE61.  The crime progressed as follows. 

Michael Forlani and several other people were starting a project to build facilities used by Louis Stokes Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Cleveland.  Around 2007 or 2008, Mr. Forlani asked for help from several people, including PE61, to go out and obtain funding for the project. 

Mr. Delbrocco tried to persuade PE61 into administering the pension and annuity funds of the Carpenters’ Union to his business.  The items of value included multiple airline tickets, frequent flyer miles, rental vehicles, hotel rooms, theater tickets, tickets for sporting events, meals, firearms, and help with the development project. 

On May 16, 2006, PE61 voted and approved $25 million of the pension fund to be managed by the Delbrocco’s business.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Antoinette T. Bacon, Ann C. Rowland, and Nancy L. Kelly.  The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Labor, and the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division. 

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On September 21 and 24, the US Attorney’s Office in the Western District of New York announced charges for two different men in the possession of child pornography.  Jeremy Otrosinka of Buffalo, New York, underwent indictment on September 21, and Thomas Mehegan of Elmira, New York, pleaded guilty on September 24. 

Otrosinka, 32, was charged with three counts of advertising, receipt, and distribution of child pornography.  He created a website that had a “password-protected bulletin board” that was used for discussing and sharing child pornography.  Members could post images and videos of child pornography as well. 

Mehegan was found to possess child pornography during a search and seizure performed by the New York State Police.  The troopers found numerous computers and hard drive containing child pornography.  During an ongoing investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it was found the Mehegan had setup a secret camera in his home to record his adult-stepdaughter breastfeeding her child. 

Otrosinka faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in prison and a maximum penalty of 60 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.  Mehegan received two counts of possession of child pornography before the U.S. District Court Judge David G. Larimer.  Each count of possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and supervised release for life. 

U.S. Attorney William J. Hochul, Jr. made the announcements for Jeremy Otrosinka’s and Mehegan’s charges.  Mehegan will be sentenced on December 10, 2012, and Otrosinka’s sentencing is not yet scheduled. 

The case was part of Project Safe Childhood which was started in May of 2006 to prevent child sexual exploitation and abuse.  The project is led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices (specifically the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section), as well as other federal, state, and local authorities. 

Sources: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On September 26, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office in the District of New Jersey stated that Sixing Liu was found guilty of exporting secret U.S. military technology to China.  Liu was also found guilty of stealing trade secrets and lying to federal agents. 

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman stated, “The jury found that in order to promote himself, Liu took highly sensitive defense information and trade secrets to China, violating the rules of his company and the laws of this county, and then lied about it upon his return to the United States.”

The crime occurred as follows.  Liu worked for L-3 Communications, Space and Navigation Division in 2010 when he stole a huge amount of electronic files.  The files contained information about design and performance of missile guidance systems as well as information about rockets, unmanned aerial vehicles, and target locators. 

Liu is believed to have stolen the files in order to reserve future employment in China.  After stealing the information, he held multiple presentations at universities in China and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.  Liu flew back to Newark Liberty International Airport on November 29, 2010, and federal agents found the computer and secret files. 

The FBI states that Liu can face the following maximum penalties: 20 years in prison and $1 million fine for export violations, 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine for stolen trade secrets violation, 10 years in prison and $250,000 fine for interstate transportation of stolen property, and five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for false statements. 

Andrew McLees, the Special Agent in Charge of Immigration and Customs Enforcement under Homeland Security Investigations, states, “Exporting military weapons and technical data and the theft of sensitive technology in violation of the Arms Export Control Act are serious crimes with global consequences.  Illegal foreign procurement networks continue to threaten our safety and this conviction reinforces that HIS has no tolerance for those who try to undermine our nation’s safety and security.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On September 26, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia announced that Terry Rivers, Antonio Gore, and Montez Walker were sentenced by a federal grand jury for the robbery that occurred in January of 2012.  All of the defendants pleaded guilty in May of 2012, and the men were sentenced by Senior United States District Judge William C. O’Kelly. 

According to information presented in the court, the three men and an unidentified man robbed an armored car at the Walmart in Oakwood, Georgia.  During the robbery, the men restrained the courier and stole $75,000 before fleeing the scene.  Witnesses of the robbery promptly called police and gave a description of the SUV used for a getaway vehicle. 

As the police pursued the SUB, the men lost control and crashed into a creek on Woodward Mill Road in Suwanee.  The three defendants then proceeded by foot through the woods and creek.  The men were later apprehended by police and canine units, and all of the money was recovered. 

Terry Rivers received six years and six months in prison, and Antonio Gore received the same sentence.  Montez Walker was sentenced to 10 years and 10 months in prison.  The defendants are also required to pay $23,091.50 in restitution for injuries sustained by the courier and lost wages during her time in the hospital. 

U.S. Attorney Sally Quillian Yates stated, “These defendants boldly robbed an armored car at a busy Walmart during business hours.  Their actions endangered not only the courier, but everyone nearby.  The sentences imposed today reflect the seriousness of their crime and the danger that their actions and flight posed to the community.”

Rickey Maxwell, the Acting Special Agent in Charge for the FBI Atlanta Field Office, commended the Hall County Sheriff’s Office, the Gwinnett County Police Department, and the Oakwood Police Department for their help in apprehending the robbers. 

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation