On November 30, 2012, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that Kyung Hwa Choi and Sun Hee Kim were returned to South Korea by officers under ICE’s Office of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO).  One was wanted by her home country for sex trafficking, and the other was wanted for a large-scale financial fraud scheme.  

An arrest warrant was issued for Choi in March 2008 for financial fraud.  The warrant stated that Choi and another co-defendants defrauded investors out of $8 million from 2000 to 2008.  Choi entered the United States on a tourist visa a month after the arrest warrant was issued, and she was only allowed to stay in the United States for six months.  She was arrested by ERO officers with the help of the U.S Marshals Fugitive Task Force in October 2012.  

Kim faces charges for sex trafficking in South Korea.  A South Korean consulate in Los Angeles informed ERO about Kim’s outstanding criminal warrant earlier in 2012.  Her warrant accused her of buying three Korean women for $20,000 in 2005 and then forcing them to engage in prostitution around the Los Angeles area.  She was taken into custody in August 2012.  

Timothy S. Robbins, the field office director for ERO Los Angeles, stated: “Foreign criminal fugitives who seek to escape responsibility for their actions by fleeing to the United States will find no sanctuary in Southern California.  As these two cases make clear, ICE is working closely with law enforcement agencies here and abroad to protect public safety and hold criminals accountable – no matter where they commit their crimes.”  

ERO has removed over 500 foreign fugitives from the United States since October 1, 2009.  ERO works with ICE’s Office of International Affairs, Interpol, and foreign consular offices in the United States to find foreign fugitives.  

Source: Immigration and Customs Enforcement

The US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania announced on October 15, 2012 that James Donis falsified the documents after the inmate beating.  Donis, of 634 Northaven Circle in Glenshaw, Pennsylvania, pleaded guilty to the charge before Senior United States District Judge Gustave Diamond.  

According to court documents, the corrections officers at the Allegheny County Jail on duty the day of the crime noticed that the inmate, Gary Barbour, was missing from his cell on the fourth floor of the jail.  He was eventually found in the mechanical room inside an air handler.  

When Barbour was led back into the mechanical room, James Davis proceeded to punch Barbour in the face several times.  Barbour did not resist the correction officers, and after the beating, he was bleeding from the mouth and nose.  He was then escorted to the medical unit and treated at the hospital later.  

Donis wrote the incident report on the next day.  He stated that Barbour was bleeding from the facial area when he was apprehended, but he left out all details about the force used against Barbour.  Later in the month, Donis realized the FBI was leading an investigation into the report and tried to cover up the details even more.  

He wrote an additional report that stated Barbour became aggressive when he was removed from the air handler.  The report indicated that Barbour was ordered to put his hands behind his back, but after remaining uncooperative, Donis struck Barbour several times.  

Donis will be sentenced on February 20, 2013.  He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.  

U.S. Attorney David Hickton stated, “Mr. Donis abused his position of authority.  He has taken responsibility for all of the charged conduct, and justice will be served.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 16, 2012, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) announced that a man in Lakewood, California surrendered to authorities and started serving his 3-year sentence after he imported over 1,000 counterfeit Microsoft Office CD-ROMs and sold them over the internet.  

The defendant’s name is Collier Bennett Harper, and he was sentenced on September 24, 2012 on 21 different counts of trafficking counterfeit goods.  The U.S. District Judge, John F. Walter, also ordered Walter to pay restitution of $370,000.  

The ICE’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) led the investigation into the counterfeit software.  HSI seized two shipments of the 2007 Microsoft Office Professional Edition software that were then traced to Harper.  

Furthermore, the investigation later found that Harper would ask well known dealers on eBay to sell the counterfeit software.  He told the dealers to list the software as “new” and “authentic” when it was actually counterfeit.  After the dealers found a buyer, they would provide Harper with the buyer’s home address and form of payment, and Harper would send the software himself.  It is believed he sold about 1,000 pieces of software.  

The restitution was calculated by using the manufacturer’s price for genuine, non-counterfeit software.  The software that was seized would have sold for about $370,000.  

Claude Arnold, special agent in charge for HSI Los Angeles, stated, “This sentence should serve as a stern warning for those who traffic in counterfeit goods that there will be serious consequences for those crimes.  Product counterfeiting and piracy amount to economic sabotage and HSI will move aggressively to target those who seek to profit from it.”  

This latest arrest and sentence is only one of the latest efforts from HSI to stop the sale of counterfeit goods in the United States.  Other recent arrests have related to counterfeit airbags and expensive merchandise.  

Source: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement

On October 18, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced that Yantis Dean Green of San Angelo, Texas, pleaded guilty to a count of theft and aiding and abetting in connection with programs that were receiving federal funding.  Green is the former manager of the Tom Green County Water Control and Improvement District 1.  

According to U.S. Attorney Sarah R. Saldaña, Green now faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000.  The court will likely order Green to pay restitution as well.  

The federal funding came from the U.S. Department of Interior, Bureau of Reclamation.  The government awarded $4 million to construct a 65-mile concrete irrigation channel that would transport water to Tom Green County from the Twin Buttes Reservoir.  The reservoir was completed in 1963, and the district can now provide about 10,000 to 15,000 acres of farmland with water.  

According to court documents, Green managed the district from December 2003 to July of 2012.  His responsibilities included looking after daily operations and helping the two to three field workers that were employed during his management.  When the district noticed that Green embezzled money for personal use, he was fired immediately in July of 2012.  

Court documents suggest that Green stole about $62,799 from the district by using credit cards for personal uses.  He hid the details of the credit card purchases by making fraudulent entries into the accounting records for the district.  Green then used the district’s checking accounts to make payments on the credit card accounts used for personal expenses.

The case is still being investigated.  The FBI is investigating the case, and the prosecution is being led by Assistant United States Attorney Ann C. Roberts.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 18, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that the suspect for the arson of the Toledo-area Mosque has been indicted on two counts.  

The suspect, Randolph Linn, of St. Joe, Indiana, is charged with “intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying religious property because of the religious character of that property” and “using a fire to commit a felony.”

The crimes occurred on September 30, 2012, after Linn drove from Indiana to the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo in Perrysburg, Ohio.  Reports indicate that Linn broke into the Mosque in the evening and proceeded to light the prayer room on fire using gasoline.  The fire department was notified at 4:58 p.m., and investigators found a red plastic gas can in the middle of the prayer room after the fire was put out.  

Police released photos from the surveillance video on October 1, and a woman contacted authorities the next day.  She recognized a sweatshirt Linn was wearing after she saw a YouTube video he posted months before.  During the video, he complained about the Muslim community and stated Muslims get away with too much in this country.  

Linn was arrested at his place of employment on October 2.  Linn’s car was sitting in the parking lot, and there were three firearms in his vehicle at the time of his arrest.  

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bridget M. Brennan, Ava Dustin, and Special Assistant Gwen Howe-Gebers.  

Robin Shoemaker, ATF Special Agent in Charge for the Columbus Field Division, stated: “This senseless act of arson against a house of worship is incomprehensible and will not be tolerated, as ATF will actively pursue and bring those responsible to justice.  The individual responsible for this act will be held accountable.  ATF will continue to work in collaboration with our federal and local counterparts to ensure that justice is serviced.”  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

It’s hard to read about cases that involve the sexual exploitation of minors.  This case is similar because of the actions and threats by Theodore J. Castine from Moorseville, North Carolina, but the victim was not harmed due to undercover initiatives by law enforcement and Castine is now behind bars.  

Castine was sentenced on two counts of sexual exploitation of children.  The U.S Attorney’s Office for the District of Montana announced on October 19, 2012 that Castine received 180 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release.  

The investigation began on September 15, 2011 after the Helena Police Department was contacted by a 14-year-old girl.  She stated she received threatening text messages and was also harassed through Facebook.  She received text messages because the suspect thought she was “hot” and wanted her to send pictures of herself.  The suspect proceeded to send naked pictures of other girls in lewd positions over the next couple of text messages.  

Some of the text messages asked the female victim to send pictures of herself, and the suspect suggested poses.  If she didn’t send the pictures, the suspect threatened he was going to find her and stated said she would not like what would happen when he found her.  Out of fear, the girl sent two photographs of herself posing naked.  

Law enforcement became involved and accessed the girl’s accounts.  Detectives continued to communicate with the suspect, and he threatened to expose the photos of the girl on the internet if she didn’t send more photos.  Castine made several more threats over the next couple of days, and he was arrested on October 18, 2011 in North Carolina.  

During a forensic investigation, authorities found 350,000 pictures of children and pictures of another girl in Helena.  Castine is off of the streets, and the community is safer after one more child predator has been taken down.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 19, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that a Pittsburgh physician was indicted on 185 counts of illegally prescribing anabolic steroids, human growth hormone, and narcotics like oxycodone and oxycontin.  The indictment also included charges for health care fraud.  

Dr. Richard A. Rydze received 185 counts in the indictment.  The co-defendants are William Zipf and James Hatzimbes.  

Rydze owned the Optimal Health Center LLC (OHC) in Pittsburgh, and the facility opened in September of 2007.  He was also involved in a joint medical practice called Diagnostic Medical Associates.  Hatzimbes owned the HSE Salon and Wellness Center in Saw Mill Run, Pittsburgh.  

Hatzimbes and Rydze distributed anabolic steroids between September of 2007 and March of 2011.  The drugs included stanozolol, nandrolone decanoate, testosterone enanthate, testosterone cypionate, oxandrolone, and testosterone, and they were distributed to bodybuilders and athletes in the area.  

Rydze met with William Sadowski in 2007 who owned ANEWrx in Pittsburgh.  The two men made an agreement that Rydze would receive a commission for every prescription of HGH and steroids he filled at the pharmacy.  According to court documents, Rydze received $301,407 in commission from the pharmacy.  

Rydze also submitted claims through Highmark Insurance where he diagnosed over 90 adult patients with pituitary dwarfism.  40 out of 90 defendants were over 5 feet tall, and one patient was even over 6 feet tall.  

The charges connecting Rydze and Zipf involve a deal they made between March 28, 2007 and January, 2012.  Rydze agreed to write prescriptions for Zipf and in the names of his family members so he could sell oxycodone, oxymorphone, oxycontin, and opana around the Pittsburgh area.  

Rydze was forced to give up his medical license, and he will likely spend the rest of his life in prison.  

U.S. Attorney Steven M. Dettelbach stated, “Doctors have a tremendous power in prescribing medication, and the vast majority use that power to dispense medicine to sick people.  This doctor is accused of using his prescription pad like a personal ATM, doling out steroids, painkillers, and other medicine for his own gain.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 18, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of New Mexico announced that Jerome Yazzie of Tohajiilee, New Mexico, was found guilty for two counts of aggravated burglary, one count of robbery, one count of kidnapping, and two counts for using a firearm during a crime of violence.

According to court documents, Yazzie made his 15-year-old daughter and her 18-year-old boyfriend help him burglarize one of two properties in Tohajiilee on June 3, 2011.  Yazzie used a firearm in the burglary, and he also forced his daughter and her boyfriend to help him kidnap a young man.  

The first robbery occurred at a residence that was occupied by a teenager and young man.  Yazzie was armed with a loaded shotgun and proceeded to kick down the front door.  He then discharged the shotgun so his daughter and her boyfriend could restrain the teenager and young man.  Yazzie robbed the residence, and went to a second residence.  

The occupants were a young couple with a four-month-old baby, and they denied entry to Yazzie earlier in the day.  He took the resident from the first property along with him to encourage the second set of victims to let him in.  

Yazzie pointed a gun at the young man and told him to knock on the door.  The married couple would not open the door, and Yazzie walked the man back to his home.  There, he restrained the man again and returned to the second house.

When Yazzie was gone, the married couple grabbed their baby and fled their home.  Yazzie then forced his way into the house and took cash and electronics including a computer.  

He is required to serve a minimum of 35 years in prison and pay fines up to $510,000.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

On October 12, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Washington announced that Michael Wandke was sentenced to 13 years in prison for committing four different bank robberies and numerous espresso stand robberies as well.  

Wandke pleaded guilty to the robberies in June of 2012.  He robbed the Bank of America in Kingston on December 21, 2009, and he robbed the Kitsap Bank located in Allyn on February 1, 2010, February 21, 2010, and July 29, 2010.  His sentencing for these crimes will run concurrent with the state sentence for the espresso stand robberies.  

During the robbery of the Bank of America in Kingston, Wandke threatened the tellers with a fake bomb.  He stole $4,300 during the robbery.

During the first robbery of the Kitsap Bank, he flashed a black handgun in his waistband demanded money.  He fled with $10,000, but the teller slipped in a dye pack to ruin the money.  The next robbery occurred just three weeks later.  

This time, he ordered the teller not to put any dye packs in the bag.  He forced the bank manager to leave the bank with him as he checked the bag for dye packs.  After they were far enough away from the bank, Wandke ordered the bank manager to return the bank and he made off with $62,000.  On the third robbery, Wandke broke down the door of the bank and obtained $16,000 during the robbery.  

Wandke robbed an espresso stand in Bremerton, Washington on September 28, 2010.  A witness caught his license plate number and called law enforcement.  The police soon stopped his truck and proceeded to search his home where they found evidence linking him to the bank robberies.  

The FBI and the Kitsap and Mason County Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

In 1983, businessman Bernard Ebbers was one of several investors in the company known as Long Distance Discount Services Inc. In 1985, Bernard Ebbers became CEO of the company, which would eventually become WorldCom. Under his direction the company grew, but Bernard Ebbers resigned from the company in April 2002. On June 25, 2002 the company announced that its previously reported earnings for 2001 and the first quarter of 2002 were inaccurate and would be adjusted by $3.8 billion.

In July of 2002, the company filed for bankruptcy. The following month, company officials Scott Sullivan and Daniel Myers were arrested and indicted for securities fraud. Meanwhile, on August 8, WorldCom announced that further review of its accounts had revealed that the total fraudulent misreporting totaled $7.2 billion.

In 2003, the state of Oklahoma filed a lawsuit against Bernard Ebbers, but later agreed to suspend its case pending the result of a federal lawsuit filed against him. In March 2004, Bernard Ebbers was indicted for making fraudulent statements to investors, as well as knowingly filing a false statement with the Securities and Exchange Commission for the third quarter of 2000. At the time, Bernard Ebbers and his attorney Reid Weingarten said he was innocent.

In 2005, the federal case against Bernard Ebbers was heard in US District court. He was convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison. This was less than the prosecution wished, since they had initially sought a life sentence. By this time, it was revealed that the total amount of the fraudulent misstatements totaled $11 billion dollars. Bernard Ebbers and his attorney filed an appeal, arguing that he had not received a free trial and that the sentence ordered was excessive.

In 2006, a three-judge panel from the U.S. Circuit of Appeals rejected the appeal argument. In their verdict, the judges noted that the 25 year sentence Bernard Ebbers had been ordered to serve was unusually long for a non-violent white collar crime, but that the scale of the fraud, his complicity in its arrangement, and Congressional sentencing guidelines for these types of crimes justified the sentence.

 In addition to the federal criminal prosecution, in 2002 Bernard Ebbers and a number of former WorldCom officials were sued by investors who had been defrauded in a class action lawsuit. These cases were overseen by New York federal judge Denise Cote, who approved a 2005 settlement which required Bernard Ebbers to hand over nearly all of his assets to a trust charged with selling them and distributing the proceeds to the investors named in the class action lawsuit. In addition to these sales, which were expected to generate between $25 and $40 million, Bernard Ebbers was ordered to pay $5 million in cash.

In September of 2006, Bernard Ebbers began serving his 25 year sentence in a low-security Louisiana prison. He cannot be released from custody until July 2028.