On October 11, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Jamal Yousef, “Talal Hassan Ghantou,” was sentenced to 12 years in prison for providing high-powered weapons to the foreign terrorist organization called Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC).  The US Attorney’s Office announced he attempted to trade the military-grade weapons for more than a ton of cocaine.  

Jamal Yousef pled guilty in May of 2012 to “one count of providing material support to the FARC.”

According to the original indictment, FARC is designated by the U.S. Department of State as a terrorist organization.  The group is determined to overthrow the democratic government in Colombia.  The group is the largest supplier of cocaine in the world, and they use the cocaine to finance weapons and other materials.  

Within the last five years, the terrorist organization has committed violent crimes against U.S. citizens and U.S. interests in foreign jurisdictions.  The retaliation is used to stop the United States from disrupting the group’s cocaine manufacturing and trafficking.  

Yousef attempted to provide military-grade weapons to FARC from July of 2008 to July of 2009 in exchange for over a ton of cocaine.  Yousef and other co-defendants believed they were working with representatives of FARC, but they corresponded with informants for the DEA the whole time.  During the investigation, Yousef provided the representatives with AR-15 and M-16 assault rifles, M-60 machine guns, rocket-propelled grenades, C-4 explosives, and more.

Yousef, a native of Lebanon, claimed the weapons were stolen from U.S. troops in Iraq.  He was arrested in Honduras in 2009.  

Manhattan U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, “Jamal Yousef was ready, willing, and able to provide an arsenal of weapons and explosives to people he believed to be part of a terrorist organization, dedicated, in part, to killing Americans.  Thanks once again to our partnerships with law enforcement both here and abroad, he will now go to prison.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
 

On October 4, 2012, the US Marshals Service announced that Edward Salas, a 15 Most Wanted fugitive, was arrested in Chihuahua City.  The U.S. Marshals Service coordinated with the Policia Federal Ministerial to arrest Salas.  

Salas was added to the 15 Most Wanted list in December 0f 2011.  The U.S. Marshals Service reports that Salas is a convicted child killer but escaped from the Curry County Detention Center in Clovis, New Mexico in August of 2008.  He was serving a life sentence and an additional 56 years for murdering Carlos Perez, a 10-year-old boy.  

The murder occurred on September 15, 2005.  Salas and his brothers, Orlando Salas and Demetrio Salas, planned to murder the brother of Carlos, Ruben Perez, in retaliation after an argument occurred at the Clovis High School.  The brothers and two individuals killed Carlos Perez instead as he was sleeping in his bedroom.  

U.S. Marshal for the District of New Mexico Conrad E. Candelaria stated, “Many New Mexico communities will breathe a sigh of relief because fugitive Salas, a child killer, will no longer outrun the justice that is long awaited.  On behalf of the Marshals Service I extend heartfelt and sincere condolences to the family, friends and loved ones impacted by the horrible crime committed by Salas and other accomplices.”

After Salas escaped from prison in New Mexico, he fled to Friona, Texas until November 27, 2008.  He fled Texas after a close incident with law enforcement.  

The U.S. Marshals Service reports that Salas is the second 15 Most Wanted fugitive caught in the last three months.  Another fugitive, Vincent Legrend Walters, was caught in Cancun, Mexico after he was on the U.S. Marshal’s most wanted list for just under 24 years.  

Candelaria also noted, “This is another example of the extraordinary efforts by the Marshals Service, in partnership with many law enforcement agencies efforts to pursue those fugitives who strike at the core of our communities.”

Source: U.S. Marshals Service

On October 6, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced that Mustafa Kamel Mustafa (Abu Hamza), Adel Abdel Bary, and Khaled al Fawwaz were extradited from Great Britain and arrived in the Southern District of New York.  

U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara stated, “As is charged, these are men who were at the nerve centers of al Qaeda’s acts of terror, and they cause blood to be shed, lives to be lost, and families to be shattered.  Now, Abu Hamza, Adel Abdel Bary, and Khaled al Fawwez will finally face justice.”

Abu Hamza is charged for a hostage situation that occurred in Yemen in 1998 and led to four deaths.  He is also charged with trying to forms a terrorist training camp in Bly, Oregon in 1999 and supporting violent terrorists throughout Afghanistan in 2000 and 2001.  

Adel Abdel Bary and Khaled al Fawwez are charged for conspiring with multiple members of al Qaeda in order to kill United States nationals and attack U.S. international interests.  Bary is also suspected of “murder, conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, and other offenses in connection with the 1998 bombings of the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania.”  The bombings killed 224 people and injured thousands.  

Abu Hamza is charged with 11 different offenses that amount to two life sentences and another 100 years in prison.  Fawwaz is charged with four different offenses that amount to four life imprisonment terms.  Bary is charged with 284 offenses and the maximum penalty of 17 life imprisonment terms and another 15 years in prison.

FBI Acting Assistant Director in Charge Mary Galligan stated, “The extraditions of Abu Hamza, Bary, and Fawwaz are a major milestone in our effort to see these alleged high-level terrorists face American justice.  The indictments allege the direct participation of these defendants in planning and carrying out some of the most odious acts of al Qaeda terrorism.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 5, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the southern District of Florida announced that Arthur Balom of Miramar, an Opa-Locka Police Department captain, pled guilty to participating in the distribution of cocaine, ecstasy, and oxycodone throughout the city of Opa-Locka.  Balom is scheduled for sentencing on December 17, 2012, and he faces a maximum penalty of 40 years in prison.  

The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer, Michael B. Steinbach with the FBI, Hugo Barrera of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Naim Erched of the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Addy M. Villanueva of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.  

According to statements made during the plea hearing, captain Balon was involved in a drug trafficking organization that operated in the Opa-Locka apartment complex.  The drug trafficking organization is known as “The Black Blues.”  The statements also indicate that captain Balom used his knowledge as a police officer to aid and abet in the drug distribution ring.  

The FBI reports that captain Balom provided the drug organization with police activity in the area, directed multiple officers to leave the area, and assisted multiple members of the of organization when they were approached by law enforcement.  

In one case, the FBI gave captain Balom a notebook that contained photographs of numerous suspects that were connected to an armed robbery and proceeded to ask Balom about a co-conspirator.  After Balom talked with FBI agents, he met with the co-conspirator the following day and showed him evidence within the notebook.  The FBI also reports that Balom provided drug organization members with ballistic vests.  

U.S. Attorney Ferrer thanked the FBI, the Miami-Area Corruption Task Force, the ATF, the MDPD, and the FDLE for their roles in the investigation.  U.S. Attorney Ferrer also thanked the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 5, 2012, the Department of Justice announced that Arizona State Representative Paul Ben Arredondo pleaded guilty in a Phoenix federal court for taking a bribe and using his authority as a city councilmember and state representative to leverage action.  Arredondo also admitted to mail fraud after he defrauded the Ben Arredondo scholarship fund.  Arredondo has been a councilmember for 16 years and was elected to the House of Representatives in November of 2010.  

Arredondo admitted that his solicited and accepted bribes from February 2009 to November 2010 from a fake company that was created by the FBI.  The fake company appeared to have real estate interests in Tempe.  Arredondo admitted to accepting things of value like college and professional sports tickets, tables at charity events, and more.  

Arredondo took the bribes and took a number of actions by abusing his authority.  In one case, he gave the fake company information about the price the city of Tempe would accept for certain pieces of property and strategies for presenting a purchase proposal.  Additionally, Arredondo also agreed to use his authority to sway other Tempe officials, promote the fake company’s influence in a bid for real estate projects, and support the company’s project when he became a representative.  

Arredondo also told judge that he used funds to the Arredondo Scholarship Fund to support his own relatives.  He told donors that the funds were used to pay for college and books for “average” students.  He then used the funds to make payments for his own family members with notifying the donors of his actions.  In 2011, Arredondo used $49,750 from the scholarship fund for seven different family members.  

He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000 for each charge.  He will be sentenced on January 22, 2013.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 5, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Ohio announced that criminal hate crimes charges were filed against Randolph Linn of St. Joe, Indiana in connection with the arson that occurred at the Islamic Center of Greater Toledo.  Linn is charged with “intentionally defacing, damaging, and destroying religious real property because of the religious character of that property and with using fire and explosives to commit a felony.”

The fire department was notified of a fire at 4:58 p.m. at the Islamic Center on September 30.  Police and fire firefighters found a gas can in the middle of the Islamic Center’s prayer room , and significant damage and burns occurred before a sprinkler system put out the fire.

Security cameras recorded images of a red SUV in the parking lot around 4:11 p.m. and an older man who was dressed in jeans and camouflage approach the door of the Islamic Center.  The security cameras saw the man enter the building with a firearm and can of gas at 4:54 p.m.   

After law enforcement released the photos on October 1, a woman called in on October 2 and identified the man as Randolph Linn.  She stated that she knew Linn personally and remember him making anti-Muslim comments.  She also directed authorities to an anti-Muslim video on YouTube that was created by Linn.  

Linn was arrested and read his Miranda Right on October 2, and while being booked, he was noted in stating, “[expletive] those Muslims.”

Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division Thomas E. Perez stated, “The Department of Justice will aggressively prosecute persons who attack, deface, or damage houses of worship because of racial or religious animus.  We appreciate the cooperation of state, local, and federal law enforcement in their efforts to ensure that no one in this country is hindered in their ability to worship freely in the manner of their choosing.”

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 2, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced that three additional members of the Pueblo Bishops Bloods were found guilty of federal racketeering, narcotics, and gun charges.  The group is a long-standing street gang that attempts to control the Pueblo del Rio housing projects.  

On October 3, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho announced that Anthony Stoner of Boise, Idaho pleaded guilty to selling illegal drug paraphernalia a local store called Smoke N Accessories LLC.  The business is located on 6419 Ustick Road in Boise.  

Mr. Stoner is part of 8 defendants charged in the last two months for selling illegal drug paraphernalia.  The following defendants are still waiting to be sentenced: Gabriel Adam Busby, Bradley Berquist, Yoke Fee Chan, Janet Shirley, Antonio Mendoza, Adam Daniel Schreiner, Crystal Blumke, and Thomas Blumke.  There defendants are part of the 16 different individuals charged in May of 2011 under Operation Not for Human Consumption.  The operation targeted the illegal sales of paraphernalia and specifically targeted the synthetic marijuana called “spice.”  

According to U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Idaho, “It is against federal law to sell or offer for sale any paraphernalia that is primarily intended or designed for drug use, regardless of whether the seller advices their customers that the paraphernalia is for tobacco use only.  The businesses are commonly referred to as “headshops.””

Such shops are in a grey area as far as legality.  As mentioned above, the sale of drug paraphernalia is illegally under federal law, even equipment that is marketed for tobacco only.  However, state laws often determine if such a shop can operate or not.  Idaho has taken strong steps to limit the amount of these shops in the state and the type of products they are allowed to sell.  The state’s stance contrasts state laws in bordering states like Oregon and Washington.  

The Operation Not for Human Consumption was a cooperative effort between the DEA, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, FBI, the ICE’s HSI, the IRS Criminal Investigation, and multiple local and state police offices.  

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation

On October 4, 2012, the US Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas announced that Barrett Lancaster Brown was charged by a federal grand jury in for one count of making a threat over the internet, for one count of threatening to make personal information of a U.S. employee available to the public, and one count of retaliating against a federal law enforcement officer.  Brown is from Dallas and was apprehended in September.