Wednesday, July 26, 2017

Three Sentenced to Prison for Running “Star Reliable Mortgage” Foreclosure Rescue Scam in Bakersfield, Visalia and Salinas

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Three Sentenced to Prison for Running “Star Reliable Mortgage” Foreclosure Rescue Scam in Bakersfield, Visalia and Salinas

FRESNO, Calif. — Three defendants were sentenced today for running a foreclosure rescue scam in Bakersfield, Visalia and Salinas, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill sentenced Martin Calzada, 30, of Norwalk, to nine years in prison; Juan Curiel, 38, of Visalia, to three years and five months in prison; and Santiago Palacios-Hernandez, 48, of Salinas, to two years and seven months in prison. On March 10, 2017, Calzada was convicted by a jury of one count of conspiracy and eight counts of mail fraud affecting a financial institution. In December 2014, Curiel and Palacios-Hernandez pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud

According to evidence presented during Calzada’s four-day trial, the defendants conspired to defraud homeowners facing foreclosure. The three men operated Star Reliable Mortgage, which had offices in Bakersfield, Visalia, and Salinas, and targeted distressed homeowners with a fraudulent “loan elimination” scheme. Between approximately August 2010 and October 2011, Star Reliable charged clients an upfront fee for its services — ranging from $2,500 up to $4,500 — as well as monthly fees, for ostensibly helping the clients own their homes “free and clear.” Clients paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to Star Reliable and at least $300,000 was transferred from Star Reliable into Calzada’s bank accounts.

To advance the scheme, Calzada, Curiel, and Palacios-Hernandez filed fraudulent documents at county recorders’ offices on behalf of the homeowner-clients. The fraudulent documents purported to replace the legitimate property trustees with fictitious trusts, all in an effort to “cloud title” and halt or stall the foreclosure process. The defendants and other employees working at their direction told Star Reliable clients to stop paying their mortgages. They also falsely represented that Star Reliable clients had $1 million in a U.S. government account that could be used to pay off a homeowner’s mortgage.

As part of their sentences, the defendants were ordered to pay more than $1.1 million dollars in restitution to former Star Reliable clients and mortgage loan owners Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, which suffered financial losses upon the foreclosure of several clients’ homes.

These cases were the product of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher D. Baker and Patrick J. Suter prosecuted the cases.

Employee Of New Jersey-Based Trucking Company Gets 33 Months In Prison For Stealing More Than $3 Million From Her Employer

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Employee Of New Jersey-Based Trucking Company Gets 33 Months In Prison For Stealing More Than $3 Million From Her Employer

TRENTON, N.J. – A former employee of a New Jersey based-trucking company was sentenced today to 33 months in prison for stealing more than $3 million by issuing company checks for her own benefit, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Tracey Perrigan, 55, of Sparta, Tennessee, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Peter G. Sheridan to Count One of an indictment charging her with wire fraud. Judge Sheridan imposed the sentence today in Trenton federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Perrigan was an employee of a company identified in the indictment as “Company A,” the corporate parent of several subsidiary trucking, rigging, and transportation companies. Company A was headquartered in Oceanside, New York, and had a Branchburg, New Jersey, facility where Perrigan worked.

Company A used the “Comchek” system, which enables clients to authorize and monitor fuel and repair expenditures by drivers in remote locations. As part of her duties, Perrigan was responsible for authorizing Comcheks drawn on Company A’s bank account. From March 2007 through August 2015, Perrigan diverted $3.25 million from her employer to an entity identified as “Company B,” a trucking and towing company based in Tennessee that she owned with another person. Company B never conducted any business with Company A.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Sheridan sentenced Perrigan to three years of supervised release. Perrigan must also pay restitution of $3,251,419.65.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark, with the investigation.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason S. Gould of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Criminal Division in Newark.

Defense counsel: Carol Gillen Esq., Assistant Federal Public Defender, Newark

Greenfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a 10-Year-Old Boy

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of Massachusetts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Greenfield Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Sexually Exploiting a 10-Year-Old Boy

BOSTON – A Greenfield man was sentenced in federal court in Springfield today for sexually exploiting a 10-year-old boy.

Derek Lecompte, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 15 years in prison and 15 years of supervised release. In January 2017, Lecompte pleaded guilty to three counts of child exploitation.

Lecompte befriended a 10-year-old boy and his family and eventually spent time at their house and then alone with the boy. While alone with the child, Lecompte engaged in sex acts with the boy and took sexually explicit photos of the child, including photos of the two engaged in sex acts. Lecompte then distributed the photos on the internet. Lecompte faced state charges in connection with this case and has pleaded guilty in state court to aggravated rape and abuse of a child.

Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Northwestern District Attorney David E. Sullivan; and Greenfield Police Chief Robert H. Haigh Jr. made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

Balch Springs Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of Texas

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

Balch Springs Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Producing Child Pornography

DALLAS—Francisco Javier Lopez Echeverria, 19, of Balch Springs, Texas, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Sam A. Lindsay to serve 420 months in federal prison and a lifetime of supervised release, following his guilty plea to two child pornography offenses, announced U.S. Attorney John Parker of the Northern District of Texas.

Echeverria has been in custody since his arrest in August 2016. He pleaded guilty in December 2016 to two counts of production of child pornography.

According to the factual resume filed in the case, on August 20, 2016, DPD executed a search warrant at Echeverria’s residence. Echeverria was at the residence along with a male 17-month-old child, John Doe. Echeverria acknowledged he possessed sexual explicit images of John Doe, who lived at the residence. Echeverria uploaded images and videos of child pornography to his Flickr account that he produced of John Doe. There are several videos and images that show Echeverria sexually abused the minor child on multiple occasions in May 2016 through July 2016.

In addition, the forensic review of Echeverria’s devices showed that Echeverria possessed additional child pornography. Currently six image files of Echeverria’s collection were of identified children known to law enforcement as victims of sexual abuse. Also, Echeverria possessed hundreds of additional images of nude toddlers and some nude infants.

These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals, who sexually exploit children, and identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/. For more information about internet safety education, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc/ and click on the tab “resources.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Shane Read prosecuted the case.

# # #

El Paso Man Pleads Guilty to Using Interstate Communications to Threaten Las Cruces Police Officers

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

El Paso Man Pleads Guilty to Using Interstate Communications to Threaten Las Cruces Police Officers

ALBUQUERQUE – Sean Stinson, 33, of El Paso, Texas, pled guilty today in federal court in Las Cruces, N.M., to using interstate communications to threaten the lives and safety of Las Cruces Police Department (LCPD) officers.

Stinson was arrested on Sept. 2, 2016, for making telephone calls from El Paso to individuals in Las Cruces during which he threatened the lives of LCPD officers. According to the criminal complaint, Stinson had several telephone calls, some of which were recorded, with LCPD officers during which Stinson threatened to shoot, kill and otherwise injure specific officers.

Stinson subsequently was indicted on Sept. 21, 2016, and charged with seven counts of transmitting interstate communications with intent to threaten to injure another person. According to the indictment, Stinson committed the crimes between Aug. 24, 2016 and Sept. 2, 2016.

During today’s proceedings, Stinson pled guilty to the indictment and admitted that on Aug. 24 and 25, 2016, he made several telephone calls from El Paso to the LCPD during which he threatened to injure an LCPD officer. Stinson acknowledged that he intended his calls to be perceived as threats.

At sentencing, Stinson faces a statutory maximum penalty of five years in prison. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

This case was investigated by the Las Cruces office of the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service and the LCPD. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron O. Jordan of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

Kansas Man Sentenced 30 Years in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley

Department of Justice

Office of Public Affairs

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Kansas Man Sentenced 30 Years in Plot to Explode Car Bomb at Fort Riley

John T. Booker Jr., 22, of Topeka, Kan., was sentenced today to 30 years in prison for attempting to detonate a vehicle bomb on the Fort Riley military base in Manhattan, Kan. On Feb. 3, 2016, Booker pleaded guilty to one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction and one count of attempted destruction of government property by fire or explosion.

Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall of the District of Kansas and Special Agent in Charge Darrin E. Jones of the FBI’s sKansas City Division made the announcement.

“With this sentence, John Booker is being held accountable for his plan to kill U.S. military personnel on American soil in the name of ISIS,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “The National Security Division’s highest priority is countering terrorist threats and protecting American lives by bringing to justice those who plot to attack us. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who made this result possible.”

“Violent extremism is a threat to America and all its people,” Acting U.S. Attorney Beall said. “Our goal is to prevent violent extremists and their supporters from inspiring, financing or carrying out acts of violence.”

“The investigation leading to today's sentencing illustrates the FBI's commitment to disrupting acts of terrorism,” said Special Agent in Charge Jones. “If Mr. Booker had been successful in detonating a car bomb, the results could have been dozens, if not hundreds, of casualties. The FBI and our law enforcement partners remain committed to protecting the citizens of the United States and thwarting acts of terrorism.”

In his guilty plea, Booker admitted he intended to kill American soldiers and to assist ISIS’s (Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) fight against the U.S. His plan called for constructing a bomb containing 1,000 pounds of ammonium nitrate. Booker intended to trigger the bomb himself and die in the process, and filmed a video he intended Americans to see after his death.

“You sit in your homes and think this war is just over in Iraq,” Booker said in the video. “Today we will bring the Islamic State straight to your doorstep.”

Unbeknownst to Booker, the bomb that he constructed was made with inert materials, and the two men working with him were undercover informants for the FBI.

The FBI began investigating Booker in March 2014 after he posted on his Facebook page that he wanted to commit jihad. Booker admitted that he tried to enlist in the U.S. Army in order to commit an insider attack against American soldiers like the one at Fort Hood in Texas, but his deadly plans were thwarted when he was denied entry into the Army. In October 2014, Booker began communicating with an undercover FBI informant. He told the undercover FBI informant that he dreamed of being a fighter in the Middle East, and proposed capturing and killing an American soldier.

In March 2015, Booker was introduced to another FBI informant who he believed would help him plan an attack. Booker said he wanted to detonate a suicide bomb because he couldn’t be captured, all the evidence would be destroyed, and he would be guaranteed to hit his target. On March 10, 2015, Booker made a video filmed at Freedom Park near Marshall Army Airfield at Fort Riley in which he pledged allegiance to Abu Bakr al Baghdadi, the leader of ISIS. That month, he rented a storage unit in Topeka where the bomb would be assembled.

On April 10, 2015, Booker and the informants drove to an area near Fort Riley that Booker believed to be a little-used utility gate where they could enter Fort Riley undetected. He was arrested when he made the final connections on the device that he believed would arm the bomb.

Mr. Boente and Mr. Beall commended the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force for their investigation of this case. They also thanked Assistant Trial Attorneys Josh Parecki and Rebecca Magnone of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi of the District of Kansas, who prosecuted this case.

Leader Of Violent Bloods Street Gang Gets 12 Years In Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Jersey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Leader Of Violent Bloods Street Gang Gets 12 Years In Prison For Racketeering Conspiracy

NEWARK, N.J. – A leader of the Sex Money Murder set of the Bloods street gang was sentenced today to 144 months in prison for his role in a racketeering conspiracy that involved murder, attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and conspiracy to distribute heroin, Acting U.S. Attorney William E. Fitzpatrick announced.

Rajohn Wilson, a/k/a “1090,” 26, of Newark, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton to Count Two of a superseding indictment charging him with racketeering conspiracy. Judge Wigenton imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

The Bloods street gang is organized into subgroups that operate in specific geographic locations. Sex Money Murder is the subgroup that operates primarily in Essex County, New Jersey.

Rajohn Wilson – who served as a “five-star general” of Sex Money Murder and is the younger brother of Narik Wilson, a/k/a “Spaz,” the leader or “O.G.” of the gang – admitted that from 2007 to 2011 he committed a series of violent crimes to advance the gang’s objectives.

Rajohn Wilson admitted that he conspired with members of Sex Money Murder on Feb. 4, 2007, and Feb. 16, 2007, to murder rival gang members, and that he and others carried out drive-by shootings of two victims in and around Newark. Wilson also admitted conspiring to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin.

In addition to the prison term, Judge Wigenton sentenced Wilson to five years of supervised release.

Acting U.S. Attorney Fitzpatrick credited special agents of the FBI and the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Timothy Gallagher in Newark; the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, under the direction of Acting Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino; the Essex County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura; and the Newark Department of Public Safety, under the direction of Anthony F. Ambrose, with the investigation. He also thanked special agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Carl J. Kotowski; and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), under the direction of Special Agent in Charge John B. Devito, for their assistance.

The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dara Govan and Mary Toscano, Chief of the U.S. Attorney’s Organized Crime/Gangs Unit in Newark.

Defense counsel: Howard Brownstein Esq., Union City, New Jersey

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Bank Robbery Conviction

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

District of New Mexico

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Albuquerque Man Sentenced to Prison for Federal Bank Robbery Conviction

ALBUQUERQUE – William Colbert, 38, of Albuquerque, N.M., was sentenced on July 21, 2017, in federal court to 41 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for his conviction on bank robbery charges.

Colbert and co-defendants Joleen Sedillo, 42, and Abel Lopez, 31, both of Albuquerque, were arrested in July 2016, on a criminal complaint charging them with bank robbery charges. The criminal complaint alleges that Colbert, Sedillo, and Lopez robbed Bank of the West branches located at 5401 Central Ave. NE and 7900 Wyoming Blvd. NE on June 22, 2016 and June 27, 2016, respectively, and attempted to rob the Bank of the West branch located at 5228 Central Ave. SW on July 14, 2016.

Colbert, Sedillo, and Lopez were indicted on Aug. 10, 2016, and charged with conspiracy to commit bank robbery in June and July 2016; bank robbery on June 22, 2016 and June 27, 2016; and attempted bank robbery on July 14, 2016. According to the indictment, the three defendants committed the crimes in Bernalillo County, N.M.

On April 5, 2017, Colbert pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. In entering the guilty plea, Colbert admitted accompanying Sedillo and Lopez to the Bank of the West branches they planned to rob. Colbert further admitted that on July 14, 2016, he entered a Bank of the West branch while disguised with the intent to commit a robbery but left without obtaining any money.

On April 7, 2017, Lopez pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Lopez will be sentenced within the range of 27 to 33 months in federal prison followed by a term of supervised release to be determined by the court. A sentencing hearing has yet to be scheduled.

On March 28, 2017, Sedillo pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank robbery and to aiding and abetting an attempted bank robbery. Sedillo was sentenced on July 14, 2017, to 27 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

This case was investigated by the Albuquerque office of the FBI and the Albuquerque Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Murphy is prosecuting the case.

Toldeo, Ohio Man Convicted Of Multi-State Heroin Distribution Conspiracy

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Middle District of Tennessee

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Toldeo, Ohio Man Convicted Of Multi-State Heroin Distribution Conspiracy

Ricky Thompson, aka Boom, 43, of Toledo, Ohio was convicted on Friday of conspiracy to distribute over 1 kilogram of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine, announced Jack Smith, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee. A federal jury in Nashville found Thompson guilty on all charges, after a two-week trial, including conspiracy to commit money laundering; possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking; and conspiracy to commit witness intimidation.

Acting U.S. Attorney Jack Smith praised the law enforcement agencies and trial team in securing the guilty verdicts, “Thanks to the exemplary cooperation between law enforcement agencies spanning several states, we have now dismantled another organization responsible for pumping large quantities of addictive and deadly drugs into our communities. We will continue to expand our efforts to bring those to justice who feed the devastating heroin epidemic.”

During 2015-2016, Thompson and four other individuals were indicted in connection with this case on drug distribution charges.

Testimony at trial established that Thompson operated a multi-state drug-trafficking operation that was responsible for the distribution of narcotics in Arizona, Florida, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio and Tennessee. Thompson’s heroin was responsible for multiple heroin-related overdoses in Tennessee, and at least one fatal overdose of a young woman in Ohio.

In March 2015 agents with the DEA Drug Task Force executed a series of search warrants in Nashville, Tennessee that resulted in multiple arrests and the seizure of approximately 300 grams of heroin and cocaine in a stash-house maintained by Thompson’s organization. Those arrested in 2015 included John Rupley, 35, of Toledo, Ohio; Derek Gilligan, 25, of Toledo, Ohio; Justin Clements, 30, of Nashville, Tennessee; and Tiffany Wright, 28, also of Nashville. All of these co-defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.

Proof at trial showed that following the 2015 arrests, Derek Gilligan attempted to warn Thompson that authorities had identified him as the head of the operation. On March 2, 2016, agents with the DEA, FBI, and local Toledo law-enforcement executed federal search warrants at four locations operated by Thompson in Toledo, Ohio. Authorities seized 8 firearms, more than $200,000 of heroin, cocaine, crack-cocaine, marijuana and suboxone, 5 vehicles, and almost $10,000 cash.

Even after Thompson’s arrest and subsequent extradition to Nashville, he directed remaining members of his drug-trafficking organization in Toledo to intimidate and harass persons whom he discovered had been subpoenaed to testify before a federal grand jury in Nashville.

Thompson faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 25 years in prison, up to life, when he is sentenced in November 2017.

This case was investigated by the DEA; the FBI; the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Department; the Lebanon Police Department; the Wilson County Sheriff’s Department; the Nashville Metropolitan Police Department; the Toledo, Ohio Police Department; the Lucas County, Ohio Sheriff’s Department; the Ohio State Police; and the Oldham County, Kentucky, Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Clay Lee and Phillip Wehby.

Virginia resident convicted of identity theft

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Northern District of West Virginia

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Virginia resident convicted of identity theft

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Virginia resident was convicted today of identity theft, Acting United States Attorney Betsy Steinfeld Jividen announced.

Angela Roberts, age 41, of Stephenson, Virginia, pled guilty to one count of “Identity Theft.” Roberts admitted to using another’s identifying information to commit bank fraud. The crime occurred June 27, 2016 in Berkeley County, West Virginia.

Roberts faces up to five years incarceration and a fine of up to $250,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher prosecuted the case on behalf of the government. The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated.

Chief U.S. District Judge Gina M. Groh presided.

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Three Felons Plead Guilty to Illegal Firearms Possession

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Eastern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Three Felons Plead Guilty to Illegal Firearms Possession

FRESNO, Calif. — Three defendants pleaded guilty today in three separate cases to being a felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

According to court documents, on March 19, 2016, Juan Gonzalez, 40, of Orosi, was driving a car and fled from officers who attempted to stop him for a traffic violation. He reached speeds of over 100 miles per hour before the officers cancelled the pursuit. During the chase, a deputy saw Gonzalez throw a dark object out of the window on Millerton Road near Lake View Estates. After the pursuit ended, the deputy returned to the location and found a Glock 27, .40‑caliber pistol. Gonzalez was stopped later that morning by Clovis police officers for failure to stop at a red light and arrested him for driving on a suspended license and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was also identified as the driver of the fleeing vehicle who tossed the gun. Gonzalez has prior felony convictions that prohibit him from possessing a firearm. (1:17‑cr‑031)

In the second case, court documents indicate that on May 4, 2016, Jerrett Newman, 27, of Fresno, possessed a Star Bonifacio Echeverria .22-caliber pistol he tossed while running from police. Newman has multiple prior felony convictions. (1:16‑cr‑086)

In the third case, court documents show that on May 2, 2017, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Team encountered Rodney Heather, 36, of Fresno, who was wanted for a probation violation. When deputies approached Heather, they saw him reaching for his waistband and removing a black object and tossing it on the driver’s side floorboard. Despite warnings to show his hands, Heather reached down and appeared to push something under the seat. The deputies arrested Heather and found a Glock Model F 22, .40-caliber handgun under the seat. Heather has multiple prior felony convictions. (1:17‑cr‑117)

These cases are the product of investigations by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office, and the Clovis Police Department. Assistant United States Attorney Kimberly A. Sanchez is prosecuting the cases.

The cases were brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), an initiative that brings together federal, state and local law enforcement to combat gun and gang crime. At the core of PSN is increased federal prosecution to incapacitate chronic violent offenders as well as to communicate a credible deterrent threat to potential gun offenders.

Gonzalez and Newman are scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dale A. Drozd on October 16, 2017. Heather is scheduled to be sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill on October 16, 2017. Each defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of any applicable statutory factors and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables.

Los Angeles Private Investigator Sentenced to Prison for Role in Violent Gambling Organization

Department of Justice

U.S. Attorney’s Office

Southern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, July 24, 2017

Los Angeles Private Investigator Sentenced to Prison for Role in Violent Gambling Organization

Assistant U. S. Attorneys Benjamin Katz (619) 546-9604, Andrew Young (619) 546-7981 or Mark W. Pletcher (619) 546-9714

NEWS RELEASE SUMMARY – July 24, 2017

SAN DIEGO – Daniel Portley-Hanks, a Los Angeles based private investigator, was sentenced today to 16 months in prison for his role in the gambling organization run by former USC football player Owen Hanson.

Portley-Hanks entered a guilty plea to Hobbs Act extortion on December 27, 2016. According to his plea agreement, he was paid $7,000 by Hanson to drive from Los Angeles to a Pennsylvania cemetery where the family burial plot of an individual who owed Hanson’s organization money was located. Once there, Portley-Hanks took photos of the family tombstone, splattered it with red paint, and later altered the photographs to add the targeted individual’s name and the words “Very Soon” as the date of death. Another photo was altered to include an image of a masked Hanson standing over the family grave with a shovel. The photos and other documents created by Portley-Hanks were then mailed to the individual along with a video depicting two beheadings.

The government’s sentencing documents attached numerous emails between Hanson and Portley-Hanks that showed that for a period of more than three years, Portley-Hanks assisted Hanson’s organization by running background and location checks on gamblers and law enforcement officers, conducting surveillance, and connecting Hanson with Jack Rissell, another co-defendant who served as an “enforcer” for Hanson’s enterprise.

Rissell – who also pleaded guilty to extortion – is scheduled to be sentenced on July 31, 2017. In total, 21 of 22 defendants charged in relation to Hanson’s enterprise have entered guilty pleas. The remaining defendant, Khalid Petras, is set for trial on August 29, 2017. He is accused of money laundering and running an illegal gambling business. The charges against this defendant are merely accusations, and he is considered innocent until proven guilty.

The case arose out of a joint investigation by FBI and the New South Wales (Australia) Police Force in conjunction with the New South Wales Crime Commission. Hanson was initially indicted and arrested on September 9, 2015, after arranging the delivery of five kilograms of cocaine and five kilograms of methamphetamine.

DEFENDANT Case Number: 15CR2310-WQH

Daniel Portley-Hanks Age: 71

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Hobbs Act Extortion, 18 U.S.C. § 1951

Maximum penalty: 20 years’ imprisonment, $250,000 fine, 3 years’ supervised release.

AGENCY

Federal Bureau of Investigation – San Diego Field Office

Internal Revenue Service – San Diego

Australian Crime Commission

New South Wales Police Force

New South Wales Crime Commission

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Wednesday, July 26, 2017