Washington, D.C.
December 09, 2011 FBI National Press Office
1. Seattle: Man Pleads Guilty in Plot to Attack Military Processing Center
A former Los Angeles man pled guilty in connection with the June 2011 plot to attack a military installation in Seattle.
2. Chicago: Former Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Corruption in Office
Former Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich was sentenced to 14 years in federal prison following his conviction at trials in 2010 and 2011 on 18 felony counts of corruption during his tenure as governor, including his effort in 2008 to illegally trade the appointment of a U.S. senator in exchange for $1.5 million in campaign contributions or other personal benefits. (X) >
3. Baltimore: Former Prince George’s County Executive Jack Johnson Sentenced to Over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Federal Extortion and Bribery
Former Prince George’s County Executive Jack B. Johnson was sentenced to 87 months in prison for his leadership role in an extortion conspiracy wherein, in exchange for bribes, he corruptly used his public office to engage in fraudulent actions, including steering millions of dollars in federal and local funds.
4. Charlotte: Thirteen Alleged Latin King Members Indicted on Federal Racketeering Charges
Twelve alleged members of the violent Latin Kings street gang were arrested on racketeering charges in connection with conspiring to commit murders, assaults, robberies, kidnappings, and arson; one remains a fugitive. (XXX) >
5. Salt Lake City: Five “Brown Magic Clica” Gang Members Plead Guilty to Racketeering Charges
Five members of the “Brown Magic Clica” gang admitted to participating or aiding a racketeering enterprise that engaged in assault, arson, attempted murder, firearm possession, and witness intimidation. (XX) >
6. Washington Field: Virginia Man Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Conceal Pakistan Government Funding for His U.S. Lobbying Efforts
Syed Ghulam Nabi Fai pled guilty to conspiracy and tax violations in connection with a decades-long scheme to conceal the transfer of at least $3.5 million from the government of Pakistan to fund his lobbying efforts in America related to Kashmir.
7. Los Angeles: Fund Manager Indicted for Bilking Investors, Banks Out of $20 Million
A former investment fund manager was charged with defrauding investors out of millions of dollars by falsely promising investors their money would be used to purchase corporate bonds backed by the Troubled Asset Relief Program and then collaborating with his corporate counsel to cover up the fraud.
8. Albuquerque: The RCFL Programs Opens New Laboratory in New Mexico
The New Mexico Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (NMRCFL) officially opened on the grounds of the University of New Mexico—the second RCFL physically located on a university campus, and the 16th such facility in the FBI’s national network of full-service digital forensics laboratories and training centers.
9. San Antonio: Leader of Zapata Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering Organization Convicted
The leader of a drug trafficking and money laundering organization operating out of the Zapata, Texas area from approximately June 2006 through June 2011 pled guilty.
10. Sacramento: FBI Seeking Seven Indicted Gang Members Wanted for Gun and Drug Offenses
FBI Sacramento is asking for the public’s help to locate seven men indicted in federal court for charges including narcotics trafficking and firearms offenses in Kern County.
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| Rod R. Blagojevich From the net - not FBI |
CHICAGO—Former Illinois Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich was sentenced today to 14 years in federal prison following his conviction at trials in 2010 and 2011 on 18 felony counts of corruption during his tenure as governor, including his effort in 2008 to illegally trade the appointment of a United States Senator in exchange for $1.5 million in campaign contributions or other personal benefits. Blagojevich was also sentenced for shaking down the chief executive of a children’s hospital for $25,000 in campaign contributions in exchange for implementing an increase to pediatric reimbursement rates; holding up the signing of a bill to benefit the Illinois horse racing industry in an attempt to illegally obtain $100,000 in campaign contributions; and lying to the FBI in 2005.
Blagojevich, who will turn 55 on Dec. 10, was ordered to surrender to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons on Feb. 16, 2012, to begin serving his sentence. The prison term is the longest-ever imposed on a former governor in the Northern District of Illinois.
“When it is the governor who goes bad, the fabric of Illinois is torn, disfigured and not easily repaired,” U.S. District Judge James Zagel said in imposing the sentence after a two-day hearing. “The harm here is not measured in the value of money or property . . . the harm is the erosion of public trust in government,” he said.
The judge imposed a fine of $20,000 and two years of supervised release after incarceration. Blagojevich also must pay a special assessment of $1,800, or $100 on each count of conviction.
During the sentencing hearing, Judge Zagel agreed with the government that the properly calculated advisory federal sentencing guidelines provided for a sentencing range of 30 years to life. He also agreed with the government that the range was not appropriate within the context of this case, and found an “effective” guideline range of 188 to 235 months in prison, which was proximate to the government’s recommended sentence of 15 to 20 years. The judge further reduced the range to 151 to 188 months after finding that Blagojevich accepted responsibility for his crimes at sentencing.
In sentencing papers, the government contended that “Blagojevich’s criminal activity was serious, extended, and extremely damaging.” The crimes proven at trial were not isolated incidents, but, instead, were part of an approach to public office that Blagojevich adopted from the moment he became governor after he was first elected in 2002 on the heels of gubernatorial corruption and running on a campaign to end “pay-to-play” politics.
“Blagojevich betrayed the trust and faith that Illinois voters placed in him, feeding great public frustration, cynicism and disengagement among citizens. People have the right to expect that their elected leaders will honor the oath they swear to, and this sentence shows that the justice system will stand up to protect their expectations,” said Patrick J. Fitzgerald, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
“The sentence handed down today represents a repayment of the debt that Blagojevich owes to the people of Illinois. While promising an open and honest administration, in reality, the former governor oversaw a comprehensive assault on the public’s trust,” said Robert D. Grant, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thomas P. Brady, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago, said: “The United States Postal Inspection Service is proud to be one of the federal law enforcement agencies to help ferret out this type of political corruption in Illinois. The Inspection Service is committed to increasing the public’s trust and confidence through our investigations of fraudulent activity. While the sentencing today closes one chapter, we must adhere to a renewed standard of accountability to ensure that the citizens of our state are not victimized by political corruption and greed.”
Alvin Patton, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago, said: “Today’s sentence sends a loud message that public corruption will not be tolerated. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division, together with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively pursue violators of the public trust. Regardless of political office or position, no one is above the law.”
James Vanderberg, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, said: “This sentence sends a clear message that public officials cannot engage in corruption for personal benefit in exchange for political favors.
Blagojevich, a lawyer and former state prosecutor, state legislator, and U.S. Representative, was arrested on Dec. 9, 2008, while serving his second term as governor. He was accused of using his office in numerous matters involving state appointments, business, legislation and pension fund investments to seek or obtain such financial benefits as money, campaign contributions, and employment for himself and others, in exchange for official actions, including trying to leverage his authority to appoint a United States Senator to replace then President-Elect Obama.
Blagojevich went to trial in the summer of 2010 and was convicted of lying to FBI agents when he falsely told them in an interview on March 16, 2005, that he did not track, or want to know, who contributed to him or how much money they contributed to him, but the jury was deadlocked on all remaining counts.
He went to trial again in the spring of 2011 and was convicted on 17 additional counts, including 10 counts of wire fraud, two counts of attempted extortion, two counts of conspiracy to commit extortion, one count of soliciting bribes, and two counts of conspiracy to solicit and accept bribes.
The prosecution was part of Operation Board Games, a public corruption investigation of pay-to-play schemes, including insider-dealing, influence-peddling and kickbacks involving private interests and public duties. The investigation began in 2003 and has resulted in convictions against 15 defendants, including two former chiefs of staff for Blagojevich while he was governor.
The government is being represented in the Blagojevich case by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Reid Schar, Carrie Hamilton and Christopher Niewoehner.
> (XXX) GREENSBORO, NC—Thirteen alleged members of the Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) have been indicted by a federal grand jury in Greensboro, N.C. for allegedly conspiring to participate in a racketeering enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General for the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and United States Attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina Ripley Rand. The indictment was returned under seal on November 29, 2011, and unsealed today after 12 of the defendants were arrested or placed under detainer while in custody on other charges
According to the indictment, the defendants are members of the Latin Kings, a violent street gang with members operating in North Carolina since at least 2005. The traditional power centers of the Latin Kings are the Chicago and New York metropolitan areas, with thousands of members scattered across the United States and overseas.
“The indictment unsealed today alleges a pattern of violent criminal activity by Latin Kings members in North Carolina,” said Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer. “Criminal street gangs like the Latin Kings endanger communities across the country. We are working hard with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners to bring gang members and their associates to justice.”
“We have no tolerance for violent crime in North Carolina,” said U.S. Attorney Rand. “The investigation in this case is part of a coordinated effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement to combat violent street gang activity. We will continue to work together to keep our neighborhoods safe, and we will not allow violent street gangs to dictate what happens in our communities.”
According to the indictment, the Latin Kings were allegedly formed in North Carolina by JORGE PETER CORNELL, a/k/a “King Jay,” who allegedly became a member of the Latin Kings while he was residing in New York City. When CORNELL moved to the Middle District of North Carolina, he allegedly formed a tribe and became the “Inca” for the entire state of North Carolina. It is alleged that, through violence, threats of violence, and coercion, CORNELL gained control of all of the Latin Kings tribes in North Carolina, including chapters in Greensboro, Charlotte, Durham, and Raleigh.
The unsealed indictment also sets forth allegations that CORNELL, in an attempt to disguise the criminal activities of the Latin Kings and frustrate law enforcement attempts to investigate and prosecute Latin Kings members, orchestrated a public relations campaign to falsely portray the Latin Kings as a public service organization. It is also alleged that CORNELL made public statements for peace between Greensboro street gangs and regularly held media events with community leaders to publicly advocate for the dissolution of Greensboro Police Department’s gang unit during the same period of time that he allegedly plotted to murder or assault rival gang members (including other Latin Kings) and was involved in other gang-related criminal activities.
“These arrests today are an outstanding example of the tireless work of the Safe Streets Task Force. The gang’s attempt to portray the Latin Kings as a public service organization did not deter the FBI and our law enforcement partners from uncovering their scheme,” said Chris Briese, the Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Charlotte Division.
The indictment charges the following defendants with conspiracy to participate in the racketeering activities of the Latin Kings:
■JORGE PETER CORNELL, a/k/a “King Jay,” age 35;
■RUSSELL LLOYD KILFOIL, a/k/a “King Peaceful” and “Jonathan Hernandez,” age 25;
■RANDOLPH LEIF KILFOIL, a/k/a “King Paul,” age 26;
■JASON PAUL YATES, a/k/a “King Squirrel,” age 31;
■LUIS ALBERTO ROSA, a/k/a “King Speechless,” age 24
■WESLEY ANDERSON WILLIAMS, a/k/a “King Bam,” age 19;
■STEAPHAN ACENCIO-VASQUEZ, a/k/a “King Leo,” age 20;
■MARCELO YSRAEL PEREZ, a/k/a “King Lyrix” and “King Sacrifice,” age 26;
■SAMUEL ISAAC VELASQUEZ, a/k/a “King Hype,” age 22;
■CHARLES LAWRENCE MOORE, a/k/a “King Toasty,” age 26;
■RICHARD LEE ROBINSON, a/k/a “King Focus,” age 22;
■IRVIN VASQUEZ, a/k/a “King Dice,” age 22; and
■CARLOS COLEMAN, a/k/a “King Spanky,” age 19.
The indictment also charges PEREZ with a violent crime in aid of racketeering and using a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. The indictment alleges that Latin Kings members committed a wide range of crimes in order to further their racketeering scheme, including armed robberies, kidnappings, arson, and assaults.
Initial appearances for the six defendants arrested today in North Carolina will be held in Greensboro federal court at 4 p.m. before P. Trevor Sharp, United States Magistrate Judge. Defendant Wesley Williams was arrested in Las Vegas, Nevada and is expected to appear in federal court there today.
PEREZ is the only defendant not in custody and the FBI Safe Streets Task Force, Guilford County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Greensboro Police Department are searching for him. Call the FBI Charlotte Field Office at 704-672-6100 or the Greensboro-Guilford County Crime Stoppers at 336-373-1000 if you have any information on the whereabouts of PEREZ.
The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina and the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit. The case is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Guilford County Sheriff’s Department, and the Greensboro Police Department.
Each of the defendants faces a maximum sentence of life in prison. An indictment is not evidence of guilt. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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> (XX) From the net - not FBI: The so-called "Brown Magic Clica," (BMC) a Mexican-American street gang with roots in California is active in narcotics trafficking and other crimes in southwestern Idaho and eastern Oregon.
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Latin Kings (gang) >> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin_Kings_(gang)
