Category: FBI

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — A federal grand jury returned a seven-count indictment today against three defendants, charging them with drug trafficking offenses, U.S. Attorney Phillip A. Talbert announced.

Jiovanni Eleazar Paco, 25, of Modesto; Carlos Daniel Gastelum Bustamante, 25, a Mexican national residing in Pasadena; and Brayan Missael Nunez Mendoza, 22, of Sacramento; are each charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, para‑fluorofentanyl (a fentanyl analogue), and methamphetamine. Each defendant is charged with distribution of fentanyl. Bustamante is also charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine, and Paco is charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.

According to court documents, the defendants distributed thousands of counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl on behalf of a source of supply in Mexico. On Sept. 29, 2022, Mendoza sold over 1,000 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl and para-fluorofentanyl in Sacramento. On Dec. 21, 2022, Bustamante sold over 2,000 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl in Stockton. Several months later, on May 2, 2023, a California Highway Patrol officer initiated a traffic stop of Bustamante in the Stockton area, searched his vehicle, and found approximately 5,530 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl, and approximately 1 pound of methamphetamine. On June 12, 2023, Paco sold approximately 3,000 counterfeit M30 pills containing fentanyl. Paco was later arrested during a traffic stop on June 27, 2023, where officers found him in possession of nearly 8,000 M30 pills containing fentanyl.

This case is the product of an investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Homeland Security Investigations with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the California Highway Patrol, the Sacramento Sheriff’s Office, and the San Joaquin County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Spencer and Haddy Abouzeid are prosecuting the case.

If convicted, all defendants face a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison, a maximum statutory penalty of life in prison, and a $10 million fine. Any sentence, however, would 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. The charges are only allegations; the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Vanessa Rene Dundon (a.k.a. Sioux Z, a.k.a. Suzie Q), 38, of Indian Wells, Arizona, was sentenced last week by United States District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to three years in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. As a condition of her supervised release, Dundon cannot travel to, or be on, the Hopi Reservation. Dundon pleaded guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine.

 “Drug trafficking causes particular harm for tribal communities,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “The exclusion of defendant from the Hopi Reservation is an additional tool to prevent future harm, and an extra measure of protection for Hopi villages.”

Dundon was stopped in her vehicle on the Hopi Reservation in April 2021, March 2022, and April 2022. On each occasion, she had controlled substances in her vehicle. At the change of plea hearing, Dundon admitted that on April 17, 2022, she possessed 58.4 grams of pure methamphetamine and that she intended to deliver it to other individuals in exchange for payment.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Phoenix Field Office, and Hopi Law Enforcement Services conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Phoenix, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-22-08043-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-128_Dundon

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on Twitter @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

            WASHINGTON – A North Carolina man was found guilty in the District of Columbia today of five felonies and three misdemeanors related to his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            David Joseph Gietzen, 30, of Sanford, North Carolina, was found guilty by a jury of one count of civil disorder and aiding and abetting; two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers; one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers using a deadly or dangerous weapon; and one count of entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon. All felonies.

            The jury also found Gietzen guilty of three related misdemeanor offenses, including disorderly or disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds; engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds; and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. Gietzen will be sentenced at a later date.

            According to the government’s evidence, Gietzen traveled to Washington, D.C., with his brother to attend a rally at the Ellipse on Jan. 6, 2021. Following the rally, Gietzen joined a mob of rioters illegally on the Capitol grounds. Gietzen appeared in multiple videos captured by body-worn cameras worn by Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officers on the exterior West Plaza and Lower West Terrace area. Additional video of Gietzen was captured by Capitol CCTV cameras and videos obtained from others present at the Capitol that day.

            Evidence showed that Gietzen was seen in the area of the security barriers in front of the West Plaza area wearing a white helmet, goggles, , a green jacket, jeans, knee pads, and dark shoes. At about 2:13 p.m., he appeared to push with the crowd against the barriers and thrust his fist against shields held by U.S. Capitol Police (USCP)( officers.

            Gietzen then pushed an officer during a series of hand-to-hand confrontations between rioters, MPD, and Capitol Police Officers. Moments later, Gietzen appeared to grab an officer by the throat or face mask.

            At about 2:30 p.m., Gietzen – still wearing his distinctive helmet – was seen holding a long pole and thrusting it at a line of officers, ultimately striking a USCP officer with the pole in what Gietzen said was an effort to move the officer.

            Gietzen was also observed on U.S. Capitol CCTV outside the Lower West Terrace Tunnel at about 3:57 p.m., pushing with the crowd back and forth against the law enforcement officers who were securing the entrance doorway.

            Gietzen was arrested on May 11, 2022, by the FBI in Sanford, North Carolina.

            All charges carry potential financial penalties. The Court will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

            The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of North Carolina.

            The case was investigated by the FBI’s Charlotte and Washington Field Offices, whcih identified Gietzen as BOLO (Be on the Lookout) #217 on its seeking information photos. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 31 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,106 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 350 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement.

            Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

CONCORD – A New York man was sentenced today in federal court in Concord for operating an unlicensed money transmitting business that was used to export weapons to Pakistan, U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young announces.

Muhammad Mohsin Raja, 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Paul J. Barbadoro to 24 months in prison and 1 year of supervised release.  On May 25, 2022, Raja pleaded guilty to conspiracy to operate an unlicensed money transmitting business.

“The defendant facilitated the export of weapons, and weapon components, to foreign national organizations that threaten U.S. security interests abroad,” U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young said.  “This case underscores the importance of our banking laws and regulations in protecting our national security interests.”  

“Raja over multiple years engaged in money facilitation in order to evade export restrictions and ultimately enabled the shipment of weapons overseas,” said James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office. “This case highlights the important role that enforcement of financial laws plays in our national security. The FBI is committed to ensuring that anyone who engages in criminal activity in order to elude laws and regulations is held accountable in the criminal justice system.”

“Preventing parties on the Bureau of Industry and Security’s (BIS) Entity List from acquiring items that contribute to programs of national security concern, such as components for use in cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), is a shared U.S. Government priority,” said Rashel D. Assouri, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Boston Field Office, Office of Export Enforcement.  “The Office of Export Enforcement, in coordination with our law enforcement partners, will continue to vigorously pursue, dismantle, and disrupt illicit networks that violate U.S. law.”

For several years, Raja operated a “hawala” based out of New York and worked with individuals in Pakistan to coordinate the transfer of money between parties in the United States and Pakistan.  A hawala is a type of informal money transfer system that uses a network of agents to transfer money across international borders without using the banking system, typically to circumvent banking laws and regulations.

The defendant transmitted approximately $4.7 million to Pakistan in 2021 alone.  As part of the hawala, he made multiple payments for products intended for an organization on the Commerce Department’s Entity List, Pakistan’s Advanced Engineering Research Organization (AERO). AERO was added to the Entity List, which imposes export restrictions for organizations whose activities threaten U.S. national security or foreign policy interests, for procuring items for use in Pakistan’s cruise missile and strategic UAV programs. For example, the defendant made payments for a blade antenna manufactured by a New Hampshire defense contractor.  Those antennas are typically used in UAVs, tactical missiles, helicopters, and aircraft.  The defendant also made payments to a Florida defense contractor for rotary pumps and a solenoid valve.  The rotary pumps were designed for use in M110 self-propelled howitzers, and the solenoid valve was designed for use in an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile or an AGM-86B air-launched cruise missile. 

The defendant also made payments to a Florida firearms manufacturer on behalf of a Pakistani company called Al-Akbar Arms.  The payments were for two shipments of assault weapons.  The defendant messaged another individual suggesting they disguise the purpose of the payments as “purchasing watches as sports equipment.”  However, law enforcement successfully intercepted the assault weapons. 

In operating the hawala, the defendant used multiple cell phones to coordinate with other individuals, used multiple bank accounts, and enlisted the assistance of at least 10 friends and family members to visit banks and check cashing businesses to help cash checks, place money orders, and deposit funds. 

Department of Commerce’s Office of Export Enforcement and Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office led the investigation.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander S. Chen prosecuted the case.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (b)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – An Anchorage man was arrested by the FBI yesterday on criminal charges related to recent alleged robberies of a local credit union.

According to court documents, Etuale Ioane, 20, allegedly stole more than $3,400 after robbing the Credit Union 1 branch on Debarr Road in July and August.

On July 17, around 1:15 p.m., Ioane allegedly entered the credit union and waited in line until being called forward by a teller. The defendant produced a handwritten note commanding the employee to give him money, and stated to hurry up because he had a gun and would shoot everyone inside. The defendant left the credit union with roughly $2,118.

On Aug. 28, around 2:42 p.m., Ioane allegedly entered the same credit union and presented a demand note that stated people within the building would be harmed if his demands were not met. The note said to not alert anyone, press any buttons or try to give him bait bills. The defendant fled with around $1,340.

The Anchorage Police Department received a tip on Aug. 30, stating the suspect was Ioane and he was in a van near a grocery store on East Northern Lights Boulevard. Local officers located and detained Ioane shortly after receiving the tip.

A search warrant was executed on Ioane’s residence and clothing consistent with those worn by the suspect in both July and August robberies were recovered.

Ioane is charged with four counts of credit union robbery, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2113(a) and 2113(b). If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

U.S. Attorney S. Lane Tucker of the District of Alaska; and Special Agent in Charge Antony Jung of the FBI Anchorage Field Office made the announcement.

The FBI’s Anchorage Field Office, with assistance from the Anchorage Police Department, is investigating the case as part of the FBI’s Safe Streets Task Force.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Schroeder is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

Today, in federal court in Central Islip, Enrique Portillo, also known as “Oso” and “Turkey,” a member of La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13, pleaded guilty to racketeering and firearms charges in connection with his participation in four murders, namely, the September 13, 2016 murders of teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, in Brentwood; the October 13, 2016 murder of Dewann Stacks, in Brentwood; and the January 30, 2017 murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla in Central Islip; as well as his participation in four attempted murders, including the discharge of a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun in connection with one of the attempted murders; and arson.  The guilty plea proceeding was held before United States District Judge Gary R. Brown.  When sentenced, Portillo faces up to life in prison on the racketeering charge and a 10-year, mandatory minimum sentence on the firearms charge.

Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, James Smith, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Rodney K. Harrison, Commissioner, Suffolk County Police Department (SCPD), announced the guilty plea.

“Today, the defendant pleaded guilty to participating in four extremely brutal murders, including two teenage girls slaughtered while walking home, that have left permanent scars in the Brentwood community which for too long has suffered acts of violence and destruction carried out by the MS-13 with machetes, knives, guns and fire,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “I am confident that justice for the victims will be delivered when Portillo is sentenced for his savage crimes.  This Office will not rest until all MS-13 gang members are held to account for their utter lack of respect for human life and the rule of law.”

“As part of his desire to gain status within MS-13, Portillo repeatedly acted with complete disregard for human life, killing four individuals along with multiple other attempts.   Today’s guilty plea stands as a warning to anyone willing to attempt to gain standing through senseless acts of violence — you will face the consequences.  The FBI Long Island Gang Task Force will not allow vicious criminals to go unchecked and cause our community to live in fear of violence,” stated FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge Smith.

“These senseless and barbaric killings, including those of teenagers Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens, shook our communities and reverberated around the nation,” stated SCPD Commissioner Harrison.  “It is my hope that this guilty plea will provide the victims’ families some peace while also demonstrating our commitment to dismantling these criminal enterprises. I commend the work of the Long Island Gang Task Force on this case and Eastern District of New York for their continued success in prosecuting these vicious gang members.”    

According to court filings and statements made during today’s guilty plea proceeding, Portillo was a member of the Sailors Locos Salvatruchas Westside (Sailors) clique of the MS-13.  He committed the following crimes in order to maintain and increase his membership and status in the gang:

July 18, 2016 Attempted Murders of John Doe #1 and John Doe #2

On the evening of July 18, 2016, Portillo and other members of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood, armed, in search of rival gang members to attack and kill, observed a group of men on Apple Street.  Believing these men to be members of a rival gang, Portillo and two other MS-13 members exited the car and attacked the group.  Portillo fired a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun at one of the men (identified as John Doe #1), and then used a machete to hack at another (identified as John Doe #2).  Another MS-13 member fired at the group of men using a .38 caliber handgun.  Although John Doe #1 was struck with a bullet, he survived.  John Doe #2, who was attacked with a machete, also survived, but was severely disfigured as a result of this attack.      

September 12, 2016 Arson in Brentwood

During the summer of 2016, Sailors clique members of MS-13 were regularly having altercations with rival gang members based in a neighborhood on Freeman Avenue in Brentwood.  On September 12, 2016, the MS-13 members set fire to a car parked in the driveway of one of the houses in that neighborhood.  Portillo and other MS-13 members drove to that house, where Portillo and two others poured gasoline on a car parked in the driveway and then set it on fire.  The car exploded and ignited another parked car.  

September 13, 2016 Murders of Kayla Cuevas and Nisa Mickens

On September 13, 2016, Portillo and several other MS-13 members brutally murdered 15-year-old Nisa Mickens and 16-year-old Kayla Cuevas, both students at Brentwood High School.

In the months leading up to the murders, Cuevas was involved in a series of disputes with members and associates of the MS-13.  Approximately one week before the murders, these disputes escalated when Cuevas and several friends were involved in an altercation with MS-13 members at Brentwood High School.  After that incident, the MS-13 members vowed to seek revenge against Cuevas.  On the evening of September 13, 2016, Portillo and other members of the Sailors clique of the MS-13, who were driving around Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill, spotted Cuevas and Mickens walking on Stahley Street in a residential neighborhood.  Recognizing Cuevas, they quickly sought and obtained the requisite permission to murder the teen girls.  Portillo and others then jumped out of the car, chased and attacked both Cuevas and Mickens, wielding baseball bats and a machete, striking each of the girls numerous times in their heads and bodies, causing their deaths.  Mickens, whose body was discovered later that evening on Stahley Street, not far from Cuevas’s home, sustained significant sharp force trauma to her face and blunt force trauma to her head.  Cuevas, whose body was discovered the following day behind a house adjacent to where Mickens’s body was found, sustained significant blunt force trauma to her head and body and multiple lacerations.

October 13, 2016 Murder of Dewann Stacks

On the evening of October 13, 2016, Portillo and other members of the MS-13 were once again driving around Central Islip and Brentwood in search of rival gang members to attack and kill.  That night, they spotted 34-year-old Dewann Stacks and, believing him to be a rival gang member, decided to kill him.  Portillo, armed with a baseball bat, and two other MS-13 members, both armed with machetes, attacked Stacks, beating and hacking him to death on American Boulevard, a residential street in Brentwood.  Stacks sustained severe sharp and blunt force trauma to his face and head, leaving him nearly unrecognizable.

January 30, 2017 Murder of Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla

On the morning of January 30, 2017, members of the Sailors clique of MS-13 spotted 29-year-old Esteban Alvarado-Bonilla inside El Campesino Deli in Central Islip.  Alvarado-Bonilla was wearing a football jersey bearing the number “18,” which led the MS-13 to conclude that he was a member of a rival gang, and they plotted to kill him.  Portillo identified Alvarado-Bonilla to other MS-13 members as their target, and kept watch over him to ensure that he remained at the deli.  Other MS-13 members then arrived at the deli to commit the murder.  At approximately 10:30 a.m., a masked MS-13 member entered the deli, approached Alvarado-Bonilla from behind, and shot him multiple times, killing him.  One of the bullets pierced through Alvarado-Bonilla’s head and struck the chest of a female employee of the deli, who was standing directly in front of him.  The deli employee survived the gunshot wound.

September 26, 2017 Attempted Murder of John Doe #3 in Federal Prison in Brooklyn

In the summer of 2017, while Portillo was in federal custody at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn, MS-13 members were regularly having altercations with members of the Young Gunnaz, or YGz, a rival gang.  On September 26, 2017, Portillo encountered an individual (identified as John Doe #3), a YGz member, on his unit and tried to kill him by using a shank to stab him in the neck, and by beating him with metal locks tied to a braided bed sheet.  John Doe #3 survived the attack. 

May 30, 2019 Attempted Murder of John Doe #4 in Federal Prison in Brooklyn

On May 30, 2019, while Portillo was in federal custody at the MDC in Brooklyn, he encountered an individual (identified as John Doe #4), a member of the Bloods street gang – a rival of the MS-13 – in his unit’s common area.  Portillo tried to kill him by stabbing him with a shank.  John Doe #4 survived the attack.    

Today’s conviction is the latest in a series of federal prosecutions by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York targeting members of the MS-13, a violent, transnational criminal organization.  The MS-13’s leadership is based in El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala and Mexico, but the gang has thousands of members across the United States.  With numerous branches, or “cliques,” the MS-13 is the most violent criminal organization operating on Long Island.  Since 2003, hundreds of MS-13 members, including dozens of clique leaders, have been convicted on federal felony charges in the Eastern District of New York.  A majority of those MS-13 members have been convicted of federal racketeering charges for participating in murders, attempted murders and assaults.  Since 2010, this Office has obtained indictments charging MS-13 members with carrying out more than 65 murders in the Eastern District of New York, resulting in the convictions of dozens of MS-13 leaders and members in connection with those murders.  These prosecutions are the product of investigations led by the FBI’s Long Island Gang Task Force, which is comprised of agents and officers of the FBI, SCPD, Nassau County Police Department, Nassau County Sheriff’s Department, Suffolk County Probation Office, Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police, the Hempstead Police Department, the Rockville Centre Police Department, and the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision. 

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s Long Island Criminal Division.  Assistant United States Attorneys Paul G. Scotti, Justina L. Geraci, and Megan E. Farrell are in charge of the prosecution.

The Defendant:

ENRIQUE PORTILLO (also known as “Oso” and “Turkey”)
Age: 26
Brentwood, New York

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 16-CR-403 (S-8) (GRB)

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

BUFFALO, N.Y.-U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced today that Michael Szczepanik, 38, of Tonawanda, NY, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard J. Arcara to possession of child pornography, which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Franz M. Wright, who is handling the case, stated that in December 2021, Szczepanik’s IP address was identified on a file sharing site where files of child pornography were being shared. In February 2022, investigators executed a warrant at his residence and seized electronic devices, which contained images and videos of child pornography. The items included a desktop and the hard drives located on the device, where more than 600 images and videos of child pornography were discovered. Some of the images included prepubescent minors and depictions of violence against children.

The plea is the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, under the direction of Special Agent-in-Charge Matthew Miraglia.

Sentencing is scheduled for December 18, 2023, before Judge Arcara.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

The FBI, alongside its state and local law enforcement partners during the week of August 28, 2023, executed multiple arrest and search operations into various violent criminal organizations around the country.

Five FBI field offices executed 70 arrests and 82 search warrants, resulting in 125 handgun firearms, 100 rifles, 15.5 kilograms of methamphetamine, and 3.28 kilograms fentanyl seized by the FBI and its partners.

“Every day, the FBI works closely with its law enforcement partners across the country to protect our communities from violent criminals,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “This week’s takedowns demonstrate that the Justice Department is relentlessly identifying, investigating, and prosecuting those responsible for the greatest violence in our communities.”

The FBI recognizes the hard work of our field offices, task forces, and partners, who play a crucial role in combating violent crime. “As we go into Labor Day weekend, I want to highlight the collective efforts of the FBI and our law enforcement partners to eradicate violent criminal activity,” said Director Christopher Wray. “The law enforcement actions taken this week alone serve as a testament to the power of partnership and our tireless commitment to safeguard and curb violence in our communities.”

The FBI operates over 300 unique task forces nationwide, which are composed of over 3,000 state and local law enforcement officers, in partnership with hundreds of FBI special agents. These dedicated task forces, including Safe Streets Gang Task Forces and our Transnational Organized Crime Task Forces, leverage integrated partnerships to target violent crime reduction efforts and employ sustainable impact in communities.

“The benefits of law enforcement partnerships can rarely be quantified or understated, but this last week of violent crime takedowns is a concentrated example of our joint successes,” said Robert Contee, assistant director of the FBI’s Office of Partner Engagement. “Crime doesn’t take holiday weekends off and American’s can rest assured that the FBI doesn’t either—keeping our families safe and our neighborhoods free from violence and drugs is our mission priority round-the-clock.”

The FBI’s successes would not be possible without the task force partnerships, dedicated agents and officers protecting our streets, and the continued commitment to reduce violent crime.

FBI field offices involved, among other FBI field offices:

• Albuquerque
• Cleveland
• Louisville
• Newark
• Washington, D.C

To read more about these takedowns, visit our blog. 

Learn more about the FBI’s violent crime program. 

While there is no credible threat at this time, the FBI would like to remind the public to remain vigilant over Labor Day weekend and report any suspicious activity to tips.fbi.gov or their local law enforcement agency.

Together we can strive for safer streets and stronger communities.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime Alerts (c)

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Today, Alexander M.M. Uballez, United States Attorney for the District of New Mexico, Raul Bujanda, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Albuquerque Field Office, and W. Troy Weisler, New Mexico State Police Chief, announced the results of a coordinated, multiagency enforcement operation across the state which targeted alleged members of the Bandidos Motorcycle Club.

According to the search warrant, over the past four years, law enforcement officials in New Mexico, Texas, and Oklahoma have observed a sharp increase in violence between the Bandidos and the Mongols Motorcycle Club. Most recently, in May 2023, in Red River, NM, several Bandidos members from New Mexico and Texas confronted a group of Water Dogs MC members. The confrontation was the continuation of months of harassment by the Bandidos concerning whether the Water Dogs MC had aligned itself with the Bandidos or Mongols. In Red River, Bandidos members surrounded the Water Dogs MC members, and three Bandidos members attacked a Water Dogs member. The fight escalated and two Bandidos members and one Water Dogs member were shot and killed. Five bystanders were wounded in the incident.

Following the Red River shooting, New Mexico State Police contacted the FBI and requested assistance conducting a statewide investigation of the Bandidos. Subsequently, in June 2023, the Outlaw Motorcycle Gang Task Force (OMGTF) was created. The OMGTF is comprised of investigators and analysts from the FBI, NMSP, New Mexico Corrections Department, Albuquerque Police Department, Rio Rancho Police Department, Ruidoso Police Department, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office, Valencia County Sheriff’s Office, Eddy County Sheriff’s Office, Otero County Sheriff’s Office and Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.

The OMGTF set its sights on the Bandidos, given the organization’s continued participation in murders, shootings, extortion, and other violent acts.  It focused on twenty-five members within the New Mexico chapters who appeared to be the most criminally active and loudest voices advocating for continued violence.

The search warrant was executed on premises in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas, Belen, Tome, Grants, San Rafael, Gallup, Farmington, Hobbs, Alamogordo, Ruidoso, Capitan and Arabela. During the subsequent searches, law enforcement officers seized 151 firearms, thousands of rounds of ammunition, numerous ballistics vests, and fentanyl, meth and cocaine. A stolen police radio was also recovered.

As a result of the operation, two individuals were arrested on state charges. They are Kenneth Martinez and Henry Mascarenas.  Charges are also pending against Ed Sanchez Solis.

“The motorcycle is a symbol of freedom, of individualism, and the open road,” said U.S. Attorney Uballez. “But today, a selfish few are trying to tell us who gets to enjoy our roads, what clothes they are required to wear, and with whom they can ride. The people of New Mexico have no more patience for violent bullies. Working together, the law enforcement agencies of New Mexico return the open road to the public who owns it.”

“Today, we joined forces to take significant law enforcement action to disrupt an outlaw motorcycle gang trying to establish a foothold in our communities,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda.  “Along with our local, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement partners, our efforts to combat organized violent crime will continue to be waged each and every day.  I am grateful for the dedicated law enforcement professionals who work tirelessly to disrupt such criminal activity and fight for justice on behalf of the citizens we serve and protect.”

“The ongoing violence involving outlaw motorcycle gangs across our state has a negative impact on all the citizens of New Mexico.  The law enforcement community owes it to those we serve to come together and stop this behavior,” said Troy Weisler, Chief of the New Mexico State Police.  “By working with our Federal, State, County, and local law enforcement partners on operations like this one, we are one step closer to preventing the spread of drugs and criminal mischief that accompanies outlaw motorcycle gangs.”  

The OMGTF led the investigation, with assistance from the United States Bureau of Prisons, United States Probation Office, New Mexico Organized Crime Commission, Texas Department of Public Safety, Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Eighth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, Twelfth Judicial District Attorney’s Office, and other law enforcement or corrections agencies.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph M. Spindle and David B. Hirsch are assisting with the investigation.

Defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

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Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation FBI Crime News (b)