Category: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

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Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Bank Robbery

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

Headline: Tulsa Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy and Bank Robbery

United States Attorney Trent Shores announced that Edd Tawon Payne, 33, of Tulsa, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and conspiracy to commit bank robbery, at a hearing before District Judge Claire V. Eagan, on February 8, 2018.

On August 16, 2017, Payne, a co-defendant, and a juvenile conspired to rob the Bank of America located at 205 East Pine Street in Tulsa.  Payne and his co-conspirators wore disguises and used a “hoax bomb” to rob the bank.  Payne constructed his “hoax bomb” out of wires and a disassembled cell phone, shoved into a cosmetics bag.  The bank robbers took approximately $11,012 in cash from the Bank of America, some of which Payne used to purchase a vehicle.  Sentencing is set for May 7, 2018.  Payne’s co-defendant, Manuel Britto, previously pleaded guilty on January 3, 2018, and is also awaiting sentencing.

United States Attorney Shores stated, “Bank robberies are inherently violent offenses that can jeopardize the lives of bank employees and customers. My office has focused our attention on reducing violent crime and gun crime. We will continue to work with all of our law enforcement partners to improve the safety of our community.”

This prosecution resulted from an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Tulsa Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Dennis A. Fries handled the prosecution of this case.

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Man Arrested for Physical Threats Attempting to Interfere with an Investigation

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

Headline: Man Arrested for Physical Threats Attempting to Interfere with an Investigation

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Ohio, announce the arrest of Raynard Clayton, 34 years old, of Akron, Ohio.

Clayton was placed into custody by the Adult Parole Authority on Thursday, February 8, 2018, without incident. This morning, Monday, February 12th, Clayton was transferred to federal custody by FBI agents assigned to the FBI Akron Resident Agency.

Clayton is charged with transmitting in interstate commerce a threat to injure another person and also threatening a person with physical force with the intent to hinder, delay, or prevent communication to a law enforcement officer.

Clayton is alleged to have posted a publicly available Facebook Live video, approximately 21 minutes in length, threatening to assault and kill an individual known to law enforcement. In the video, Clayton, also known as Raynard Dutch, stated “I’ll shoot you point blank range, no mask……Get you and your family wrapped up. AR-15, you know what I mean.” Clayton continues on stating, “…basically what I’m sayin’ to you is keep my name out your mouth fo (before) I take yo (your) life.” Clayton also stated in the video, “The best type of cop is a dead cop.”

Clayton will appear in U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Burke’s courtroom for an initial appearance this afternoon.

A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Any questions regarding this news release can be directed to SA Vicki D Anderson at the Cleveland Office of the FBI, 216-522-1400 or Vdanderson@fbi.gov.

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Omaha Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempting to Receive Child Pornography

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

Headline: Omaha Man Sentenced to Eight Years for Attempting to Receive Child Pornography

Acting U.S. Attorney Robert C. Stuart announced today that Jeffrey T. Fenn, Jr., 37, was sentenced in federal court in Omaha for attempting to receive child pornography.  The Honorable Robert F. Rossiter, Jr., sentenced Fenn to 96 months’ imprisonment.  There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, Fenn will begin a five-year term of supervised release.

Fenn befriended a 12-year-old girl while playing an online video game.  They then began an online relationship over a popular messaging service.  During the course of the online relationship, Fenn asked the girl to take sexually explicit pictures of herself and send them to him.  She sent suggestive but not sexually explicit images.  Fenn repeatedly asked for specific images of sexually explicit body parts and directed her to pose in specific ways.  He threatened to end the online relationship if she did not comply.  The minor girl refused to send the explicit images Fenn requested.  The texts were reported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

On January 19, 2017, the FBI Cyber Crimes Task Force served a search warrant on the Omaha address used during the online chats and texts.  Fenn admitted to texting the minor and admitted to sending her images.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by the Omaha FBI’s Cyber Crime Task Force (CCTF).

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Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Heroin Dealer to Eight Years in Prison

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

Headline: Judge Sentences Pittsburgh Heroin Dealer to Eight Years in Prison

PITTSBURGH – A resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been sentenced in federal court to eight years in prison, followed by four years of supervised release, on his conviction of violating the federal drug laws, United States Attorney Scott W. Brady announced today.

United States District Judge Nora Barry Fischer imposed the sentence on Clinton Robinson, 33, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

According to information presented to the court, from January 2016 to August 2016, Clinton conspired with others to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than 700 grams but less than one kilogram of heroin. In addition, on August 22, 2016, Clinton attempted to possess with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin.

Assistant United States Attorney Amy L. Johnston prosecuted this case on behalf of the government. This prosecution was part of a federally administered Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation that resulted in several federal indictments in August of 2016. The OCDETF task force was headed by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was comprised of members drawn from the FBI Greater Pittsburgh Safe Streets Task Force including the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, Wilkinsburg Police Department, Allegheny County Sheriff’s Office, and the Allegheny County Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by FBI San Juan, Puerto Rico (St. Thomas Resident Agency, U.S. Virgin Islands) and the United States Postal Inspection Service. Numerous other FBI field offices, including Detroit, Cleveland, New York, and Atlanta, in addition to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, also assisted with this investigation. The OCDETF program supplies critical federal funding and coordination that allows federal and state agencies to work together to successfully identify, investigate, and prosecute major interstate and international drug trafficking organizations and other criminal enterprises.

United States Attorney Brady commended the agencies for the investigation leading to the successful prosecution of Clinton Robinson.

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FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Margate

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

Headline: FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Margate

The FBI is seeking information on a bank robbery that took place today, February 12, 2018, at approximately 11:58 a.m. at a Wells Fargo Bank branch located at 400 North State Road 7, Margate, Florida.

The robber entered the bank and demanded money from a bank employee. There were customers in the bank at the time of the robbery. The amount of money taken will not be released at this time.

The robber left a device inside the bank. The Broward Sheriff’s Office bomb squad later declared the bank all clear.

If anyone has information as to the identity of this bank robber, they are urged to call the FBI at (754) 703-2000 or Crimestoppers.

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Update: FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Deerfield Beach

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

Headline: Update: FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Deerfield Beach

Investigators have identified the robber of the Deerfield Beach BB&T branch last Friday as the Business Bandit.

He is wanted by the FBI for his alleged involvement in at least eight other area bank robberies including:

  • December 18, 2015, TD Bank, 1371 West Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton
  • January 15, 2016, Suntrust, 7800 Glades Road, Boca Raton
  • February 5, 2016, TD Bank, 16200 NW 57 Avenue, Miami
  • February 17, 2016, Wells Fargo, 6735 West Indiantown Road, Jupiter
  • November 7, 2017, Suntrust, 7800 Glades Road, Boca Raton
  • November 10, 2017, PNC Bank, 10973 North Military Trail, Palm Beach Gardens
  • November 17, 2017, Wells Fargo, 9162 Glades Road, Boca Raton
  • December 15, 2017, TD Bank, 8711 NW 186th Street, Miami.

He should be considered ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

Investigators are calling the robber the “Business Bandit” due to the attire he wears during the robberies.

If anyone has information as to the identity of this bank robber, they are urged to call the FBI at (754) 703-2000 or Crimestoppers.

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FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Deerfield Beach

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

Headline: FBI Seeking Information from a Bank Robbery in Deerfield Beach

The FBI is seeking information from a bank robbery that took place Friday, February 9, 2018, at approximately 5:51 p.m. at a BB&T Bank branch located at 1299 SW Military Trail, Deerfield Beach, Florida.

The robber entered the bank and demanded money from a bank employee. There were customers in the bank at the time of the robbery. There were no injuries. The amount of money taken will not be released at this time.

If anyone has information as to the identity of this bank robber, they are urged to call the FBI at (754) 703-2000 or Crimestoppers.

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Huachuca City Woman Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Assault on a Federal Officer, Intent to Distribute Marijuana

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

Headline: Huachuca City Woman Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Assault on a Federal Officer, Intent to Distribute Marijuana

     TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Katherine Rose Sparks, 23, of Huachuca City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez to serve 84 months in prison and pay $49,930.73 in restitution. Sparks had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous or deadly weapon.  Sparks’s term of imprisonment will be followed by five years of supervised release.

     On Feb. 23, 2017, a United States Border Patrol surveillance vehicle saw an SUV near Bisbee, Ariz. being loaded with bundles.  The SUV was then observed traveling west on Highway 92.  Border Patrol Agents  (BPAs) followed the SUV west, activating their law enforcement lights, until the vehicle stopped at a red traffic light on the east side of Highway 92’s San Pedro River bridge crossing.  At the stoplight, the SUV veered off the right side of the road, traveled down a steep embankment, and began driving on the dirt area on the side of the road, maintaining a high rate of speed.  At one point, the vehicle was briefly airborne as it drove through a trench.  When it landed, the SUV came to a stop, appearing to be stuck in a ditch on the roadside.

     Two BPAs exited their vehicles, proceeding to the front doors on either side of the SUV. When the passenger refused to exit the vehicle, the agent opened the door and attempted to remove him. During this altercation, Sparks, who had still not turned off the SUV, slammed the car into reverse, causing the open passenger door to trap and drag one of the agents underneath the door of the SUV.  While the agent was trapped under the door, the passenger climbed back into the SUV and, after the agent freed himself, shut the passenger’s door.  Afterward, Sparks successfully negotiated the vehicle back onto Highway 92 traveling east. Agents located the SUV the following day, still containing the bundles of marijuana.  The driver of the SUV was later identified as Katherine Rose Sparks. 

     The injured agent was transported to Canyon Vista Medical Center in Sierra Vista, Ariz. for medical treatment.  The injuries to his knee were substantial and resulted in significant surgery. 

     The investigation in this case was conducted by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Sierra Vista. The prosecution was handled by Erica L. Seger, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-17-00478-TUC         

RELEASE NUMBER:    2017-012_Sparks

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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.

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FBI and Cincinnati Police Department Announce Reward in Local Hate Crime Investigation

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

Headline: FBI and Cincinnati Police Department Announce Reward in Local Hate Crime Investigation

At approximately 4:20 a.m. on Thursday, May 4, 2017, a maroon and tan Ford Explorer owned by a person of Middle Eastern descent was badly damaged and vandalized with graffiti while parked off Gracely Drive in Sayler Park, Ohio. A number of windows were broken out of the vehicle and the tires were slashed. Swastika symbols and other marks were scratched into the paint. In addition, several phrases were spray-painted inside and outside the vehicle, including “Go Home,” “Musslim [sic] Terrorist,” “Trump America,” and other words and symbols.

A single subject was recorded on surveillance video during the incident. The person appeared to be wearing a light-colored hooded sweatshirt and dark pants. The individual also appeared to be right-handed.

Anyone with information about this suspected hate crime is asked to contact the FBI at (513) 979-8333 or provide information online at tips.fbi.gov.

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FBI Media Alert: Isleta Homicide Investigation

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

Headline: FBI Media Alert: Isleta Homicide Investigation

The FBI and Isleta Police Department are investigating a homicide that occurred on the Isleta Pueblo on Tuesday night, February 6, 2018.

An adult male with multiple gunshot wounds was found deceased in a residence. Another male nearby with a gunshot wound was taken to a local hospital and is being treated.

No arrests have been made. Identities are not being released at this time.

Anyone with information is asked to call the FBI (505) 889-1300.