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

            WASHINGTON – A Maine man pleaded guilty today to assaulting law enforcement during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 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.

            Matthew Brackley, 40, of Waldoboro, Maine, pleaded guilty in the District of Columbia to one count of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers. U.S. District Court Judge Carl J. Nichols will sentence Brackley on May 14, 2024. 

            According to court documents, Brackley flew from Portland, Maine, to Washington, D.C., to attend the Stop the Steal rally on the National Mall and afterward made his way to the U.S. Capitol building, arriving on the Capitol’s West lawn at about 1:40 pm, where a large crowd was already gathered. Brackley stood in the crowd near the Lower West Terrace, where he observed rows of bike rack barricades and uniformed police officers preventing people from advancing towards the Capitol.

            Brackley then approached a set of stairs underneath a scaffolding erected to construct the Inaugural stage. Other rioters had climbed onto the scaffolding and tore up the white tarp covering it, giving Brackley and others better access to the stairs. Brackley and other rioters then flooded up the stairs and advanced towards the Capitol building. Brackley entered the U.S. Capitol via the Senate Wing Door at 2:23 pm. From there, he made his way to the Crypt, where a large group of rioters had filled the room and pushed against a line of U.S. Capitol Police (USCP) Officers. The rioters in the Crypt eventually overwhelmed the line of USCP officers, gaining further access to the Capitol. Brackley and several dozen rioters entered a hallway behind the Crypt where USCP officers again stopped them; however, they moved past these officers and continued down the hall.

            Brackley traveled through the Rotunda and eventually made his way to the Senate Chamber, which had been evacuated several minutes earlier. Here, Brackley and others were stopped by USCP officers. Two of these officers told Brackley to “back up,” and one officer gave him a small push backward. Brackley, however, did not retreat and asked where Pelosi’s office was as others behind him shouted obscenities. After about 40 seconds of conversation with the officers, Brackley turned to the crowd behind him and shouted, “Let’s go!” He then leaned forward and, with both elbows extended outward, pushed through the two officers, leading the crowd behind him further into the hallway towards the Senate Chamber.

            Brackley’s progress was stopped when a larger group of officers dressed in riot gear entered the hallway from the opposite end and halted the crowd. A police line formed as the rioters pushed against the officers, who tried to back the crowd away from the Senate Chamber. A standstill then ensued between the rioters and USCP officers in the hallway, and Brackley stood among the crowd as others shouted expletives directed at Members of Congress, including “F— McConnell.” The rioters then resumed pushing against the USCP police officers while chanting “USA.”

            An officer then deployed chemical spray in the hallway, causing Brackley and other rioters to retreat. Brackley exited the Capitol through the South Door at 3:05 pm, over 40 minutes after first entering the building.

            FBI agents arrested Brackley on July 21, 2023, in Maine.

            This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine.

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Boston and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

            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 (b)

LOS ANGELES – A Long Beach man was sentenced today to life plus an additional 30 years in federal prison for building and planting a package bomb that detonated inside an Aliso Viejo day spa in May 2018, killing his ex-girlfriend, severely injuring two spa clients, and causing significant damage to a commercial office building.

Stephen William Beal, 64, was sentenced by United States District Judge Josephine L. Staton, who said at today’s hearing, “The cold, calculated nature of this crime is chilling.”

At the conclusion of a four-week trial, a federal jury in July 2023 found Beal guilty of four felonies: use of a weapon of mass destruction resulting in death, malicious destruction of a building resulting in death, use of a destructive device during and in relation to a crime of violence, and possession of an unregistered destructive device.

Judge Staton sentenced Beal to life imprisonment on the first two counts, a consecutive 30-year prison sentence on the third count, and a 10-year concurrent sentence on the fourth count.

“Mr. Beal callously murdered a loving mother, maimed two other victims, and put at risk many others in the vicinity, including children and teachers at a nearby preschool,” said United States Attorney Martin Estrada. “Mr. Beal’s wanton disregard for the lives of others warranted the severe sentence that the court imposed, which should send a clear message that our community will not tolerate such acts of violence.  We send our prayers to the victims and our heartfelt thanks to the first responders and investigators whose tireless work uncovered Mr. Beal’s dastardly crime.”     

“In addition to the cruel and senseless murder of Ildiko Krajnyak, Stephen Beal severely injured two victims and terrorized the Aliso Viejo community and beyond,” said Donald Alway, the Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office. “We are gratified that Beal will spend the rest of his life in prison where he will no longer be in a position to indiscriminately harm others, nor torment the survivors of his crime. This case brought together many who shared a commitment to finding the truth, including tenacious investigators at multiple agencies, forensic teams that sifted through and analyzed a massive debris field following the attack, and dedicated prosecutors. Today is the culmination of five years of collaboration, and a day to honor the victims.”

“It took extreme commitment and dedication by our personnel and federal partners to ensure justice was realized for the victims and their families, and I am grateful to see a conclusion for this horrific act of violence,” said Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes. “We must never forget Ms. Krajnyak’s family and the two surviving victims who will forever navigate life bearing the pain of that day. I hope today’s sentencing provides them some semblance of comfort.”

The bomb exploded at a commercial office building in Aliso Viejo at approximately 1:05 p.m. on May 15, 2018. The explosion instantly killed 48-year-old Ildiko Krajnyak – who owned Magyar Kozmetika, a day spa located in the office building – and permanently injured two of her clients: a mother and her daughter.

One of the surviving victims testified at trial that she saw Krajnyak standing behind her desk opening a cardboard box immediately before the explosion. The surviving victim pulled her mother from the rubble, and together they escaped the burning building through a blown-out wall. The survivors suffered second- and third-degree burns, and one lost an eye.

“There is no question that these injuries caused both excruciating pain and suffering,” prosecutors wrote in a sentencing memorandum.

During a search of Beal’s residence after the explosion, law enforcement found more than 130 pounds of explosive precursor chemicals and completed explosive mixtures, as well as electric matches and wires. Beal had years of experience building high-powered model rockets and homemade pyrotechnics, and laboratory testing determined that the explosive mixture Beal used in the bomb contained the same chemical he had at his home.

The FBI’s Evidence Response Team spent more than two weeks collecting and processing evidence from the scene of the bombing. The FBI recovered parts of a 9-volt battery and wire fragments that were embedded in the ceiling above the blast site. The wires used in the bomb’s fusing system were of the same unique type as electric matches and wires found at Beal’s home.

Beal purchased the remaining items he needed to complete the bomb just days before the bombing. Store security camera footage showed Beal using cash to buy a single 9-volt battery six days before the bombing. Beal also purchased three cardboard boxes that matched the size and shape of the box the surviving victim testified Krajnyak opened when the bomb exploded.

Beal kept tabs on Krajnyak before the bombing, checking her online schedule application and social media account. Security camera footage and cellular locational data showed that Beal, who had a key to the business, visited the spa on multiple occasions before the bombing while Krajnyak was out of the country. Beal left the package bomb for Krajnyak to open upon her return.

Judge Staton scheduled an April 12 hearing to determine how much restitution Beal should be ordered to pay victims of the bombing.

In a separate case, Beal is scheduled to be sentenced on February 23 after pleading guilty in November 2023 to wire fraud, Social Security fraud, and concealment of bankruptcy assets. Beal failed to report in a bankruptcy proceeding $350,000 he received from his late wife’s estate. He also schemed to fraudulently obtain insurance benefits and Social Security payments, resulting in his receipt of more than $1.3 million in fraudulent disability payments.

The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, and the Orange County Fire Authority were the primary investigative agencies in this matter. Task Force members who participated in the investigation included IRS Criminal Investigation; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Homeland Security Investigations; the Los Angeles Police Department; the Irvine Police Department; the Anaheim Police Department; and the Orange County Fire Authority. The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the California Highway Patrol, the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, the Santa Ana Police Department, the Newport Beach Police Department, and the Orange County Intelligence Assessment Center provided assistance.

The Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section, the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the FBI Legal Attaché in Thailand, the United States Department of State, and the U.S. Consulate in Vietnam provided valuable assistance. United States Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations provided substantial assistance.

Assistant United States Attorneys Mark Takla, Annamartine Salick, Solomon Kim and Sarah Gerdes, all of the Terrorism and Export Crimes Section, prosecuted this case.

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

LOS ANGELES – A Texas man pleaded guilty today to kidnapping a 13-year-old girl at gunpoint last year in San Antonio, admitting that he drove her to California, threatened her with a firearm, and sexually assaulted her multiple times before his arrest in Long Beach.

Steven Robert Sablan, 62, of Cleburne, Texas, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping. Sablan has been in federal custody since July 2023.

According to his plea agreement, on July 6, 2023, in San Antonio, Sablan abducted the victim, held her, and transported her in his gray Nissan Sentra to Long Beach, California. The victim told Sablan she was 13 years old. During this ordeal, Sablan used a firearm to threaten and control the victim.

Sablan confined the victim until she was rescued on July 9, 2023, in Long Beach after a Good Samaritan called 911 after seeing her holding a “Help Me” sign in the window of Sablan’s car.

Sablan admitted in his plea agreement that during the Texas-to-California journey, he sexually assaulted the victim. At the time of the crime, Sablan had no legal custody or familial relationship to the victim.

United States District Judge Fernando L. Aenlle-Rocha scheduled an October 25 sentencing hearing, at which time Sablan will face a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in federal prison and a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

The FBI and the Long Beach Police Department investigated this matter. The Cleburne (Texas) Police Department provided assistance.

Assistant United States Attorney Chelsea Norell of the Violent and Organized Crime Section is prosecuting this case.

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

           WASHINGTON – A Virginia man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges related to his conduct during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. 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.

           John Michael Livingston, 51, of Midlothian, Virginia, is charged in an indictment filed in the District of Columbia with a felony offense of obstruction of an official proceeding and misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; disorderly or disruptive conduct in any restricted building or grounds; disorderly or disruptive conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

           Livingston was arrested today by the FBI in Virginia and will make his initial appearance in the Eastern District of Virginia.

           This case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justice National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia. 

           This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Richmond and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In the 36 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,265 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 440 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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

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

El Paso, TX – U.S. Army Joint Task Force-North and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) El Paso donated 15 pallets of personal protective equipment (PPE) to the Chihuahua State Attorney General’s Office, Chihuahua State Police, and Ciudad Juarez Municipal Police.  The equipment, consisting of coveralls, heavy-duty rubber gloves, heavy-duty steel toe rubber boots, and respirator filters, assists Mexican law enforcement to respond to and disrupt drug laboratories manufacturing crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl.

Exposure to these illicitly manufactured synthetic drugs can pose a significant health risk to first responders, and the provided equipment protects officers when assisting the public and when investigating a crime scene.

Eric S. Cohan, U.S. Consul General in Ciudad Juarez, marked the donation by underscoring the importance of collaboration in countering these dangerous drugs:  “This equipment will increase the Mexican authorities’ level of preparedness.  Illicitly manufactured synthetic drugs threaten the safety and well-being of people on both sides of the border.  By working together, we can tackle this issue more effectively.”

The initiative aligns with the goals of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, established in July 2023, which aims to strengthen the coordinated global response to the public health and safety challenges posed by synthetic drugs.  It fosters international cooperation to drive comprehensive, balanced, evidence-based, and effective actions at both national and international levels, in accordance with applicable international law.

To learn more about the participating countries of the Global Coalition to Address Synthetic Drug Threats, please visit this link.

The United States government remains committed to supporting bilateral efforts in combating the threat of synthetic drugs and ensuring the security of our communities.

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

Orlando, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces that Angel Ruben Hernandez, Jr. (75, Altamonte Springs) has pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to record required information about firearms purchases. Hernandez faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison for each count. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

According to the plea agreement, Hernandez was an owner and responsible party for Arms Hill LLC, a federally licensed firearms dealer (FFL or Federal Firearms Licensee) from 2019 through 2023. In 2022, the FBI obtained information that Hernandez was supplying firearms to an individual who was unlawfully selling them to drug dealers and convicted felons and that Hernandez was falsifying paperwork in connection with supplying those firearms. FFL dealers who operate within the law require purchasers to complete specific forms (ATF Form 4473) and answer numerous questions about the buyer’s background and eligibility to purchase firearms. Firearms that are sold without a Form 4473 indicating the true purchaser are more valuable on the black market because they provide an avenue for otherwise prohibited persons to acquire firearms.

Beginning in April 2023, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), through a cooperating source, conducted a series of undercover purchases from Hernandez. On April 20 and 24, 2023, and again on May 1, 2023, Hernandez sold nine firearms to the ATF’s source. Hernandez charged above-market prices for the firearms while also creating false ATF Form 4473 forms documenting fake sales to Hernandez’s relatives. On May 19, 2023, during the execution of a search warrant, ATF agents found pre-filled ATF 4473 forms with information from Hernandez’s relatives that had been pre-populated and prepared for future fake sales. Hernandez’s FFL records indicate that nearly a quarter of his sales as an FFL from 2019-2023, including more than 260 firearms, were recorded as though they were sold to his relatives. 

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Apopka Police Department, and the Altamonte Springs Police Department. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Dana E. Hill and Noah Dorman.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.

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

Orlando, Florida – U.S. District Judge Roy B. Dalton has sentenced Moad Mohamed Benkabbou (23, Kissimmee) to six years in federal prison for making false statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in an interview relating to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization. Benkabbou had pleaded guilty on May 5, 2023.

According to Benkabbou’s plea agreement and evidence previously admitted during a hearing, Benkabbou swore an oath to support ISIS in January 2020, made plans to travel to Turkey and Syria to fight for ISIS, sent money to support ISIS, purchased airplane tickets in August 2020 and January 2021 (later cancelled both tickets), and sent ISIS propaganda videos to others, including ISIS sponsored videos showing the executions (by gunshot and beheading) of American allies fighting against ISIS.  Benkabbou also sent a photo of himself dressed as an ISIS fighter with the statement, “Hey Crusaders hey Jews die within your rage.” When interviewed on two occasions by FBI in relation to these activities, Benkabbou lied about his involvement with and support of ISIS.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Shawn P. Napier and Kara M. Wick.

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

Tampa, Florida – United States Attorney Roger B. Handberg announces the return of an indictment charging Alexander Lightner (26, Venice, FL) with interstate transmission of a threat to injure and unlawful possession of a silencer. If convicted on all counts, Lightner faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison. 

According to court filings, on December 29, 2023, Lightner made the following threats on an internet messaging platform indicating his intention to carry out a mass shooting: “2024 there shall be saints u fuq”; “Highscore shall be defeated”; “I’ll delete this, but I say to you there is no surrender only death. Only purpose”; “When my @ says last seen a week ago remove me from everything.”; “It’s called a .308 black tip.”; and “Those that know me know. It’s over, you have not seen the wrath of the Aryan that has no purpose left.” In the racially or ethnically motivated violent extremist (“RMVE”) community, a “saint” is an individual who commits an act of mass violence in furtherance of RMVE ideology, and the term “high score” refers to the death toll amassed by an attacker, or saint, who commits an act of mass violence.

Federal law enforcement subsequently executed a search warrant at Lightner’s residence. During the search, agents recovered an unregistered firearm silencer, ammunition, and multiple firearms from Lightner’s bedroom. 

An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed one or more violations of federal criminal law, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless, and until, proven guilty.

This case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, with valuable assistance from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Sarasota Police Department, and the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. It will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lindsey Schmidt.