FBI Top Ten Stories w/e 23 July 2010

FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending July 23, 2010




San Diego: Forty-Three Defendants with Ties to a Drug Cartel in Mexico Charged with Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organization Conspiracy



Members and associates of the Fernando Sanchez Organization, an offshoot of the Arlellano-Feliz drug-trafficking cartel were charged with participating in a federal racketeering (RICO) conspiracy. The RICO conspiracy involves the commission of both state and federal crimes, including murder, kidnapping, robbery, drug trafficking and money laundering offenses. Full Story

Anchorage: Alaska Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in Domestic Terrorism Investigation



Paul Gene Rockwood, Jr. pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI in a domestic terrorism investigation. Rockwood’s spouse, Nadia Piroska Maria Rockwood, also pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI in connection to her husband’s investigation. Full Story

Washington Field: Virginia Man Accused of Providing Material Support to Terrorists



Zachary Adam Chesser was arrested for providing support to al Shabaab, a designated foreign terrorist organization. The U.S. Department of State designated al Shabaab as a foreign terrorist organization in 2008, describing it as a violent and brutal extremist group based in Somalia with a number of individuals affiliated with al Qaeda. This designation prohibits providing material support or resources to al Shabaab. Full Story

New York: Top FARC Commander Sentenced to 27 Years in Prison for Conspiring to Import Tons of Cocaine into the United States



Gerardo Aguilar Ramirez, a former front commander in the Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia/FARC), was sentenced to 27 years in prison for conspiring to import ton-quantities of cocaine into the United States. Full Story

Baltimore: Beltsville Leader in Mortgage Fraud Scheme Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison Timothy Reed was sentenced to 51 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release for mail fraud arising from the fraudulent purchase of 25 properties in Maryland. He was also ordered to pay $4,196,967 in restitution. Full Story

Houston: Former Department of State Employee Charged with Defrauding the United States and Iraq in Connection with a $147,000 Fraud Scheme



Robert D. Hearn, a former Department of State employee, was charged for his alleged role in a $147,000 wire fraud scheme involving the conversion of government-owned property for his use to defraud the United States and Iraq. Full Story

Detroit: Texas Man Pleads Guilty in Murder-for-Hire of Troy Couple



Douglas Tobar pled guilty in the murder-for-hire of a Michigan couple. Tobar and co-defendant Narayan Thadani arranged for Miguel Servando and Nelson Mendoza to travel from Texas to Michigan with the intent to murder Aasha and Brij Chhadbra. Full Story

Detroit: Two Charged in Conspiracy to Steal GM Trade Secrets



Yu Chin and his wife, Shanshan Du, were charged in a seven-count indictment with conspiracy to possess trade secrets without authorization, unauthorized possession of trade secrets, and wire fraud. The defendants conspired to possess trade secret information of General Motors Company relating to hybrid vehicles. Full Story

Birmingham: Army Space and Missile Defense Command Engineer Pleads Guilty to Accepting Bribes



A Scottsboro man pled guilty in federal court to accepting bribes when he worked as an engineer with the U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command in Huntsville, and to evading payment of taxes on the bribery income. Full Story

El Paso: Midland Businessman Pleads Guilty to Illegal Currency Structuring



A proprietor of Hector’s Pipe Company of Midland, Hector Jesus Garcia-Ponce, faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a maximum $250,000 fine after pleading guilty to charges that he illegally structured cash withdrawals to avoid reporting requirements for cash transactions exceeding $10,000. Full Story