True Detective

Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.

Wednesday 31 December 2008

The Defense Department says Alberto Espinoza Barron was arrested in the Pacific coast state of Michoacan on Monday.Mexican soldiers have captured an alleged high-ranking member of a drug gang known as "The Family."A Defense statement alleges he was in charge of U.S.-bound cocaine shipments arriving at the state's Lazaro Cardenas port from South America.He is also accused of bribing police, extorting businesses and ordering kidnappings and killings.Mexico's Attorney General's office was interrogating him Wednesday.Drug-related murders have nearly doubled this year to 5,300, federal officials say, despite a government crackdown on organized crime.

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Griselda Blanco, The Godmother

Tuesday 30 December 2008

Griselda Blanco, aka the Black Widow. Griselda was the grande dame of the Miami cocaine business, a Colombian mother of three, of impoverished origins, who slaughtered and intimidated her way to the top of a billion-dollar industry.

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Hector Portillo, a member of the international MS-13 street gang, and seven others were charged in New York City with multiple crimes

Monday 29 December 2008

Hector Portillo, a member of the international MS-13 street gang, and seven others were charged in New York City with multiple crimes, including 29 counts of murder, attempted murder, assault, racketeering, and illegal use of firearms. The charges were announced by Benton J. Campbell, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York; Peter J. Smith, special agent in charge of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) office of investigations in New York City; Richard A. Brown, Queens Country District Attorney, and Raymond W. Kelly, Commissioner, New York City Police Department.The indictment alleges that on December 24, 2006 three of the defendants, Hector Portillo, Javier Irheta and Luis Bonilla, murdered 15 year-old Pashad Gray in the Flushing section of Queens County.Beginning in 1998, the defendants served as members and associates of MS-13, also known as “La Mara Salvatrucha,” and engaged in a series of violent crimes in Jamaica and Flushing, New York, including conspiracy to murder and assault members of rival gangs, such as the Crips, the Bloods, and the Latin Kings. During one particularly violent 13 month period, the defendants allegedly assaulted or attempted to murder seven victims by stabbing and shooting.Portillo, who was previously charged with racketeering and murder conspiracy, is now charged with a pattern of violent attacks, including, in addition to the Pashad Gray murder, the non-fatal shooting of a teenager on February 17, 2006, and the stabbing and beating of two teenagers in August 2006.“The indictment of this dangerous MS-13 gang member is a positive step toward ridding our communities of the violent transnational street gangs that have instilled fear in our citizens and taken our communities hostage for far too long,” stated ICE Special Agent-in-Charge Smith. “Through Operation Community Shield, ICE and its law enforcement partners will continue to conduct aggressive enforcement actions against members and associates of violent street gangs like MS-13.”“The defendants have spread fear in our community through wanton violence, including shooting, stabbing, and beating their victims,” stated United States Attorney Campbell. “Today’s charges reflect our unwavering commitment to bring members and associates of violent street gangs to justice.” Mr. Campbell thanked the New York City Department of Probation for its assistance.Queens County District Attorney Brown stated, “Rivalries among criminal street gangs all too often turn neighborhoods into urban battlefields with innocent victims being caught in the crossfire. Only through the joint and committed efforts of law enforcement on all levels of government can we reduce gang-related violence and reclaim our streets for law-abiding residents.”NYPD Commissioner Kelly stated, “New York City has not experienced the explosion in gang violence experienced elsewhere, in part, because of continued, successful crime suppression and arrests by the NYPD with support from our federal partners.”If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences of life imprisonment.The MS-13 is comprised primarily of immigrants from El Salvador, Honduras, and Guatemala, many of whom are in the United States illegally. With hundreds of members locally, it is the largest street gang on Long Island and has a major presence in Queens, New York. Over the past four years, the coordinated efforts of United States Attorney’s Office, ICE, the NYPD, and the Queens District Attorney’s Office have resulted in felony convictions of nearly two dozen New York City members of the MS-13.

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Daniel Russel Cook Mackenzie,Catrina Ann Luke,jointly charged with conspiracy to supply the class A drug heroin

Daniel Russel Cook Mackenzie, aged 37, of 11 College Park, Neyland; 24-year-old Catrina Ann Luke, of Blaen Cwm, Little Newcastle; David John Freelove, aged 39, of flat 2, 18-20 Hill Street, Haverfordwest and 32-year-old Ian Stuart Wilkins of 2 Curlew Close, Haverfordwest, are listed to appear in front of Judge Gerald Price QC.jointly charged with conspiracy to supply the class A drug heroin, are due to appear at Swansea crown court today (Monday). The four first appeared in front of Haverfordwest magistrates on Thursday 18th December, none were asked to enter a plea and all were released on bail. Because of the seriousness of the charge the case was committed to Swansea crown court.

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Randall Dunn Jr., was charged with felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent

Saturday 27 December 2008

Randall Dunn Jr., 24, of the 100 block of Yarbro Road in Kings Mountain, was stopped after leaving a home on the 600 block of Scruggs Street in Gastonia Friday night. A magistrate's order and affidavit state that Gastonia Police Officer M.S. Willis asked him to take his hands out of his pockets and asked Dunn if he could pat him down.Dunn gave the officer permission to search him, the affidavit states. Willis allegedly found a set of digital scales, a glass pipe and a marijuana pipe. The scales had white residue which tested positive for cocaine, according to the affidavit.Willis arrested Dunn and placed him in his patrol car. He returned to the spot where Dunn was standing and found two large rocks of crack cocaine weighing a total of six grams, the affidavit states.Dunn was charged with felony possession of cocaine, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession with intent to sell/deliver cocaine. He was booked in the Gaston County Jail under a $30,000 secured bond.

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Dustin A. Brahmer,was arrested for possessing 3.5 grams of cocaine.

Dustin A. Brahmer, 19, was arrested in a parking lot Thursday at 12:45 a.m. near the 300 block of Cottage Grove Road for possessing 3.5 grams of cocaine.An officer conducted surveillance of a parked vehicle in a remote parking lot that had several occupants. The officer witnessed behaviors consistent with drug activity, and when the driver of the vehicle left the parking lot, the officer stopped the vehicle a short time later for running a red light and speeding.Brahmer told the officer he had been visiting his mother's house and "didn't stop anywhere else," but prior to the arrest, the officer had seen the vehicle -- a 1999 Honda -- leave a bar Wednesday night.Brahmer was arrested for the possession charge, but told police he bought the cocaine for a friend.

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Drug Task Force searched ahome at 321 Squire Pope Road on Hilton Head Island following a several week investigation

Drug Task Force searched ahome at 321 Squire Pope Road on Hilton Head Island following a several week investigation involving Henry White, also known as “Hersey.” Officers searched the property and seized about 30 grams of crack cocaine.Other people were also found to have drugs on them and several had outstanding warrants, the sheriff’s office said. DTF members seized more than $2,150, 61 tablets of a controlled drug, five grams of cocaine, and six grams of marijuana, a .357 Taurus handgun and 30 grams of crack cocaine.
Those charged from the two-day operation included:

Henry White, 63, of 321 Squire Pope Road, Hilton Head Island, was charged with trafficking crack cocaine, four counts of sale and distribution of crack cocaine, possession of a firearm during the commission of aviolent crime, possession with intent to distribute methadone. William Stewart, 46, of 180 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head, was charged with possession of cocaine and simple possession of marijuana. Jeffrey Mitchell, 48, of 12 Goethe Road, Bluffton, was charged with violating the open container law and was served an outstanding bench warrant. Michelle Lee Smith, 27, of 12 Bush Lane, Bluffton, was charged with violating the open container law and was served two outstanding bench warrants. Morris Fitzgerald Stewart, 25, of 8A Bridge Point Apartments, Bluffton, was charged with simple possession of marijuana and giving false information to a police officer. • Jesse Clarence Jackson, 52, of 112 William Hilton Parkway, Hilton Head, was served a municipal bench warrant.
Kenneth Wing, 50, of 1803 Morris St., Beaufort, was charged with three counts of the sale and distribution of cocaine, three counts of the sale and distribution of Cocaine within ahalf mile of a school, possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine within a half mile of a school and possession with intent to distribute marijuana.

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Cedric Levon Simmons was charged with trafficking marijuana.

Drug money and a gun were seized this week following the arrests of eight people, according to the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
The first arrest was made on Monday in Seabrook when Drug Task Force members seized 10 pounds of marijuana. The pot, which was shipped from Texas, was delivered to Cedric Levon Simmons’ house on Span Circle. When the 27year-old man signed off on the delivery, he was arrested, police said. Simmons was charged with trafficking marijuana.

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Kyle Parvez shot a member of a rival gang from close range in the neck

Friday 26 December 2008

Kyle Parvez shot a member of a rival gang from close range in the neck will serve a minimum of 10 years behind bars. And the judge who sentenced Kyle Parvez to an open ended jail sentence said his response to almost killing his victim Dilbag Singh was "chilling." Judge Stuart Baker told Parvez: "You seem to be unconcerned for your victim. "Your response to what you have done is in my view chilling, you are a dangerous offender." The judge told Parvez, convicted by a jury last month of attempting to murder Mr Singh in April and possessing a firearm with intent to commit the crime, that he was passing an indeterminate sentence for the protection of the public. He will only be released when assessed by the Parole Board as no longer a danger and will serve 10 years minus time spent on remand before becoming eligible. Parvaz, 21, of Arnhem Road, Callon, showed no emotion as he was led to the cells. He had denied both offences but was convicted by a jury following a trial at Preston Crown Court. Judge Baker warned that evidence from the trial suggested that at the time groups of young men involved in gangs from Deepdale and Fishwick were "prepared to use firearms to settle differences." And he said the courts would pass heavy deterrent sentences. Parvez had armed himself with a sawn-off shotgun which was a weapon used by criminals for one purpose - to kill or maim, said the judge. The jury had found he had intended to kill Dilbag Singh and he shot him at close range, from between nine and 12 feet away on St Paul's Road, Deepdale. Mr Singh, 26, was hit by 56 pellets in the neck and body but survived following emergency surgery. He gave evidence to the trial but it was revealed in court he had subsequently been arrested and has been interviewed on suspicion of attempting to pervert the course of justice. The trial heard that the shooting came in the wake of an earlier abduction of a man during growing tensions between groups from Deepdale and Fishwick with drug dealing backgrounds. Zainul James, 18, of no fixed abode, was cleared on the judge's direction of charges of attempted murder and possession of the firearm with intent but convicted on a charge of aggravated arson in relation to a car in which they travelled to the scene. He set it alight on Manor House Lane and the judge said innocent members of the public could have been injured by this reckless action. Judge Baker sentenced James to five years in a young offenders' institution.

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Mahendrapaul Doodnauth, 45, of Seguin Court in Toronto, is charged with importing cocaine

Mahendrapaul Doodnauth, 45, of Seguin Court in Toronto, is charged with importing cocaine, conspiracy to import cocaine and possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking. Bottles of bright orange hot sauce had an unusual travel companion on the freighter bringing them here from Guyana recently.Packets of cocaine worth a total of $40 million were taped to cardboard dividers in boxes of the sauce destined for a food distribution company in Etobicoke. The shipment – one of the largest drug busts in Ontario history – was seized two weeks ago in Saint John, N.B., police said yesterday.The hiding method was "very ingenious," said Det. Sgt. Mario Lessard of Durham Region police. "I've never seen it before."The 276-kilogram seizure of high-quality cocaine followed a year-long investigation into the source of drugs found on street gang members and drug users.Insp. Tom Cameron told reporters that police became aware last spring of a suspect who was "at or near the top" of a drug-smuggling operation, but didn't have enough evidence to charge anyone else.Border guards discovered the cocaine while inspecting shipping containers on a freighter Dec. 8. Agents found drugs in 551 of the 1,250 boxes of sauce and seasoning.

All but two kilograms were removed before the shipment was sent on to Caribbean International Food Distributors at 127 Westmore Dr., near Finch Ave. W. and Highway 27, police said. A man was arrested last Friday after unloading all 1,250 boxes at a rented storage facility.
The investigation and bust were Durham's largest, said Chief Mike Ewles, crediting his officers and assistance from the RCMP and Canada Border Services Agency."Cocaine is a highly addictive poison that tears families apart. It is often the root cause of many crimes, especially at the street level," Ewles said, adding it also "supports criminal gangs and wreaks havoc in our communities, with associated turf wars and killings."The drugs were bound for the GTA and beyond, police said.

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Jeremy Lee Huggins, 24, and Paula Renee Huggins, 28, arrested and charged with possession of cocaine

Thursday 25 December 2008


The deputies noticed the vehicle broken down on the side of the road at Northchase Parkway and North College Road, according to Deputy C.G. Smith, spokesman for the county sheriff’s office. When the deputies went to help, they reportedly found more than a mechanical problem, and arrested and charged both people in the vehicle with possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.The people charged have been identified as Jeremy Lee Huggins, 24, and Paula Renee Huggins, 28, both of Rocky Point. They were released after posting a $15,000 unsecured bond, Smith said.

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Brenda Pinette facing charges of conveying an unauthorized item into a correctional facility

Brenda Pinette of Bristol, is facing charges of conveying an unauthorized item into a correctional facility and making a false statement to police. Court records show state police were sent to the MacDougall-Walker Correctional Institute in Enfield on May 9 to investigate a suspicious package that was mailed to inmate Kevin Pinette. Inside, police say they found two envelopes containing Mother's Day cards and white powder wrapped in plastic wrap. The powder later tested positive for cocaine.
Brenda Pinette initially told police the powder came from two crushed-up pain pills.
She's scheduled to appear in court again on Jan. 5

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Terrence Ford, 35; Keith Warren, 31; and Kevin Warren, 27, were held late Wednesday on charges of possession of cocaine

Three men were arrested Tuesday in what may be the biggest drug bust in Bell County history.Officers found more than 3 kilograms of powder cocaine and 80 grams of crack cocaine in two town homes in the 3700 block of YS Pak Court in Killeen, said Killeen police spokeswoman Carroll Smith.The estimated street value is about $1.2 million, Smith said.Terrence Ford, 35; Keith Warren, 31; and Kevin Warren, 27, were held late Wednesday on charges of possession of cocaine, more than 400 grams with intent to deliver, Smith said. They remained at the Bell County Jail in lieu of a $300,000 bond each, she said.

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Steven Peter Hipwell, 32, was arrested by Cherng Talay Police on December 22 at 4.30 pm allegedly in possession of two bags of cocaine



Steven Peter Hipwell, 32, was arrested by Cherng Talay Police on December 22 at 4.30 pm allegedly in possession of two bags of cocaine totaling 0.6 and 0.7 grams.
His arrest came in a sting operation involving another Englishman ,who had been arrested on drug charges by police in Patong days earlier.Police alleged that David Pet had been caught with cocaine on Nanai Road, and while being held he told police that Hipwell had sold him the drugs.Police then arranged a sting and raid on Hipwell's house, where David ''bought'' the cocaine while police waited outside.Police searched Hipwell's home. Officers said they found another small packet of cocaine in a money jar.Hipwell is being held in Phuket jail while the court considers bail.Both Pet and Hipwell were living and working in Phuket, police say

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Franklin Payano, of Hollywood, Fla., and Luis Payano, of the Bronx, N.Y., were each charged with nine drug counts.

Acting on information received by the federal Drug Enforcement Administration in Hartford, police staked out a parking lot at 262 Spencer St. They arrested Franklin Payano, 33, and Luis Payano, 41, and seized 5 kilograms of cocaine. Police said the cocaine had a wholesale value of $200,000 and a street value of approximately $1 million.Both men were arrested without incident and were held, with bail set at $1.5 million each. Franklin Payano, of Hollywood, Fla., and Luis Payano, of the Bronx, N.Y., were each charged with nine drug counts.Members of the DEA Task Force, the East Central Narcotics Task Force and Manchester and New Britain police departments participated in the investigation.

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Darryl E. Erskine,charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance

Darryl E. Erskine, of Story Avenue in the Bronx, was charged with one count of third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance, a class B felony. The charge was a result of an ongoing joint investigation by the state police Community Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Ithaca Police Department Special Investigations Unit into alleged trafficking in Ithaca and Tompkins County.A search warrant was sought after a vehicle Erskine was driving was stopped on I-81 in Broome County. Police said approximately one ounce of individually packaged crack cocaine was in the vehicle.As part of the search warrant, an apartment on George Road in the Town of Dryden was also searched, according to Ithaca police.Erskine was arraigned in Broome County and held at the Broome County jail with no bail.

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Sherry Johnston repeatedly sold OxyContin using text messages to direct customers to department store parking lots where they paid and she delivered.

Sherry Johnston repeatedly sold OxyContin using text messages to direct customers to department store parking lots where they paid and she delivered. But in one message, according to the affidavit, Johnston complained that unusual media and other public attention was cramping her business:

"Hey, my phones are tapped and reporters and god knows who else is always following me and the family so no privacy," Johnston wrote in a text message to a customer.
Until her arrest,
Johnston, 42, was better known as the mother of Levi Johnston, the Wasilla teen who hit the headlines after Gov. Sarah Palin announced her daughter was pregnant and he was the father. Palin made the announcement when she was running for vice president on the Republican ticket with John McCain.

Johnston is charged with six counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance -- essentially sale and possession. The affidavit says she "did admit to selling her Oxycontin pills to (an informant)."The affidavit, dated Dec. 22, details how troopers used two informants to collect evidence that Johnston sold OxyContin on Oct. 11, Oct. 22 and Nov. 26. The informants had been arrested themselves on a drug charge and agreed to help trap Johnston. Trooper-supervised buys were set up by cell phone text messages and took place in Target and Fred Meyer parking lots. On each occasion, troopers charge, she got $800 for 10 pills. Troopers say that in the text messages, Johnston used the code words ''coffee'' and ''cup'' for OxyContin.
"... there's only so many times I can go for coffee a month. The rest of the time I need to have it at home!" read one message. Troopers said this meant Johnston was willing to sell only so many pills each month and the rest she would keep for her own use.The affidavit refers to Johnston being under Secret Service protection while dealing drugs, but that appears to be incorrect. Special Agent Darrin Blackford, spokesman for the Secret Service in Washington, D.C., said that only the governor and her immediate family were protected. Johnston was not under the agency's protection or surveillance, he said.Troopers later agreed that part of the affidavit was wrong. "Whenever she was in contact with Palin, that was probably the only time it came into play," said trooper spokeswoman Beth Ipsen.The affidavit does not explain where Johnston got the OxyContin, a popular painkiller that can only be bought legally with a prescription.Abuse of OxyContin, often called "hillbilly heroin" and a highly addictive drug, has been on the rise in the country and in Alaska in recent years, according to the federal Drug Enforcement Administration.
After her arrest, Johnston was released on bail.

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Jeffrey "Dahmer" Gray,sentenced to 40 years in prison

Tuesday 23 December 2008

Jeffrey "Dahmer" Gray, 30, was convicted by a jury following a six-day trial in May.
At trail and sentencing before District Judge Joseph J. Farnan Jr., Gray maintained his innocence.Assistant U.S. Attorney Ilana Eisenstein said Gray was a key cocaine distributor in the Wilmington area and was responsible for the sale of more than 50 kilograms of the drug in Delaware.She said trial testimony showed Gray lived a lavish lifestyle with luxury cars, high-stakes gambling and a pricey Rodney Square-area apartment with no legitimate source of income.According to attorneys, Gray was arrested following a fake drug sale set-up by an agent at the Airport Courtyard Marriott hotel in Pennsylvania on Oct.
30, 2006.Robert W. Shepherd III, a co-defendant, arrived to confirm he was making the buy of three kilos of cocaine but then said he had to leave to go get the money, according to Eisenstein.She said Shepherd then met Gray on South Street in Philadelphia and provided him with a wooden box filled with $60,000 in cash before driving him back to the hotel in a rented Scion.Gray then remained in the car while Shepherd went in to complete the sale, she said.When police moved in, after the fake sale was completed, Gray attempted to escape through the narrow parking lot, driving over landscaping, ramming his vehicle into a chain-link fence and leaping out of the car while it was still moving, to try to flee the scene on foot before being apprehended, according to prosecutors.When police searched the crashed car, they found a gun with a round in the chamber inside and DNA tests connected the gun to Gray and not the co-defendant, Eisenstein said.Gray’s attorney, Joseph A. Gabay, said his client denies being a part of a drug distribution conspiracy.He said Gray told the court that he had simply agreed to give Shepherd, a longtime friend, a ride to the hotel and had no idea a drug buy was going down. Gabay said the government’s case was largely circumstantial in that prosecutors did not tie him directly to the Shepherd’s drug operation, which shipped money to Texas and received drugs in return via Federal Express. “Mr. Gray wasn’t any part of that. He was never at a drop off,” Gabay said, adding only the words of Shepherd and another co-defendant tied him to the scheme.Gabay said Grey had a gun and fled from the scene because “he’d been shot at before” and didn’t know what was going on when he saw men with guns appear.Shepherd, who was the original focus of the government sting, reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and testified against Gray.Prosecutors said Farnan cited Gray’s extensive criminal history and the large volume of drugs involved in ordering Gray to serve 35 years on the drug charges and five additional years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm.U.S. Attorney Colm F. Connolly said the sentence "should send a message to those involved in the drug trade that they will face serious jail time when convicted in federal court."

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Arrested reputed Mafia member Mose Esposito

Police in Naples, Italy, Monday arrested reputed Mafia member Mose Esposito and said they were closing in on his boss, Giuseppe Setola.Esposito, 29, was arrested at a small villa near Casal di Principe, the base of an alleged murder squad run by the Camorra clan, reported ANSA, the Italian news agency.Esposito's step-brother, now in prison, is suspected in the September slaying of six West Africa immigrants in the town of Castel Volturno, ANSA said Monday. The slayings allegedly were organized by Setola, whose murder squad has killed an estimated 20 people since May, police allege."We are working to flush him out. The circle is closing around him," said Franco Roberti, who heads an anti-Mafia program in Naples.Setola inadvertently was released from prison last Spring on house arrest but immediately went underground and reformed his alleged murder squad, Roberti said.

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Dominique Tyrone Robinson faces one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance.

Dominique Tyrone Robinson guard at the Milwaukee County House of Corrections has been charged with dealing cocaine.
Twenty-seven-year-old Dominique Tyrone Robinson faces one count of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. According to a criminal complaint, a police informant bought cocaine from Robinson in December 2006 and again in January 2007. Authorities searched his home that month and discovered crack cocaine and a digital scale. They arrested him Dec. 16. Spokesman Bill Cosh of the state Justice Department, which led the investigation, declined comment on why Robinson wasn't arrested earlier. Online court records didn't include an attorney for Robinson.

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Khan Mohammed gets life in prison

Heroin dealer Khan Mohammed on Monday received two life sentences running concurrently from U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.In addition to selling drugs, federal prosecutors said Mohammed also was an arms trafficker who targeted Afghans and U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. He was held as an enemy combatant before he agreed in 2006 to face trial in the United States.A federal jury found Khan guilty of securing heroin and opium that he knew were bound for the United States and, in doing so, assisting terrorism activity.His conviction on narco-terrorism charges in May was the first under new narco-terrorism laws, the Justice Department said.

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Khan Mohammed gets life in prison

Heroin dealer Khan Mohammed on Monday received two life sentences running concurrently from U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.In addition to selling drugs, federal prosecutors said Mohammed also was an arms trafficker who targeted Afghans and U.S. personnel in Afghanistan. He was held as an enemy combatant before he agreed in 2006 to face trial in the United States.A federal jury found Khan guilty of securing heroin and opium that he knew were bound for the United States and, in doing so, assisting terrorism activity.His conviction on narco-terrorism charges in May was the first under new narco-terrorism laws, the Justice Department said.

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Infamous Shower Posse founder Vivian Blake is set to be released from prison in the United States and deported to Jamaica early next year.

Sunday 21 December 2008

Infamous Shower Posse founder Vivian Blake is set to be released from prison in the United States and deported to Jamaica early next year.Blake's pending release was announced on the BET programme, American Gangster, which aired on Thursday night.The programme looked at the rise and fall of the Shower Posse - a criminal organisation which has its roots in Tivoli Gardens and which established bases in several cities in the US, Canada and Britain.Blake was sentenced to 28 years in 2000 after he pleaded guilty to racketeering and criminal conspiracy. He never faced a jury after inking a plea bargain deal which resulted in the time he served while in Jamaica being used as part of his sentence.Blake spent five years fighting extradition to the US after the American Government accused him of ordering dozens of murders, drug trafficking and other serious crimes.The Shower Posse reigned terror on the streets of the US and its members are reported to have murdered over 1,400 persons in the United States.The group has been accused of funnelling huge amounts of cocaine into the United States and was said to use its profits to smuggle guns and ammunition back to Jamaica.Blake is quoted on the programme as saying "I ran it like a CEO of a Fortune 500 company. The only difference is that instead of litigating in a court of law, we held court in the streets."The gang was said to have major drug operations in New York, Miami, Philadelphia, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Alaska, Washington D C, Dallas, Houston, Kansas City, Montreal, Toronto and London.In October 1988, Blake managed to elude a nationwide dragnet which saw more than 100 posse members being held during Operation Dragnet, which was set up to nab members of the notorious gang.He left the shores of the United States on December 3, 1988 on a cruise ship and entered Jamaica at Ocho Rios in St Ann. He remained free for 10 years and was the owner of a car, motorcycle and jet ski rental company and a once popular night club in St Catherine.But while Blake was enjoying his freedom, some of his cronies who were slapped with long sentences, began to turn against him. Chief among them was Charles 'Little Nut' Miller, a native of St Kitts who said many of the murders were committed on Blake's orders.Miller was eventually sentenced to life without parole after slipping out of witness protection and leading a ruthless drug-running operation in his home country.Also turning on Blake was Shower Posse enforcer, Kirk Bruce, who admitted to committing more than 100 murders on US soil and is now serving a life sentence.

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Dareon C. Dean, charged Wednesday with cocaine possession and delivery

Saturday 20 December 2008


Dareon C. Dean, 20, of the 1200 block of East Wilson Street, was charged Wednesday with cocaine possession and delivery, and delivery of a look-alike substance. Dean is accused in court documents of selling less than one gram of cocaine to a Batavia police officer and dealing look-alike substances in November. If convicted of the most serious charge, Dean could be sentenced to four to 15 years in prison or probation. He was being held in the Kane County jail Thursday with bail set at $35,000, pending a court appearance Friday. In 2007, Dean was convicted of mob action in Kane County and sentenced to 18 months in prison, court records show.

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Jason Broom was sentenced for moving pounds of cocaine in the New Orleans area and Mississippi after pleading guilty to intent to distribute cocaine


Jason Broom, 32, was sentenced to 25 years for running cocaine ring
for moving pounds of cocaine in the New Orleans area and Mississippi after pleading guilty to intent to distribute cocaine, Cannizarro said. The network was broken up by a joint operation by St. Bernard police and federal law enforcement, police said. Approximately 30 people have been arrested in the past three years from the network, including Broom who served as a member and a leader, police said, and they expect to make more arrests.

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Terrance Jarrod Hudson, 28, was arrested Tuesday after Alachua County sheriff's Sgt. Joshua Crews pulled him over


Terrance Jarrod Hudson, 28, was arrested Tuesday after Alachua County sheriff's Sgt. Joshua Crews pulled him over in the Arredondo Estates neighborhood.While talking to Hudson about the need to protect his eyes while riding a moped, deputies noticed a bulge in Hudson's pants that turned out to be two large plastic bags. Deputies field tested the contents and determined it was marijuana. A further search of Hudson's clothing turned up three crack cocaine rocks.Deputies escorted Hudson to the nearby home where he had been living with his mother.Inside the home deputies said they immediately noticed several rocks of cocaine on a coffee table. A search of Hudson's bedroom reportedly turned up a pound of marijuana, a bundle of marijuana inside a locked safe, a stolen .22 caliber rifle and two other rifles with altered serial numbers, and a Play Station 3 that had been reported stolen out of Houston.Hudson sad charged with two counts of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, tampering with evidence and grand larceny.Investigators said additional charges were pending further investigation.Bail for Hudson was set at $32,000. He was being held at the Alachua County Jail on Thursday.

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Shirley Charles was jailed for 15 years with hard labour.

Charles who stood during Justice Andre Mondesir's 45-minute sentencing, quickly turned to her two relatives in the public gallery crying and wiping the tears from her face. As she was being escorted out the courtroom, Charles' sobs could be heard even when the heavy wooden doors were closed behind her. Charles, who was represented by attorney El Farouk Hosein was found guilty by a nine-member jury two weeks ago for being in possession of cocaine for the purpose of trafficking on September 9, 2002, at the Piarco International Airport. In passing sentence Mondesir said the drug trade cannot be viewed in isolation since it causes damage to the fabric of society. Referring to Charles' testimony where she made reference to a man named "James" who handed her the suitcase," Mondesir said, "If you look in the docks it is not James there. If he does in fact exist one wonders about your loyalty to him." Adding that Charles was just one link in the chain of destruction and she had no idea of "the damage she inflicts," Mondesir said. He said her part of conveying the drugs and collecting money does not end there. "When you go lower down the chain, you have people who steal, rob, just to get money for drugs for which you traffic. "People sell their jewelry and chattel. Wealthy drug lords and cartels use the drug money to purchase illegal arms and ammunition...It is never a simple case of just smuggling drugs from one place to another...you were not just a carrier but you were engaging in the escalating level of crime in society," Mondesir said. The State's case was led by attorney Jennifer Martin. According to the State's case, Organised Crime Narcotics and Firearms Bureau detectives PC Mc Donald and Sgt Kerwin Francis were on duty at the Piarco International Airport around 5 p.m. at the security check point in company with other officers when they saw Charles who was destined for New York, USA, and told her they were acting on information that she was transporting drugs. Charles' suitcase was checked and the cocaine found hidden in the lining of her suitcase.

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Trevor Perry, who was found guilty of distributing less than five grams of a cocaine base

Trevor Perry, who was found guilty of distributing less than five grams of a cocaine base, was sentenced to 271/4 years in prison. U.S. District Judge Richard Young said the sentence was "not the statutory maximum but (still) a substantial sentence" and told Perry he believed him to be a "career criminal."Perry told the judge he felt the sentence was unfair, vindictive and racially motivated.Also sentenced Thursday was Kamal Sims, who received a minimum statutory sentence of 20 years. Sims did not make a statement during the sentencing, but his attorney, Conor O'Daniel, told the court he maintains his innocence.Young said he hopes the sentencings will deter others from committing similar crimes. Young told Sims he hopes that he takes educational programs seriously while he is in prison so he can lead a productive life after his release."If I see you again in this courtroom, it's not going to be a pleasant situation for you," Young said. "That will tell me, your attorney and your family that you don't care what happens to you. Hopefully, you can get through and be a productive member of society."Perry and Sims were the last to be sentenced in the case, and both received additional time on their sentences because of previous felony convictions. On Wednesday, two other Evansville men were sentenced in the case. David Neighbors, who federal prosecutors said is believed to be the leader of the group, was sentenced to life in prison, and LaFrederick Taylor was given 20 years. The four men were among 20 people arrested last year for allegedly dealing cocaine in the Evansville area. The men were found guilty in August after a nearly two week trial in U.S. District Court in Evansville.

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Robert Pammett, the central figure in a multi-agency drug investigation into the Peterborough cocaine trade

Robert Pammett, the central figure in a multi-agency drug investigation into the Peterborough cocaine trade, has set a date for his preliminary inquiry. Defence lawyer Glenn Orr was granted a two-day hearing yesterday, set for Jan. 30 and Feb. 4. Police have linked Pammett to the defunct Ontario branch of the Bandidos outlaw motorcycle gang. He has been the focus of Project Underground, which began as an investigation into his gang affiliations, court has heard, but shifted to the drug angle when the Bandidos disbanded in Ontario in fall of 2007. It culminated in the raid and seizure of Pammett's McNamara Road home March 26 and the arrest of nearly a dozen people from Peterborough and Toronto. Pammett has been in custody since his arrest. He was refused bail May 5. He faces 16 charges, including trafficking cocaine and possessing a restricted handgun. Co-accused Kenneth Hudson, 48, Wanda Witkowski, 36, and Krystina McMillan, 28, have been adjourned to Jan. 30.
Co-accused Cherie Pammett, 35, will appear in court Monday and co-accused Trevor Forster, 30, will appear by video Dec. 24.

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Jose Hernandez,charged with a first degree felony after K-9 officers ripped apart the car he was driving to expose an expertly hidden cache of powder

Jose Hernandez, 45, of 1815 Ozark St., Memphis, was stopped on Interstate 20 on Wednesday by a local deputy and was charged with a first degree felony after K-9 officers ripped apart the car he was driving to expose an expertly hidden cache of powder cocaine valued at more than $250,000.Cpl. Randy Payne of Harrison County Sheriff?s with his K-9 partner, Rusty, a Belgian shepherd dog. The two are responsible for the arrest of a Tennessee man, who was transporting 29 pounds of powder cocaine on Interstate Highway 20 in a hidden compartment of a Volkswagen Jetta.Sgt. Steve Ashmore praised the diligence of a young officer and his dog in making the bust.The crime with which Hernandez is charged is punishable by a term of between five to 99 years or life in the penitentiary.Ashmore said Cpl. Randy Payne, a K-9 officer for the past five months, used his dog to ascertain there were drugs in the 1995 Volkswagen Jetta that Hernandez was driving eastbound on the interstate.Ashmore, who is Payne's supervisor, said the deputy was out with another traffic stop at approximately 3:30 p.m. at a point between the 618 and 619 mile markers when the Jetta sped by.Texas law is that drivers are required either to slow down or change lanes "when they see a patrol car with its overhead lights on," Ashmore explained, adding the operator of the Volkswagen did neither.Payne pursued him, stopping the vehicle at the 620 mile marker, which is near Farm-to-Market Road 31 and Scottsville.The deputy "had a little bit of a language barrier when he asked for consent to search the car," Ashmore said. So Payne checked the vehicle with Rusty, a Belgian malinois (shepherd dog)."His dog got an alert," Ashmore said. After Payne informed Hernandez of the hit, the driver "got a dollar bill out of his wallet that had been folded to contain a couple of grams of powder cocaine."Ashmore said Payne then arrested Hernandez and "decided to bring everybody and the car to the sally port" outside the jail.Payne suspected there were additional drugs in the vehicle because Rusty indicated it and because Hernandez and a passenger, his 16-year-old stepdaughter, gave conflicting stories.Hernandez said he was on his way home after having been to Dallas to look for work, while the teenager said they had taken a female friend to Dallas so she could go back to Mexico to have her baby.
Ashmore said Payne called for the assistance of Gregg County K-9 officer Tracy Freeman to search the Jetta and the two spent approximately four hours before locating the drugs."They knew it was in the dashboard," Ashmore said of the cocaine, "but it was well hidden. Someone had done a professional job of installing a special compartment in the dash to contain the drugs.
"They totally dismantled the vehicle," Ashmore said, adding the car will have to be scrapped.Hernandez was arraigned Friday morning before Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Mike Smith.That procedure was delayed because Hernandez complained of chest pains Wednesday night and was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall for observation.Ashmore said the teenager was never a suspect in the case. Her mother was notified of her whereabouts Wednesday night and, per her request, motel accommodations were provided here. Someone came to Marshall to get the girl Thursday morning, he added.The wrapped bags of powder cocaine weighed in at 29 pounds, which Ashmore said, probably cost the purchaser "a quarter of a million dollars."He had said earlier that cocaine sells on the street for about $900 per ounce, placing the value of the stash at approximately $417,600.On Oct. 30, Payne made a traffic stop for speeding at the 624 mile post marker on I-20 and arrested two people, a Carrolton woman and a New Orleans man, for possession of 274.6 grams of powder cocaine.Ashmore called Payne "an excellent young officer. He is doing a super job. He's upbeat and has been working really hard. Now things are coming together for him."Payne thanked Freeman for his assistance, noting the older officer is his mentor.He also praised Rusty, noting his canine partner, bred and born in Holland, "is worth every penny" of his purchase price."He tore great chunks out of that dash. It was like he said, 'Daddy, it's in there!' You gotta trust your dog," Payne said.

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Myrtle Beach police arrested Maurice Burgess for attempted distribution of crack cocaine and unlawfully carrying a handgun

Police had an active warrant for Maurice Burgess charging Burgess with armed robbery stemming from an incident which occurred in the area of 21st Avenue North and Robert Grissom Parkway on September 28, 2008.Myrtle Beach police arrested Burgess for attempted distribution of crack cocaine and unlawfully carrying a handgun Thursday.
Burgess was out on bond for a 2006 armed robbery, kidnapping, and assault and battery charges which occurred at the Kentucky Fried Chicken, located at 17 Bypass and Hwy 707.Myrtle Beach police are investigating Burgess’s possibile involovement in other violent crime incidents which have occurred in the Grand Strand area in these past few months.

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Barry Robinson, found guilty of all 14 counts of an indictment stemming from a series of cocaine sales

eight-man, four-woman jury found Barry Robinson, 33, of College Avenue, guilty of all 14 counts of an indictment stemming from a series of cocaine sales last January. The jury deliberated about seven hours Thursday and another hour Friday before reaching its verdict.Robinson, who has a previous felony conviction, faces a minimum of six years in prison and a maximum of 15 for the crimes. Dutchess County Court Judge Gerald V. Hayes, who presided at the nine-day trial, set Jan. 28 for sentencing.
During the trial, officers from the city police department's Neighborhood Recovery Unit and other witnesses testified Robinson sold cocaine to an undercover informant Jan. 15, 24, 25, 30 and 31. Police testified they seized cocaine and marijuana from Robinson's apartment when they executed a search warrant and arrested him Feb. 8.
Two counts in the indictment accused Robinson of selling illegal drugs near a school, a Class B felony added to the state penal law in 2006. Two of the sales reportedly took place on the middle-school grounds.Senior Assistant District Attorney Sarah Thompson prosecuted the case. Robinson was defended by Poughkeepsie attorney Lee Klein.

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John Patrick Lacour Jr. is accused of taking delivery orders for crack over the phone.

John Patrick Lacour Jr. was held on $250,000 bond. Barr had no information on an attorney for Lacour.Lacour is accused of taking delivery orders for crack over the phone.Officers, acting on a tip, called the number and pretended to want to buy cocaine. They requested a delivery to a certain address, plus asked the person to describe himself so they would know who to expect.Lt. D.J. Alvarez told the Galveston County Daily News that Lacour was arrested early Thursday when he arrived. Police confiscated a small amount of cocaine.

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Ronald Majewski charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver cocaine

The driver, later identified as Ronald Majewski of Garnet Valley, Pa., was unable to provide a license but said he was a military police officer. The officers had the driver get out of the vehicle and asked whether he had any weapons. Majewski said no but admitted to having cocaine, police said. Officers found five bags of cocaine inside his coat pocket. A search of his car turned up another five bags, three Adderall pills, a digital scale and drug paraphernalia.Majewski was charged with trafficking in cocaine, possession with the intent to deliver cocaine, possession of drugs within 300 feet of a church, maintaining a vehicle for keeping a controlled substance, possession of a narcotic, possession of drug paraphernalia and traffic offenses. In addition, the team’s enforcement in Wilton netted 20 traffic tickets for various violations, 10 warnings and numerous crime prevention checks.

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Delmas Lynn Pennix,charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Delmas Lynn Pennix, 25, of 544 Homemont Ave. — Pennix was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; selling or delivering cocaine; and conspiring to sell cocaine. He was being held under $20,000 bond.

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Ronald Norman Johnson charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Ronald Norman Johnson, 37, of 116 Torain St. — Ronald Johnson was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; and selling or delivering cocaine. He was being held under $15,000 bond.

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Dalleon Sherrod Johnson,charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Dalleon Sherrod Johnson, 21, of 610 Orange Height Loop Road — Dalleon Johnson was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; selling or delivering cocaine; and conspiring to sell cocaine. He was being held under $20,000 bond.

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Quentin Lamar McAdoo charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Quentin Lamar McAdoo, 28, of 613 Locust Road — McAdoo was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; selling or delivering cocaine; and maintaining a vehicle for use or sale of controlled substances. He was being held under $20,000 bond.

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Darren Lee Jackson,charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Darren Lee Jackson, 42, of 2111 Orange Grove Road — Jackson was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; and selling or delivering cocaine.

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Joshua Lamar Carver,charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Joshua Lamar Carver, 22, of 417 Faucette Mill Road — Carver was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held under $5,000 bond.

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Joshua Lamar Carver,charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Joshua Lamar Carver, 22, of 417 Faucette Mill Road — Carver was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; simple possession of a Schedule II controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held under $5,000 bond.

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Demarray Deray Andrews,charged with two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine

Demarray Deray Andrews, 22, of 570 Homemont Ave. — Andrews was charged with two counts of possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver cocaine; selling or delivering cocaine; and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was being held under $15,000 bond.

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slain gangster Joe Krantz funds raised for the murdered Independent Soldier's memorial plot

Friday 19 December 2008

Friends of slain gangster Joe Krantz now say they will not be getting any government money for his burial expenses.Nicole Cooper, who has opened a bank account to fundraise for the murdered Independent Soldier's memorial plot, said in a series of text messages that "social services" is not paying anything.She said only Krantz's friends and family members are chipping in to cover the costs of the stone, plot and engraving for the memorial at Valley View Memorial Garden in Surrey.Last week, Cooper posted to a Krantz Facebook tribute page that she was getting $1,050 from the government to help with the costs and that another $5,000 would be raised from Krantz supporters.Cooper did not return several phone calls earlier this week, but sent a brief text message to counter her earlier comments about the government contribution.Officials in the Ministry of Housing and Social Development refused to comment about any specific application for burial assistance when contacted by The Vancouver Sun.Officials did, however, say that applicants must supply detailed financial information about the dead person's assets, which are independently verified.Krantz was gunned down Oct. 20 at the World Extreme Fighting Club he had operated in Abbotsford for two years. The murder remains unsolved. At the time he owned a 2007 Cadillac Escalade, according to property records.Krantz was arrested last April and charged with nine gun and drug-trafficking charges after a one-month Abbotsford police investigation into an alleged dial-a-dope ring. Police found guns, drugs and cash in his apartment along with clothing bearing the logos of the Independent Soldiers gang, as well as the Hells Angels' Nomad chapter.The 28-year-old, who trained mixed martial arts fighters, was intensely popular, despite his criminal links. At least four online tribute sites were started.A tribute mural was painted at a Langley high school, though it was later taken down by school board officials.

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Gangster Disciples, a notorious Chicago street gang arrested 10 northwest suburban residents

Thursday 18 December 2008

The officials charges against the men were possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Police said several have connections to the Gangster Disciples, a notorious Chicago street gang. "These people face very severe criminal charges. This criminal behavior is not just limited to Chicago and middle-class America," Monroe said.
The men arrested were:
* Trevail "Tre" Banks, 26, of 1096 Stonehedge Drive, Schaumburg.
* Shannon "Shine" Bennet, 29, of 1040 E. 80th St., Chicago.
* Kenton Bradley, 33, of 5512 Montibello, Hanover Park.
* Robert Green, 41, of 808 Holyoke Court, Schaumburg.
* Randy Hamlette, 39, of 808 Holyoke Court, Schaumburg.
* Curly Mixon, 24, of 17 S. Porter, Elgin.
* Yuliet Nava, 24, of 334 Dundee Road, Elgin.
* Robert "Big Boy" Wasp, 37, of 1930 Oxford Court, Schaumburg.
* Frederick Woodson, 41, of 36 Grant Circle, Streamwood.
Named as fugitives were Trotter; Corey "Sug" Stewart, 34. of 371 Silva, and Curly Mixon, 24, of 17 S. Porter, both of Elgin. The Cook County State's Attorney also arrested Damien Beamon, of Elgin, with violating state drug laws. FBI arrested 10 northwest suburban residents Tuesday for allegedly operating a large-scale cocaine and crack ring, often doing business at Schaumburg's Woodfield Mall and Streets of Woodfield.
A national manhunt continues for three men also charged in the drug sweep.
Other police departments participating in the case were Hoffman Estates, Palatine, Rolling Meadows, Elgin, Hanover Park, Roselle and Streamwood. Authorities said one drug transaction was recorded by law enforcement officials while a dealer's child practiced football at Veterans Park on Holmes Way and Knollwood Drive on Sept. 6, 2006. Another recorded drug deal was at Wise Hand Care Wash, 1811 W. Wise Road, Schaumburg, on July 5, 2007. On June 15, 2007, drug money was originally to be exchanged at Rainforest Cafe at Woodfield Mall, but then changed to a Mobile gas station at Algonquin and Meacham roads. FBI agent William Monroe said Robert Atkins, of 2229 Mayfair Ave., Westchester, was the lead buyer in the conspiracy. Atkins was the recent owner of Wise Hand Care Wash, and he still owns a Chicago recording studio named Krunch Tyme Entertainment. The three-year investigation resulted in several recorded phone conversations between the men talking about selling automatic weapons, beatings for owed drug money and drug deals going for $22,500 per kilogram.
On July 20, 2007, Vernial Trotter, 35, of 628 Hayward, Streamwood, was recorded talking to Atkins about a someone owing him money. "I'm gonna kill this boy, hell yeah," said Trotter, according to a transcript, to which Atkins allegedly replied, "No, don't kill him, just whoop his (expletive)." "Man, nah, hell no dude, I'm gonna try to choke this boy out," said Trotter, according to the transcript.
The investigation -- called Operation Sitt'n Ducks -- netted 8 kilograms of cocaine, valued at $200,000, said Monroe. He also said more than $100,000 in vehicles were seized. In the Veterans Park buy, the federal complaint stated Trotter told an informant to meet him at Nathan Hale School, 1300 W. Wise Road, Schaumburg, for the football practice, but it was changed to the park. The complaint also said Trotter's wife drove up and parked next to his vehicle and handed him a white plastic bag. Trotter gave the bag to the informant, and the contents later tested positive for 30.8 grams of cocaine and 29.6 grams of crack cocaine. The $1,300 drug buy was audio and video recorded, stated the federal complaint. Monroe said those arrested faced a prison sentence of 10 mandatory years to possible life. "This was a large arrest and another example of a cooperative efforts among law enforcement," said Richard Casler, chief of operations for Schaumburg police.

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Noe Machado was stopped by customs officers for a random check as he went through the "Nothing to Declare" channel


Noe Machado was stopped by customs officers for a random check as he went through the "Nothing to Declare" channel at Edinburgh Airport with his wife and four children.But an x-ray of his luggage detected packages and a total of 16 kilos of the Class A drug were recovered - the biggest single haul of cocaine in the Lothian area.Machado was interviewed by detectives and Advocate depute Morag Jack said: "The accused indicated to police that the reason for the
trip to the UK was to celebrate his son's birthday." At the High Court in Edinburgh 40-year-old Machado admitted illegal importation and being concerned in the supply of the drug on November 10 this year.Machado's solicitor advocate, John Keenan, said Machado accepted he had been in possession of drugs but had "no idea of the value of the drugs involved". Lord Uist deferred sentence on Machado for the preparation of a background report but told him: "You should be in no doubt that crimes of this sort result in nothing other than a significant sentence.He added: "I take it the family group was really a cover for the transport of drugs."
He was remanded in custody for the preparation of a background report.

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Mark Weston, 34, bought £115 of cocaine

Wednesday 17 December 2008

Mark Weston, 34, bought £115 of cocaine after striking it lucky with his bet.But his luck ran out when police raided a house in Erskine Road, Hartlepool, the very same day and found the drugs.Weston, of Glamis Walk, Hartlepool, admitted one charge of possessing a class A drug on March 18.Patricia Mancina, prosecuting at Teesside Crown Court, said police recovered 9.5 grams of cocaine with an extimated value of between £379 and £474.She told the court: "He and his partner were there and when asked if there were any illegal substances he handed to police seven bags of white powder."In interview he said he had bought it that day for £115 and it was for his own use."He had treated himself because he had had a gambling win that day."Paul Cleasby, mitigating, told the court how Weston was battling to overcome a drug addiction and was on prescribed methadone.He said: "He admitted to police that the cocaine was his and co-operated with police during the search of the premises.
"For many years he has struggled with an addiction to heroin."He is now on prescribed medication to try and wean himself off drugs."The probation service is anxious to address his thinking about illegal drugs. They are keen for him to complete an offending programme."Weston was given a six month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, and an 18 month community order with supervision.
Judge Peter Bowers told him: "I appreciate you have been trying hard to rid yourself of your habit."Methadone is possibly helping you. But that does not excuse you taking on cocaine as an additive to your methadone."This sentence is meant to be a reminder to you that unless you get your act sorted out you are going to end up in prison."

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Jamie Tindall’s mobile phone was examined after he was arrested in a raid on a house on Brinewells Green, Middlesbrough

Jamie Tindall’s mobile phone was examined after he was arrested in a raid on a house on Brinewells Green, Middlesbrough on March 28 last year.Officers found text messages indicating dealing in cocaine, Ecstasy and cannabis, prosecutor Christopher Attwooll told Teesside Crown Court. One said: “You fancy bringing up some sniff?”
In the messages, Tindall was asked: “Do you sell drugs?” He replied: “Oh yes.” He was told: “Bit daft when you get caught.” To which he responded: “Chance you take.”
Tindall, 20, also texted: “I am in my prime making money.”A bag of 15 cocaine rocks, worth about £320, was discarded during the police search, the court heard. Months later Tindall was caught with a cocaine wrap. He was bailed, absconded and arrested again, this time in possession of cannabis.Tindall, of Hartington Road, Stockton, admitted being concerned in making offers to supply the Class A and C drugs, possession charges and failing to attend court. He had no previous drugs crimes.Christopher Dunn, defending, said Tindall was very intelligent and could have done much with his life. But he was “thwarted” by a significant stammer, for which he was bullied at school and attacked in custody. Drug use “numbed the pain of blocked opportunity” and led him into the drug culture, he said.Tindall supplied skunk cannabis to friends, was asked to supply Ecstasy, used cocaine and supplied friends from his “personal stock”. Mr Dunn said: “His motivation was not a commercial one.”
Regarding the texts, he added: “He’s trying to big himself up. It’s quite clear this man has got nothing. He was living in a caravan in somebody’s drive.”Judge Peter Fox QC, the Recorder of Middlesbrough told Tindall: “I must take at face value what was described on your mobile telephone. Were you an older man I would be giving you four or five years.”Given Tindall’s youth, the judge locked him up for three-and-a-half years.

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Michelle Robinson, 35, was allowed to walk out of Teesside Crown Court today after pleading guilty to producing cannabis at her Hartlepool home.

Michelle Robinson, 35, was allowed to walk out of Teesside Crown Court today after pleading guilty to producing cannabis at her Hartlepool home. "Had this been a commercial operation, I'm afraid you would have been going away for some considerable time."Judge Tony BriggsProsecutor Sharon Elves told the court that the mother-of-three had suffered polio as a toddler and had resorted to using the illegal drug to combat the pain. She said police raided her home in West View Road in the town in May, and found four bags of cannabis bush in the property, along with a sophisticated drug farm in an out-house in the garden, which contained 41 plants.
The court was told she had got sick of using street dealers to buy the drug, so decided to grow her own. She applied to a bank for a car loan and used the cash to have the out-house built. She then sent abroad for the cannabis seeds and began cultivating it herself, purely for her own use. The specialist lighting and ventilation system required for the plants to grow ran up a quarterly electricity bill of £1,000, however, Ms Robinson obtained the power legally and paid the bill herself. "She contracted polio at two and by the age of 18 she started using cannabis to relieve the symptoms," said Ms Elves. "She was unwilling to frequent dealers." In her defence, lawyer Annelise Haugstad said the drugs were purely for her own use and said the circumstances of the case were not usual for people growing cannabis plants. She said Ms Robinson rarely left the house and was allergic to a number of pain killers, so had resorted to producing the cannabis plants. Judge Tony Briggs said it was a sad case and said it was rare for people who cultivated cannabis plants to obtain the electricity legally and then pay the bill. "It's very unfortunate to see someone in your position in Crown Court," he said. "However, I see your medical history is unusual," he said. He handed down an 18 month community order, with 18 months supervision. He added: "Had this been a commercial operation, I'm afraid you would have been going away for some considerable time." He ordered the plants be destroyed.

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Luis Y. Vazquez, 23, of Victory Gardens faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Tuesday 16 December 2008

Luis Y. Vazquez, 23, of Victory Gardens faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce).

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Gelin Suarez-Lorenzo, 57, of Dover faces $100,000 bail on charges of: two-counts each of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute

Gelin Suarez-Lorenzo, 57, of Dover faces $100,000 bail on charges of: two-counts each of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce) and possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce).

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Anthony Rispoli, 21, who was already lodged in the Morris County jail, faces an additional $50,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine

Anthony Rispoli, 21, who was already lodged in the Morris County jail, faces an additional $50,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce).

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Raymond David Rosario-Colon, 25, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Raymond David Rosario-Colon, 25, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), third-degree possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of school zone, conspiracy to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of school zone, distribution of cocaine within 500 feet of public park, conspiracy to possess to distribute within 500 feet of public park.

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Jomar Pedraza, 22, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: two-counts each of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Jomar Pedraza, 22, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: two-counts each of possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce) and endanger the welfare of a child, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce).

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Erick Martinez, 21, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Erick Martinez, 21, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), third-degree possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of school zone.

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Carlos M. Madera Sr., 48, of Newark faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine

Carlos M. Madera Sr., 48, of Newark faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce).

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Carlos M. Madera, 29, of Newark faces $350,000 bail on charges of: leader of narcotics trafficking network

Carlos M. Madera, 29, of Newark faces $350,000 bail on charges of: leader of narcotics trafficking network, possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 5 ounces), distribution of cocaine (more than 5 ounces), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 5 ounces), conspiracy to distribute (more than 5 ounces), possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 oz), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine within 1,000 feet of school zone, conspiracy to distribute cocaine within 1,000 feet of school zone, distribution of cocaine within 500 feet of public park, conspiracy to possess to distribute within 500 feet of public park.

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Tracy Kyle, 31, of Landing faces $75,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, conspiracy to possess cocaine

Tracy Kyle, 31, of Landing faces $75,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, conspiracy to possess cocaine and endangering the welfare of a child.

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Lilybette Garcia, 42, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine

Lilybette Garcia, 42, of Dover faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce).

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Jose R. Jimenez, 29, of Morris Plains faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine

Jose R. Jimenez, 29, of Morris Plains faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce).

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Elvis R. Galvan-Jimenez, 31, of Newark faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine

Elvis R. Galvan-Jimenez, 31, of Newark faces $150,000 bail on charges of: possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (more than 1/2 ounce).

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Christopher Figueroa-Sanchez, 23, of Dover faces $35,000 bail on charges of: Possession of cocaine

Christopher Figueroa-Sanchez, 23, of Dover faces $35,000 bail on charges of: Possession of cocaine, possession with intent to distribute cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), distribution of cocaine (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to possess cocaine, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce), conspiracy to distribute (less than 1/2 ounce).

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Cameron McFarlane, 48, was caught with a large quantity of cocaine in his truck

Cameron McFarlane, 48, was caught with a large quantity of cocaine in his truck on the M80 motorway, close to Falkirk in central Scotland. He pleaded guilty at the High Court in Glasgow today to being involved in the supply of a controlled substance. Prosecutors believe the drug, which was about seven times purer than cocaine normally found in the area, had an estimated street value of £4.2m.
McFarlane, who lived in Alloa, Clackmannanshire, with his wife and stepchildren, was stopped by police at about 11.40pm on 10 October. His truck was taken to a revenue and customs office for inspection and he admitted that he was transporting drugs, although he said he did not know what the substance was. Advocate-depute Alistair Carmichael told the court: "The accused informed the police there were what he described as 15 blocks of controlled drugs in the back of the lorry." A search by Central Scotland Police uncovered the drugs, as well as Russian roubles worth £750, the court heard. McFarlane was arrested in the early hours of 11 October. In a police interview, he said he was smuggling the drugs to clear debts owed to a criminal gang. He admitted bringing drugs into the country three times. This went back to a previous conviction several years earlier, he told police. He was once caught trying to smuggle 50,000 cigarettes into the UK and was imprisoned for two years. His failure to bring the tobacco into the country left him saddled with a huge debt and he was compelled to smuggle the drugs to pay this off, the court heard. Mr Carmichael said: "He had since been released from his prison sentence, and he had been working to pay off his debt by transporting large quantities of drugs in and out of the country." The cocaine found in his lorry was 73 per cent pure, Mr Carmichael said. Cocaine seized in the Central Scotland area was normally about 10 per cent pure, meaning the drug had a high street value when cut up and sold.
Lord Brailsford, hearing the case, called for social inquiry reports and deferred sentence until next month.

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Gang member Sean Mercer, 18, was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of blasting three bullets across a pub car park in Croxteth, Liverpool,


Gang member Sean Mercer, 18, was convicted at Liverpool Crown Court of blasting three bullets across a pub car park in Croxteth, Liverpool, after targeting rivals who had strayed on to his turf.Innocent schoolboy Rhys was caught in the line of fire and shot in the neck.He died in his mother’s arms a short time later.
After almost four days of deliberations, the jury of seven women and five men convicted Mercer of murder unanimously.The verdict was reached yesterday but could not be reported until now.What the jurors did not know was that just two months before he shot Rhys, Mercer was involved in a chilling rehearsal of the killing.
Waving a gun, he rode a motorcycle past members of the public on rival gang territory.The incident was not reported to police at the time.The jurors were also unaware that just weeks after shooting Rhys, Mercer was given a three-year Asbo for terrorising security guards at a sports centre.Fellow gang members James Yates, 20, of Dodman Road, and Nathan Quinn, 18, of Wickett Close, both Croxteth, and Gary Kays, 26, of Mallard Close, and Melvin Coy, 25, of Abbeyfield Drive, both West Derby, Liverpool, and Boy M, 16, were convicted unanimously yesterday of assisting Mercer after they helped Mercer evade the police for months.Dean Kelly, 17, of Sword Walk, Croxteth, who was referred to as Boy K during the trial but can also now be named, was convicted today by a majority of four related charges.Trial judge Mr Justice Irwin lifted reporting restrictions on Kelly at the end of the trial.
The judge also lifted an order banning reporting the fact that Quinn is already serving five years for gun-related offences.When the main verdicts were delivered, only two people in the packed courtroom could not hold back their emotions – Rhys’s mother, Melanie Jones, and the killer’s father, burly Joseph McCormick, who was dressed entirely in black.As Mercer’s "guilty" verdict was announced to the silent courtroom, Mrs Jones, 42, who was sitting opposite her son’s killer, burst into tears and buried her head in her husband’s shoulder to stifle her sobs.
Rhys’s father Stephen, 45, choked back tears as Mercer blinked, looked down and visibly paled, repeatedly puffing his cheeks out.For the first time in the trial the teenage killer looked close to showing emotion as he stared towards the public gallery where his father sat, tears rolling down his cheeks.Mr McCormick mouthed "I love you" to his son – and left the court.But Quinn cracked a joke, inaudible behind the reinforced glass of the dock, and he and other defendants smiled and laughed.
As they were all led away, Mercer shook Quinn’s hand and the pair hugged before they were led down to the cells.During the seven-week trial, the jury heard that Mercer, of Good Shepherd Close, Croxteth, was a leading member of the Croxteth Crew gang, which terrorised the local community and was involved in a long-running and bloody feud with the Strand Gang, based on the neighbouring Norris Green estate.Mercer had an "intense hatred" of Strand Gang member Wayne Brady.When told by Coy and Kays that Brady, 19, and two rivals had been seen cycling near the Fir Tree Pub on Croxteth Crew territory, Mercer set about the murder.Dressed in a black hoodie and tracksuit, Mercer got hold of Yates’s Smith & Wesson .455 revolver and cycled to the pub where he took up position on a grass verge alongside the car park.Standing astride the bicycle with his arms outstretched in front of him, he clasped the gun with both hands and fired three shots at Brady’s friends, moving his arms in an arc to follow their movements on their bicycles.Rhys, distracted by the sound of the first bullet, which struck a shipping container in the car park, turned toward the gunman and was struck in the neck by the second bullet.Mercer then adjusted his position to aim one final shot at his two rivals.The third bullet struck a disused well as the gunman and his targets fled the scene.After the shooting, Mercer cycled to the home of McCormick, where he called on his fellow gang members to help him avoid the law.With Yates, Quinn and Kays, he was driven by Coy to a lock-up garage on an industrial estate where his clothes were burned and his body washed down with petrol.
Mercer gave the murder weapon to 17-year-old Boy X, who was frightened of him and who hid it in a dog kennel.It was later moved, along with a second gun and ammunition, by Kelly to the loft of his house where police found it later.A crucial breakthrough in the police investigation came 16 months later when Boy X, who cannot be named, accepted immunity from prosecution in exchange for giving evidence against the gang.Together with information gained from bugging devices in the homes of Yates and McCormick, much of which cannot be reported, and mobile phone logs, detectives were able to piece together the movements of the killer and his cohorts as they sought to evade justice.

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Corpse of Welsh career criminal Courtney Davies, 53, was mutilated, set on fire and left at a popular dog walking spot in Staunton, Gloucestershire

killers of a notorious gangster stabbed 70 times in a "frenzied and sustained attack", burned and dumped in Gloucestershire woodlands have not been caught despite a four-year manhunt, an inquest has heard.
The corpse of Welsh career criminal Courtney Davies, 53, was mutilated, set on fire and left at a popular dog walking spot in Staunton, Gloucestershire, in December 2004.Despite a number of arrests and a collapsed trial, no-one from the criminal underworld has been convicted of the murder, leading a coroner to record an open verdict.Malcolm Martin, 33, who is deaf, was due to stand trial for killing Davies, of Rumney, Cardiff, and hiding his body in the Forest of Dean scrubland. But the case was dropped due to an "unrealistic prospect of success", the inquest in Gloucester heard.Mr Martin, from Cardiff, always denied murdering Davies and leaving the charred body beside the A4136 road leading towards Monmouth.David Scaysbrook, of the Forensic Science Service, found blood on leaves but no signs of a "battering type" injury. The body had probably been superficially burned where it lay, he told the Shire Hall, Gloucester.Dr Stephen Leadbeatter, Home Office pathologist, said: "There were approximately 70 such injuries. Twelve of those were to the right side of the head and neck, 12 were to the right side of the chest and groin and some 40 were to the back. The majority were stab wounds."Acting Detective Superintendent Neil Kelly of Gloucestershire Police told the hearing: "Mr Davies lived alone in Rumney, had previous convictions for offences of dishonesty, drugs, violence and firearms. He was well-known among the criminal fraternity in South Wales and had served long custodial sentences for two armed robberies and supplying Class A drugs.Recording the open verdict, Gloucestershire Coroner Alan Crickmore said: "I'm not able to determine who in fact inflicted the injuries that caused Mr Davies' death. This was clearly a frenzied and sustained attack resulting as it did in the 70 stab wounds discovered by Dr Leadbeatter."But although it was more likely than not that Davies was murdered by underworld criminals of sound mind, without a suspect to bring to court there was always the chance that his killer could be insane, enough to rule out a verdict of unlawful killing.

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Enrique Portocarrero , law enforcement officers here have dubbed him "Captain Nemo

Monday 15 December 2008


Enrique Portocarrero , law enforcement officers here have dubbed him "Captain Nemo," after the dark genius of "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea." They say the 45-year-old has designed and built as many as 20 fiberglass submarines, strange vessels with the look of sea creatures, for drug traffickers to haul cocaine from this area of southern Colombia to Central America and Mexico.In Colombia, paramilitary groups still spreading terror.Capping a three-year investigation that involved U.S. and British counter-narcotics agents, Colombia's FBI equivalent, the Department of Administrative Security, arrested Portocarrero last month in the violent port city of Buenaventura, where he allegedly led a double life as a shrimp fisherman.A day later, they descended on Portocarrero's hidden "shipyard" in a mangrove swamp 20 miles south of here and destroyed two of the vessels, which police say were each capable of carrying 8 tons of cargo."He had a marvelous criminal vision," Colombian navy Capt. Luis German Borrero said. "He introduced innovations such as a bow that produced very little wake, a conning tower that rises only a foot above the water and a valve system that enables the crew to scuttle the sub in 10 minutes. He is very ingenious."Authorities say they know little about Portocarrero except that he was arrested in 2003 on drug charges and soon released, a fact he relayed with a smirk when he was nabbed last month. Most important, he once worked at a dry dock in Buenaventura, where he apparently learned his craft.Portocarrero was living well. Police, who reported finding $200,000 hidden in the spare tire of his car, say he had invested his reputed $1-million-per-vessel fees in the purchase of five shrimp boats.Administrative Security officials allege that Portocarrero helped invent "semi-submersibles," as the narco-vessels are called, because they don't dive and resurface like true submarines, but cruise just below the surface.Portocarrero's craft are difficult for counter-narcotics officials to detect on the open seas because their tiny wake creates a negligible radar "footprint." Also, authorities say, the exhaust is released through tubing below the surface, frustrating patrol aircraft's heat-sensing equipment."He knew the rudiments of boat design, but probably had help from a naval engineer along the way," Borrero said.Portocarrero developed a signature design, police say: a sleek V-shaped hull; a sturdy keel, which is the boat's backbone; and an exhaust system that makes the boat look like a monster from the deep.There has been a quantum leap in detection and capture of semi-submersibles in the last two years. Fifteen have been seized, destroyed or scuttled this year in the Pacific and Caribbean, compared with only one in 2006, said Rear Adm. Joseph Nimmich, head of Joint Interagency Task Force South, the Pentagon's anti-narcotics command center, based in Key West, Fla.He estimated that as many as 60 of the vessels have slipped past patrols to deliver cocaine to Mexico and Central America. Colombian agents say Portocarrero may have been in charge of building as many as a third of the subs this year.The trend has U.S. security officials concerned because of the craft's potential for ferrying weapons and terrorists.
"If they can't make money transferring drugs, they could always turn to something else to transfer, other illicit cargoes," Nimmich said.A conference on the issue last month in the Colombian city of Cartagena was attended by authorities from 26 countries, including Venezuela, which has forsworn cooperation with U.S. counter-narcotics agents.The development is the latest in the cat-and-mouse game between drug traffickers and counter-narcotics officials. Authorities believe tighter controls on Colombian and Ecuadorean fishing vessels, often used to move drugs, were a factor in the shift to subs. Since mid-2007, all fishing boats in the region have been required to carry GPS devices so police can track their movements.The Colombian navy and police also say that so-called Midnight Express speedboats, supplied by the U.S., have improved their chances of chasing down "go-fast" outboard boats, once the preferred mode of transport."Speed was no longer winning the day," said a high-ranking U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration official based in Colombia who noted the "exponential increase" in the use of stealthy semi-submersible vessels in the last few years. He spoke on condition of anonymity because of security concerns.
Police say several cocaine traffickers, looking to regain the advantage, got together to combine their cargoes and buy Portocarrero's boats, which took about six weeks each to build, said an informant who led Colombian coast guard officials to Portocarrero's mangrove shipyard. Each vessel was designed according to the load of drugs, the informant said, with the maximum cargo of 10 tons of cocaine, worth $250 million in street value.Portocarrero's vessels measured up to 60 feet long and were outfitted with complex ballast, communications and power systems, officials said. They were typically powered by 350-horsepower diesel engines, and the four-man crew had state-of-the-art radio, GPS and satellite telephone communications.The subs have a range of 2,000 miles, more than enough to get from here to Mexico's Bay of Tehuantepec, a favored destination, Borrero said.Although the subs are taxing counter-narcotics officials' ability to keep up, DEA officials say they are getting better at detecting the subs, thanks to computerized systems in British patrol aircraft.Law enforcement has also been helped by a law the U.S. Congress passed in October making it possible to convict a boat's crew on the basis of visual evidence that they were manning the subs. Before, crews avoided prosecution by simply scuttling the craft and sinking the drugs, depriving law enforcement of the evidence they needed.Colombian authorities say they expect Portocarrero to be extradited to the United States, though no U.S. charges have yet been filed against him.Some officials fear it's only a matter of time before traffickers take the next "logical" step: the use of real submarines. Although no true submarines have ever been stopped with cocaine, authorities discovered one in 1995 near Bogota being built according to Russian plans."As the interdiction rate against semi-submersibles increases, as it has, will traffickers revert back to the ubiquitous 'go-fasts,' or will they take it to the next level -- a fully submersible craft, unmanned with remote guidance capability?" the high-ranking DEA official said. "The latter has a lot more agencies than just DEA concerned."

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Billy Sergio Palemene and 33-year-old Ruben Hurtado jailed Hurtado for 15 years with a non-parole period of nine years and Palemene for 12 years

49-year-old Billy Sergio Palemene and 33-year-old Ruben Hurtado were arrested last year after authorities in Brisbane intercepted a package containing more than 16 kilograms of pure cocaine. Prosecutor Michael Nicholson told the court it was a second attempt for the two men, after a smaller package containing more than 478 grams of pure cocaine was intercepted by US authorities. The court heard Hurtado was under pressure to clear a large drug debt and had enlisted Palemene's help because of his job with an international courier company. Justice James Douglas jailed Hurtado for 15 years with a non-parole period of nine years and Palemene for 12 years with a non-parole period of seven.

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Natalie Ellen Quinn, 26, Calvin Neil Hylton, 41, Briony Marie Dyce, 25, and Camille Danielle Dupee, 19, were arrested Oct. 19

Natalie Ellen Quinn, 26, Calvin Neil Hylton, 41, Briony Marie Dyce, 25, and Camille Danielle Dupee, 19, were arrested Oct. 19 as they disembarked the 1,952-passenger ship in Southampton. British customs officials say they had the cocaine strapped to their bodies.judge in the port town has remanded the P&O Arcadia passengers into custody until they can be sentenced Jan. 16.The 3-year-old ship had just returned from a 23-day cruise around the Caribbean where it made calls in Antigua, St. Lucia, Grenada, Barbados and other islands.

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Banco Santander SA,hit by worlds largest fraud

The $7.3 billion Fairfield Sentry Fund invested solely with Madoff, taking a cut of 1 percent of assets and 20 percent of gains, which averaged about 11 percent annually in the past 15 years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Fairfield Greenwich is one of at least 15 hedge-fund firms and private banks, including Tremont Holdings Group Inc. and Banco Santander SA, that earned similar fees for sending customers’ cash to the 70-year-old money manager. “It’s mind-boggling that people like Tremont and Fairfield Greenwich had been doing this for so long,” said Brad Alford, who runs Alpha Capital Management LLC in Atlanta, which helps clients choose hedge funds. “It’s the job of these funds of funds to be doing due diligence. That’s why they get paid.” Madoff was arrested Dec. 11 after he allegedly confessed to running a “giant Ponzi scheme” that may have bilked investors of $50 billion. That fraud escaped the notice of Fairfield Greenwich, Tremont and other funds of funds that had at least $17 billion invested with Madoff. Hedge-fund investment adviser Aksia LLC said the managers should have seen “red flags,” such as Madoff’s use of a little-known, three-person auditing firm. Hedge funds that have disclosed holdings with Madoff were due at least $290 million in fees this year, based on reported assets, fees and Bloomberg data. The calculations don’t include fees of as much as 5 percent that clients paid for some funds when they first invested. Madoff didn’t assess fees for his money-management services, getting paid instead through commissions from his brokerage business for trading the stocks in the accounts. Investors ensnared by Madoff include Fred Wilpon, the owner of the New York Mets baseball team, clients of private bankers in Geneva, wealthy Jewish families in New York and Palm Beach, Florida, and institutions including BNP Paribas SA in Paris that loaned investors money to increase their bets. Losses have been reported by a pension fund in Fairfield, Connecticut, New York hospitals and a charity in Salem, Massachusetts.
While Madoff didn’t run a hedge fund, his alleged crime may accelerate investor defections from the $1.5 trillion industry, already hit by its worst losses since at least 1990 and redemptions that may reach $400 billion this year, according to estimates by Morgan Stanley. In a Ponzi scheme, returns to early investors are paid with money from later ones, until there isn’t enough cash to go around. Madoff’s alleged scam unraveled when he received $7 billion in redemption requests that he couldn’t meet. Funds of hedge funds such as Fairfield Greenwich act as middlemen, raising money from investors and farming it out to other managers that they vet. The go-betweens manage 44 percent of hedge-fund assets, according to data compiled by Hedge Fund Research Inc. Their investments lost 19 percent on average through November, a little more than a percentage point more than single-manager funds, the Chicago-based firm says. Institutions including New York State’s $154 billion retirement system and the endowment of Baylor University have been cutting back their investments in funds of funds to save the extra layer of fees -- generally 1 percent of assets and 10 percent of profits -- that they charge on top of the underlying managers’ take. Last year, for the first time, more than half of the hedge-fund assets of the 200 largest U.S. pension plans were invested directly with individual managers, according to data compiled by Pensions & Investments magazine.

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Man driving his car against the traffic at 120 kms/hour with a woman hanging on for dear life on the bonnet.

Saturday 13 December 2008

Police in Marbella could not believe what they saw. A scene more at home in a Quentin Taratino film than on the local N340 road. A man driving his car against the traffic at 120 kms/hour with a woman hanging on for dear life on the bonnet.
It happened at 4am in the morning last Tuesday, but details have only now been released. Diario Sur newspaper reports that witnesses said the driver was zigzagging and appeared to be trying to get the woman to fall from the car bonnet. The police patrol radioed for support in an attempt to block the way of the car which refused to stop to their sirens. After a long chase with the woman hanging on to the windscreen wipers, a second patrol car managed to stop the vehicle. The 31 year old Brazilian woman told the police that the driver, a 34 year old Spaniard, was her boyfriend and that he had been trying to kill her. He has now been arrested accused of attempted murder.

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Brazilian police say a retired officer has been detained in connection with the murders of 13 gay men

Brazilian police say a retired officer has been detained in connection with the murders of 13 gay men in a low-income suburb of Sao Paulo.Authorities say retired state police Sgt. Jairo Francisco Franco was taken into custody Wednesday night after a witness identified him as the killer of a gay man on August 19.Police inspector Paulo Fortunato says Franco is suspected of acting alone in all of the 13 killings.The murders took place between February 2007 and August 2008 at Paturis Park, a favorite meeting point for gay men.Fortunato says the suspect, who worked as a private security guard in a supermarket, denies the charges.
He says Franco does not yet have a lawyer."We have a credible witness who says he saw Franco pump 12 bullets into a black gay man inside the park,” Fortunato said in a telephone interview.A second witness said Franco visited the park frequently, "apparently cruising for gay men and victims,” Fortunato said.
Police have dubbed the killer of the 13 men as the "rainbow maniac,” a reference to the gay-pride symbol."We are convinced he is the rainbow maniac we have been looking for,” Fortunato said.

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William Balfour may have killed Jennifer Hudson's mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and 7-year-old nephew Julian King over a birthday gift

William Balfour may have killed Jennifer Hudson's mother Darnell Donerson, brother Jason Hudson and 7-year-old nephew Julian King over a birthday gift, authorities now say.People reports that William stopped by to see his estranged wife (Jennifer's sister Julia Hudson) and spotted a birthday gift he believed she had received from another man. Prosecutors say that made him so jealous that he came back and shot Jennifer's mom and brother, and kidnapped her nephew who had witnessed the crime.
He later killed her nephew, authorities allege.William has been charged with three counts of first-degree murder and one count of home invasion. He is in a state prison for a suspected parole violation. He has not confessed to the murders.

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Country preacher Howard Porter will serve a life sentence without parole for the murder of an elderly man who had entrusted him with his life savings.

Country preacher will serve a life sentence without parole for the murder of an elderly man who had entrusted him with his life savings.A Stanislaus County Superior Court judge also sentenced Howard Porter on Friday to 12 years to life for an earlier attempt on the life of 85-year-old Frank Craig, as well as five years for theft. The sentences will run consecutively.Porter was pastor of Hickman Community Church when he befriended the elderly man, who eventually asked Porter to help him build an agricultural museum with his life savings.A jury convicted Porter in August of murdering Craig in a car crash to cover up the embezzlement of $1.1 million.

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Martrey Antwain Newby, 24, and Theron Jermaine Thompson, 35.convicted

Martrey Antwain Newby, 24, and Theron Jermaine Thompson, 35.On Wednesday, Louise W. Flanagan, the chief U.S. district court judge, sentenced Newby to 35 years in federal prison. In July, a jury convicted Newby of conspiracy to distribute more than 50 grams of crack cocaine and five counts of possession with the intent to distribute crack cocaine.On Thursday, Flanagan sentenced Thompson to 26 years in federal prison. Thompson pled guilty Sept. 11 to distributing more than 50 grams of crack cocaine, three counts of possession with intent to distribute five grams of crack cocaine and distribution of crack cocaine.Thompson and Newby were arrested after drug activity investigations by the New Bern Police Department. During the investigations, police discovered Thompson had been involved in drug operations as early as 1999, distributed more than 2,900 grams of crack cocaine and distributed more than 11 kilograms of powder cocaine.In a trial, evidence included five videos of Newby distributing crack cocaine. One of the videos showed Newby selling or buying drugs while a child was in a safety seat in the back of the car.Police discovered Newby had distributed crack cocaine since he was released from state prison in September 2006. Newby was previously convicted of armed robbery, possessing with intent to sell or deliver marijuana and assaulting a government official.The New Bern Police Department is still investigating drug activity in the area.

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Dhymitruy Bouryiotis and 36-year-old Montgomery Read Hill, both from the Vancouver, B.C., area, were arrested

Federal officials say two Canadians were arrested on a beach in northwest Washington as they were allegedly preparing to smuggle about 260 pounds of cocaine into Canada on a personal watercraft.A spokeswoman for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, Lorie Dankers, says 48-year-old Dhymitruy Bouryiotis and 36-year-old Montgomery Read Hill, both from the Vancouver, B.C., area, were arrested for investigation of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute.

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Gilbert Onuoha (44), a Nigerian national, last Saturday after he allegedly tried to courier around 1 kg of heroin


Gilbert Onuoha (44), a Nigerian national, last Saturday after he allegedly tried to courier around 1 kg of heroin from a local courier service in Mira Road to South Africa.The seized contraband is believed to be worth Rs 50 lakh in the international market. Onuoha is the first person to be arrested by the Mumbai police for attempting to smuggle drugs through a courier service. The local courier forwarded the consignment to a reputed courier firm in Andheri (E), where suspicious employees tipped off the police. One of the two packages had two photo frames stuffed with the narcotic.The other package had heroin stuffed into 22 motorcycles footrests. Gilbert was called and subsequently arrested at the office of the courier service. Deputy Commissioner of Police (ANC) Vishwas Nagre Patil said the contraband was wrapped neatly in small polythene packets, and covered with a layer of carbon paper and adhesive tape, making it impervious to the scrutiny of X-ray scanners, and security monitors."The parcel had the address and mobile number of a woman in Cape Town, South Africa, jotted on it," said Assistant Police Inspector P N Kamble. The address was subsequently found to be fake. Gilbert, a native of Anambra, Nigeria, is a school dropout and has been in India for the last six months on a business visa.
Gilbert told the police that his friend of two years, Ken, paid him Rs 4,000 to courier the parcel, and promised to pay him another Rs 50,000 once the consignment reached its destination.

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Charlisa Andrews, 34, of 1134 Oak St. was arrested on two counts of distribution of crack cocaine.police located crack cocaine and weapons.

Police located crack cocaine and weapons.Three suspects were arrested for distribution of illegal drugs and one for possession. All individuals are innocent until proved guilty in a court of law.Four residents were also arrested from the home for outstanding capias warrants, which means the subjects had a guilty judgement through plea, appearance in court or arraignment in jail, and did not pay the fine within the required time period.
Police arrested these suspects:Charlisa Andrews, 34, of 1134 Oak St. was arrested on two counts of distribution of crack cocaine.Jorell Benson, 24, of 8446 Chadburn Crossing was arrested for possession of crack cocaine.Trimons Benson, 30, of 1321 Bragg St. was arrested for distribution of crack cocaine. Thornton said police also had six capias warrants on the suspect.Keontaye Giles, 21, of 1608 Yarborough St. was arrested for distribution of crack cocaine. Thornton said police had 10 capias warrants on the suspect.The remaining four suspects arrested at Oak Street were not taken into custody in connection with crack cocaine possession or distribution, but were arrested for capias warrants, Thornton said. “They were inside the residence at the time we served the warrants,” he said. Karsten King, 29, of 933 Hill Street had two capias warrants.Katorri King, 22, of 1667 Crouson Street had three capias warrants.Laronica McQueen, 30, of 706 N. Union Circle arrested for four capias warrants.Angela Phillips, 41, of 2018 W. Fairview Ave. was arrested for five capias warrants.

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