Professional Documents
Culture Documents
2n 5thPolice District
www.justice.gov/usao/dc
August 2012
Contact Numbers
Supervisory Community Outreach Specialist Brenda Horner 202-492-2572 5D Community Prosecutor Jamila Hodge
202-698-0145
5D Community Outreach Specialist Monica Veney 202-698-0145 5D Police Station 1805 Bladensburg Road, NE
202-698-0150
5th District Community Prosecution Update heTheUUThet The United States Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia Cordially invites YOU.to attend the 5th District Faith-Based Initiative Town Hall Meeting Thursday, October 4, 2012 6 8:00 p.m. Building Stronger Communities ISRAEL BAPTIST CHURCH 1251 Saratoga Avenue, NE WDC 20019
Please come out and join us to discuss ways we can work together to keep our community safer and build stronger community partnerships.
POC: Monica Veney, 202-698-0145 / Jamila Hodge, 202-698-0144
District Man Sentenced to 80 Years in Prison for Felony Murder While Armed, Other Charges in Slayings of Two Men at Northeast Washington Store
Victims, a Father and Son, Were Shot in Robbery Christian Taylor, 27, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced 80 years in prison on charges stemming from the June 2010 murders of a father and a son at a wholesale store in Northeast Washington. Taylor was found guilty in June 2012, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of multiple counts of felony murder while armed, first-degree premeditated murder while armed, armed robbery, and second-degree burglary while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Thomas J. Motley. According to the governments evidence, the victims - Ming-Kun Chih, 59, and his son, Li Jen Chih, 32 - were working in their store, Lida Wholesale Market, on the afternoon of June 23, 2010, when Taylor entered the establishment. Taylor pointed a handgun at Li Jen Chih, who was working behind the counter, and ordered him to put money into a bag. As the robbery continued, Taylor shot Li Jen Chih as well as his father. He then fled the scene. Li Jen Chih, who suffered multiple gunshot wounds, was pronounced dead at the store. His father was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead several hours later. The murders were captured by surveillance cameras inside the store in the 1200 block of Fifth Street NE. In addition, a citizen heard shots coming from the area of the store and saw a person flee in a silver Pontiac. The citizen noted the license plate of the car, which was traced to Taylors mother. Taylor was arrested six days after the murders and has been in custody ever since. Taylor also was linked to the crimes through a plastic bag left inside the store. The bag, which was used to hold some of the money, broke while it was in Taylors hand. DNA evidence from the handle of the broken bag matched the defendants known profile. This defendant killed a father and a son who were simply working in their familys store on a summer afternoon, and terrorized customers during a brazen robbery, said U.S. Attorney Machen. The community needs to be protected from violent predators like Christian Taylor, and the sentence today will keep him behind bars for 80 years for this brutal and callous crime. This brazen robbery occurred during business hours and resulted in the loss of two lives, said Police Chief Lanier. We put everything we had in finding the person responsible for this tragedy and it is appropriate that he will be held accountable for this senseless and horrific crime.
U.S. Government Joins False Claims Lawsuit Against The Gallup Organization
Suit Alleges Polling Firm Overcharged Government on Contracts The United States has joined a whistleblower lawsuit against The Gallup Organization, the Justice Department. The lawsuit was filed by Michael Lindley, a former Gallup employee, who alleges that Gallup violated the False Claims Act by making false claims for payment under contracts with the U.S. Mint, the State Department and other federal agencies to provide polling services for various government programs. According to the whistleblowers complaint, Gallup violated the False Claims Act by giving the government inflated estimates of the number of hours that it would take to perform its services, even though it had separate and lower internal estimates of the number of hours that would be required. The complaint further alleges that the government paid Gallup based on the inflated
estimates, rather than Gallups lower internal estimates. The government intervened in the lawsuit with respect to Gallups contracts with the Mint and the State Department. Contractors who do business with the federal government must honor their obligations to provide honest services and products, said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. Working with realtors and federal investigators, we will do all that we can to act against those who illegitimately bill the American taxpayers. The lawsuit was filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private parties to sue on behalf of the United States for submission of false claims to the government. The private plaintiffs are entitled to receive a share of any funds recovered through the lawsuit. The False Claims Act authorizes the United States to intervene in such a lawsuit and take over primary responsibility for litigating it. The False Claims Act allows for recovery of three times the governments losses, plus civil penalties. Contractors must understand that it is unlawful to use inflated estimates to obtain higher contract prices, said Stuart F. Delery, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Departments Civil Division. The decision to join this civil lawsuit underscores the commitment of the Department of Justice to recover federal funds that are unlawfully claimed. In its notice announcing intervention, the United States also indicated that it plans to assert additional claims related to Gallups subcontract with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These claims relate to allegations in the whistleblower lawsuit that Gallup negotiated for employment with a FEMA official who was responsible for Gallups subcontract while, at the same time, Gallup was seeking to obtain additional funding from FEMA for Gallups subcontract. The lawsuit, which was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, is captioned U.S. ex rel. Lindley v. The Gallup Organization, 09-cv-01985. The claims made in the complaint are only allegations and do not constitute a determination of liability. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia and the Department of Justices Civil Division are representing the government.
As alleged in court filings, Grey claimed that he ran a car dealership called Planet Cars and offered to sell luxury cars, such as BMWs. With Greys representations about the car purchase, victims obtained auto loans from banks. After they gave Grey the auto loan checks, however, he never provided the cars. In fact, according to the court filings, Grey never owned the cars in question. The court filings alleged that five separate times in 2009, including four times in October 2009 alone, Grey fraudulently obtained auto loan proceeds in this way. Each of the auto loans was between $29,000 and $35,000. The victimized banks included BB&T and Navy Federal Credit Union, according to the court filings. If convicted, Grey faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine.
Florida Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Prison For Wire Fraud in Massive Internet-Based Ponzi Scheme
Venture Raised More Than $120 Million From Members Thomas A. Bowdoin, Jr., also known as Andy Bowdoin, the founder and operator of a business known as AdSurf Daily, Inc., was sentenced to 78 months in prison for running a fraudulent Internet-based advertising scheme that generated more than $120 million from tens of thousands of people across the United States and other countries. Bowdoin, 77, of Quincy, Fla., pled guilty in May 2012 to a federal charge of wire fraud. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, Bowdoin will be placed on three years of supervised release. According to a statement of offense, signed by the government as well as the defendant, Bowdoin ran a Ponzi scheme disguised as an online advertising company. AdSurf Daily, Inc., or ASD, drew in large numbers of investors by promising huge returns on their investments. Thousands of victims, many from the Washington, D.C. area, lost money through the scheme. As part of his guilty plea, Bowdoin admitted that he operated ASD from September 2006 until August 2008, when agents from the Secret Service and the St. Cloud, FL. IRS-Secret Service Task Force seized ASDs assets and bank accounts pursuant to a court order. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia subsequently obtained civil forfeiture of $80 million in proceeds of Bowdoins schemes, including numerous bank accounts, real property, luxury vehicles, and watercraft. The Department of Justices Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia established a program to return the fraudulently obtained money to victims. Approximately $59 million in forfeited assets has been returned to approximately 9,000 victims. In addition, the Department of Justices Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section has indicated to the Court that it will provide a supplemental program post-sentencing to address
remission petitions from any remaining victims. Information on the supplemental remission program will be available soon at http://www.justice.gov/usao/dc/programs/vw/adsurfdaily.html. Thomas Bowdoin was a master of fraud and deception, cheating victims out of their hardearned money and savings with his get-rich scheme, said U.S. Attorney Machen. His actions cost his victims millions of dollars and now they will cost him his freedom. This sentence will protect the public from Mr. Bowdoins scams and hold him accountable for his crimes. This guilty plea and sentencing are yet another example of the Secret Services investigative efforts to combat financial crimes, said Special Agent in Charge Ramos Martinez. Capitalizing on the strength of our financial task force partnerships, we aggressively pursue criminals using computer experts, forensic specialists, investigative experts and intelligence analysts. According to the governments evidence, ASD operated on the Internet at various websites, including www. adsurfdaily.com, www.adcashgenerator.com, and www.lafuentedinero.com. Bowdoin heralded ASD as an income opportunity, and referred to himself as a money magnet. Bowdoin stated that it was his goalto make 100,000 millionaires in 3 years. ASDs business model promised members the opportunity to earn 125 percent (initially 150 percent) on each dollar paid into ASD, as long as the members viewed other members websites for a few minutes each day on ASDs Internet page, commonly referred to as the ASD rotator. Bowdoin also promised members commissions for recruiting other members into the program. While a small percentage of ASD members who invested early in the program could earn the extraordinary rates of return, the promised opportunity was illusory for the vast majority of ASD members. Indeed, due to the fact that ASDs pyramid-style business model relied entirely on an ever increasing influx of new money to fund the debt owed to earlier members, the vast majority of members could never earn the promised rates of return, making the promised opportunity fraudulent. Key to the governments case was that ASD did not generate any revenue from sales to customers outside the pyramid scheme. During ASDs operation, Bowdoin raised more than $120 million from over 96,000 members. Bowdoin paid out to members approximately $45 million to cover their investments and induce them to re-enroll in ASDs program. Bowdoin spent more than $8 million to operate and promote ASD and more than $1 million for his own personal benefit or the benefit of his family. In 2008, alone, Bowdoin used ASD funds to purchase a lake house in Quincy, Fla., two luxury vehicles, a boat, two recreational watercrafts, and other items of value. In 2008, Bowdoin held several rallies across the country attended by thousands of ASD members and potential members, during which he promoted ASDs business model and offered matching bonuses to induce further investment. During the rallies, an ASD employee informed audiences, at Bowdoins direction, that Bowdoin could be trusted because a criminal background check on Bowdoin only revealed a speeding ticket in North Carolina.
Bowdoin knew those representations were false. The truth was Bowdoin had been convicted of three securities-related felonies in Alabama in the 1990s and had been charged in Alabama in the 1990s in at least thirteen other indictments alleging securities fraud, resulting in Bowdoin being forever barred from selling securities in Alabama. None of these disclosures were made to ASD members or potential members. In addition, to further promote himself and ASD, Bowdoin directed an ASD employee at these rallies to inform ASD members and potential members that Bowdoin had been personally given a medal of distinction from President George W. Bush for his business achievements. In reality, Bowdoin purchased the medal of distinction from the National Republican Congressional Committee by donating $25,000 to the committee, using ASD members funds.
Virginia Man Indicted on Federal and Local Charges In Shooting of Security Officer at Family Research Council
Defendant Due in Court for Arraignment on Friday Floyd Lee Corkins, II, 28, of Herndon, Va., was indicted by a grand jury on federal and District of Columbia charges involving the shooting last week of a security guard at the Family Research Council in downtown Washington. The grand jury returned the indictment in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Corkins, who has been in custody since his arrest soon after the Aug. 15, 2012 shooting, was charged with the federal offense of interstate transportation of a firearm and ammunition, along with the District of Columbia offenses of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. The federal charge carries a maximum of 10 years in prison. The charge of assault with intent to kill while armed carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 30 years. The charge of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence carries a mandatory minimum of five years in prison and a maximum of 15 years. According to the governments evidence, on Aug. 15, 2012, at about 10:45 a.m., the defendant entered the office of the Family Research Council, at 801 G Street NW, and encountered an unarmed security guard. The defendant retrieved a firearm from his backpack, pointed it at the security guard, and opened fire, striking the guard in the arm. After being wounded, the guard moved toward the defendant, wrestled the firearm away, and subdued him. Corkins is scheduled to appear in court for an arraignment and detention hearing on Aug. 24, 2012 before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alan Kay.
Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Traveling Into the District of Columbia to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct
Defendant Also Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child Pornography Kaylan Joseph Cureton, 24, of Richmond, Va., pled guilty to federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography.
Cureton entered the guilty plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Robert L. Wilkins scheduled sentencing for Nov. 5, 2012. Cureton faces a maximum of 30 years of imprisonment for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct and 10 years for possession of child pornography, as well as fines of $250,000 on each charge. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely sentencing range of 63 to 78 months in prison. According to the government's evidence, on May 24, 2012, Cureton contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had entered a social network site. Over the next several days, Cureton engaged in online email, instant message, text message and telephone conversations with the undercover officer, whom Cureton believed was the father of an under-aged child. During this period of time, Cureton arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Richmond to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., where he was arrested. Upon execution of a search warrant on Curetons residence, members of the FBIs Child Exploitation Task Force recovered a USB drive containing numerous videos of child pornography.
District Woman Sentenced to Eight Months in Prison For Social Security Fraud
Provided False Information and Stole Benefits Intended For Her Daughter Celeste Davis, 54, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to eight months in prison for defrauding the Social Security Administration in order to receive over $54,000 in disability benefits to which she was not entitled. Davis pled guilty in May 2012 the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a felony charge of making false statements to the Social Security Administration (SSA) for use in determining benefits. She was sentenced by the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins. Upon completion of her prison term, she will be placed on three years of supervised release. Also, as part of the guilty plea, Davis has agreed to pay full restitution to the federal government. According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court, Davis applied for Social Security survivors benefits in 2003 on behalf of her daughter, whose father had served in the military before his death. Davis sought to be appointed as a representative payee because her daughter was a minor, and represented that she would use the payments for the benefit of her daughter. In March 2004, Daviss daughter was removed from her care. Davis did not notify the Social Security Administration of this change in circumstance, and instead, she continued to submit reports to SSA in which she falsely represented that her daughter remained in her home and that the Social Security benefits she received were being spent solely for her care. Daviss false representations to the Social Security Administration caused the agency to make overpayments of benefits in the amount of $54,750 between April 2004 and June 2008. Davis used the money she received to pay for her own personal expenses.
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during the 2011 fiscal year. More than 750,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information.
Former Employee Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison In $900,000 Embezzlement Scheme Against XM Satellite Radio
She Conspired to Take Money Intended for Vendors Valencia Person, 54, of Suitland, Md., was sentenced to 15 months in prison for taking part in a scheme to embezzle more than $900,000 from her former employer, XM Satellite Radio. Person pled guilty in March 2012 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of her prison term, Person will be placed on three years of supervised release. In addition, as part of the plea agreement, Person agreed to a money judgment of $908,924, representing the amount of proceeds from the crime. According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, Person worked at XM Satellite Radio (now known as Sirius XM Radio, Inc.), a corporation based in Washington, D.C., as a coordinator in the Accounts Payable Department. Her duties included responsibility for payments to large vendors. From 2005 until at least 2008, Person and an XM Satellite Radio Accounts Payable Administrator, Brenda L. Jones, embezzled nearly $909,000 from the company. They secretly diverted at least 26 payments, which were supposed to go to XM vendors, to bank accounts held by Jones. They covered up the activities by altering data in the companys accounting system. Jones then gave a portion of the monies to Person. Jones resigned in 2006. However, more than $690,000 of the money was transferred into her accounts after she had left the company. According to Person, she personally benefitted from the scheme in an amount not exceeding $125,000. Jones, 46, of Lothian, Md., pled guilty in January 2012 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. She is to be sentenced Aug. 16, 2012, also by Judge Walton.
Owners of Medical Equipment Company Plead Guilty To Federal Charge of Health Care Fraud
Admit Filing False Claims to D.C. Medicaid Jacob Rafi, 54, the owner and president of DC Medical Supply, Inc., and his wife, Rena Rafi, 49, the companys managing director, pled guilty on Aug. 3, 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to health care fraud in connection with the firms fraudulent billing practices.
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Jacob and Rena Rafi, of Silver Spring, Md., pled guilty before the Honorable Magistrate Judge Alan Kay. They are to be sentenced on Oct. 30, 2012, before the Honorable Judge Ellen S. Huvelle. Each faces a maximum of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Under the advisory federal sentencing guidelines, the likely range of imprisonment is 6 to 12 months. DC Medical, also known as More Mobility, located in the 5900 block of Georgia Avenue NW, is a provider of medical equipment and supplies including, incontinence supplies and garments, wheelchairs, and other medical devices to Medicaid beneficiaries. During their plea, the Rafis admitted that between, January 2007 through December 2010, they submitted false claims to D.C. Medicaid for incontinence products that were never provided to D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries. As a result of the fraud, they derived at least $70,000 in profits.
New Zealand Fishing Company Found Guilty Of Environmental Crimes and Obstruction of Justice
Chief Engineer Also Found Guilty of Charges A federal jury in Washington, D.C., returned guilty verdicts against Sanford Ltd., a New Zealand fishing company, on six counts of conspiracy, obstruction of justice, and violating the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships (APPS). The jury also found a company employee guilty of two other charges. Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing for Nov. 16, 2012. Sanford faces a maximum fine of up to $500,000 on each count, for a total potential penalty of $3.0 million. Sanfords primary chief engineer, James Pogue, 52, faces up to 20 years for obstruction of justice and six years for knowingly failing to maintain an accurate oil record book. According to the governments evidence, in July 2011, the U.S. Coast Guard conducted a Port State Control examination on the Fishing Vessel (F/V) San Nikunau, when the vessel entered port in Pago Pago, American Samoa. The examination revealed that the vessel had been making false entries and omissions in its oil record book that vessels are required to maintain accurately in order to account for their handling of oil waste generated by the vessel. According to evidence presented at trial, Sanford operates the San Nikunau a vessel that routinely delivers tuna to a cannery in Pago Pago. Over the past five years, Sanford was paid over $24 million for tuna deliveries. Sanford was convicted of numerous charges, including conspiracy and causing the vessel to enter to the port of Pago Pago with a falsified oil record book that failed to accurately account for how the vessel was managing its bilge waste and for obstruction of justice for falsely stating in the oil record book that required pollution prevention equipment had been used when it had not. Sanford was also convicted of discharging machinery space bilge waste into the port of Pago Pago without using required pollution prevention equipment including the oil water separator. Pogue, of Idaho, served as the chief engineer on the vessel between 2001 and 2010. Pogue was convicted of failing to maintain an oil record book for the vessel that accurately accounted for
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how the vessel was managing its bilge waste. In addition, Pogue was convicted of obstruction of justice for falsely stating in the oil record book that required pollution prevention equipment had been used when it had not. Prior to the trial, Rolando Ong Vano, 51, of the Philippines, another chief engineer who worked on the vessel, pleaded guilty to charges in the case. He is to be sentenced Sept. 7, 2012. These verdicts hold a company and one of its chief engineers accountable for polluting the waters off American Samoa with oily waste, and then trying to cover up their acts, said U.S. Attorney Machen. The prosecution demonstrates our commitment to enforcing environmental laws and protecting our precious natural resources.
Maryland Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison For Criminal Copyright Infringement
He Operated a DVD-Burning Factory From His Residence And Distributed Pirated DVDs to Vendors at the D.C. Farmers Market John M. Harris, 35, of Bryans Road, Md., was sentenced to six months of incarceration, to be followed by six months of home detention, on a federal charge of criminal copyright infringement for reproducing motion pictures without the permission of the copyright owners and then distributing them to vendors in the District of Columbia. Harris pled guilty in May 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Senior Judge Thomas F. Hogan. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. The court also ordered restitution to the copyright holders, the destruction of all infringing DVDs, and asset forfeiture of the equipment Harris utilized to produce the infringing motion pictures, which included computers and 11 optical disk duplication towers, each capable of producing 10 DVDs simultaneously. According to evidence presented to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, Harris made copies of the motion pictures from June until October of 2011, using DVD burning towers, while operating a factory from his residence. In his plea, he admitted making 10 or more copies of three movies: Kung Fu Panda 2, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Bridesmaids, as well as hundreds of copies of other movie titles. Harris also admitted selling the DVDs he created to vendors at the Florida Avenue/D.C. Farmers Market, in the 500 block of Neal Place NW. In an interview with law enforcement, Harris acknowledged burning between 600 and1,000 movies a weekend and delivering them to the Farmers Market. According to Harris, he charged 60 cents per DVD for the pirated movies. Dream Works Animation owns the copyright to Kung Fu Panda 2, Walt Disney Studios owns the copyright of Pirates of the Caribbean, and Universal Pictures Corporation owns the copyright for Bridesmaids.
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On Oct. 8, 2011, ICE-HSI Special Agents executed a search of Harriss residence and seized more than 1,100 infringing copies of motion pictures as well as computers and other equipment. The copies of the pirated films and blank DVDs that, but for law enforcement intervention Harris would have been used to create more pirated movies, are valued at more than $47,000. John Harris turned his home into a virtual factory, where he churned out pirated movies to make a profit for himself, said U.S. Attorney Machen. He took money that should have gone to the many people actually responsible for the entertainment he sold. This prosecution demonstrates our resolve to protecting copyrights on movies and other products from those who want to cash in illegally. Harris and criminals like him threaten the livelihoods of the hardworking people who depend on compensation from copyrighted materials to support their families, said Special Agent in Charge Torres. Those involved in intellectual property theft don't invest in product development; nor do they put a premium on product quality or safety. What they do is profit at someone else's expense. HSI and the HSI-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center will continue to target intellectual property pirates who traffic in stolen movies for their own profit.
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Jaspers false representations have required Federal Investigative Services to reopen and rework numerous background investigations that were assigned to her during the time period of her falsifications, at an estimated cost of $109,000 to the U.S. government. Federal Investigative Services has a robust integrity assurance program which utilizes a variety of methods to ensure the accuracy of reported information. The falsification of investigative case work by the defendant was detected through the program. This is one of numerous cases prosecuted by the U.S. Attorneys Office for the District of Columbia in the last three years involving false representations by background investigators and record checkers working on federal background investigations. In addition to Jasper, 12 other background investigators and two record checkers have been convicted of charges. Federal Investigative Services, through its workforce of approximately 7,300 investigators, is responsible for conducting background investigations for numerous federal agencies and their contractors, on individuals either employed by or seeking employment with those agencies or contractors. Federal Investigative Services conducted more than 2.1 million investigations during the 2011 fiscal year. More than 750,000 of these investigations involved applicants for access or continued access to classified information. In performing background investigations, the investigators conduct interviews of individuals who have information about the person who is the subject of the review. In addition, the investigators seek out, obtain, and review documentary evidence, such as employment records, to verify and corroborate information provided by either the subject of the background investigation or by persons interviewed during the investigation. After conducting interviews and obtaining documentary evidence, the investigators prepare a Report of Investigation containing the results of the interviews and document reviews, and electronically submit the material to OPM in Washington, D.C. OPM then provides a copy of the investigative file to the requesting agency, which can use the information to determine an individuals eligibility for employment or a security clearance.
Former Employee Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Her Role in $900,000 Embezzlement Scheme Against XM Satellite Radio
She Conspired to Take Money Intended for Vendors Brenda L. Jones, 46, of Lothian, Md., was sentenced to 15 months in prison for taking part in a scheme to embezzle more than $900,000 from her former employer, XM Satellite Radio. Jones pled guilty to a conspiracy charge in January 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. She was sentenced by the Honorable Reggie B. Walton. Upon completion of her prison term, Jones will be placed on three years of supervised release. As part of the plea agreement, Jones agreed to a money judgment of $908,924, representing the amount of proceeds from the crime.
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According to a statement of offense submitted to the Court by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sherri L. Schornstein, Jones worked from July 2005 until July 2006 at XM Satellite Radio (now known as Sirius XM Radio, Inc.), a corporation based in Washington, D.C., as an administrator in the Accounts Payable Department, a branch of the controllers office. Joness duties included responsibility for payments to commercial vendors. From 2005 until at least 2008, Jones and a coordinator in the Accounts Payable Department, Valencia Person, embezzled nearly $909,000 from the company. They secretly diverted at least 26 payments, which were supposed to go to XM vendors, to bank accounts held by Jones. They covered up the activities by altering data in the companys accounting system. Jones then gave a portion of the monies to Person. Jones resigned in 2006. However, more than $690,000 of the money was transferred into her accounts after she had left the company. Person, 54, of Suitland, Md., pled guilty in March 2012 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Judge Walton sentenced her on Aug. 9, 2012 to a 15-month prison term. Upon completion of the prison term, Person will be placed on three years of supervised release. In addition, as part of the plea agreement, Person agreed to a money judgment of $908,924.
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system because of a prior conviction. The FBI also matched Wilkersons fingerprints to the demand note and a toy recovered with the robbery clothing. Wilkerson was arrested in May 2012 in North Carolina.
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Underwood, 32, a former resident of Indiana, was first charged in an indictment on Aug. 31, 2011, with two counts of making false statements and was arrested on Sept. 1, 2011. On Sept. 21, 2011, he failed to appear at a scheduled status hearing in federal court in the District of Columbia. The FBI later located Underwood in a hotel in Los Angeles and arrested him there on Sept. 24, 2011. On Sept. 28, 2011, Underwood was charged in a superseding indictment with one count of attempting to communicate national defense information to a foreign government, two counts of making false statements and one count of failing to appear in court pursuant to his conditions of release. Sentencing for Underwood has been scheduled for Nov. 19, 2012. He faces a maximum potential sentence of life in prison. Bryan Underwood was charged with protecting a new U.S. Consulate compound against foreign espionage, but facing financial hardship, he attempted to betray his country for personal gain, said Assistant Attorney General Monaco. This prosecution demonstrates that we remain vigilant in protecting Americas secrets and in bringing to justice those who attempt to compromise them. Bryan Underwood was determined to make millions by selling secret photos of restricted areas inside a U.S. Consulate in China, said U.S. Attorney Machen. His greed drove him to exploit his access to Americas secrets to line his own pockets. The lengthy prison sentence facing Underwood should chasten anyone who is tempted to put our nation at risk for personal gain. Bryan Underwood sought to benefit from his access to sensitive information, but his attempted betrayal was detected before our nations secrets fell into the wrong hands, said FBI Assistant Director in Charge McJunkin. Together with our partners, the FBI will continue to work to expose, investigate and prevent acts of espionage that threaten our national security. The close working relationship between the U.S. Department of States Diplomatic Security Service, the FBI and the U.S. Attorneys Office resulted in the capture and conviction of Bryan Underwood before he could harm the security of our country, said Assistant Secretary of State Boswell. The Diplomatic Security Service is firmly committed to thoroughly investigating all potential intelligence threats to our nation. According to court documents, from November 2009 to August 2011, Underwood worked as a cleared American guard (CAG) at the construction site of a new U.S. Consulate compound in Guangzhou, China. CAGs are American civilian security guards with Top Secret clearances who serve to prevent foreign governments from improperly obtaining sensitive or classified information from the U.S. Consulate. Underwood received briefings on how to handle and protect classified information as well as briefings and instructions on security protocols for the U.S. Consulate, including the prohibition on photography in certain areas of the consulate. Plan to Sell Information and Access for $3 Million to $5 Million In February 2011, Underwood was asked by U.S. law enforcement to assist in a project at the consulate and he agreed. In March 2011, Underwood lost a substantial amount of money in the stock market. According to court documents, Underwood then devised a plan to use his
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assistance to U.S. law enforcement as a cover for making contact with the Chinese government. According to his subsequent statements to U.S. law enforcement, Underwood intended to sell his information about and access to the U.S. Consulate to the Chinese MSS for $3 million to $5 million. If any U.S. personnel caught him, he planned to falsely claim he was assisting U.S. law enforcement. As part of his plan, Underwood wrote a letter to the Chinese MSS, expressing his interest in initiating a business arrangement with your offices and stating, I know I have information and skills that would be beneficial to your offices [sic] goals. And I know your office can assist me in my financial endeavors. According to court documents, Underwood attempted to deliver this letter to the offices of the Chinese MSS in Guangzhou, but was turned away by a guard who declined to accept the letter. Underwood then left the letter in the open in his apartment hoping that the Chinese MSS would find it, as he believed the MSS routinely conducted searches of apartments occupied by Americans. In May 2011, Underwood secreted a camera into the U.S. Consulate compound and took photographs of a restricted building and its contents. Many of these photographs depict areas or information classified at the Secret level. Underwood also created a schematic that listed all security upgrades to the U.S. Consulate and drew a diagram of the surveillance camera locations at the consulate. In addition, according to his subsequent statements to U.S. law enforcement, Underwood mentally constructed a plan in which the MSS could gain undetected access to a building at the U.S. Consulate to install listening devices or other technical penetrations. According to court documents, the photographs Underwood took were reviewed by an expert at the State Departments Bureau of Diplomatic Security who had original classification authority for facilities, security and countermeasures at the U.S. Consulate. The expert determined that many of the photographs contained images classified at the Secret level and that disclosure of such material could cause serious damage to the United States. In early August 2011, Underwood was interviewed several times by FBI and Diplomatic Security agents, during which he admitted making efforts to contact the Chinese MSS, but falsely claimed that he took these actions to assist U.S. law enforcement. On Aug. 19, 2011, Underwood was again interviewed by law enforcement agents and he admitted that he planned to sell photos, information and access to the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou to the Chinese MSS for his personal financial gain. The U.S. government has found no evidence that Underwood succeeded in passing classified information concerning the U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou to anyone at the Chinese MSS.
COMMUNITY RESOURCE GUIDE In partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department and the District of Columbia Government, we
have created a Community Resource Guide. The Community Resource Guide is an informational tool designed to help citizens access information about various agencies and service providers within the District. To access and download this user friendly tool, simply log onto: www.justice.gov/usao/dc.
VINELINK
The District of Columbia Department of Corrections maintains a database that allows victims to search for information regarding an offender's current custody status. VINELink is the online version of VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday), and can be accessed at http://www.vinelink.com. This service allows crime victims to obtain timely and reliable information about criminal cases and the custodial status of offenders 24 hours a day. Through VINE or VINELink, victims may register to be notified automatically by phone, email, or TTY device whenever an offender is released, transferred, or escapes. Concerned citizens can also register to be notified when an offender's custody status changes. Users can register through their participating state or county toll-free by calling 1-877-329-7894.
If you need additional information, please contact the Community Prosecution Office in your District.
Following, you will find a publication titled, This Week at the WFO. We hope you will find this additional information useful.
Issue 40 August 2012 Former U.S. Consulate Guard Pleads Guilty to Espionage Bryan Underwood, a former civilian guard at a U.S. Consulate compound under construction in China, pleaded guilty to attempting to sell classified photographs, information and access related to the new compound to Chinas Ministry of State Security (MSS) for personal financial gain. Underwood worked as a cleared American guard at the construction site of a new U.S. Consulate in Guangzhou for which he received a Top Secret clearance. Underwood was asked by U.S. law enforcement to participate in a project. Underwood then devised a plan to use his participation in this project as a cover for actually making contact with the Chinese government and selling it information and access to the Consulate. Underwood intended to sell this information for $3 to $5 mil. While on guard duty, Underwood took photos of a restricted building and its contents (including areas and information classified at the Secret level), created a schematic of all security upgrades, and drew a diagram of the surveillance camera locations at the Consulate. In August 2011, after falsely claiming to FBI agents that he made efforts to contact the MSS, Underwood admitted he planned to sell photos, information and access to the U.S. Consulate to the MSS for his personal financial gain. The U.S. government has found no evidence that Underwood succeeded in passing classified information to the MSS. Reward Offered In Murder Investigation of Virginia State Police Trooper The FBI, Virginia State Police, and Manassas City Police Department announced a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for the murder of Virginia State Trooper Johnny Rush Bowman. Early morning Aug. 19, 1984, Trooper Bowman answered the front door of his residence in the Bristoe Station development of Manassas, Va., and was repeatedly stabbed by an unknown assailant(s). Bowmans wife was home during the attack and called 911. The attacker(s) fled on foot from his home, leaving behind eyeglasses, a wig and a construction hard hat. Bowman died shortly thereafter at a local hospital. Twenty-eight years after his murder, advancements in forensic testing have identified new information regarding DNA found at the scene. Forensic evidence was originally submitted to the FBI Laboratory for testing in 1984. Additional tests were conducted in the late 1990s and again in 2010. Accounts Payable Coordinator Sentenced for Embezzlement Valencia Person, a former accounts payable coordinator for XM Satellite Radio, was sentenced this month to 15 months in prison for taking part in a scheme to embezzle more than $900,000 from her former employer. Person was responsible for payments to large vendors of XM Satellite Radio. From 2005 to 2008, Person and an XM Satellite Radio Accounts Payable Administrator, Brenda Jones, embezzled nearly $909,000 from the company. They secretly diverted at least 26 payments, which were supposed to go to XM vendors, to bank accounts held by Jones. They covered up the activities by altering data in the companys accounting system. Jones then gave a portion of the monies to Person. Jones resigned in 2006, however, more than $690,000 of the money was transferred into her accounts after she had left the company. According to Person, she personally benefitted from the scheme in an amount not exceeding $125,000. Jones pled guilty in Jan. 2012. Future Agents in Training Thirty-seven high school students from Northern Virginia and Washington, D.C., met this month at the WFO for the Future Agents in Training (FAIT) program. During their week-long program, participants learned about the FBIs investigative and intelligence driven mission and the types of criminal violations that the FBI investigates through our Criminal, Counterterrorism, Intelligence and Counterintelligence divisions. Students applied what they learned through a hands-on bank robbery scenario at the FBI Academy where they served as FBI agents who interviewed witnesses, collected evidence and even made an arrest. FAIT is an annual program held the first week of each August. Applications for next years program will be available on the WFOs community outreach website in January 2013.
FBI Washington Field Office 601 4th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20535 Web: washingtondc.fbi.gov Twitter:@FBIWFO (202) 278-2000
The Following Report, Titled Papered Arrests Contains Details on Arrests and Charges Filed Against Defendants in the Fifth District.
12107485
08/01/2012 05:19
12107531
08/01/2012 06:30
12190493
08/01/2012 11:07
12107568
SCOTT, LONNIE
2012CF2013418
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, FELONY UNIT 22nd Street, N.W., WDC
08/01/2012 14:45
12107719
MCRAE, AMANDA B
2012CMD013453
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 501 NEW YORK AVE. NE #538
08/01/2012 16:18
12107798
SHOPLIFTING
BROWN, CHARLES
2012CMD013402
12107799
08/01/2012 19:11
12107929
08/01/2012 21:10
12107946
GRAY, MARYNETTIE
2012CMD013438
08/02/2012 01:02
12108048
DAVIS, MARVIN
2012DVM001711
08/02/2012 08:20
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TEAL, MICHAEL
2012CMD013463
12108247
08/02/2012 21:33
12108513
12108500
08/03/2012 01:45
12108580
POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD AARON J. SHEPARD POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD
FOX, RHONDA
2012CMD013519
08/03/2012 04:16
12108640
WOLVERTON, DEBORAH
2012CMD013521
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1615 NEW YORK AVE NE
08/04/2012 03:05
12109167
SIMPLE ASSAULT
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1355 NEW YORK AVE NE
08/04/2012 19:29
BANNISTER, IKEA
2012CF2013642
08/04/2012 19:43
12109524
ROLLING, ELISHA
2012CF3013671
12109571
08/06/2012 03:57
12110153
TISDALE, INDIA B
2012CMD013657
08/07/2012 05:45
12101778
GORDON, SAMUEL
2012CMD013753
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1300 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE, NE
12110814
08/07/2012 17:40
12110986
POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD ROBERT E. ECKERT SIMPLE ASSAULT VERONICA M. NEISLER
BANKS, GARY F
2012CMD014386
08/07/2012 17:45
12111001
GILES, NATINA M
2012DVM001743
08/07/2012 20:21
12111076
POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD ROBERT E. ECKERT POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD ROBERT E. ECKERT SEXUAL SOLICITATION JANINE N. FLETCHER
LIGON, CARL T
2012CMD013807
08/07/2012 20:42
12111083
HODNALL, GEORGE J
2012CMD014877
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DAVIS, ASHLEY M
2012CMD013817
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08/08/2012 06:45
12039050
08/08/2012 12:51
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08/08/2012 14:56
12111414
ROBINSON, VAN G
2012CMD013855
08/08/2012 15:12
12111372
RILEY, THEODORE N
2012DVM001749
12068419
08/08/2012 16:10
SCRIVNER, LAWRENCE
2012DVM001755
SC, SEX OFF./DOM.VIOLENCE, DOMESTIC VIOLENCE 1263 Meigs Pl, NE, Apt. 3, WDC
08/08/2012 18:04
12111555
CANAS, CARLOS
2012CMD013868
08/08/2012 18:59
12111563
AKOTO, CYNTHIA M
2012CMD014393
08/09/2012 00:42
12111676
THORNTON, BERNARD A
2012CMD013883
08/09/2012 10:00
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TONEY, MAYA
2012CMD013937
08/09/2012 11:19
12111840
PALMER, BERNARD
2012CMD013912
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1301 NEW JERSEY AVE NW
12039303
08/09/2012 18:44
12112033
SCOTT, ARELETHA
2012CMD013922
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1800 block of West Virginia Ave, NE
08/09/2012 19:15
12112047
SEXUAL SOLICITATION
MORRIS, MARTINA
2012CMD013899
08/09/2012 21:48
12112123
SEXUAL SOLICITATION
HASKINS, MAKISHA
2012CMD013918
08/10/2012 07:24
12112288
HUNTER, CHRISTOPHER
2012CMD014398
08/10/2012 18:34
12112587
PIXLEY, STANLEY J
2012CF2013985
08/10/2012 18:46
12112600
CONTEH, ISSA
2012CMD014028
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08/11/2012 10:24
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UNLAWFUL ENTRY
HOANG, THANH V
2012CMD014655
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 2228 NEW YORK AVE NE
08/11/2012 16:25
12113094
MCKNIGHT, ASHLEY
2012CMD015147
08/11/2012 17:34
12113116
POSS OF A CONTROL SUBSTANCE -MISD JANINE N. FLETCHER ASSAULT ON A POLICER OFFICER-DANG WEAPON TRAVIS A. HILL
CROSSLAND, ALBARDO D
2012CMD014124
08/11/2012 23:46
12113285
KEARNEY, LIAM
2012CMD014067
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT MICHIGAN AVE NE / NORTH CAPITOL ST
10
12113268
08/12/2012 02:35
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08/14/2012 01:15
12114263
SANDERS, CAROLYN
2012DVM001785
08/14/2012 11:56
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11
12114463
08/14/2012 15:15
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08/15/2012 20:21
12115187
08/16/2012 22:00
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08/17/2012 06:22
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VEST, CLARENCE E
2012CMD014486
14
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08/17/2012 22:12
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08/18/2012 03:39
12116406
15
12116665
08/18/2012 17:51
08/19/2012 02:00
12116909
VELASQUES, KEVIN
2012CF2014524
08/19/2012 02:00
12116909
ESCOBAR, ASHLEY
2012CF2014525
16
12117046
17
12117770
08/21/2012 11:56
12118060
08/21/2012 16:25
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18
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08/22/2012 09:47
12041379
19
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20
12118839
08/23/2012 15:54
12119201
08/23/2012 17:50
12119269
AULL, IRVING L
2012CMD015429
08/23/2012 22:18
12119404
GREGORY, IVY N
2012CMD014851
08/23/2012 23:00
12119409
BORUM, LUCIOUS C
2012CMD014828
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT HOLBROOK TER NE / WEST VIRGINIA AVE NE
21
12119418
08/24/2012 10:45
12119353
SIMPLE ASSAULT
MILLER, SHARON
2012CMD014909
08/24/2012 13:48
12110645
BRODIE, JAMAL
2012DVM001871
22
12119831
08/25/2012 14:00
12120225
CLYBURN, DEDRICA L
2012CMD014926
08/25/2012 19:19
12120370
POSS. MARIJUANA
MCKINNEY, JACK
08/25/2012 19:19
12120370
POSS. COCAINE
MCKINNEY, JACK
08/26/2012 03:00
12120547
Destruction of Property less than $1000 KASIA M. PRENETA ROBBERY ERIN L. WALSH
BURDEN, DOMINIQUE
2012DVM001881
08/26/2012 09:10
12120651
WILLIAMS, ANDRE R
2012CF2014957
23
12120762
08/27/2012 06:50
12115351
PERSON, JOSEPH A
2012CMD014958
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 901 RHODE ISLAND AVENUE, NE, WASHINGTON DC
08/27/2012 18:30
12121271
LEWIS, JAMES
2012CMD014990
08/27/2012 20:30
12121333
MIXIN, JAMES M
08/27/2012 20:40
12121322
FAUNTROY, JAMIE
2012CMD015052
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1901 E STREET ST SE, LOBBY
24
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08/28/2012 00:29
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CLARK, COLIN H
08/28/2012 00:29
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CLARK, COLIN H
08/28/2012 02:10
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COLLIER, JEFFERY S
2012CMD015004
08/28/2012 02:18
12121447
HICKERSON, JAMES R
2012DVM001892
08/28/2012 03:33
12121474
TURNER, DENISE O
2012DVM001893
08/28/2012 07:58
12112348
POPE, ALBERT J
2012CMD015041
25
12121504
08/28/2012 23:45
12108795
THREATS TO DO BODILY HARM -MISD TRAVIS A. HILL SEXUAL SOLICITATION ROBERT E. ECKERT
08/29/2012 01:02
12121970
MANNING, MARIANNE
2012CMD015133
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 900 BLOCK OF MT. OLIVET ROAD NE
08/29/2012 01:36
12121985
SEXUAL SOLICITATION
CREEK, CHARLES S
2012CMD015100
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT WEST VIRGINIA AVE. AND QUEEN STREET NE
08/29/2012 01:52
12121988
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT WEST VIRGINIA AVE NE and QUEEN STREET NE
08/29/2012 02:11
12121991
NORMAN, CLINTON W
2012CMD015102
SC, GENERAL CRIMES SECTION, MISDEMEANOR UNIT 1400 BLOCK OF WEST VIRGINIA AVE NE
26
12121993
08/29/2012 13:50
12122174
27
12122203
08/30/2012 00:45
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28
12054890
29
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30