Thursday, February 25, 2010

Former Grady Hospital Emergency Room Doctor Convicted of Child Exploitation Crimes

A federal jury today returned guilty verdicts against DR. ADAM WAYNE LEBOWITZ, 50, of Decatur, Georgia, on one count of producing child pornography and one count of attempting to coerce and entice a minor to engage in unlawful sex acts. The jury found him not guilty on another count of producing child pornography.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of the verdicts, “If not for the diligence of a mother and her son, and the quick work of county and federal law enforcement, this doctor could still be preying upon young victims. As a doctor, this defendant was responsible for protecting the health and safety of children, but instead endangered the physical and emotional safety of children by exploiting them. He will no longer be able to do that behind the bars of a federal prison.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Greg Jones said, “Dr. Lebowitz had a bright career wherein he had committed himself to helping others. Dr. Lebowitz forfeited that career by instead engaging in acts that exploited minor children and further acts that, without law enforcement intervention, would have exploited and victimized a minor child. This is a very unfortunate case but one that should serve as an example to parents that predators come from all walks of life and that parents must remain vigilant in order to play a role in proactively protecting their children.”

Coweta County Sheriff Michael Yeager said, “The Coweta County Sheriff's Office appreciates the work of the U.S. Attorney's Office and all agencies involved in bringing this case forward. Hopefully a very long period of incarceration will follow so no one else will encounter this individual.”

Clayton County Police Chief Timothy Robinson said, “I am proud to have our agency working closely with the FBI and the Safe Child Task Force. Because of the hard work, dedication and collaboration of these agencies, another child predator is off of our streets. It is just another example of how communities benefit from Multi-Jurisdictional Task Forces.”

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, and the evidence presented in court: LEBOWITZ came to the attention of law enforcement officers at the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office on October 26, 2006, afer a victim, a 15-year-old boy, received a series of e-mails on the MySpace website, and sexually graphic instant messages on the AOL website, from LEBOWITZ. The victim’s mother contacted the sheriff’s office and reported these online messages sent by LEBOWITZ to her son. The sheriff's office then began an undercover investigation of LEBOWITZ that culminated in his arrest in the driveway of the victim’s home on November 2, 2006. Evidence at trial showed LEBOWITZ had planned to transport the victim to LEBOWITZ’s home in Decatur, Georgia, and had multiple condoms and sexual lubricants inside his vehicle at the time of his arrest.

Following the arrest, the sheriff’s office obtained and executed a warrant to search LEBOWITZ’s home. During the search, investigators seized three computers, two of which contained video recordings of LEBOWITZ engaged in sex acts with two young boys. Investigators discovered that these same video recordings were located on a VHS tape found inside his home during the search. Members of the FBI’s “Safe Child Task Force” identified the victims in the video recordings and contacted them. Both victims revealed that LEBOWITZ had recorded himself engaged in graphic sex acts with these victims when both were minors. An examination of LEBOWITZ’s computers, performed by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI), revealed that LEBOWITZ had sent images from his recordings of the two young victims over the Internet. He was indicted on the charges on June 12, 2007, and a superseding indictment was filed on February 9, 2010.

A sentencing date for LEBOWITZ has not yet been set before United States District Judge Richard W. Story. LEBOWITZ faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison up to a maximum sentence of life imprisonment as to Count Two of producing pornography, and a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to a maximum sentence of life in prison on Count Three, the attempt to coerce a minor.

This case was investigated by members of the FBI’s “Safe Child Task Force,” the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, the Clayton County Police Department, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) with valuable assistance from U. S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Computer Forensics Division. Assistance in this case has also been provided by the Coweta County District Attorney’s Office.

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Georgia Man Sentenced for Transporting a Minor for Illegal Sexual Activity

/PRNewswire/ -- Mack Gordon Harris Sr., 67, was sentenced today to 121 months in prison for transporting a minor for illegal sexual activity, announced Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Lanny A. Breuer and U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia Neil H. MacBride.

Harris, formerly of Social Circle, Ga., was also ordered today by U.S. District Court Judge James R. Spencer to serve 10 years of supervised release following his prison term, and to register as a sex offender.

Harris pleaded guilty on Nov. 30, 2009, to one count of transporting a minor for illegal sexual activity. According to court documents, in June 2005, Harris began communicating with a girl in Maryland, then 15 years old, through a Christian online chat room. Harris admitted that as he continued chatting with the victim during the next few months, he suggested they engage in sexual intercourse. He exposed himself on a computer webcam, urged her to send naked pictures, and engaged in "phone sex." Harris eventually visited the victim around the time that she turned 16, which is the age of sexual consent in Maryland. Harris admitted that several times during his visit and after the victim's 16th birthday, the two engaged in sexual intercourse.

Shortly afterward, Harris decided that he would take the victim to live with him in Georgia. Harris admitted that he instructed the victim to pack her belongings and leave farewell notes for her family. According to court documents, Harris picked up the victim in Maryland in December 2005 and began driving her to his home in Georgia. Harris admitted he told the victim that while traveling, she was not to speak with anybody, but if asked her age, she should respond that she was 25. During the journey, they stopped overnight at a hotel in Skippers, Va., where the age of consent is 18, and engaged in sexual intercourse.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth C. Wu of the Eastern District of Virginia and Trial Attorney Barak Cohen of the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section. The case was investigated by U.S. Postal Inspection Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

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Jury Convicts Georgia Woman for Drug Trafficking

Miranda “Mandi” Sierra, 33, of Dallas, Georgia, was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and two counts of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, Acting United States Attorney William J. Flanagan announced yesterday.

According to court testimony, Sierra was transporting drugs down 1-20 from Georgia to Bossier City, La. She was supplying methamphetamine to Jimmie and Susan Underwood, who were selling it to various people in the area, including an undercover police officer. From January 2009 and continuing to July of 2009, over 70 grams of pure methamphetamine was either purchased or seized. Also seized was $7,886.00 in cash, $4,000.00 of which was cash used in a controlled purchase of drugs by an undercover agent.

Susan Underwood previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges and will face 10 years to life in prison, a fine of not more than $4 million, or both, when she is sentenced on May 13, 2010. Jimmie Underwood also pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges but faces 20 years to life in prison, a fine of not more than $8 million, or both, when he is sentenced on May 13, 2010.

Sierra is scheduled for sentencing on May 27, 2010. She faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years to life in prison, a fine of $8 million, or both. Sentencing in federal court is determined by the discretion of federal judges and the governing statute. Parole has been abolished in the federal system.

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Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Fulton County Jailer Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge of Excessive Force

DENITA RENAE SHAW, 41, of Smyrna, Georgia, a former Fulton County Sheriff’s Detention Officer, pleaded guilty today in federal court to a felony charge of violating civil rights by using excessive force against an inmate at the Fulton County Jail.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said, “This officer violated the Constitution and her oath of office when she assaulted a handcuffed inmate. Now she faces the reality of becoming an inmate.”

FBI Atlanta Special Agent in Charge Greg Jones said, “Today's guilty plea of former Fulton County Sheriff's Detention Officer Shaw demonstrates the commitment that the FBI has toward investigating and enforcing violations of civil rights laws. It is sad when those that violate these laws are within the law enforcement profession as it often can bring discredit to the entire profession thereby impairing or damaging the effectiveness of others within the profession.”

Fulton County Sheriff Ted Jackson said, “The inhumane treatment of persons in custody must cease. This case continues to show that excessive force and the disregard of policies and procedures at the Fulton County Jail will not be tolerated. When the civil rights of inmates are violated, we will pursue criminal charges and coordinate with federal authorities to prosecute the perpetrators to the fullest extent of the law.”

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: On January 26, 2009, SHAW, working as a detention officer at the Fulton County Jail, allegedly used excessive force when she struck a handcuffed inmate in the head with a milk crate at the Fulton County Jail. The indictment alleges that this assault violated the inmate’s constitutional right not to be deprived of liberty without due process of law. SHAW was terminated as a result of the incident. The charge carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Sentencing is scheduled for May 4, 2010, at 10:30 a.m, before United States District Judge J. Owen Forrester.

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

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Former U.S. Military Contractor Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Money Laundering Scheme Related to Defense Department Contracts in Support of Iraqi War

Former military contractor Terry Hall, 43, of Snellville, Ga., pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to pay more than $3 million in bribes to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, an Army base in Kuwait, and to money laundering conspiracy, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division.

Terry Hall was indicted on May 6, 2009, along with U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, 39, and his wife, Eurica Pressley, 37, both of Harvest, Ala.According to court documents filed in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama, Hall’s companies received approximately $21 million between 2005 and 2007 in connection with contracts his companies received.To obtain the contracting business and facilitate unlawful payments by other contractors, Hall admitted he made more than $3 million in unlawful payments and provided other valuable items and services to U.S. Army contracting officials stationed at Camp Arifjan, including U.S. Army Major Eddie Pressley, and former Majors John Cockerham, James Momon and Christopher Murray, among others.

According to court documents, Hall owned and operated several companies, including Freedom Consulting and Catering Co., (FCC) and Total Government Allegiance (TGA), which provided goods and services to the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in connection with Operation Iraqi Freedom.Hall’s companies received a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to deliver bottled water in Iraq and a contract to construct a security fence in Kuwait.

A BPA is an indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract by which the DoD agrees to pay a contractor a specified price for a particular good or service. ased on a BPA, the DoD is permitted to order the supplies on an as-needed basis, and the contractor is bound by the price agreed upon in the BPA.The term for this type of order by the DoD is a “call.”

The case against Hall arose out of a wide-ranging investigation of corruption at the Camp Arifjan contracting office.To date, eight individuals including Hall have pleaded guilty for their roles in the bribery scheme.

On Dec. 2, 2009, former Cockerham was sentenced to 210 months in prison and ordered to pay $9.6 million in restitution. According to court documents, Cockerham arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth more than $2.6 million, as a result of which Hall paid Cockerham approximately $800,000.

According to court documents, Momon arranged for Hall’s companies to receive bottled water calls worth approximately $6.4 million, as a result of which Hall paid Momon more than $300,000.Momon pleaded guilty on Aug. 13, 2008, to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and is awaiting sentencing.

Also according to court documents, Murray arranged for Hall to receive contracts to construct security fences at Camp Arifjan, as a result of which Hall paid Murray approximately $30,000.Murray pleaded guilty to receiving bribes from various contractors at Camp Arifjan, including Hall, and making a false statement.He was sentenced on Jan. 8, 2009, to 57 months in prison and ordered to pay $245,000 in restitution.

The case against Eddie Pressley and his wife, Eurica Pressley, is scheduled for trial on April 5, 2010.The indictment alleges that the Pressleys received more than $2.8 million in money and other valuable items from Hall, in exchange for Eddie Pressley’s agreement to take official actions to benefit Hall.Eurica Pressley, at her husband’s request, allegedly arranged for an entity named EGP Business Solutions Inc., (EGP) to be incorporated, opened a bank account in the name of EGP, and opened bank accounts in her name in the United States, Dubai, United Arab Emirates and the Cayman Islands, all in order to receive the bribe payments.

The charge of bribery conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of five years and a $250,000 fine.The money laundering conspiracy carries a maximum prison sentence of 20 years and a $250,000 fine.According to the court documents, Hall will forfeit $15,757,000 to the U.S. government.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Peter C. Sprung and Edward J. Loya Jr. of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section.The case is being investigated by special agents of the Special Inspector General for Iraq Reconstruction, the Army Criminal Investigation Command, Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Internal Revenue Service, and the FBI.

The National Procurement Fraud Task Force, created in October 2006 by the Department of Justice, was designed to promote the early detection, identification, prevention, and prosecution of procurement fraud associated with the increase in government contracting activity for national security and other government programs.

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Senator Jeff Mullis introduces Blue Alert Bill for capturing criminals who have injured or killed law enforcement officers

Senate Transportation Chairman Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga) has introduced Senate Bill 397 behalf of the Georgia Fraternal Order of Police which creates a state-wide alert system to speed the apprehension of violent criminals who kill or seriously injure local, state, or federal law enforcement officers. The “Blue Alert” bill was successfully passed out of the Senate Public Safety Committee and will now come to a full vote on the Senate floor.

“I have a great relationship with the FOP and wanted to push through this legislation as soon as it was requested,” Mullis said. “If such a system had been in place yesterday, the person who committed this terrible act against Officer Vogt perhaps would have been in custody within hours.”

Similar to the Amber Alert Law, a Blue Alert Law would activate the Georgia Department of Transportation message boards and other state messaging systems to notify the public when a police officer has been killed or seriously injured and the perpetrator is at large

“This would be a great tool in apprehending criminals who assault law enforcement officers,” said Georgia FOP State President Carlton Stallings. “With the loss yesterday of Officer Mike Vogt in Chattahoochee Hills, this bill couldn’t be more timely.”

According to reports Vogt was fatally shot early yesterday afternoon while down Vernon Grove Road near Hutcheson Ferry Road in South Fulton County.

The State Blue Alert System has four criteria that must be met to be activated:

· A law enforcement officer must have been killed or seriously injured or seriously injured by an offender
· The investigating law enforcement agency must determine that the offender poses a serious risk or threat to the public and other law enforcement personnel
· A detailed description of the offender’s vehicle, vehicle tag, or partial tag must be available for broadcast to the public
· The investigating law enforcement agency of jurisdiction must recommend activation of the Blue Alert to the State Operations.
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Thursday, February 11, 2010

Governor Perdue Announces Donation to Cargo Theft Prevention

GBI Major Theft Unit has recovered $17.1 million of stolen cargo and property

Today Governor Sonny Perdue announced that the Georgia Motor Trucking Association (GMTA) has donated $16,000 to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Major Theft Unit (MTU). Members of the GMTA joined Governor Perdue to commend the MTU on their dedication to investigating cargo and other major thefts in Georgia.

“Cargo theft represents a big concern and cost for trucking and other freight haulers,” said Governor Perdue. “The Major Theft Unit was created to identify and target the individuals and groups responsible for cargo theft in our state. This donation highlights Georgia’s efforts in combating this crime.”

Georgia is a major logistics hub making cargo theft prevention an important priority for the state. It is estimated that 43.5 million truckloads of cargo, valued at $1.4 trillion, traveled through Georgia’s highways in 2009.

The Major Theft Unit was created last year and has already seized $17 million in stolen cargo and made 71 arrests. In addition, the MTU has assisted in the seizure of $1.2 million in drug contraband. The MTU has provided cargo theft investigation and prevention training to both local law enforcement agencies and the transportation industry. Cargo theft is a nationwide issue with significant impact on the United States economy.

“The Georgia Motor Trucking Association has partnered with law enforcement as we work to investigate and prosecute persons committing cargo theft in this state. The financial support provided by the association will be used to purchase equipment for the Major Theft Unit and to train state and local law enforcement,” said GBI Director Vernon Keenan.

Cargo theft crimes account for an estimated direct merchandise loss of $10 to $25 billion per year in the United States. Georgia has become the target for cargo thieves operating in the southeast, and is now one of the leading states for cargo crimes. The Major Theft Unit is working in close cooperation with federal, state, and local agencies to investigate cargo and other major thefts in Georgia.

“GMTA and its members are grateful for the opportunity to support the GBI in this vital effort,” said Ed Crowell, President & CEO Georgia Motor Trucking Association, “Cargo theft is a growing plague across the nation and thanks to Governor Perdue’s leadership, as well as the skill and dedication of GBI’s Major Theft Unit, Georgia is now leading the nation in fighting back. GMTA will continue to this work in every way possible.”

The Georgia Motor Trucking Association is the only organization in the state that provides full-time service and representation for the trucking industry. The Association serves as the "voice" of the trucking industry in Georgia, representing more than 400 for-hire carriers, 400 private carriers, and 300 associate members.

Governor Perdue and GBI Director Vernon Keenan were joined by Ed Crowell and members of GMTA.
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Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Waynesboro Woman Charged with Conspiring to Defraud the United States with False Tax Returns

Edward J. Tarver, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Georgia, announced February 9 that Charlene Hughes of Waynesboro, Georgia was indicted last week by a federal grand jury sitting in Savannah and charged with Conspiracy to Defraud the United States in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 286. At her initial court appearance yesterday in the federal courthouse in Augusta, U.S. Magistrate Judge W. Leon Barfield stated the defendant would be released from custody once she deposited with the Court ten percent of her $10,000 bond.

The Indictment arises out of a joint investigation by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigations (IRS-CI) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) into Hughes’ alleged involvement with more than twenty-five fraudulent tax returns which falsely claimed more than $90,000 in refunds between April 2006 and August 2007. The Indictment alleges that these fraudulent tax returns contained false Form W-2 information, including false employers and wages. United States Attorney Tarver stated, “As we near the height of this year's tax filing season, those who might consider preparing false tax returns should be aware of the severe consequences of doing so. This indictment emphasizes that the IRS, the FBI and the United States Attorney's Office will aggressively pursue anyone who attempts to defraud America's tax system.”

Tarver emphasized that an indictment is only an accusation and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is entitled to a fair trial, during which it will be the Government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the defendant faces a maximum statutory penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.

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Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Isakson Co-Sponsors Bipartisan Legislation to Prevent 9/11 Conspirators from Trial in Civilian Court

U.S. Senator Johnny Isakson, R-Ga., today joined 23 of his Senate colleagues in co-sponsoring bipartisan legislation that would cut off funding for the trials of the 9/11 conspirators in civilian court.

“Suggesting we send Khalid Sheikh Mohammed to New York City where he was the mastermind of the slaughter of almost 3,000 Americans and hold a trial in that city was just plain wrong,” Isakson said. “It is wrong to grant American constitutional rights to a foreign terrorist, and I believe we must ensure that these terrorists are tried by military commission.”

Isakson’s co-sponsorship of this legislation follows the Jan. 8, 2010, letter he signed to President Obama along with 21 other senators, urging the president to rethink his decision to prosecute airline bomber Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab of Nigeria in our criminal justice system.
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“Crown Royal Bandit” Sentenced to Over 100 Years in Jail

BRUCE ALLEN HUGHES, 48, of Blairsville, Georgia, was sentenced February 1 by United States District Judge Richard W. Story to serve 127 years in federal prison on charges of conspiracy to commit the armed robbery of 29 banks over 11 years, five counts of armed bank robbery, six counts of using a firearm during the commission of a violent felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Acting United States Attorney Sally Quillian Yates said of today’s sentence, “This defendant victimized unsuspecting customers and employees of dozens of banks over the course of a decade. Today’s sentence effectively and justly ends the reign of terror of the Crown Royal Bandit, leaving him to spend the rest of his days behind bars.”

HUGHES was sentenced to 127 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of approximately $300,000. HUGHES pleaded guilty to the charges on August 21, 2009.

According to Acting United States Attorney Yates, the charges and other information presented in court: HUGHES pleaded guilty to charges related to armed bank robberies that occurred between May 7, 1997, and February 21, 2008, in the Northern and Middle Districts of Georgia. HUGHES, who was also known as “Brian Scott Hughes,” “Bruce Alan Hughes,” and “Bruce Allen Hughes,” participated in 29 armed bank robberies, many of which involved the use of a mask and the display of a gun, which was fired during two of the bank robberies.

The FBI and other agencies referred to the string of robberies as having been committed by the “Crown Royal Bandit” because in the first few bank robberies the robber used purple “Crown Royal” liquor bags to collect the cash. The charges also included one robbery and use of a firearm during the commission of a violent felony in the Middle District of Georgia (Athens). In total, HUGHES stole over $300,000 in the robberies.

HUGHES was charged in a second superseding indictment in the Northern District of Georgia in June 2009 on two counts of conspiracy to commit armed bank robberies, four counts of armed bank robbery, five counts of use of a firearm during the commission of a violent felony, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Today, he was sentenced for all of those charges after pleading guilty in August 2009.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Significant assistance in this case was provided by the Athens-Clarke County Police Department, the Banks County Sheriff’s Department, the Fannin County Sheriff’s Department, and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department.

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