MIL Security Engine-1

Source: US FBI

Fayetteville, Arkansas – David Clay Fowlkes, First Assistant United States Attorney for the Western District of Arkansas, announced today that Codi Dannell Bates, age 34, of Gravette, Arkansas, was sentenced today to 32 months in federal prison without the possibility of parole followed by three years supervised release and ordered to pay $184,934.06 in restitution  on one count of Theft from an Agency Receiving Federal Funds. The Honorable Timothy L. Brooks, United States District Judge, presided over the sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Fayetteville.

According to court records, from 2017 through 2019, while Bates was employed as the Office Administrator for the city of Sulphur Springs, she stole funds from the city in a variety of means.  She obtained the signatures of city officials under false pretenses, then wrote those checks to herself and her husband.  She also used cash funds paid to the city for water services to pay for her personal expenses.  Bates’s criminal conduct was initially uncovered in detail by the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Audit.  Bates was arrested on state charges in May of 2019.  The investigation was then referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to the investigation, Bates converted $184,934.06 from Sulphur Springs for her own personal use during her period of employment from August of 2017 through March of 2019.  In 2018, the city of Sulphur Springs received over $180,000 from FEMA alone.  

Bates waived formal Indictment and pled guilty to an Information filed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office on September 18, 2020. 

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Benton County Sheriff’s Department and the Arkansas Bureau of Legislative Audit.  Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Wulff prosecuted the case for the United States.

Source: US FBI

Honolulu, Hawaii – Edmond Abordo of Honolulu was sentenced in federal court today to 40 months for forging the signature of a federal judge in order to trick an elderly woman into paying him thousands of dollars for bogus legal services.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of California handled this case after the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii was recused.

In November of 2023, Abordo was in the second day of his federal jury trial when he decided to plead guilty to forging the signature of the Chief Judge and using the seal of the United States District Court for the District of Hawaii to create a phony court order. Abordo then used the forged court order to convince the victim that he had used his legal expertise to prevent the foreclosure of her Ewa Beach, Hawaii home.

When Abordo first met the victim, he described himself to her as a “non-licensed attorney” who could help save her home. Abordo—who is not a lawyer and has no legal training—claimed he had expertise on several legal subjects, including mortgages and adverse possession. He convinced the victim to file a federal lawsuit challenging foreclosure of her home. Nearly each time Abordo met with the victim, he demanded a cash payment of $1,000 to $3,000 dollars.

According to the indictment, Abordo ultimately convinced the victim that the federal judge assigned to the lawsuit had awarded her possession of the home, but refused to hand over the court order unless she paid him additional money. In reality, the victim’s home had been lost to foreclosure and the federal lawsuit had been dismissed months earlier. The victim, believing Abordo had a real court order, paid him thousands of dollars in exchange for the forged court order.

Abordo assured the victim that the forged court order was a genuine court document, that the federal judge’s signature on the forged order was genuine, and that the forged court order gave legal possession of the Ewa Beach property to the elderly victim. However, as Abordo then well knew, the forged court order was not genuine, was never issued or signed by the judge, and did not confer any property rights to the victim.

During the hearing, Chief District Court Judge Derrick Watson told the sentencing judge that “nothing is as important to our society as the rule of law. Mr. Abordo’s crimes caused great damage to the integrity of the courts.”

“This defendant had the audacity to not just swindle an elderly victim in the midst of foreclosure, but to forge the signature of a federal judge,” said U.S. Attorney Tara McGrath of the Southern District of California, whose office is handling the recusal case. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the integrity of our judicial system.”

“The FBI finds it extremely disconcerting that the defendant preyed on an especially vulnerable kupuna going through personal financial distress involving the loss of their home,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Steven Merrill. “This sentence shows that we will vigorously and thoroughly investigate cases that target our elderly community. We encourage the public to bring these to our attention by reporting it to ic3.gov.”

DEFENDANT                                               Case Number 22cr00101-BLW-KJN

Edmund Abordo                                             68                                            Honolulu, HI

SUMMARY OF CHARGES

Wire Fraud – Title 18 U.S.C., Section 1343

Maximum Penalty: Twenty years in prison, $250,000 fine, forfeiture and restitution

Aggravated Identity Theft – Title 18 U.S.C., Section 1028A(a)(1)

Maximum Penalty: A mandatory minimum of two years in prison, consecutive to underlying count

AGENCIES

Federal Bureau of Investigation

Source: US FBI

Richard Barnett, 60, of Gravette, Arkansas was arrested today in Bentonville, Arkansas on multiple criminal charges related to his alleged unlawful activities earlier this week at the U.S. Capitol Building where he was photographed with his feet up on a desk in the Speaker of the House of Representatives’ office.

Barnett is scheduled to make his initial appearance in federal court on Tuesday. He will ultimately be extradited to Washington, D.C.

“The shocking images of Mr. Barnett with his boots up on a desk in the Speaker of the House’s office on Wednesday was repulsive,” said Jeffrey A. Rosen, Acting Attorney General of the United States. “Those who are proven to have committed criminal acts during the storming of the Capitol will face justice.”

According to court documents, U.S. Capitol Police learned that an individual had entered the restricted office area of the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi and was photographed with his feet propped up on furniture. Those photos were circulated on numerous news media platforms which identified the individual as Barnett. A search of law enforcement databases confirmed that the individual in the news photographs did in fact appear to be Barnett.

“This case is just one in a number that demonstrate the brazen acts that were committed at the Capitol on Wednesday,” said Michael Sherwin, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia. “My Office is committed to prosecuting all individuals who participated in these abhorrent acts to the fullest extent of the law.”

“The U.S. Capitol is one of the most iconic buildings in our country and a symbol of the Constitution and people we have sworn to protect, and its destruction will not be tolerated,” said Steven M. D’Antuono, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office. “This arrest demonstrates to all individuals involved in January 6 incursion into the U.S. Capitol that the FBI will find you and hold you accountable for your crimes, no matter your location. We thank the FBI Little Rock Field Office for their quick assistance in bringing this perpetrator to justice.”

Barnett is charged with knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority; violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds; and theft of public money, property, or records. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of one year in prison. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

This case is being investigated by the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI’s Washington Field Office, with the assistance of the Justice Department’s National Security Division and the FBI’s Little Rock Field Office.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicole McClain of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is prosecuting the case.

A criminal complaint is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Source: US FBI

            WASHINGTON – An Idaho man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges for his actions during the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the 2020 presidential election.

            Theo Hanson, 54, of Nampa, Idaho, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of obstruction of an official proceeding and civil disorder. In addition to the felonies, Hanson is charged with misdemeanor offenses of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a restricted area, and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds.

            Hanson was arrested on Thursday, Nov. 30, 2023, by the FBI in Nampa, Idaho and will make his initial appearance today in the District of Idaho. 

            According to court documents, Hanson traveled from his home, then in San Diego, to Washington, D.C., and was present inside the Capitol building and on the Capitol grounds on Jan. 6, 2021. Court documents say that Hanson was identified on CCTV footage illegally entering the Capitol via the Senate Wing Door at approximately 2:22 p.m. and is seen making his way toward the Crypt.  

            At about 2:30 p.m., Hanson was observed outside of the Crypt on the east side of the building. Moments earlier, law enforcement authorities sought to close a series of security doors to prevent rioters from gaining access to additional areas of the building; however, rioters used trash cans and chairs to both obstruct the gate and assault officers. In CCTV footage, Hanson is seen standing underneath one of these security doors, waving his hands back and forth to prevent it from closing.

            Court documents say at approximately 2:37 p.m., Hanson was observed near the East Rotunda Doors. When he arrived, the doors were closed; however, other rioters soon forced them open as Hanson watched and applauded. Hanson was then seen assisting other rioters illegally entering the building. 

            At about 2:42 p.m., while he stood inside the East Rotunda Doors, Hanson repeatedly obstructed efforts by law enforcement to close the doors, which would have prevented rioters from further accessing the building. CCTV footage depicts authorities repeatedly attempting to close the doors while Hanson uses his body to keep them open. At about 2:44 p.m., a police officer again sought to close one of the doors; however, Hanson was seen moving forward and pushing the door back with his hand. Again, at 3:09 p.m., officers sought to close the doors, but Hanson pushed them open with his body. 

            An officer then attempted to move Hanson out of the building; however, in response, Hanson is seen placing his hand against an interior wall and moving against the wall to prevent his removal. Hanson remained near the East Rotunda Doors until he exited the Capitol at about 3:33 p.m. 

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

            This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Los Angeles, San Diego, and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Salt Lake City Field Office, Boise Resident Agency, the Nampa Police Department, the U.S. Capitol Police, and the Metropolitan Police Department.

            In the 34 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,200 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 400 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement, a felony. The investigation remains ongoing.

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

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

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A former Green County Sheriff’s Lieutenant has pleaded guilty to stealing over $30,000 used in a ruse undercover drug operation. Allen Scott Pillow, 56, of Paragould, pleaded guilty today to one count of theft of government funds. Cody Hiland, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, and Diane Upchurch, Special Agent in Charge of the Little Rock Field Office of the FBI, announced the guilty plea. Pillow entered his plea earlier today before United States District Judge Lee P. Rudofsky.

      After receiving information that former Lieutenant Pillow might be abusing his role with the Greene County Sheriff’s Office, FBI Special Agents and Task Force Officers conducted a ruse narcotics investigation and sought Pillow’s help with the investigation. On November 4, 2019, FBI parked a rental vehicle in a commercial parking lot in Paragould and staged a glass drug pipe in the vehicle along with a red backpack containing $76,000. The cash was divided into ten bundles of $7,600 each, and investigators recorded the serial numbers.

      After staging the vehicle, two FBI Task Force Officers contacted Pillow on his cell phone and asked him to respond to the scene. The officers relayed to Pillow that they began a narcotics investigation in Tennessee and now needed Pillow’s help as the target had traveled into Arkansas. Pillow traveled to the scene in his Sheriff’s Department vehicle, searched the staged rental vehicle, and recovered the glass pipe, backpack, and currency.

      Later that day, Pillow called the FBI officers and informed them that the backpack had contained $45,600, leading agents to believe Pillow had taken four bundles of $7,600 each, totaling $30,400 of stolen FBI funds. Agents obtained a search warrant for Pillow’s residence and found $2,300 in his possession and $27,820 in a safe in his attic. The serial numbers on the discovered currency matched the original FBI serial numbers. The remaining $280 in stolen funds was not located.

      “The vast majority of law enforcement officers are honorable men and women who put their lives on the line every day to preserve our liberty and safety,” United States Attorney Cody Hiland said. “On the very rare occasion that we encounter corruption within law enforcement, we will take every action necessary to root it out. Our office will hold accountable any officer who violates the public trust so that we may uphold the integrity of a profession that deserves our gratitude and respect.”

     “The appalling criminal actions of former Lt. Scott Pillow revealed his lack of integrity and greed,” said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Diane Upchurch. “Quite simply, he betrayed his brothers and sisters in law enforcement. Officers who are sworn to protect and serve are held to a higher standard, and FBI Little Rock will continue to uphold Arkansans’ trust in law enforcement.”

      Pillow was indicted in November 2019, and Judge Rudofsky will sentence Pillow at a later date. Theft of government funds is punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a fine of not more than $250,000, and not more than three years of supervised release. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin O’Leary.

# # #

This news release, as well as additional information about the office of the

United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas, is available online at

https://www.justice.gov/edar

Twitter:

@EDARNEWS

Source: US FBI

SAN DIEGO—The 2023 holiday season is officially here, and criminals are waiting to take advantage of unsuspecting shoppers. Consumers looking for a good deal this holiday season need to be aware of aggressive and deceptive scams designed by criminals to steal money and personal information.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), San Diegans lost more than $2.6 million to fraudsters in 2022, including more than $320,000 during the holiday season alone. This year, FBI San Diego wants shoppers and sellers to enjoy a scam-free holiday season by learning how to recognize and protect against scams.

Common scams include:

• Online Shopping Scams
  • Scammers often offer too-good-to-be-true deals via phishing e-mails or advertisements. Such schemes may offer brand-name merchandise at extremely low prices or offer gift cards as an incentive. Other sites may offer products at a great price, but the products being sold are not the same as the products advertised.
  • Consumers should steer clear of untrustworthy sites or ads offering items at unrealistic discounts or with special coupons.
  • Consumers should be vigilant when receiving items purchased from online auctions and third-party marketplaces. If an item arrives from another online merchant, it may have been purchased using a stolen credit card number, stolen rewards points, or other unlawful means, and then shipped directly to the consumer. These cases should be reported to both the marketplace where the item was purchased and to the merchant who sent it.
  • Consumers should be aware of potential advanced fee schemes, in which a deposit is requested in order to reserve a vacation, cruise, at-home job, fitness equipment, spa gift, or other high-demand product.
  • Puppy purchase scams are an increasingly prevalent advance-fee/online shopping scam. Fraudsters use social media or other websites to offer puppies for sale and take money but never deliver the animal. They may also ask for additional money for fictitious reasons such as veterinarian bills.
• Social Media Scams
  • Consumers should beware of posts on social media sites that appear to offer vouchers or gift cards. Some may appear as holiday promotions or contests. Others may appear to be from known friends who have shared the link. Often, these scams lead consumers to participate in an online survey that is designed to steal personal information.
  • Consumers should not post pictures of event tickets on social media sites. Fraudsters can create a ticket using the barcode obtained from the photo and resell the ticket. Consumers should protect ticket barcodes as they would credit card numbers.
• Charity Scams
  • Fraudulent charity scams are common during the holiday season. Perpetrators set up false charities and profit from individuals who believe they are making donations to legitimate charitable organizations.
  • Victims are apt to make end-of-year tax deductible gifts or are reminded of those less fortunate and wish to contribute to a good cause.
  • Seasonal charity scams can pose greater difficulties in monitoring because of their widespread reach, limited duration and, when done over the Internet, minimal oversight.
  • Charity scam solicitations may come through cold calls, e-mail campaigns, crowdfunding platforms—soliciting money from many people usually over the Internet—or fake social media accounts and websites. They are designed to make it easy for victims to give and feel like they’re making a difference. Perpetrators may divert some or all of the funds for their personal use, and those most in need will never see the donation.

Consumers can do the following to reduce their chances of being victimized:

• Check credit card statements routinely. If possible, set up credit card transaction auto alerts or check balances after every online purchase. It is important to check statements after the holiday season, as many fraudulent charges can show up even several weeks later.
• If purchasing merchandise, ensure it is from a reputable source.
• Ensure a site is secure and reputable before providing credit card number online. Don’t trust a site just because it claims to be secure. Be cognizant of web page addresses that look similar to familiar sites but are slightly different. Ensure updated home security protocols are in place.
• Beware of purchases or services that require payment with a gift card or through quick payment transfer sites or apps.
• Beware of providing credit card information when requested through unsolicited e-mails.
• Do not respond to unsolicited e-mails.
• Do not click on links contained within an unsolicited e-mail.
• Avoid filling out forms contained in e-mail messages that ask for personal information.
• Be cautious of e-mails claiming to contain pictures in attached files, as the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders and scan all attachments for viruses if possible.
• Verify requests for personal information from any business or financial institution by contacting them using the main contact information on their official website.
• Secure credit card accounts, even rewards account, with strong passwords. Change passwords and check accounts routinely.
• Only donate to known and trusted charities; legitimate charities do not solicit donations via money transfer services or ask for donations via gift cards.
• Beware of organizations with copycat names similar to reputable charities; most legitimate charity websites use .org (not .com).
• Follow the Federal Trade Commission’s tips for online charity research. (https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/how-donate-wisely-and-avoid-charity-scams)

Consumers who believe they are the victim of a scam should:

• Contact their financial institution immediately upon suspecting or discovering a fraudulent transfer.
• Ask their bank to contact the financial institution where the fraudulent transfer was sent.
• Contact law enforcement.
• File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.IC3.gov as quickly as possible. Provide all relevant information in the complaint.