MIL Security Engine-1

Source: US FBI

      LITTLE ROCK—A repeat and dangerous sex offender against children was sentenced this afternoon for attempted enticement of a minor. United States District Court Judge Jay Moody sentenced Joe Newman, 64, of Star City to more than 27 years in federal prison and, should he survive his prison sentence, supervised release for the rest of his life.

      In early 2020, Star City Police Department began investigating Newman after the mother of a 10-year-old girl reported sexually explicit messages that were being sent to her daughter by Newman on Instagram. Law enforcement initiated a ruse using the child’s Instagram account and agreed to meet Newman.  Newman then sent law enforcement a nude picture of himself, believing law enforcement was the child victim.  Newman was traffic-stopped on his way to meet the victim, and his telephone was seized.

      Investigation of Newman’s Instagram account revealed conversations between himself and numerous other minors, to whom he sent nude pictures of himself. In an interview with law enforcement, Newman admitted to messaging 20 to 30 underage girls in the Lincoln County, Arkansas, area.  In addition, Newman admitted performing oral sex on and receiving oral sex from nine victims, ages eight to 13. 

      Newman is a registered sex offender with several prior convictions for violent sex offenses against children under the age of 16. Newman was originally indicted by a grand jury on December 1, 2020, and charged with four counts related to child pornography, as well as the attempted enticement charge. On Wednesday, Judge Moody sentenced Newman to 327 months’ imprisonment, plus lifetime supervised release. There is no parole in the federal system. 

      The investigation was conducted by the Star City Police Department and the FBI. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristin Bryant.

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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

      MARIANNA—A coordinated arrest operation took place this morning in Marianna and Forrest City as part of an ongoing federal drug investigation. Dubbed “Operation Candyland,” this investigation by the FBI, Arkansas State Police, the First Judicial Drug Task Force, and the St. Francis County Sheriff’s Office, focused on individual independent distributors of methamphetamine and cocaine in Lee and St. Francis Counties.

      Law enforcement began early this morning by searching for six suspects, all of whom were indicted for federal drug-trafficking crimes. Two others, who were already in custody when this morning’s roundup began, were also indicted. Five of the suspects were taken into custody: Eddie Bonner, 27, of Marianna, is charged with four counts of distribution of methamphetamine; Lance Hendrix, 39, of Marianna, is charged with four counts of distribution of methamphetamine; Leonard People, 26, of Marianna, is charged with one count of distribution of cocaine; Cedric Woods, 46, of Marianna, is charged with two counts of distribution of cocaine; and Jeremy Buchanan, 32, of Forrest City, is charged with one count of distribution of cocaine. Alfred Bonner, 28, of Marianna, and Clenton Wofford, 42, of Pine Bluff, are in custody stemming from unrelated criminal charges.  Alfred Bonner is charged federally, along with Eddie Bonner, with drug conspiracy and distribution of methamphetamine. Wofford is charged federally with one count of distribution of methamphetamine.  Most of the defendants who were arrested this morning will appear tomorrow afternoon for arraignment before United States Magistrate Judge Patricia S. Harris.

      This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Julie Peters.

      An indictment only contains allegations. A defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

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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

           WASHINGTON — An Arizona man has been arrested on felony and misdemeanor charges for his alleged conduct during the Jan. 6, 2021, breach of the U.S. Capitol. His alleged 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.

           Jason Robert Tasker, 43, of Glendale, Arizona, is charged in a criminal complaint filed in the District of Columbia with felony offenses of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers with a deadly or dangerous weapon and obstruction of law enforcement during a civil disorder. In addition to the felonies, Tasker is charged with four misdemeanor offenses, including entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, disorderly conduct in a Capitol building, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a Capitol building.

           Tasker was arrested on July 30, 2024, in Arizona, and he will make his initial appearance in the District of Arizona.

           According to court documents, Tasker attended the “Stop the Steal” rally in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, and afterward made his way toward the west side of the Capitol building. Tasker then climbed the Northwest Stairs and helped other rioters lower down and remove a bike rack. Tasker then climbed down to the Northwest Lawn and joined a group of rioters that surrounded some United States Capitol Police (USCP) officers.

           Tasker followed the officers around the Capitol building, yelling at them, including, “All of you are dismissed; go home!” Tasker later arrived at the North Screening Entrance on the east side of the Capitol. Here, a group of USCP officers were stationed behind a line of bike rack barricades. Tasker screamed at these officers, and within a few minutes, a group of rioters, including Tasker, broke through the barriers and entered the East Plaza.

           Tasker then walked to the Senate Carriage Door and forced his way to the front of a crowd of rioters attempting to gain entrance into the building. Tasker then flung himself toward a group of police officers guarding the entrance to the building, who pushed him back. These officers then began to attempt to clear rioters from the building. Tasker then lunged at the officers a second time and grabbed onto two USCP officers.

           After Tasker’s alleged second lunge, an officer deployed OC spray that caused him to retreat. Tasker later joined a mob on the East Stairs at around 2:43 p.m. and allegedly entered the Capitol building. Inside, Tasker went through the East Foyer and into the Rotunda. In the Rotunda, Tasker began to take pictures with his cell phone as a police line formed to direct the mob of rioters out of the Rotunda. Tasker approached the police line, confronted the officers, and remained in the building until approximately 3:13 p.m.

           After Tasker left the building, it is alleged that he remained on the Capitol stairs and made a phone call. Tasker can be overheard in a third-party video saying, “I was like the first person in, Momma.” Tasker allegedly remained outside the Rotunda doors for over an hour and continued to confront police.

           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 District of Arizona.

           The case is being investigated by the FBI’s Phoenix and Washington Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.

           In the 42 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,470 individuals have been charged in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 530 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

TUCSON, Ariz. –Ronald Diaz, 40, of Tucson, pleaded guilty on July 18, 2024, to Wire Fraud. Sentencing is scheduled for September 27, 2024, before United States District Judge Scott H. Rash.

While working as a financial advisor, Diaz engaged in a scheme to defraud an elderly client. To induce the victim into the scheme, Diaz falsely represented an investment opportunity in an “annuity” that “guaranteed” a 10% return. Between November 2020 and July 2022, to disguise his scheme, Diaz directed the victim to transfer $970,000 to Diaz’s family members. Diaz thereafter instructed his family members to distribute most of the victim’s funds back to Diaz. Once he received the funds, Diaz used large portions of the victim’s money for his own personal benefit including gambling at casinos, making a down payment on a 2021 Range Rover, paying credit card debt, remodeling his family pool, paying his mortgage, and paying other personal expenses. Diaz made some “interest” payments to entice the victim into providing additional money throughout the scheme. None of the victim’s money was used towards any legitimate investment. As a result of the scheme, the victim lost over $867,000. As part of his plea agreement, Diaz will be required to pay restitution to the victim’s estate.

A conviction for Wire Fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or both. 

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-04092-TUC-SHR  
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-104_Diaz

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

An Alabama man pleaded guilty today to sending threatening messages to election workers with Maricopa County Elections in Phoenix.

“The functioning of our democracy requires that our country’s public servants be able to do their jobs without fearing for their lives,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “We have no tolerance for this kind of heinous criminal conduct and the danger it poses to people’s safety and to our democratic process. Threats and acts of violence targeting those who serve the public will be met with the full force of the United States Justice Department.”

“Violent threats to election workers are threats to our democracy and democratic process. We cannot allow threats of violence against public servants to become normalized,” said FBI Director Christopher Wray. “The FBI takes seriously all threats of violence against public officials and will continue to pursue threats and acts of violence aimed at election workers.

“Brian Ogstad repeatedly threatened to kill Maricopa County election workers and officials,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri, head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s guilty plea demonstrates, the Department is committed to holding accountable those who target election workers and officials with threats of violence. I am especially grateful to the Election Threats Task Force, which continues to spearhead the Department’s efforts to ensure that public servants who administer our elections can do their jobs free from threats and intimidation.”

“This guilty plea should send a message to anyone who tries to take the rule of law into their own hands through vigilante justice,” said U.S. Attorney Gary M. Restaino for the District of Arizona. “But it also showcases the resilience of public servants. Thanks to the election professionals in Maricopa County who have worked courageously to maintain free and fair elections in spite of the threats received.”

According to court documents, on Aug. 2, 2022, Arizona held primary elections for federal and state officeholders, including a gubernatorial primary election that received nationwide media coverage. From the day of the election through Aug. 4, 2022, Brian Jerry Ogstad, 60, of Cullman, sent multiple threatening direct messages to an Instagram social media account maintained by Maricopa County Elections. For instance, on or about Aug. 3, 2022, Ogstad stated, (1) “You did it! Now you are [expletive]. Dead. You will all be executed for your crimes”; (2) “[expletive] you! You are caught!  They have it all. You [expletive] are dead”; (3) “You are lying, cheating [expletive] . . . you better not come in my church, my business or send your kids to my school. You are [expletive] stupid if you think your lives are safe”; and (4) “You [expletive] are so dead.” On or about Aug. 4, 2022, Ogstad also stated, “[Y]ou people are so ducking [sic] stupid. Everyone knows you are lots [sic], cheats, frauds and in doing so in relation to elections have committed treason. You will all be executed. Bang [expletive]!”

Ogstad pleaded guilty to one count of making a threatening interstate communication. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 21 and faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The FBI Phoenix Field Office is investigating the case, with substantial assistance from the FBI Birmingham Field Office.

Trial Attorney Tanya Senanayake of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Sue Feldmeier for the District of Arizona are prosecuting the case.

This case is part of the Justice Department’s Election Threats Task Force. Announced by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland and launched by Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco in June 2021, the task force has led the Department’s efforts to address threats of violence against election workers, and to ensure that all election workers—whether elected, appointed, or volunteer—are able to do their jobs free from threats and intimidation. The task force engages with the election community and state and local law enforcement to assess allegations and reports of threats against election workers, and has investigated and prosecuted these matters where appropriate, in partnership with FBI Field Offices and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout the country. The task force is continuing this work and supporting the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and FBI Field Offices nationwide as they carry on the critical work that the task force has begun.

The task force is led by the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and includes several other entities within the Justice Department, including the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, Civil Rights Division, National Security Division, and FBI, as well as key interagency partners, such as the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. For more information regarding the Justice Department’s efforts to combat threats against election workers, read the Deputy Attorney General’s memo.

To report suspected threats or violent acts, contact your local FBI office and request to speak with the Election Crimes Coordinator. Contact information for every FBI field office may be found at www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/. You may also contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (225-5324) or file an online complaint at www.tips.fbi.gov. Complaints submitted will be reviewed by the task force and referred for investigation or response accordingly. If someone is in imminent danger or risk of harm, contact 911 or your local police immediately.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Roy Samuel Paredes, 64, of Tucson, was sentenced by United States District Judge James A. Soto on June 24, 2024, to 235 months in prison, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. Paredes pleaded guilty to Sexual Abuse of a Minor on November 8, 2023.

In the summer of 2021, Paredes, an enrolled member of the Tohono O’odham Nation, molested a young girl on the Tohono O’odham Nation in Sells, Arizona.

The Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department and Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Cassell, District of Arizona, Tucson, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-22-1914-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-098_Paredes

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

PHOENIX, Ariz. – Andrew Lee Butler, 49, of Arkansas, was sentenced last week to 14 years in prison after a jury found him guilty on March 15, 2024, on two charges: Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Interstate Travel to Meet a Minor for Sex.

Butler was arrested on December 8, 2022, at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport after he communicated with an undercover FBI special agent’s account on a social media platform that he believed belonged to a 13-year-old girl. During the 38 days of daily chats between Butler and the FBI special agent who posed as the girl, Butler quickly raised the idea of having sex with the girl and planned travel to Phoenix to be with her for a weekend in December 2022. Butler believed the girl’s grandmother would be her caretaker for the weekend and that her mother was out of town. He encouraged the girl to talk with a friend of his who he claimed had been sexually active with older men and who had avoided detection. Butler reserved a hotel room, a car, and planned to pick the girl up after school. Butler encouraged her to talk to her mother about getting the HPV vaccination prior to his arrival as she needed parental approval to get it since she was under age 16.

Butler’s phone revealed that he had done an internet search for statutory rape laws in Arizona. When Butler was arrested at the airport, he was found in possession of eight sex devices, an emergency contraceptive pill, condoms, and shower gel and a sponge in the girl’s favorite color.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gayle Helart and Jennifer Corbet, District of Arizona, Phoenix, AZ, handled the prosecution. 
 

CASE NUMBER:            CR-22-01695-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-095_Butler

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Last week, a federal grand jury indicted Santiago Luis Valencia, Jr., 34, of Tucson, on one count of Second Degree Murder. Valencia is an enrolled member of the Pascua Yaqui Tribe.

It is alleged that on June 15, 2024, the victim and Valencia engaged in a verbal altercation that later turned physical. According to witnesses, Valencia was the initial aggressor and assaulted the victim by striking the back of the victim’s head against a windowsill on the exterior of the residence where the incident occurred. The victim died the following day as a result of the injuries sustained during the fight.

Second Degree Murder carries a maximum penalty of life in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and five years of supervised release.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant United States Attorneys Nathaniel J. Walters and Caroline Allen, District of Arizona, Tucson, are handling the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:           CR-24-04265-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-096_Valencia

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

Justice Department Recognizes Mexican Government for Significant Assistance
 

TUCSON, Ariz. – Rodrigo Paez-Quintero, a Mexican national, has been extradited from Mexico to the United States to face charges related to drug trafficking. Paez-Quintero’s surrender to U.S authorities after an extradition proceeding in Mexico demonstrates the ongoing cooperation between the United States and Mexico to combat the influx of dangerous drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States.

Paez-Quintero made his initial court appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona in Tucson.

“Our fight against international drug traffickers who spread poison into our communities requires all hands on deck,” said Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco. “This extradition is yet another example of our partnership with Mexican law enforcement to dismantle deadly cartels and bring drug kingpins to justice.”

“This indictment alleges coordinated conduct to traffic fentanyl and other illicit drugs into Phoenix,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Many thanks to our federal, foreign and sovereign tribal partners for their teamwork and dedication.”

Paez-Quintero is charged in an indictment with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl and multiple counts of Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl. Each count carries a maximum sentence of life in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000,000. In the year prior to March 2019, the indictment alleges defendant’s involvement in at least nine drug trafficking events from the Lukeville Port of Entry, through Ajo and up to Phoenix. According to numerous open sources, Paez-Quintero is the nephew of jailed Mexican drug kingpin Rafael Caro-Quintero.

An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The Drug Enforcement Administration – Tucson, Homeland Security Investigations – Sells, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation – Tucson conducted the investigation in this case, with substantial assistance from the Tohono O’odham Nation Police Department. The United States Marshals Service assisted with the extradition efforts. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Mexico to secure the arrest and extradition of Paez-Quintero. The United States Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson, is handling the prosecution.

CASE NUMBER:            CR-19-2042-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER:    2024-094_Paez-Quintero

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.

Source: US FBI

TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, a federal jury in Tucson found Eric Ridenour, 58, of Douglas, guilty of all six arson and hate crimes counts, for the burning of two churches on May 22, 2023.

Ridenour burned down two churches in Douglas, Arizona: Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church. The churches were located on Church Square, a historic district in the border town of Douglas, approximately two hours southeast of Tucson. It is believed to have been the only intersection in the nation containing churches from four different denominations: Southern Baptist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, and Methodist. Trial testimony established that Ridenour intentionally started the fires in both churches because of his hostility towards their practice of having women and members of the LGBTQ community serve in church leadership roles. Ridenour was arrested on May 23, 2023.

“Religious freedom is sacrosanct in America,” said United States Attorney Gary Restaino. “Arson of a church is deplorable. Arson motivated by objections to the religious principles of a church’s congregation is worse. Many thanks to Saint Stephen’s Episcopal Church and First Presbyterian Church, and their parishioners, for their collective courage in responding to this hate crime.”

A conviction for Arson of Property Used in Interstate Commerce carries a minimum penalty of five years in prison and maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Obstruction of Free Exercise of Religious Beliefs by Fire carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. A conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 10 years in prison. A second conviction for Using Fire to Commit Federal Felony carries a penalty of 20 years in prison.

Sentencing is scheduled for October 22, 2024, before United States District Court Judge Scott H. Rash.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Douglas Police Department conducted the investigation in this case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Austin Fenwick, Ben Goldberg, and Adam Rossi, District of Arizona, handled the prosecution.
 

CASE NUMBER:            CR 23-00908-TUC-SHR
RELEASE NUMBER:    2023-093_Ridenour

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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
Follow the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, on X @USAO_AZ for the latest news.