Monroe Union Fraternal Order of Police

TIMES: Fri, May 16

COST: FREE

Union County Police Week Ceremony

Friday May 16, 2008
10:00 AM
Main Street Plaza Courtyard
(Near the flag poles)
In Front of Union County Judicial Center

National Police Week is May 11- 17, 2008
Peace Officers Memorial Day is Thursday May 15, 2008

The purpose of National Police Week is to pay tribute to all law enforcement personnel who, through their courageous deeds, have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of their community or have become disabled in the performance of duty, and let us recognize and pay respect to the survivors of our fallen heroes and to those heroes who serve our community 365 days a year. Uniformed officers from all Union County law enforcement departments will be in attendance at the ceremony. The ceremony will include the Posting of the Colors, National Anthem, a 21 gun salute and the reading of the names of officers who died in the line of duty in Union County.
The Monroe Union FOP Lodge # 19 Law Enforcement Memorial Committee will have a replica of the proposed Union County Law Enforcement Memorial on display.

Please come out and support our local heroes!!!

In the event of rain, the ceremony will be held in the Historic Union County Courthouse on Main St. For more information, contact Elizabeth Cooke at 704-609-3478 Email ucprojectblue@aol.com

Union County Government Center
500 North Main St
Monroe , NC 28110
704-609-3478

Monroe Union Fraternal Order of Police
PO Box 2436
Indian Trail, NC 28079
704-609-3478

EMSC Recognizes Group’s Contributions that Benefit Children

RALEIGH – A service organization’s efforts aimed at equipping hundreds of North Carolina ambulances with color-coded pediatric bags drew praise and recognition Tuesday during a meeting of the North Carolina Emergency Medical Services Advisory Council.

The General Federation of Women’s Clubs/North Carolina Juniors received a plaque during a meeting of the EMS Advisory Council at the Jane S. McKimmon Center in Raleigh. EMS-Children Program Manager Gloria Hale made the presentation.

“The NC Juniors have done a tremendous job in fulfilling a great need in our communities, helping them to be better prepared for medical emergencies involving children,” Hale said. “We greatly appreciate their generous donations to EMS agencies throughout the state.”

Two representatives of GFWC/NC Juniors received the plaque: Dottie Jennings of Elizabeth City, director of NC Juniors; and Stephanie Wallace of Fuquay-Varina, Junior’s special projects chairman. Through the clubs’ ongoing efforts, begun in May 2006, more than 400 bags have been distributed at a cost of more than $55,000, about half the number needed to outfit all ambulances in the state.

The pediatric bags are used with color-coded measuring tapes that estimate the child's weight and size and that list the appropriate sized equipment and medication dosages. The bags help to organize corresponding pediatric equipment, supplies, and medication dosages by color. They help EMS responders to save critical time, reduce provider stress, and decrease the risk of potential dosing errors.

Contact: Jim Jones (919) 733-9190
Public Affairs Office

Union County Blood Drives
American Red Cross

May, 2008

Tuesday, May 6th – 2:00pm to 6:30pm
Union County American Red Cross
608 E. Franklin – Monroe

Wednesday, May 7th – 2:30pm to 7:00pm
Sponsored by:
Unionville Baptist Church
Unionville Community Room
1004 Unionville/Indian Trail Road

Friday, May 9th – 1:30pm to 6:00pm
Dale Jarrett Ford
88 Dale Jarrett Blvd.
Indian Trail

Saturday, May 10th – 11:30am to 3:00pm
WalMart of Indian Trail
Hwy. #74 – Indian Trail

Monday, May 12th – 3:00pm to 7:30pm
Sandy Ridge Baptist Church
1106 W. Sandy Ridge Road
Monroe

Monday, May 12th – 4:00pm to 8:00pm
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church
8600 Potter Road – Weddington

Tuesday, May 13th – 12:30pm to 5:00pm
Union Power Cooperative
1525 N. Rocky River Road
Monroe

Tuesday, May 13th – 1:00pm to 5:00pm
IMO Industries
Airport Road
Monroe

Thursday, May 15th – 10:30am to 3:00pm
Sponsored by: City of Monroe
Monroe Aquatic Center
2325 Hanover Drive
Monroe

Tuesday, May 20th- 12:00pm to 4:30pm
CMC Union Hospital
600 Hospital Drive
Monroe

Sunday, May 25th – 3:00pm to 7:30pm
Bruster’s Ice Cream
532 Indian Trail Road
Indian Trail

Friday, May 30th – 12:30pm to 5:00pm
Weddington Elementary School
3927 12 Mile Creek
Weddington

You must be at least 17 years old and weigh at least 110 lbs to donate blood. Please contact 704-283-7402 or dustonj@usa.redcross.org for more information.

First ever Got to Be NC Festival set for State Fairgrounds June 5-8

RALEIGH -- A four-day festival celebrating North Carolina’s agricultural heritage and locally produced foods will take place June 5-8 at the State Fairgrounds in Raleigh.

The Got to Be NC Festival will feature a food trade show, antique tractors, draft horse and antique tractor pulls, the official state barbecue cooking championship, carnival rides, games, a petting zoo, pig races, a bluegrass band competition and country, bluegrass and beach music performances.

Festival hours will be 3 p.m.-midnight Thursday and Friday, and 10 a.m.-midnight Saturday and Sunday. Admission is free. Tickets to events in the Sam Rand Grandstand will be $5.

“We’re excited to show off agriculture in North Carolina with more than 70 N.C. food companies sampling and offering delicious foods for sale,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “In addition, this could be the largest gathering of antique farm equipment in North Carolina, based on the response we’ve gotten so far. Mix in the N.C. Barbecue Championship and great music, and it’s going to be a real celebration of our agricultural heritage.”

Teams from across North Carolina will compete in the 2008 N.C. State Barbecue Cooking Championship on Friday and Saturday. It is sponsored by the N.C. Pork Council.

The bluegrass band competition will be in Heritage Circle Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. There also will be daily music from Sweet Potato Pie, a North Carolina band that performs a musical blend of bluegrass, country, classical and blues.

Each night, the Sam Rand Grandstand will host entertainment. Greenville’s Super Grit Cowboy Band kicks off the series Thursday. The Coastline Band of Charlotte brings beach music on Saturday, and Steep Canyon Rangers from Asheville plays bluegrass on Sunday. The winner of the bluegrass competition will open for the Sunday show. All concerts begin at 8 p.m. A draft horse and mule pull will take place in the Grandstand Friday from 6 to 9 p.m.

The key festival sponsor is Kids’ Green Earth. Additional sponsors include Food Lion, Touchstone Energy, Kerr Drug, Quality Equipment LLC, Golden LEAF Foundation, Clearwater and Davi’s Guns.

For more information, log on to www.ncagfest.com.

N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources

NORTH CAROLINA HEALTH OFFICIALS ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS TO ‘FIGHT THE BITE!’

RALEIGH – State environmental and public health officials are reminding all North Carolinians that warmer weather and rain bring mosquitoes and ticks, which carry dangerous diseases. All North Carolinians are urged to take simple steps to prevent the threat of biting insects and reduce insect breeding conditions around the home.

“Spring rains and warmer weather provide ideal breeding conditions for mosquitoes and ticks,” said State Epidemiologist Dr. Jeff Engel. “Ticks and mosquitoes can be more than just a nuisance – they can also make people seriously ill. Now is the time to fight the bite!”

Dr. Nolan Newton, chief of the Public Health Pest Management Section of the Division of Environmental Health, said that people can take steps to prevent illness.

“You can make your backyard a whole lot less tick- friendly,” he said. “Keep grass short and remove plants that attract wild animals like deer and rodents, which carry ticks.”

Newton said that removing any containers that hold water will take away mosquito breeding grounds.

“Now is the time to take a good look at your environment, before the mosquitoes really start biting,” he said. “Things like bird baths, old tires, planters and even small containers like tin cans can give mosquitoes a place to thrive.”

He added that it is also important to remember to make sure you tightly screen all openings on rain barrels used for water conservation. A window screen makes an excellent screening mechanism on rain barrels to prevent breeding grounds for mosquitoes, while allowing you to continue your conservation efforts.

Engel and Newton said that insect repellant can also be useful, particularly against mosquitoes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend several repellants against mosquitoes – DEET, picaridin and oil of lemon eucalyptus. According to the CDC, oil of lemon eucalyptus should not be used on children under three years old. Repellents containing permethrin provide excellent protection against ticks but may only be used on clothing. Consumers should look for products that contain the CDC-recommended ingredients, and should read and follow all label instructions.

Exposure to both mosquitoes and ticks can be limited by wearing long-sleeved shirts, long pants and socks. People should also check themselves and their families for ticks when in tick-prone areas.

Proper and prompt removal of ticks is the key to preventing infection. Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove ticks, getting as far forward near the head as possible and pulling steadily. Note the day you removed the tick on a calendar. If you become ill in the next three weeks, be sure to tell your physician the date you removed the tick.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever is the most common tick- borne illness in North Carolina. According to the N.C. Division of Public Health, 544 cases of RMSF were reported in North Carolina during 2007. The state also has other tick- borne illnesses, including Lyme disease, with 47 cases reported last year and ehrlichiosis with 54 cases. Tick-borne diseases occur statewide.

La Crosse virus is the most common mosquito- borne illness; it is found mostly in the western part of the state. Two other mosquito-borne diseases, Eastern equine encephalitis and West Nile virus, are also found in North Carolina. While Eastern equine encephalitis is found largely in the eastern part of the state, West Nile virus is found statewide.

For additional information regarding mosquitoes and ticks, please visit the following Web sites: www.deh.enr.state.nc.us/phpm, www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/arbov irus and www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/tick.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

CONNECTICUT MAN SENTENCED TO 30 MONTHS IN PRISON
FOR CRIMINAL COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT
Forty Defendants Convicted in Operation Copycat to Date

WASHINGTON – David M. Fish, 26, of Woodbury, Conn., was sentenced yesterday in U.S. District Court in San Jose, Calif., to 30 months in prison on charges of criminal copyright infringement and circumvention, Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Joseph P. Russoniello announced today.

Fish was also sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ronald M. Whyte to a three year term of supervised release following his release from prison, a mandatory special assessment of $500, and the forfeiture of computer and other equipment used in committing the copyright offenses.

The case is part of Operation Copycat, an investigation by the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office targeting online warez groups, which illegally distribute newly-released movies, games, software and music online. Operation Copycat has resulted in 40 convictions thus far and is part of a larger federal crackdown against the illegal online distribution of copyrighted materials known as Operation Site Down.

On Feb. 27, 2006, Fish pleaded guilty to five counts in federal court in San Jose, including four counts in the Northern District of California case for conspiracy to commit criminal copyright infringement; distribution of technology primarily designed to circumvent encryption technology protecting a right of a copyright owner and aiding and abetting; circumventing a technological measure that protects a copyright work and aiding and abetting; copyright infringement by electronic means and aiding and abetting. On the same day, Fish also pleaded guilty to one count of criminal infringement of a copyright in the Southern District of Iowa. The two cases involved separate investigations and conduct in both jurisdictions. The charges were consolidated and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California.

In the Northern District of California case, according to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, from approximately August 2004 to July 2005, Fish served as the site operator as well as a scripter, equipment supplier, broker and encoder for warez sites. As a site operator, he built and managed the warez site and controlled the daily operations of the site and server. Fish also circumvented technology measures designed to protect or limit access to copyrighted materials. Without circumvention, many of the copyrighted works could not be reproduced and made available to others. Once the DVDs were circumvented, they were uploaded onto the warez site and downloaded and accessed by hundreds of other warez participants.

Scripters for warez sites create, program and help build the sites. Suppliers provide an unauthorized copyrighted movie, game or software while equipment suppliers provide hardware (such as hard drives, computer parts, and computer servers) to the warez site. Brokers find groups to participate on the warez site and encoders circumvent the technological measures and protections of copyrighted works on the DVDs designed to prevent unauthorized access and copying.

In the Southern District of Iowa case, Fish participated in a separate warez site from Jan. 21, 2003, through April 21, 2004. The warez server used in this case was determined to contain approximately 13,000 pirated software titles including movies, games, utility software and music. Transfer logs confirm that defendant Fish assisted in the uploading of 131 software titles and downloading 373 software titles to and from the warez FTP server between Aug. 16, 2003, and March 29, 2004. The Iowa case resulted from an earlier national initiative against online piracy known as Operation FastLink.

Operation Site Down and Operation FastLink are the largest and most successful global criminal enforcement actions ever taken against the organized piracy groups which are responsible for most of the initial illegal distribution of copyrighted movies, software, games and music on the Internet. Consisting of multiple FBI undercover investigations, these two operations have so far resulted in a total of 108 felony convictions; more than 200 search warrants executed in 15 countries; the confiscation of hundreds of computers and illegal online distribution hubs; and the removal of more than 100 million dollars worth of illegally-copied copyrighted software, games, movies and music from illicit distribution channels. Countries participating in these U.S.-led operations include: France, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Portugal, Hungary, Israel, Spain, Australia, Singapore, Belgium and Germany.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Krotoski, currently at the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS) prosecuted the case with the support of Paralegal Lauri Gomez. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hanley Chew and Shawna Yen have also assisted on the prosecution of other defendants convicted in Operation Copycat. CCIPS Assistant Deputy Chief Clem McGovern and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Richards prosecuted the Southern District of Iowa case with the assistance of the FBI.

Former Oakdale Resident Indicted for Tax Evasion, Mail Fraud, and Embezzlement of Employees' Pension Plan

FRESNO, Calif.—United States Attorney McGregor W. Scott announced today that a grand jury returned a six-count superseding indictment against PATRICK NEAL YOUNG, 40, formerly of Oakdale, with four counts of tax evasion for the years 2001 through 2004 and for embezzlement of the employees’ pension plan accounts.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

According to Assistant United States Attorney Stanley A. Boone, who is prosecuting the case, YOUNG was the former operating officer of Plyco Foundation Vents, Inc. of Waterford, California. Beginning in 2000 and continuing to August 2004, the defendant embezzled approximately $710,389 from Plyco for his own use. He used the embezzled Plyco funds to purchase a home in Oakdale, landscape his yard, buy automobiles, travel, including a trip to Europe, and for other personal expenses. In May 2003, the defendant requested that certain employee benefit accounts be closed because the employees were no longer working for the business. In truth, however, some of the employees were still working for Plyco. The monies were mailed to YOUNG who then did not remit the pension funds to the employees who were entitled to them.

The tax evasion and embezzlement of pension benefit counts carry a maximum of five years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The mail fraud count carries a maximum of 20 years in prison and/or a $250,000 fine. The actual sentence, however, will be determined at the discretion of the court after consideration of the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, which take into account a number of variables and any applicable statutory sentencing factors.

The charges are only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

U.S. Department of Justice

Ansonia Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Participating in Two Jewelry Store Armed Robberies

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
Connecticut Financial Center
157 Church Street
New Haven, Connecticut
06510
www.usdoj.gov/usao/ct

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY CURRAL, 31, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in two jewelry store armed robberies. On February 5, 2008, CURRAL pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, CURRAL, along with Charles Kertesz, participated in the armed robberies of Hannoush Jewelry in Natick, Massachusetts, on July 20, 2005, and Lux Bond and Green in South Windsor, Connecticut, on February 1, 2006. On each occasion, Charles Kertesz entered the store dressed in women's clothing and wearing a wig. He then brandished a firearm and forcibly stole diamond rings and other jewelry. CURRAL served as a getaway driver for both robberies.

On February 19, Kertesz pleaded guilty to federal charges related to these and two other jewelry store robberies. He awaits sentencing.

Today, Judge Burns ordered CURRAL, jointly and severally with Kertesz, to pay restitution in the amount of $345,777.88 to the victim jewelry stores and their insurance company.

CURRAL has been detained since his arrest on September 25, 2007.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New Haven Violent Crimes Safe Streets Task Force, and the members of local law enforcement agencies including the Greenwich, South Windsor, Glastonbury, Bridgeport, Ansonia, Shelton and Natick (MA) Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Kaplan and Assistant United States Attorney Paul Murphy.

CONTACT:
Tom Carson
Public Information Office
(203) 821-3722
(203) 996-1393 (cell)

United States Department of Justice

Minneapolis couple indicted for document trafficking, conspiracy to commit a crime against the U.S.

A Minneapolis couple was indicted this week by a federal grand jury in connection with a scheme to steal others’ identities for the purpose of fraudulently obtaining money and prescription drugs.

Eric Christopher Thorsen, 25, and Amy Ruth Bergquist, 30, were both charged April 22 in Minneapolis with one count of conspiracy to commit a crime against the United States, one count of document trafficking and one count of aggravated identity theft. The targeted victims were people the two met on the Internet. Both Thorsen and Bergquist made their initial appearances in federal court today.

Their indictment alleges that from August 2007 through March 9, 2008, Bergquist and Thorsen did knowingly and willfully conspire with each other to commit several offenses against the U.S. Those offenses are: 1) knowingly possessing with intent to use unlawfully five or more identification documents which were not issued to the defendants for their use; 2) knowingly possessing and using, without lawful authority, the identification of another person with intent to commit an unlawful act; and 3) knowingly stealing and taking mail from a mailbox.

Thorsen and Bergquist allegedly placed advertisements on the Internet seeking to meet other adults to engage in sexual acts, and would meet those who responded to the ads in either a hotel room or a private residence. The indictment alleges that while Thorsen and Bergquist were inside one of these locations they would steal, among other items, an identification document of one of the other adults.

The indictment also alleges that Thorsen and Bergquist would use the stolen documents to fraudulently obtain money and other items, including prescription drugs, as well as steal mail from the victims’ home mailboxes in order to obtain personal checks and other identifier information.

More specifically, the indictment highlights several dates when Thorsen and Bergquist allegedly stole identification documents. On Aug. 13, 2007, they stole a victim’s driver’s license and bank debit card, and allegedly used the card to make purchases at a Bloomington grocery store.

On Sept. 12, 2007, they allegedly used a counterfeit check to paid for two forged prescriptions for Adderall and Dexedrine in the name of another victim. Also on Sept. 12, they allegedly purchased merchandise at a Roseville store using fraudulent checks in the name of two victims. On Sept. 16, they allegedly purchased medical items from a St. Paul store using a counterfeit check in the name of two victims.

On Sept. 18, they allegedly cashed a counterfeit check in the name of another victim at a Richfield grocery store, and cashed another counterfeit check in that victim’s name at a Roseville store on Sept. 24. On March 9, 2008, they allegedly cashed a stolen check at a Minnesota casino and obtained cash from the same casino using a victim’s stolen bank credit card.

The indictment alleges that on Sept. 29, 2007, the defendants knowingly possessed five or more identification documents, including the driver’s licenses of three Minnesota victims and one Massachusetts victim, as well as the birth certificate of a fifth victim.

If convicted, Thorsen and Bergquist each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the conspiracy count, five years on the document trafficking count and two years on the identity theft count. All sentences are determined by a federal district court judge.

This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the U.S. Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Minnesota Financial Crimes Task Force, the Roseville Police Department, with assistance from other local law enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Erica H. MacDonald and Kimberly A. Svendsen.

An indictment is a determination by a grand jury that there is probable cause to believe that offenses have been committed by the defendant. The defendant, of course, is presumed innocent until he or she pleads guilty or is proven guilty at trial.

Frank J. Magill,
Acting United States Attorney< BR> David Anderson,
Public Affairs Specialist
(612) 664-5684; cell: (612) 730-2251

U.S. Department of Justice

Ansonia Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Participating in Two Jewelry Store Armed Robberies

U.S. Department of Justice
United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
Connecticut Financial Center
157 Church Street
New Haven, Connecticut
06510
www.usdoj.gov/usao/ct

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY CURRAL, 31, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by Senior United States District Judge Ellen Bree Burns in New Haven to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his involvement in two jewelry store armed robberies. On February 5, 2008, CURRAL pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act robbery.

According to documents filed with the Court and statements made in court, CURRAL, along with Charles Kertesz, participated in the armed robberies of Hannoush Jewelry in Natick, Massachusetts, on July 20, 2005, and Lux Bond and Green in South Windsor, Connecticut, on February 1, 2006. On each occasion, Charles Kertesz entered the store dressed in women's clothing and wearing a wig. He then brandished a firearm and forcibly stole diamond rings and other jewelry. CURRAL served as a getaway driver for both robberies.

On February 19, Kertesz pleaded guilty to federal charges related to these and two other jewelry store robberies. He awaits sentencing.

Today, Judge Burns ordered CURRAL, jointly and severally with Kertesz, to pay restitution in the amount of $345,777.88 to the victim jewelry stores and their insurance company.

CURRAL has been detained since his arrest on September 25, 2007.

This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation - New Haven Violent Crimes Safe Streets Task Force, and the members of local law enforcement agencies including the Greenwich, South Windsor, Glastonbury, Bridgeport, Ansonia, Shelton and Natick (MA) Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Anthony Kaplan and Assistant United States Attorney Paul Murphy.

CONTACT:
Tom Carson
Public Information Office
(203) 821-3722
(203) 996-1393 (cell)

BEAUMONT MAN GETS FEDERAL PRISON SENTENCE FOR HURRICANE FRAUD

BEAUMONT TX – United States Attorney John L. Ratcliffe announced that a 44-year-old Beaumont man has pleaded guilty and been sentenced to federal prison for hurricane- related fraud in the Eastern District of Texas.

DEMITRI LEE DAVIS was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 6, 2007 and charged with making a false statement to FEMA in connection with an application he filed for federal disaster relief. He pleaded guilty to those charges today and was sentenced to 7 months in federal prison by United States District Judge Thad Heartfield.

According to information presented in court, beginning in October 2005, Davis filed a claim with FEMA in which he requested Disaster Housing and Individual Assistance for losses he reportedly suffered from Hurricane Rita, although he did not suffer those losses. Davis received $2,000.00 in assistance as a result of his fictitious claims.

In September 2005, the U.S. Department of Justice created the Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force, designed to deter, investigate and prosecute disaster-related federal crimes such as charity fraud, identity theft, procurement fraud and insurance fraud. The Hurricane Katrina Fraud Task Force – chaired by Assistant Attorney General Alice S. Fisher of the Criminal Division – includes members of the FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Executive Office for United States Attorneys, among others.

This case is being investigated by the United States Postal Service and the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randall L. Fluke.

CONTACT: DAVILYN WALSTON
PUBLIC INFORMATION OFFICER
PHONE: (409) 839-2538
CELL: (409) 553-9881

Flowers and Ornamentals Brighten Landscape

RALEIGH – With longer, warmer days and ample rainfall, many homeowners are anxious to get outside to repair some of the damage done to their landscapes by last year’s drought. With a little planning, landscapes can be revived and filled with plants that are beautiful, drought tolerant and locally grown.

“More than 1,000 varieties of flowers and ornamentals are raised in the state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “North Carolina ranks sixth nationally in floriculture production and we’re in the top 10 for production of many high- demand plants.”

Gov. Mike Easley recently recognized May as Floriculture Month, based on the industry’s economic impact of more than $202 million.

There are many resources available to provide homeowners information about how to select appropriate plants, such as the Water- Wise Works! tips available at TarHeelGardening.com. Retail nurseries and garden centers are also stocking more drought tolerant plants and are prepared to help homeowners select plants to suit their needs.

Gardeners can find North Carolina-grown plants at retail nurseries and garden centers and at the state-run farmers markets in Asheville, Charlotte, Colfax, Lumberton and Raleigh. Many smaller farmers markets also have plant vendors on-site during the spring season.

Additional information on the North Carolina floriculture industry is available at the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services’ Web site, www.ncagr.com, or the N.C. Commercial Flower Growers Association Web site, www.nccfga.org

NCDA&CS Public Affairs
Division, Brian Long, Director
Mailing Address:
1001 Mail Service Center,
Raleigh NC 27699- 1001
Physical Address:
2 West Edenton Street,
Raleigh NC 27601
Phone: (919) 733-4216;
FAX: (919) 733-5047

CONTACT:
John Aydlett, marketing specialist
NCDA&CS Marketing Division (252) 331-4773

United States Attorney
EAST HAVEN HOUSING AUTHORITY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HUSBAND, CHARGED WITH STEALING HUD PROGRAM FUNDS

Nora R. Dannehy, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kenneth M. Donohue, Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, today announced that CASSANDRA ASHE, 36, and her husband JONATHAN ASHE, 43, of North Haven, have been arrested pursuant to a criminal complaint charging them with conspiracy and theft from a program receiving federal funds. CASSANDRA ASHE is the Executive Director of the East Haven Housing Authority.

The affidavit in support of the criminal complaint alleges that CASSANDRA ASHE and JONATHAN ASHE have engaged in an ongoing scheme to steal money from a bank account used by the East Haven Housing Authority to administer the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program in East Haven. Under the program, qualifying low-income individuals receive assistance in obtaining rental housing on the private market from HUD. It is alleged that from approximately May 1, 2007 through March 2008, CASSANDRA ASHE and JONATHAN ASHE conspired to and did steal approximately $173,000 from the East Haven Housing Authority bank account through approximately 253 separate ATM withdrawals.

CASSANDRA ASHE and JONATHAN ASHE were arrested this morning. They appeared today before United States Magistrate Judge Thomas P. Smith in Hartford and were released on bonds in the amount of $200,000.

If convicted, CASSANDRA ASHE and JONATHAN ASHE each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the charge of theft from a program receiving federal funds, and a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge.

Acting U.S. Attorney Dannehy stressed that a criminal complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are entitled to a fair trial at which it is the Government's burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Susan Wines.

Federal Bureau of Investigation

FORMER UCLA HOSPITAL EMPLOYEE INDICTED FOR SELLING INFORMATION FROM CELEBRITIES’ MEDICAL FILES TO MEDIA

A Los Angeles woman has been indicted for accessing the private medical records of celebrity patients at the UCLA Medical Center and selling information obtained from those files to a national media outlet.

Lawanda Jackson, 49, w as indicted under seal on April 9. That indictment, which alleges one count of illegally obtaining individually identifiable health information for commercial advantage, was unsealed this morning.

Jackson, an administrative specialist at the UCLA Medical Center from 2006 until she w as terminated on May 21, 2007, allegedly received at least $4,600 from the media outlet in exchange for providing the private medical information. The media outlet paid Jackson by w riting checks to her husband, the indictment alleges.

Jackson, who faces a potential sentence of 10 years in prison if she is convicted of the charge, is expected to be arraigned on the felony count on June 9 in United States District Court in Los Angeles.

An indictment contains allegations that a defendant has committed a crime. Every defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This case w as investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Thomas P. O’Brien
United States Attorney
Central District of California
Thom Mrozek,
Public Affairs Officer
(213) 894-6947
thom.mrozek@usdoj.gov www.usdoj.gov/usao/cac

FIRST DEFENDANT IN D.C. PROPERTY TAX REFUND FRAUD SCHEME CONVICTED OF RECEIVING STOLEN PROPERTY AND MONEY LAUNDERING CHARGES

Greenbelt, Maryland -Ricardo R. Walters, age 33, of Ft. Washington, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to receipt of stolen property and conspiracy to commit money laundering in connection with a property tax refund scheme in which millions of dollars were stolen from the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue (DC Tax Office), announced United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Rod J. Rosenstein and U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeffrey A. Taylor.

According to the plea agreement, Ricardo Walters owned a home cleaning business called Provident Home Services. From January 2006 through November 2007, a co-conspirator provided checks to Walters that were fraudulently issued from the DC Tax Office. Walters and others deposited the checks into a Provident Home Services bank account and, using the funds from the deposited checks, obtained cashier’s checks made out to Walters and other coconspirators. Walters personally deposited at least three checks totaling $1,229,315.16. A total of 10 fraudulent District of Columbia checks totaling $4,205,318.77 were deposited in the Provident Home Services account. Walters regularly reviewed the bank statement of the account.

Walters also conducted transactions to distribute the funds from the District of Columbia government checks, including 18 transactions directing $795,000 to himself and at least 16 transactions distributing $2,345,047 to four co-conspirators.

Walters faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for receipt of stolen property and a maximum of 20 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering. U.S. District Judge Alexander Williams, Jr. has scheduled sentencing for July 23, 2008 at 9:30 a.m.

United States Attorneys Rod J. Rosenstein and Jeffrey A. Taylor thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation; the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation; the Inspector General’s Office for the District of Columbia; the District of Columbia Office of Tax and Revenue, Criminal Investigation Division; the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration; and the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of Integrity and Oversight for their investigative work. Mr. Rosenstein commended Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan Su and Deborah Johnston from the District of Maryland and Assistant United States Attorneys Timothy Lynch and David Johnson from the District of Columbia, who are prosecuting the case.

CONTACT AUSA VICKIE E. LEDUC or MARCIA MURPHY at (410) 209- 4885

U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney Eastern District of Pennsylvania
615 Chestnut Street
Suite 1250
Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania 19106-4476
(215) 861-8200

CEO OF ELECTRONICS COMPANIES PLEADS GUILTY TO BANK FRAUD

PHILADELPHIA - Carl Walter Spitko, of Rydal, PA, CEO of Maintech, Inc. and Sentek, LLC, both now defunct, which had offices and a warehouse in Huntingdon Valley and Horsham, PA, pleaded guilty today to 11 counts of bank fraud and 2 counts of aiding and abetting, announced United States Attorney Patrick L. Meehan. Spitko was indicted January 11, 2007 on charges that he engaged in a scheme to defraud Wachovia Bank and its predecessor in interest, First Union, from August 2001 to January 2005.

Maintech was in the business of manufacturing, distributing and selling laminators for the printed circuit board industry, selling various spare parts relating to that equipment, and servicing that equipment, as well as related handling equipment and preheater equipment. Maintech had a line of credit with Wachovia Bank, secured by, among other things, Maintech’s eligible accounts receivable.

At today’s hearing, Spitko admitted that he had schemed to defraud the bank by doing a number of things, including falsifying the amount of Maintech’s accounts receivable, which were the security for the loan; concealing money and property from the bank, once Maintech had stopped paying on the loan; opening up a new company, Sentek, in order to use and sell Maintech’s assets to avoid repaying the bank; and giving money to an employee to pay Sentek’s expenses, out of the employee’s personal bank account, to hide the business of Sentek from the bank. The defendant’s scheme defrauded the bank out of approximately $1,454,879.84.

At today’s hearing, Spitko admitted that in spring, 2002, the bank learned that Maintech was overadvanced on its line of credit by over $1,200,000. After Wachovia entered judgments by confession against Maintech, the defendant and his wife, due to Maintech’s defaults under the line of credit, the defendant tried to conceal assets of Maintech from Wachovia by transferring Maintech’s assets, employees, vendors and customers to a new entity, called Sentek.

Among other things, Spitko admitted that he closed down Maintech on Friday, June 6, 2003, and opened Sentek the following Monday morning, June 9, 2003, in the same location, using the same employees, and simply giving his employees new cellular telephones. The defendant admitted that he operated Sentek as merely a continuation of Maintech, using Maintech’s assets, employees, vendors and customers in order to defeat Wachovia’s rights under the security agreement and his personal guarantee.

Spitko also admitted that in May 2003, before he opened Sentek, he gave cash and checks drawn on banks other than Wachovia, to an employee of Maintech and directed that employee to deposit the cash and checks into the employee’s personal bank account and pay a vendor of Maintech and certain start-up costs of Sentek, in order to facilitate the creation and operation of Sentek, while hiding Sentek’s existence from Wachovia.

Under the now-advisory Sentencing Guidelines, Spitko faces a likely sentence in the range of 46 to 71 months in prison. Sentencing is scheduled for July 31, 2008.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Fort Washington Resident Agency, and has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Mary E. Crawley.

Virginia Man Pleads Guilty in Connection with Mortgage Fraud Scheme

(Alexandria, Virginia) – John Andreas Tsiaoushis, 40, of Alexandria, Virginia, pled guilty today to a two- count information charging him with mail fraud affecting a financial institution and giving false testimony at a hearing in the United States Bankruptcy Court. Chuck Rosenberg, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia; Joseph Persichini, Jr., Assistant Director in Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Washington Field Office; Guy J. Cottrell, Postal Inspector in Charge, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Washington Division; Jeffrey Irvine, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Secret Service, Washington Field Office; and Eric M. Thorson, Inspector General, Small Business Administration, made the announcement after the plea was accepted by United States District Judge Liam O’Grady. Tsiaoushis faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, 5 years supervised release, and a fine of approximately $7,600,000 when he is sentenced on July 18, 2008. As part of the guilty plea, Tsiaoushis agreed to the entry of a Restitution Order. The government estimates the amount of restitution due to be approximately $3,841,189.48.

Tsiaoushis admitted to operating a mortgage fraud scheme between approximately December 2004 and November 2007. According to court documents, Tsiaoushis fraudulently attempted to obtain an estimated $4,353,600 and successfully obtained an estimated $3,677,000 through the scheme. Court documents also indicate that, while the mortgage fraud was ongoing, Tsiaoushis engaged in a check kite scheme through which he obtained an estimated additional $163,500 by overdrawing his accounts with several Virginia banks. To carry out the mortgage fraud, Tsiaoushis transferred or refinanced two Virginia residential properties, one located in Vienna, Virginia, and one located in Alexandria, Virginia, on six occasions. In applying for loans, he provided the would- be lenders with false documentation, such as false loan-payoff statements purporting to be from current mortgagees, and false Certificates and Affidavits of Satisfaction purporting to be from prior mortgagees. He then arranged for the loan proceeds to be misdirected to himself by causing the title companies closing the loans to send checks for the proceeds, which were ostensibly to be used to pay off pre-existing mortgages on the properties, to false addresses. In reality, the addresses were commercial mail drop boxes that had been opened by friends, associates, and family members. Tsiaoushis diverted much of the money to businesses in which he had ownership interests.

Tsiaoushis, who had filed for bankruptcy with the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in October 2005, also admitted to giving false testimony in a hearing before that court about selling one of the residential properties involved in the mortgage fraud scheme.

Khalil Salim Arbid, an associate and former driver for Tsiaoushis, was sentenced on April 4, 2008 by United States District Judge James C. Cacheris to 16 months in prison, 3 years supervised release, and ordered to pay $650,613.61 in restitution for his role in the scheme.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Secret Service, and Small Business Administration. Assistant United States Attorney Thomas H. McQuillan and Special Assistant United States Attorney Dennis Early of the Office of the United States Trustee are prosecuting the case for the United States.

Jim Rybicki
Public Information Officer
Phone (703) 842-4050
Fax: (703) 549-5202
Email: usavae.press@usdoj.gov

The United States Department of Justice

DRUG TRAFFICKER USES HOT IRON TO SEND MESSAGE, INDICTMENT SAYS

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man was assaulted with a hot iron over a drug deal, according to a federal indictment filed Thursday charging five individuals with trafficking in crack cocaine.
Cecil A. Brooks, 45; L emark D. Robertson, 46; Ronda R. Barnett, 40; Gaylon W. Steele, 50; and Luis M. Rivera-Cotto are charged in a 12-count superseding indictment. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from April 3 to July 14, 2006, in Topeka, Kan., and Kansas City, Kan.

The indictment charges that the defendants conspired to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Topeka High School, 800 W. 10th Street in Topeka, Kan.

According to the indictment, on Nov. 23, 2007, in furtherance of the conspiracy, Brooks attacked and injured another man, Adam G. Newton, during an encounter in the Winstone Apartment Complex, 800 SW Polk in Topeka. Brooks accused Newton of being responsible for stealing or losing $1,000 work of crack cocaine that belonged to Brooks. Brooks struck Newton on the side of the head with a bottle, knocking Newton to the ground. Then Brooks picked up a hot iron and burned Newton on the back with the iron several times. The attack was for the purpose of sending a message to Newton and other people that Brooks and his co- conspirators would not tolerate anyone stealing crack cocaine from them.

The defendants face the following charges:

Cecil A. Brooks: One count of conspiracy, and one count of maintaining a residence (1942 N. 24th, Kansas City, Kan.) in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Lemark D. Roberson: One count of conspiracy, one count of maintaining a residence (800 SW Polk, Apt. 38) in furtherance of drug trafficking; one count of maintaining a residence (800 SW Polk, Apt. 35) in furtherance of drug trafficking; and one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Ronda R. Barnett: One count of conspiracy, and one count of distributing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Topeka High School.
Gaylon W. Steele: One count of conspiracy and three counts of distributing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Topeka High School. Luis M. Rivera-Cotto: One count of conspiracy, two counts of distributing crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of Topeka High School, one count of maintaining a residence (800 SW Polk, Apt. 16) in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine.

Upon conviction, the crimes carry the following penalties:
– Conspiracy: Not less than 10 years and not more than life in federal prison and a fine up to $8 million.
– Maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking: Not less than one year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.
– Distribution of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school: Not less than 1 year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.
– Possession with intent to distribute more than 5 grams of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school: Not less than 5 years and not more than 80 years and a fine up to $4 million.
– Possession with intent to distribute 5 grams or less of crack cocaine within 1,000 feet of a school. Not less than 1 year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million.

The Topeka Police Department, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tris Hunt is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

A grand jury meeting Thursday in Kansas City also returned the following indictments:

Raymond F. Gentry is charged with intellectual property crimes. The crimes are alleged to have occurred from April 3, 2006, to July 14, 2006, in Shawnee County, Kan.

Gentry is charged with one count of unlawfully making copies of copyrighted motion pictures on DVDs, and one count of circumventing technological measures meant to protect the copyrighted DVDs. A separate count seeks the forfeiture of a DVD duplicator, a computer and DVDs seized during the execution of a search warrant at his home in Topeka.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not more than 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawfully making copies; and a maximum penalty of 5 years and a fine up to $500,000 on the charge of circumventing technology to protect copyrighted material.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Hare is prosecuting.

Dion Coates, 28, is charged with escaping from custody at the Federal Prison Camp in Leavenworth, Kan., after having been convicted of drug trafficking in Missouri. The crime is alleged to have occurred April 14, 2008.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 5 years and a fine up to $250,000. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating the case and attempting to apprehend Coates. Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting.

Erick Jeovany Lopez-Flores, 26, a citizen of El Salvador, and Felix Antonio Guardado-Delgado, 21, a citizen of El Salvador, are charged with one count of conspiracy to pass counterfeit bank drafts, two counts of passing counterfeit bank drafts, and one count of possessing false documents in order to stay in the United States. The crimes are alleged to have occurred April 12, 2008, in Shawnee County, Kan.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the conspiracy charge, and a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each of the other counts. The U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Randy Hendershot is prosecuting.

James M. Zimmerman, 47, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of maintaining a residence at 138 O Lane, Clearview City, Kan., in furtherance of drug trafficking. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in August 2006 in Johnson County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 5 years and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million on the possession charge, and a penalty of not less than year and not more than 40 years and a fine up to $2 million on the charge of maintaining a residence in furtherance of drug trafficking. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney David Zabel is prosecuting.

Christopher Jackson, 32, is charged with unlawful possession of a home made knife while he was an inmate at the U.S. penitentiary in Leavenworth, Kan. The crime is alleged to have occurred March 5, 2007.

If convicted, he faces a maximum of 5 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Federal Bureau of Investigation worked on the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sheri McCracken is prosecuting.

Juan Cenciceros-Jurado, 38, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with unlawfully re- entering the United States after being convicted of an aggravated felony and deported. He was found April 8, 2008, in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.

Salvador Beltran-Lara, 28, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm that had been altered to remove the serial number. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 23, 2008, in Kansas City, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful possession by an illegal alien, and a maximum of 5 years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing a firearm that had been altered to remove the serial number. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Martin is prosecuting.

As in any criminal case, a person is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments filed merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

Contact: Jim Cross
PHONE: 316-269-6481
FAX: 316-269-6420