Yuma News Now

1.         Houston: Six Indicted for Health Care Fraud in Southeast Texas

Assessment Professionals submitted claims in the amount of $3,500,972.93 to Medicaid from September 2004 until August 2005 for individual and group therapeutic sessions to Medicaid-eligible adolescents for drug and alcohol abuse.

2.         Portland: Final Sentencing Hearing Held in Case of Earth Liberation Front (ELF) and Animal Liberation Front (ALF) for Acts of Eco-Terrorism in Five Western States

Ten defendants were sentenced for numerous arsons committed from 1996 through 2001 resulting in damages exceeding $40 million.  The defendants acknowledge they and their group (known as “The Family”) sought to influence and affect the conduct of government, private business, and the civilian population through force, violence, sabotage, mass destruction, intimidation, and coercion.  This is the largest case of environmental extremists ever prosecuted in the United States. Full Story

3.         Phoenix: Former Public Officials Sentenced for Participating in Bribery and Extortion Conspiracy

Three additional defendants were sentenced as a result of an FBI undercover operation known as “Operation Lively Green” which began in December 2001.  For the receipt of bribes, the defendants used their official positions to assist, protect, and participate in the activities of an illegal narcotics operation.  To date, 35 defendants have been sentenced in connection with Operation Lively Green. Full Story

4.         New Orleans: Sheriff and Others Indicted by Federal Grand Jury

Avoyelles Parish Sheriff William O. Belt has been indicted for illegally pocketing the profits from telephone services provided at jails operated by the Sheriff’s Office.  Beginning in 1988 and continuing to the present, Sheriff Belt, in exchange for his authorizing the operation of phone services by certain vendors, Belt, other family members, and businesses in which Belt had an ownership interest all received proceeds from those services. Full Story

5.         New Haven: Online Piracy Ring Results in Sentence for Maryland Man 

Jeffrey Lerman, sentenced on August 7th, was a prominent member of the “warez” group known as “Kalisto” and was responsible for releasing pirated copies of more than 500 well-known, copyrighted computer games. The FBI conducted the investigation as part of “Operation Higher Education,” the largest component of a global law enforcement action known as “Operation Fastlink,” a multi-national software piracy investigation. Full Story

6.         San Antonio: FBI Recovers French Cultural Treasure Missing Since World War II

A rare Gastinne Renette hand-made carbine created by the famed French gunsmith, Gastinne Renette, was recovered in an undercover operation by local FBI agents and agents from the FBI’s Art Crime Team.  The FBI’s Art Crime Team is the FBI’s 12-member rapid-deployment unit responsible for investigating cases involving cultural property and artwork. Full Story

7.       San Diego:  Army Soldier Indicted in Murder for Hire Plot

Thomas Ryan Knight was indicted for offenses arising from his use of interstate facilities in pursuing the commission of a murder for hire.  Knight, enlisted member of the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Huachuca, used an encrypted Internet chat room to relay his desire to have a Fresno, CA resident kidnapped and murdered.  Knight then met with an undercover detective and made arrangements for the hit. Full Story

8.         Washington, D.C.:  Former Treasurer of International Fraternity Sentenced to Prison in Connection with Bank Fraud

Terry Davis was sentenced to concurrent sentences of 51 months in prison for committing bank fraud and 24 months in prison for committing theft in the first degree and fraud in the first degree stemming from his theft of over $200,000 from the Phi Beta Sigma international fraternal organization’s bank account.  Davis committed the offenses while serving as the elected national treasure of the fraternity, which is headquartered in Washington, D.C. Full Story

9.         Baltimore:  Gymnastics Teacher Sentenced To 6 ½ Years For Receiving Child Porn

Patrick Bogan was sentenced to 78 months in prison in one of the most significant child pornography cases ever prosecuted in Maryland due to the sheer volume of child pornography possessed by the defendant.  At the time of his arrest, Bogan was employed as a gymnastics teacher at Baltimore County Gymnastics, working with children ages five to 15 years of age. Full Story

10.      FBI Continues to Assist in Minneapolis Bridge Collapse Investigation

In continued support of the National Transportation Safety Board and State of Minnesota, the FBI’s Minneapolis Field Office provided Special Agents, its Evidence Response Team, and command post.  In addition, the FBI has deployed Evidence Response Team (ERT) members from the FBI’s San Antonio, Pittsburgh, and Chicago Field Offices.  Underwater Search Evidence Response Team (USERT) members from the Los Angeles, New York, and Washington Field Offices have also responded to the scene. Full Story