As much as we like to think that the Internet provides us with a level of anonymity. The reality is that within all that computer code is a path that can often be traced back to individuals. And federal and state authorities are not shy about following the scent, especially in regard to suspected sex exploitation of children.
]]> Officials pour a lot of money and time into efforts to counter this particular area of endeavor. And those who are charged and possibly, eventually convicted of such criminal activity face serious, possibly life-altering consequences.One North Carolina man may be coming to understand this now. He was accused in federal court of sexually exploiting at least one teenage girl and possibly a second. Authorities alleged that he had pushed the 14-year-old girl to send him nude photos of herself. They also claimed that he had threatened to hurt her if she didn't comply.
During a recent appearance in court, the man denied he ever threatened the girl. But he did admit telling her he would distribute the pictures she had sent him to her friends if she didn't send more. The 54-year-old man pleaded guilty to charges of exploitation of children and is due to be sentenced in September and could receive a multi-year term in prison and fines of up to $250,000 dollars.
Source: Helena Independent Record, "North Carolina man pleads guilty to sexual exploitation of Helena girl," Eve Byron, May 10, 2012
]]>The man suspected of robbing five banks throughout North Carolina was apprehended last week in Tennessee. The 60-year-old, who is known to have a previous criminal record, is facing federal charges because of his alleged involvement in the crimes. Bank robbery is a felony offense.
]]> The man, who was considered armed and dangerous, is now in custody in Kingsport, Tennessee, a town that is about 150 miles north of Charlotte. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had been searching for the suspect since February after he allegedly robbed banks in Asheville and Candler. The bureau solicited the public's help after the man's most recent hit, an April 26 robbery in Raleigh.Officials had conducted an official search throughout the region to find the man, who had been seen in six counties, including three near Charlotte. After they learned of his whereabouts this week, they set out to arrest him but he had already allegedly fled in a vehicle. He was found later by the Kingsport police and now faces charges in Tennessee, as well, adding to the list of federal offenses levied against him.
Investigators believe that the man worked with a female accomplice, a woman in her mid-30s, who would allegedly wait outside the bank to help him evade authorities.
The charges levied against him can bring severe consequences if the man is found guilty. Until then, he is considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law and would benefit from building a strong criminal defense to protect his rights through the criminal court process.
Source: Charlotte Observer, "FBI: Dangerous N.C. serial robber arrested in Tennessee," Meghan Cooke and Steve Lyttle, May 1, 2012
]]>Felony charges carry significantly more weight because they generally deal with crimes that have been committed in multiple jurisdictions, including those that cross state lines. The man in this case is accused of committing the crimes while at his home in Alabama, though he allegedly solicited girls in neighboring states such as North Carolina. Girls in a flood of other states are also said to be affected.
]]> The man is accused of soliciting salacious photos from the young women, primarily by pretending to be a new arrival in town. He would supposedly ask for personal information after he earned the girls' trust and he then requested topless photos. If the girls refused, he would threaten to send the private information to their teachers or parents. The man is also accused of pretending to be the famous pop star Justin Bieber. He allegedly initiated contact with the girls through video chat services, where he offered them concert tickets and other incentives to send him nude pictures.Federal authorities raided the man's home on March 20 where they supposedly recovered multiple electronic devices containing child pornography, including a cellphone and laptop computer. An IP address trace allowed detectives to determine who was operating the suspect account, they claim.
The man faces penalties of at least 15 years in prison if convicted of these crimes. He could receive as many as 100 years, depending on legal sentencing decisions. The man could also be required to spend the rest of his life on supervised release, which would ostensibly prevent him from contacting other young women. The importance of a strong criminal defense is highlighted in this case, as it has already hit the court of public opinion. As in other similar situations, those charged with a federal crime are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: WAFB, "New charges in global Facebook sextortion case," John Shyrock, April 26, 2012
]]>Each member of the group was arrested on Thursday, April 19 and each suspect was placed under a $25,000 bond. The North Carolina Board of Pharmacy and the DEA Diversion squad both assisted with the arrest.
]]> One of the suspects, a former police officer, is accused of obtaining high-powered pain medication through misrepresentation, fraud and deception. He also faces charges of aiding and abetting in the case. The other law enforcement official, a Highway Patrol sergeant stationed in Beaufort County, is accused of fraudulently obtaining anti-anxiety medications. He had been on administrative duty since late 2010.Three women involved in the scandal were sisters, according to recently released information. One of the women involved in the scandal is a licensed nurse practitioner who had previously been required to surrender her credentials because of another violation. The woman was reinstated just two months ago and she has already been accused of prescribing unnecessary drugs, most of which are anti-depressants, anti-anxiety medications and painkillers. She is also charged with aiding and abetting, along with a slew of other charges.
The woman's sisters, one of whom is a pharmacy manager, are also charged with fraudulently obtaining the medication. The sister who works at the pharmacy is still employed by the establishment, according to information released earlier this week.
The final suspect is a registered nurse who is also accused of fraudulently obtaining medication, including painkillers.
The nurse practitioner involved in the case has not been suspended and she continues to practice after posting bond.
The federal charges follow a 2010 case at Tayloe's Pharmacy in Washington during which another pharmacist was indicted on similar charges. Tayloe's Pharmacy is where one of the suspects is employed. Authorities have not yet determined whether the cases are related.
As those accused prepare a criminal defense to challenge the accusations against them, it will be important that each element of the charges is examined with a view toward presenting a vigorous defense on their behalves. Those accused are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: WITN, "Highway patrol sergeant, former cop and four others arrested," April 20, 2012
Source: WNCT, "Update: Pill bust nets 6 people, including cops," Andrea Blanford, April 20, 2012
]]>United States Senator and Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards is facing federal criminal charges claiming he committed campaign finance violations and will be at the mercy of a jury to decide whether he goes to prison or not.
]]> Recent developments in the case saw Edwards make a bold move by turning down a plea agreement that would have put him behind bars for as little as six months. The plea deal would have also allowed him to retain his law license. Instead, Edwards is allowing the case to go to trial where a grand jury will decide his fate. Going through with the case could potentially see Edwards placed in federal prison for up to 30 years while forking over up to $1.5 million in fines.Edwards was indicted last year by a grand jury after he allegedly accepted $1 million from a campaign donor. He allegedly used this money to hide the fact that he got his mistress pregnant while he was vying for the presidency in 2008.
Up until about a year ago, Edwards was married. His wife passed away from cancer. Currently, the politician is single and a parent to two children ages 13 and 11. The children live with Edwards near Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Edwards knows his way around a courtroom, as he was a reputable personal injury lawyer in North Carolina before his foray into politics. He handled mainly medical malpractice and corporate negligence cases.
In a press conference, Edwards said that he is excited to finally get the opportunity to tell his part of the story. He said that his side would not leave a shadow of a doubt that he did not violate laws for campaigning.
The case will also be important in shaping laws on what is considered a campaign donation in the eyes of federal law.
Source: The Huffington Post, "John Edwards trial: Former Senator gambles on North Carolina jury to avoid prison," Michael Biesecker, April 10, 2012
]]>The woman, who was working as a teller at SunTrust Bank, was accused of forging withdrawal slips and customer's signatures in an effort to steal $11,000. She also forged other bank documents, according to reports. This apparently went on between April and September of last year.
]]> While her sentencing date is still forthcoming, the plea agreement orders that the woman must pay back the money to the victims as well as spend two years in federal prison. However, the federal judge presiding over the trail is permitted to tack on additional penalties at the sentencing hearing.The woman was originally charged by local authorities on 18 counts of financial crimes. She finally entered into the plea agreement, having to plead guilty to just one count of each offense.
Bank fraud can come in many forms, from identity theft and embezzlement to mortgage fraud and tax evasion. It is an often complicated area of law, and having strong representation with access to important contacts and forensic accountants is key in a defense against such charges. If federal charges lead to a conviction, they can often come with life-altering penalties.
Source: The Times-News of Burlington, "Gibsonville woman pleads guilty to federal fraud charges," March 26, 2012
]]>That murder took place in October of 2007. The man did not face a five-count criminal indictment from a federal grand jury until June 2011, though. Along with pleading guilty to federal murder, the man also admitted his guilt in charges of kidnapping, robbery and firearms offenses.
]]> An elderly couple was the man's target in this murder. He committed his crimes when he kidnapped and murdered the couple while they were in Nantahala National Forest, which is located in Macon County, North Carolina.This case illustrates the importance of the location of a crime and how it can affect the resulting charges. Because this crime was committed in a national forest, it was done on federal property. For this, the man faces federal charges. The United States attorney extended his gratitude to agencies like the FBI and Macon County Sheriff's Office for their work on the investigation.
While a sentencing date has yet to be set, the man is expected to receive a life sentence without parole. Meanwhile, he is being housed in a federal custody facility within North Carolina.
Even if the serial murderer had escaped these recent federal charges in North Carolina, his fate would be no different. He is currently being punished for murders he committed in Florida and Georgia.
Source: Mountain Xpress, "Man pleads guilty to federal murder charges," David Forbes, March 27, 2012
]]>The man, who was known around the area as the "Mayor of Greensboro" even though he was not the actual mayor, pleaded guilty in the case to two counts of falsely obtaining loans. He was originally charged with seven counts, but pleaded guilty to two as a part of a plea bargain.
]]> The plea bargain also promised that the man be punished on the lower end of sentencing guidelines. Several years of probation might seem like nothing compared to what the man was originally up against. Each count of falsely obtaining a loan can carry up to 30 years behind bars and up to $1 million in fines. Both the prosecution and defense attorneys were equally as stunned at the sentence because probation is not a very common sentence in federal court.The man, who owns nightclubs like N Club and Red Room, turned himself in to authorities last year in October. He actually paid off the loans that he fraudulently took out, but still garnered charges anyway.
In one of the counts of falsely obtaining a loan, the man misled the Carolina Bank into giving him a $996,000 loan by presenting bank officials with fake tax documents. This happened in fall 2005. He eventually paid the loan and sold his nightclubs in 2007 and left town.
The terms of the man's probation state that he must submit monthly financial reports to authorities to make sure he is being honest with his finances. He is also not allowed to apply for any sort of credit during his probation. His punishment also carried with it a $50,000 fine that he is allowed to pay over time. His first payment, though, was ordered just recently.
Source: MyFox8.com, "Joey Medaloni sentenced to probation on federal loan charges," Deven Swartz, Brandon Jones, March 22, 2012
]]>The prosecution in the case outlined how the man had established a fictitious business out of a room in his home. The business entailed selling conventional and exotic vehicles. Through this endeavor, the North Carolina man established a relationship with two out-of-state men, one of which is now deceased. Both men had been tied up in fraud in the past.
]]> The man's business never saw the exchange of goods from one person to another. Instead, the man would fraudulently swipe American Express cards for cash, hand that cash off to his co-conspirators and keep a percentage for himself. American Express forbids cash advance transactions on its cards. The cards can only be used for the purchase of goods and services. However, the man applied for and received a merchant account with American Express. He was therefore able to swipe the cards for cash and give the money back to the men.The North Carolina man made his first transaction in December 2008 when he swiped one of the men's cards for $99,999. American Express threw up a red flag, and called one of the two other men to confirm the charge. One of those men confirmed and the transaction went through.
This scheme went on for around three months until authorities were eventually tipped off. The man claimed that each time he initially sold the truck but did not finalize the sale, so the activity on the card was simply him refunding the customer's deposit while withholding a restocking fee.
Source: Courthouse News Service, "Bank fraud worked for a little while," Cameron Langford, March 19, 2012
]]>In January, a 27-year-old man was convicted after he plotted to attack a U.S. Marine Corps base. He was stopped by a Federal Bureau of Investigations sting before he could execute it. A judge sent him to prison for 45 years on federal terrorism charges. The woman's role allegedly entered after the man was sent to prison.
]]> The woman supposedly teamed up with the convicted terrorist's brother to kill three of the witnesses that testified in the trial. The two allegedly paid an undercover FBI agent $5,000 to kill the witnesses in the case. The agent took the money and produced fake photos that made the woman and man believe he executed the killings.Prosecutors were unhappy that the judge decided to allow the woman to go home on a $1 million bond, stating that she speaks fluent Arabic and has made trips overseas, including to Egypt, at least 20 times. But the judge determined that she was not a threat to the public, and her deep roots in Raleigh do not make her a flight risk. According to a news report, the woman has lived in Raleigh since she was a child.
Source: Associated Press, "N.C. terrorism plot suspect to be released," Michael Biesecker, March 8, 2012
]]>Federal agents raided the man's Raleigh home in March of 2009. They have been attempting to locate him ever since. They confiscated property during that raid and auctioned it off, bringing in around $600,000.
]]> A federal indictment accused the man of falsely taking $129 million in his alleged Ponzi scheme. Along with a female business partner based out of California, the two would allegedly convince unsuspecting investors to hand over money in exchange for a stake in overseas investments. Some of that money was actually used to pay earlier investors to create the illusion that their investments had garnered high amounts of interest, authorities claim.The scheme, which operated under the name Millennium Bank, operated between 2004 and 2009 and involved around 1,200 people who thought they were purchasing high-interest-bearing certificates of deposit. Investors allegedly lost a combined $75 million.
The man already lost a federal civil case filed against him, according to news reports.
Source: News & Observer of Raleigh, "Fugitive in Ponzi scheme faces prison, fines," March 4, 2012
]]>Law enforcement in North Carolina has investigating a surging number of makeshift labs used to cook methamphetamine. In fact, police allegedly found 344 meth labs in 2011, which is a whopping 57 percent increase from 2006. Burke County saw the most activity as police broke up 34 meth labs there in 2011.
]]> In 2006, law enforcement introduced new measures that outlawed the purchase of pseudoephedrine, which is one of the key ingredients in the drug. While that seemed to have slowed the production of meth down a little, meth producers have developed simpler ways to cook meth, which might have something to do with the growing number of people doing it.The new way of cooking meth is by using less ingredients and mixing the drug in a normal two-liter plastic bottle. While a two-liter bottle hardly seems like a meth lab, it is treated as such under North Carolina law when it is used to produce the drug.
Law enforcement has been successful in slowing down operations that produce meth on a grand scale, but they continue to grapple with these countless other small labs that are popping up seemingly everywhere.
Just recently, two men from Johnson County were picked up on meth trafficking charges. During a police raid, police confiscated 70 vessels that were allegedly being used to produce meth. The men are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Source: News Observer, "Meth lab busts soar in N.C.," Paul A. Specht and Colin Campbell, Feb. 27, 2012
]]>The man was believed to be the leader of a large criminal ring that produced fake documents. The ring became known by the United States Attorney's Office for its size and the brutally violent tactics the man allegedly used to keep his fellow conspirators in line.
]]> But federal law enforcement dealt a serious blow to that group of criminals, which spanned 13 states, since its leader is in custody for the next 25 years. The man pleaded guilty to racketeering, conspiracy to produce and transfer false identification documents, conspiring to commit money laundering and also a count of conspiracy.The man and his co-conspirators made a habit out of producing fraudulent documents for illegal immigrants. These documents included Social Security and Resident Alien cards. Law enforcement said that more than $1 million of the profits were sent back to Mexico.
The group had a propensity for violence, too, as police documented numerous beatings and assaults. These tactics were used by the man to keep his co-conspirators in line and prevent them from trying to break off and produce fake documents independently. One such violent act saw a 17-year-old Arkansas man murdered.
Prosecutors asked for a 50-year sentence due to the size and violent nature of the group. An attorney for the North Carolina man asked for a reduced sentence because of the guilty plea. Sentencing guidelines called for anywhere between 19.5 and 25 years in prison. The man will also be deported after serving his sentence.
The guilty party's lawyer painted a picture of a man that did these deeds out of necessity. He explained that the man was born to an impoverish family in Mexico and when he came to the United States, he was only making $5 an hour as a field worker.
Source: Richmond Times-Dispatch, "N.C. man gets 25 years in violent fake-document scam," Frank Green, Feb. 17, 2012
]]>A North Carolina man who was a passenger in a police chase that resulted in the death of a Wilmington police officer was sentenced in federal court to more than 10 years in prison for drug charges and money laundering charges. He pleaded guilty to distributing and possessing with the intent to distribute more than 50 kilograms of marijuana, money laundering and possession of a firearm.
]]> According to a press release from the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, the 28-year-old passenger was involved with a drug trafficking organization that brought marijuana from Canada into North Carolina.The man allegedly distributed more than 150 kilograms of marijuana from 2007 to 2009. He was involved in a police chase in 2008 in which he was arrested with more than $192,000 in cash. He was also arrested in another state later that year with a vacuum sealer and a money counting machine. Although police were alerted to the scene because someone reported smelling marijuana, no drugs were actually found.
The driver in the 2009 fatal police chase was convicted of second-degree murder.
A federal prison sentence is not to be taken lightly. They do not allow for the possibility of parole, and the man also will face supervised release once he gets out. He possibly took a plea deal to receive a lesser sentence then if the case went to trial.
Source: Wilmington Star News, "Drug trafficker sentenced to prison," F.T. Norton, Feb. 16, 2012
]]>The prosecution states that an elderly couple disappeared while hiking in the Pisgah National Forest on October 21, 2007. Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of the national forest. A hunter discovered the remains of the husband, who was shot in the head, off of a service road. A search party located the wife's body in an area of the national forest north of Brevard, North Carolina. An autopsy revealed that she died of head trauma.
]]> The man's trial is being delayed because his attorneys need additional time to review an extensive number of documents. The defense lawyers must go through 44,000 pages of documents and 290 CDs and DVDs about the murders. In addition, they must examine 600,000 documents from the man's prior cases in other states, which bear semblance to the current case. He has already been convicted of the deaths of two other hikers, one in Florida and one in Georgia.Federal cases can carry severe consequences, especially when the defendant is charged with murder. According to the man's attorneys, "capital cases are fundamentally different than any other criminal case." Defense attorneys must gather a substantial amount of evidence in such cases. It is important to have a lawyer experienced in handling federal cases.
Source: Asheville Citizen-Times, "Court in Asheville approves delay in serial killer's trial," Clarke Morrison, Feb. 9, 2012.
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