Crime Correspondent

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxl3vkya_JmC874Lgbp2RdVl3Uje3YRjtwctGtxSlAQkYrHSapW9u3rsG8vhmsoUcL7lonJdHNwWOGQ0a7nyJ7pytog9D9f0h7vvru9AxJ69F5ibDQHYbgstR2P6f5OIcpFnIM-TRUAo/s1600-h/andy.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5341153479430813554" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtxl3vkya_JmC874Lgbp2RdVl3Uje3YRjtwctGtxSlAQkYrHSapW9u3rsG8vhmsoUcL7lonJdHNwWOGQ0a7nyJ7pytog9D9f0h7vvru9AxJ69F5ibDQHYbgstR2P6f5OIcpFnIM-TRUAo/s400/andy.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 250px;" /></a> 38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home in the 2700 block of Jacobs Creek Run, according to court documents.The 61-page federal criminal complaint released Thursday outlined the activities of the other members of the conspiracy, much of which was captured through cell phone conversations intercepted through numerous wire taps, according to court documents.Andre Hutchins’ 73-year-old mother, Arielean Hutchins, was also charged, accused of letting her son use her John Street home as a stash house, according to court documents.Also charged in the trafficking scheme are Charles Dies, 52; Paris Jones, 37; Takiesha McGlaston, 34; Adrian Lee, 37; Kevin Porter, 51; John Minniefield, 31; Greg Johnson, 38; Derrick Tennant, 32; Lakeshia Dominguez, 31; Frederick Parrish, 29; Michael Watson, 33; Brad Moore, 23; and Michael Lamb, 47.Earlier this week, officers served a number of search warrants at 15 locations throughout Fort Wayne, including two storage units. According to court documents, officers found $7,200 in cash and guns in the Hutchins’ home, bundles of cash in the two storage units used by Jones, as well as another $37,000 and a handgun at Jones’ home in the 13100 block of Bolinni Lane. At Dies’ Decatur Road home, police found a kilogram of cocaine and $30,000 in cash.The investigation began through the undercover work of the Fort Wayne Police Department about eight months ago as they looked at the activities of Watson, officials said."Fort Wayne police alone could not have taken this investigation this far," Police Chief Rusty York said.Through that investigation, the other law enforcement agencies became involved, culminating in a string of federal wire taps earlier this year, undercover drug buys and surveillance of the parties involved, according to court documents. Andre Hutchins organized the enterprise, according to federal officials, lining up orders and arranging distributors via throw-away cell phones, Capp said."There were hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of phone calls," Capp said. "It was non-stop. … Sometimes the principals in the conspiracy never, ever touched the dope."Thomas Gancarz, The FBI’s Indianapolis Division assistant special agent in charge, said the criminal charges were first public work of the Safe Streets Task Force, which has officially operated since late April.And standing before the bank of microphones and TV cameras, Gancarz issued a warning to those involved with drugs and violent crimes in Fort Wayne."This behavior will not be tolerated," he said.The U.S. Attorney’s Office will seek to have all those arrested held in jail pending trial, Capp said. The 16 people named in the complaint are all charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine from July 2008 to May 2009. Dies, Lee and Porter are also charged with possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Jones was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm.

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home

38-year-old Andre L. Hutchins and his 31-year-old wife, Talitha N. Hutchins ran a sophisticated cocaine-trafficking ring from their home in ...

Zoe Shepherd could spend nearly 50 years in a South American jail.

The 19-year old Brit is awaiting trial in Bolivia accused of smuggling 49 grams of cocaine.If she is found guilty, she could be sentenced to one year behind bars for each gram – worth about £50.And charity workers warned yesterday that the youngster from an English village would face a life of hell inside one of the notorious lock-ups in capital La Paz.Prisons Abroad spokesman Matthew Pinches said: “People inside these prisons are very vulnerable.“They are lawless and a dangerous place to be because guards have very little to do with the inside.“They stay on the exterior to stop prisoners absconding.”Zoe, of Menea, Cambridgeshire, was searched and arrested at Santa Cruz airport last month. She had toldcolleagues she was taking time off work at a hair salon called Curl Up And Dye to visit her dad in Spain. One friend said yesterday: “I’ve worked with Zoe for two years and this is all so completely out of character. She’s a lovely girl. “This could be the end of her life as she knows it. I really feel for her and her family.”Zoe’s MP, Malcolm Moss, said she had been visited by a British consular official and had been allowed to use her mobile phone to call home.

Zoe Shepherd could spend nearly 50 years in a South American jail.

The 19-year old Brit is awaiting trial in Bolivia accused of smuggling 49 grams of cocaine.If she is found guilty, she could be sentenced to...

Raymundo Aguirre-Robles, 28,was riding a motorcycle in the 3900 block of State Road 70

Raymundo Aguirre-Robles, 28,was riding a motorcycle in the 3900 block of State Road 70 and arrested him on a charge of driving with a suspen...

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in tires

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in the tires of a passenger bus on a 2007 trip from Mexico to the Triangle.Lopez was sentenced Thursday to 22 months in prison by Wake Superior Court Judge Paul Ridgeway, who veered away from the mandatory three-year prison term to give the defendant a sentence equaling the amount he had spent in jail awaiting a trial.Lopez, who is in the country illegally, was given credit for the months he spent in jail and will face deportation to Mexico, likely within three days.Ridgeway presided over a trial last month of Gerardo Vilchez, 51, Lopez's co-defendant and the driver of the bus, who was freed from his 21-month stay in jail after a jury cleared him of several cocaine trafficking charges. Vilchez is a U.S. citizen who lives in Mexico.Though he pleaded guilty Thursday, Lopez did so under what's known as an Alford agreement. An Alford agreement allows a person to enter into a guilty plea if it is in his or her best interest, but the defendant still does not admit committing the crime.Lopez maintained from the time of his arrest throughout his nearly two-year stay in the Wake County jail that he didn't know about the $3.2 million worth of cocaine elaborately stowed away in the bus tires, said Robert Padovano, Lopez's court-appointed lawyer, and David Sherlin, the Wake assistant district attorney who prosecuted the case. Lopez and Vilchez were arrested in July 2007 and charged with drug trafficking violations that could have hit both men with at least a 14-year prison sentence. At the time of their arrest in the summer of 2007, the two had driven to the Atlanta area to drop off passengers and then were instructed by a dispatcher for the Texas-based bus line to head to Raleigh to pick up more passengers and return to Mexico. Vilchez had driven the bus from Monterrey, Mexico, and Lopez boarded in Houston. But the bus was having mechanical problems, and the two were diverted by the dispatcher to a small tire shop, Solis Tires, in downtown Zebulon to have the brakes and heating system of the bus looked at, Sherlin said.On their way to the tire shop, they were pulled over by a Wake sheriff's deputy who found it odd that a bus with Texas plates was driving around Zebulon's streets with no passengers, Sherlin said. At the same time, a Wake sheriff's detective assigned to a Drug Enforcement Administration task force received a tip from a confidential informant: Cocaine hidden in the tires of buses was being off-loaded at the shop, Sherlin said. Staff members at Solis Tires did not respond Thursday afternoon to a request for comment about the case.Deputies and investigators, with the help of a dog trained to detect drugs, then found the cocaine wrapped in several layers of material to prevent detection and bolted to the inside of the tires. It took several hours to extract the cocaine from the tires.Vilchez and Lopez were the only people to be arrested in connection with the cocaine seizure. Sherlin said the investigation is still open.

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in tires

Victor Hugo Lopez maintained that he wasn't aware of how 32 kilograms, or more than 70pounds, of cocaine was hidden away in the tires of...

Tamar Peebles, 27, had admitted to accepting $1,500 from an undercover investigator

Tamar Peebles, 27, had admitted to accepting $1,500 from an undercover investigator and picking up what she thought was heroin and marijuana...

Former trooper John Foley, 64,pleaded guilty May 20 to cocaine conspiracy and distribution charges.

Former trooper John Foley, 64, a 37-year veteran of the force, was arrested in December 2007 by FBI, DEA, and state and local officers for p...

Former officer Joseph Kelley, who resigned from the force in February, is charged with one count of trafficking in opiate derivatives

Former officer Joseph Kelley, who resigned from the force in February, is charged with one count of trafficking in opiate derivatives after ...

Thomas Walker, 22,charged with bribery and tampering with a government document.

Community Supervision and Corrections Department employee Thomas Walker, 22, had worked for the county for only two months when he accepted ...

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 75 years, with all but 10 years suspended.Prosecutor Glen Henkle, who will handle narcotics cases for the county, presented evidence that Sizer had distributed cocaine since March 2004. By 2008, Henkle said, Sizer was moving one kilo a month. Sizer had made 400 cocaine sales in Caroline in 2008, according to Henkle's evidence.Authorities considered Sizer to be a big-time drug dealer in the county and said he was at or near the top of a cocaine distribution ring with sources from New York to Richmond.Next month, Sizer will face a judge in Caroline again on a charge of possession of a firearm by a felon.Kenneth Eugene Crutchfield of Woodford, who was said by authorities to be a lower-level dealer under Sizer, was given two life sentences with all but seven years suspended. He was convicted of conspiring to distribute cocaine and distributing cocaine--his third offense.Henkle is seeking to have Crutchfield's earlier suspended sentences revoked.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine.

Arthur Shannon Sizer, 31, of Ruther Glen pleaded guilty to three counts of distributing cocaine. He was sentenced Tuesday to 75 years, with ...

34-year-old Jose Esparza and his 55-year-old mother, Lydia Esparza, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribute

34-year-old Jose Esparza and his 55-year-old mother, Lydia Esparza, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess cocaine with intent to distribut...

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose. He's scheduled to be sentenced Aug. 3.He pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute and possessing with intent to distribute 15 kilograms of cocaine; carrying and possessing a firearm in relation to these crimes; being an illegal immigrant in possession of two firearms — a .25-caliber semi-automatic pistol and a .38-caliber semi-automatic pistol; and illegal re-entry following deportation. Torres-Felix had been indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2007, and a superseding indictment was filed in April. He pleaded guilty just as jury selection was to begin for his trial.The maximum penalty on the drug charges is life in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years, and a fine of up to $400,000; having a firearm in relation to drug trafficking adds another 5 years to that minimum as well as an additional fine of up to $250,000. Firearm possession by an illegal immigrant is punishable by up to 10 years and $250,000, while illegal re-entry is punishable by up to two years and $250,000; Torres-Felix also is subject to deportation after serving his sentence.Torres-Felix is the second of two defendants to plead guilty after a joint investigation between the Drug Enforcement Administration and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with help from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Alonso Rodriguez-Castellanos pleaded guilty in January to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He hasn't been sentenced yet.The DEA had gotten a tip that Rodriguez-Castellanos was negotiating a big cocaine deal, arranging for Torres-Felix to deliver the drug at a parking lot in Hayward. Federal agents arrested them there with the cocaine, finding one handgun in Torres-Felix's vehicle and another later at his home. Prosecutors at the time estimated the cocaine's street value at about $1 million.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose.

Francisco Torres-Felix, 44, entered his plea Monday before U.S. District Judge Ronald Whyte, of San Jose. He's scheduled to be sentenced...

Anthonia Rouga McWhorter was charged Thursday through Lake County Superior Court with dealing in cocaine

Anthonia Rouga McWhorter was charged Thursday through Lake County Superior Court with dealing in cocaine, a class B felony, and resisting l...

Thirty-two-year-old Joseph Griffin of Waterbury pleaded guilty Thursday to the charges

Thirty-two-year-old Joseph Griffin of Waterbury pleaded guilty Thursday to the charges in New Haven federal court. Prosecutors say that in J...

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine. In exchange for his plea, King County prosecutors agreed to recommend he serve a prison term at the low end of the sentencing range.During Friday's sentencing hearing, Beavers apologized. His lawyer, David Gehrke, said that when Beavers was arrested he was using crack cocaine and selling the drug to support his habit. "I have repented to the Lord and have turned my life around," Beavers said before Superior Court Judge Steven Gonzalez sentenced him.Beavers' wife and his pastor were in court Friday to support him. Gehrke said Beavers, who has no prior criminal history, kicked his drug habit through religion.The length of the sentence means Beavers will serve his time in state prison rather than county jail.Beavers was arrested by King County sheriff's deputies and Metro Transit Police on Feb. 11 while he was driving Route 42 near South Leo Street and Beacon Avenue South.The arrest came after an investigation lasting several weeks in which transit police made several undercover drug buys from Beavers, according to charging papers. Some, but not all, of the buys were made aboard Metro buses, police said.The sales, which ranged from $60 to $120 for 0.7 to 1.5 grams of cocaine, also took place at Beavers' house in South Seattle and in Tukwila, according to charging papers. Though it is clear Beavers dealt crack while on his route, "we have no indication that he was selling to passengers," sheriff's spokesman Sgt. John Urquhart said. Rather, customers who knew the driver would meet him along his route and make their purchases, police said.Police said the investigation was triggered by a tip from another Metro employee. Beavers has since resigned from Metro. "This is the first time I can recall a situation of this nature, and we employ 2,200 operators," Metro spokeswoman Rochelle Ogershok said shortly after Beavers' arrest.

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine

Ricky Beavers, 54, pleaded guilty on May 6 to three counts of delivery of cocaine. In exchange for his plea, King County prosecutors agreed ...

Timothy Ballard of northeast Leland arrested Thursday for allegedly trafficking crack cocaine.

The Pender County Sheriff Narcotics Unit arrested a man Thursday for allegedly trafficking crack cocaine.During a two month investigation, o...

Tamara M. Dunlap has been jailed on charges of selling drugs outside a New Paltz adult entertainment club.

Newburgh woman has been jailed on charges of selling drugs outside a New Paltz adult entertainment club.Police say they caught Tamara M. Dun...

Forty-eight-year-old Horacio Uffre pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland.

Forty-eight-year-old Horacio Uffre pleaded guilty in October and was sentenced Friday in U.S. District Court in Portland.Sentence 12 years a...

Timothy Alan Hann of 12429 Creagerstown Road in Thurmont, Md., who was charged with one count each of possession of cocaine and possession of CDS

Timothy Alan Hann of 12429 Creagerstown Road in Thurmont, Md., who was charged with one count each of possession of cocaine and possession o...

Rodney V. Wolfe of 13217 Independence Road in Clear Spring, who was charged with one count each of distribution of cocaine

Rodney V. Wolfe of 13217 Independence Road in Clear Spring, who was charged with one count each of distribution of cocaine, conspiracy to di...

Tory Renee Wantz of 5640 Fort Ritchie Road in Sabillasville, Md., who was charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine

Tory Renee Wantz of 5640 Fort Ritchie Road in Sabillasville, Md., who was charged with one count each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine an...

Leon Cornell Russell of 823 Concord St. in Hagerstown, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine

Leon Cornell Russell of 823 Concord St. in Hagerstown, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, ...

Kimberly G. Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana

Kimberly G. Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, who was charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute marijuana...

Samuel Robert Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, Pa., who was charged with two counts of possession of CDS paraphernalia

Samuel Robert Snead of 6530 Wayne Highway in Waynesboro, Pa., who was charged with two counts of possession of CDS paraphernalia and one cou...

Damien Randall Williams of 25216 Elhuff Court in Cascade, who was charged with two counts each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine

Damien Randall Williams of 25216 Elhuff Court in Cascade, who was charged with two counts each of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and posse...

Ronnell Leeper, 31, of Columbus, faces charges of trafficking drugs Sherika Banks, 25, of Columbus, is charged with permitting drug abuse

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2fkxiKOritXfctydfe4LR1yYai40BVMFHy6ldGZI_aQlZHJHq-F85fwSBLk8ZD3rn9vPXEj3Y-5h2zFAF3Wtr7D057EdbGT4XqjO80bF0xfNIMJjuIZEM0ydccn___xe4WHsyWhfO8/s1600-h/dealer2.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340073452731574418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgww2fkxiKOritXfctydfe4LR1yYai40BVMFHy6ldGZI_aQlZHJHq-F85fwSBLk8ZD3rn9vPXEj3Y-5h2zFAF3Wtr7D057EdbGT4XqjO80bF0xfNIMJjuIZEM0ydccn___xe4WHsyWhfO8/s320/dealer2.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 238px;" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGA5Dd-Yjv53o_SzqO-GUz547WOe3XMbQL8KsEO0kymfvl7BX17Y-vVhP8rXFTfYfKzNqLebkABalCGjSTEsDn0GxRd86vOX3aHd_3SoErcnLyyIAhyphenhyphen1sXce1BX38A-X0xRDfTcTBvXk/s1600-h/dealer.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5340073449890550274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtGA5Dd-Yjv53o_SzqO-GUz547WOe3XMbQL8KsEO0kymfvl7BX17Y-vVhP8rXFTfYfKzNqLebkABalCGjSTEsDn0GxRd86vOX3aHd_3SoErcnLyyIAhyphenhyphen1sXce1BX38A-X0xRDfTcTBvXk/s320/dealer.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 318px; height: 238px;" /></a> Ronnell Leeper, 31, of Columbus, faces charges of trafficking drugs - cocaine, and possession of drugs - crack cocaine. Both are third-degree felonies.Sherika Banks, 25, of Columbus, is charged with permitting drug abuse, a fifth-degree felony.After a three-month investigation, Fairfield-Hocking Major Crimes Unit had the Lancaster Police conduct a traffic stop on Leeper - who was driving in the 100 block of East Sixth Avenue.Banks was a passenger in Leeper's car.Major Crimes Unit Cmdr. Eric Brown said Leeper, the target of the investigation, was arrested with 18.5 grams of crack cocaine, which has a street value of 100 to 150 a gram."We consider (Leeper) to be a mid- to upper-level dealer," said Brown. "He was more than the street corner drug dealer. He was bringing crack cocaine to the this community on a regular basis." Brown said Leeper, known on the street as "Duke," was going out into the rural parts of the county to sell drugs as well as the city."We are very familiar with his (criminal) history," Brown said. "He was known to deal (drugs) in Fairfield County and in the City of Lancaster."Lancaster Police arrested Leeper in June 2007 on charges of drug trafficking and possession of drugs.His disposition for those charges was unknown at the time of publication. Brown said the drug bust was a joint operation between the Major Crimes Unit, Lancaster Police Department and the Fairfield County Sheriff's Office.Leeper is being detained at the Fairfield County Jail on a $500,000 cash surety bond.Banks is being detained at the Fairfield County Jail on a $50,000 cash surety bond.

Ronnell Leeper, 31, of Columbus, faces charges of trafficking drugs Sherika Banks, 25, of Columbus, is charged with permitting drug abuse

Ronnell Leeper, 31, of Columbus, faces charges of trafficking drugs - cocaine, and possession of drugs - crack cocaine. Both are third-degre...

Jeffrey Lawrence Galland, the former engineering director of JCI, a Las Vegas-based company, pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a violent crime,

Jeffrey Lawrence Galland, the former engineering director of JCI, a Las Vegas-based company, pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a violent crime, and conspiracy to distribute cocaine and marijuana, according to court records, the newspaper reported. Records detailed Galland, 42, as a part of a group that smuggled drugs from Washington state to Montana, the newspaper report said. Galland and an accomplice once used a shotgun and semiautomatic rifle in an attempt at collecting a drug debt, according to the paper. “ It does not affect my ability to deliver the services they require. However, it is not something I am proud of. ” He was sentenced to 4½ years in prison and four years of probation. He was released from federal prison in 2000. Court records show he also was arrested in 1994 and charged with burglary and assault after he broke into a home and pointed a gun at a woman in Great Falls, Mont., police there said, according to the newspaper. He was convicted of burglary and received probation in 1995.Galland acknowledged his troubled background, and his lack of an engineering license, to The Morning News but said it "had no bearing on his ability to help clients." The collapse of the Cowboys' facility in heavy winds three weeks ago left 12 people injured, including a 33-year-old team staff member who is paralyzed from the waist down. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has opened an investigation into the incident.Galland also falsified educational credentials he provided The Morning News, the paper said. Galland showed a résumé that said he received a bachelor's degree in physics from Eastern Washington University. The school, however, told the newspaper he completed coursework toward that degree but never graduated. The résumé also says he has taken classes for a master's degree in structural engineering at UNLV, the report said. Records show he never attended the school, UNLV officials told the newspaper. JCI and Canada-based Summit Structures, which built the Cowboys' practice facility in 2003 and supervised last year's upgrades, have worked in tandem extensively in recent years, the report said. Galland's work for the Cowboys was done under the supervision of JCI president Scott Jacobs, a licensed engineer, according to the report. Jacobs did not respond to interview requests from the newspaper. The Cowboys declined to comment to the Dallas newspaper. Summit Structures said privacy laws in Canada precluded discussing employees involved in the work. "It is Summit's belief that all employees who worked on this project were qualified to perform the task he or she performed" and were properly licensed, company president Nathan Stobbe said in a written statement to The Morning News on Saturday. "We remain confident in the soundness, strength and durability of Summit Structures' permanent, steel-framed, engineered fabric buildings -- of which more than 30,000 similar buildings are in use worldwide. We intend to thoroughly research every aspect of this event as a part of the diligence that we put into everything we do." Galland's plan for the facility included adding "a significant amount of steel" to roof arches and wall framing, the report said. Galland said he sought to to improve "its ability to withstand pressure from wind, rain and other forces." Summit Structures mostly followed the plan, Galland told the paper. "There were some things that weren't done that we hoped would be done," he said, declining to elaborate. Galland said the upgrade was warranty work and Summit Structures didn't want to pay for some of the suggested improvements. Galland said in an e-mail to The Morning News on Saturday that many of his clients know of his criminal history. "It does not affect my ability to deliver the services they require," he said. "However, it is not something I am proud of."

Jeffrey Lawrence Galland, the former engineering director of JCI, a Las Vegas-based company, pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a violent crime,

Jeffrey Lawrence Galland, the former engineering director of JCI, a Las Vegas-based company, pleaded guilty to using a firearm during a viol...

Convicted Marcus Posey, 23, of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance for having 30 rocks of crack cocaine in Urbana

Convicted Marcus Posey, 23, of possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance for having 30 rocks of crack cocaine in Urbana on Ja...

Cynthia Thomas McWilliams, a fourth-grade teacher at Fessenden Elementary School, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, marijuana

Cynthia Thomas McWilliams, a fourth-grade teacher at Fessenden Elementary School, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia and tampering with evidence.Bond for 53-year-old McWilliams, who made her first appearance in front of a judge Saturday morning at the Marion County Jail, was set at $5,000.McWilliams, according to her school's Web site, is one of four fourth-grade teachers at Fessenden Elementary. McWilliams denied an interview request from the Star-Banner.Officials from Fessenden could not be reached for comment.At approximately 7:15 p.m. Friday, Deputy Damon Baxley stopped a gray Buick Lesabre on West Anthony Road, just north of State Road 326, because the car did not have its lights on in the rain, the deputy said.Thinking she may have shoved something under the seat, Baxley said he called for a K-9 handler to assist with the stop.K-9 deputy Jared Shealy arrived on scene and while walking around the vehicle, the dog detected the presence of drugs at or near the driver's side door, deputies said.McWilliams was asked to exit the car, and the K-9 deputy asked if she had anything illegal on her, deputies said. While turning her pockets inside out, deputies say a metal crack pipe fell from her right front pocket.Authorities say McWilliams changed her standing position so she could stand over the crack pipe in an effort to conceal it. Inside the crack pipe was a burnt steel-wool pad, deputies said.Also found in her right front pants pocket was a clear plastic sandwich bag that contained nine grams of marijuana, deputies said.Searching the car, officers say they found two pieces of crack cocaine - weighing less than a gram - between the driver's door and the seat.Deputies said McWilliams told them the drugs belong to her, but denied dropping or trying to conceal the crack pipe.Asked when was the last time she had used crack cocaine, deputies said McWilliams said, "Gosh, it's been a long time," the report noted.Deputies said that McWilliams said she and her husband are the only people who use the car, and the drugs do not belong to her husband.She then refused to talk further about the incident. McWilliams was then taken to the jail for processing.

Cynthia Thomas McWilliams, a fourth-grade teacher at Fessenden Elementary School, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, marijuana

Cynthia Thomas McWilliams, a fourth-grade teacher at Fessenden Elementary School, was charged with possession of crack cocaine, marijuana an...

Susan Byrne drug addict who hid €600 worth of heroin in her underwear while her partner brandished a large sword at gardaí

Susan Byrne drug addict who hid €600 worth of heroin in her underwear while her partner brandished a large sword at gardaí has been given an 18-month suspended sentence by Judge Katherine Delahunt.Susan Byrne (aged 26) Shanganagh Wood, Shankill, pleaded guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to being in possession of the drugs for sale or supply and obstructing a garda during the course of a drug search at Rathsallagh Drive, also Shankill, on April 16, 2005.Garda Mark Russell told Mr Remy Farrell BL, prosecuting, that gardaí forced their way into the house shouting that they were gardaí and had a search warrant while running up the stairs. Byrne's partner and co-accused then came out of a bedroom carrying a large sword forcing the gardaí to step back. The accused then came out of the room and gardaí saw her trying to put something into her underwear.Gda Russell said that the "standoff" ended when Byrne's boyfriend put down the sword and gardaí were able to overpower and arrest him. A female garda had to be called in order to retrieve the 28 deals of heroin from Byrne's underwear.Byrne later took full responsibility for the drugs and told gardaí she was a drug user. She had no previous convictions. Judge Delahunt accepted that Byrne had taken considerable steps to deal with her drug addiction and described her efforts as "impressive". She also took into account the fact that she had not come to garda attention since.She suspended the entire sentence for a period of three years with conditions.

Susan Byrne drug addict who hid €600 worth of heroin in her underwear while her partner brandished a large sword at gardaí

Susan Byrne drug addict who hid €600 worth of heroin in her underwear while her partner brandished a large sword at gardaí has been given an...

Cortez Kwon Jefferson is contemplating the possibility of spending 10 years in prison

Cortez Kwon Jefferson is contemplating the possibility of spending 10 years in prison after Des Moines County prosecutors formally charged him with possession of cocaine with intent to deliver.Jefferson, 20, who was arrested earlier this month with Antwan Devon Manley, 16, after a near accidental encounter with law enforcement, is jailed on $65,000 bail.The status on Manley's case was not immediately known.Earlier this month, police officers patrolling Division Street saw a Chevrolet Blazer stopped in the traveled portion of the road, authorities said. As officers slowed to see what the problem was, authorities saw the passenger door of the SUV open and someone reach down to the road.When authorities pulled the vehicle over, officers said they smelled a strong odor of marijuana emanating from the Blazer.Manley, a back-seat passenger, reportedly told officers he had marijuana on him, which police said they found inside his pocket. Some money, in small bills, also was found with the teen, authorities added.Police said in court papers that as they were searching Jefferson, he made a "slight move to his left." Simultaneously, a large plastic baggie that police said contained smaller baggies filled with suspected cocaine, fell from his shorts.Jefferson reportedly told officers the substance belonged to the other occupants of the SUV.Police also found two more baggies of marijuana in the vehicle inside a black sweatshirt they say belonged to Manley.

Cortez Kwon Jefferson is contemplating the possibility of spending 10 years in prison

Cortez Kwon Jefferson is contemplating the possibility of spending 10 years in prison after Des Moines County prosecutors formally charged h...

Susan Brown 33-year-old Canadian woman was denied bail when she appeared in the Arima Magistrates’ Court charged with possession on $1 million cocaine

A 33-year-old Canadian woman was denied bail when she appeared in the Arima Magistrates’ Court charged with possession on $1 million worth o...

Zlatibor hotels, restaurants and resorts are now in the hands of the Mafia

money laundering activities by tycoons and crime bosses have found a home in Zlatibor and similar resort towns. It is a public secret that hotels, restaurants and resorts are now in the hands of the Mafia, even though documents pertaining to the businesses and properties are all in other people's names, the daily writes. This is not only a common occurrence in Zlatibor, but in Subotica, Palić, Vrnjačka Banja, Kopaonik, Novi Sad and Belgrade. However it seems that the highest concentration of “dirty money” can be found in the beautiful mountain resorts of Zlatibor. It is not only Serbian criminals that are working in Zlatibor, but crime bosses from Montenegro and the Republic of Srpska too, the daily writes. “Once upon a time they caused problems. Now they have changed into suits and are acting like businessmen, but they always get their jobs done the old-fashioned way, either illegally or on the edge of the law,” the daily states. In 2007, Milan Stamatović, president of the Čajetina municipality, called on the state institutions to deal with the problem, and for police in the region to receive technical and personnel support because of “the increased presence of the construction mafia and criminals.” <blockquote>“Zlatibor has been occupied by the construction mafia, which is legalizing dirty money through the purchase of property and the construction of buildings, especially apartments,” Stamatović wrote in his letter to the institutions. </blockquote>“Criminals from Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia-Herzegovina congregate here…They take out their guns in night clubs, consume and sell drugs, and club owners are afraid for their own safety,” he stated.

Zlatibor hotels, restaurants and resorts are now in the hands of the Mafia

money laundering activities by tycoons and crime bosses have found a home in Zlatibor and similar resort towns. It is a public secret that h...

Red Bull Cola traces of cocaine found in it.

Germany is considering a nationwide ban on the high-energy drink Red Bull Cola after traces of cocaine were found in it.Authorities in the s...

Three armed people barged into Air India’s cargo complex adjacent to the domestic airport here and escaped with 145 kg of gold and silver coins worth

In a sensational daylight robbery, at least three armed people barged into Air India’s cargo complex adjacent to the domestic airport here and escaped with 145 kg of gold and silver coins worth millions of rupees, officials said. The criminals armed with guns and revolvers barged into the high security zone at about 11.30 a.m. and attacked security guard S. Bhosle when he attempted to stop them, an Air India spokesperson said.At that time, some officials of Messrs Pidilite Industries were booking six packets of gold and silver coins, weighing 145 kg in all, at the cargo complex. The consignment was bound for Hyderabad.A police official said the company officials were in the process of screening the packets when the armed robbers barged in, threatened the security personnel and fled with four packets.They got into a car and disappeared from the scene of the crime within minutes.“We have put up road blocks all over the city and alerted security staff at all exit points to be on the lookout for the culprits,” the police official said. According to the Air India spokesperson, the injured security guard was admitted to a nearby hospital.

Three armed people barged into Air India’s cargo complex adjacent to the domestic airport here and escaped with 145 kg of gold and silver coins worth

In a sensational daylight robbery, at least three armed people barged into Air India’s cargo complex adjacent to the domestic airport here a...

Murder of 25-year-old James Galloway in Turangi

35-year-old man charged with the murder of 25-year-old James Galloway in Turangi on Saturday has been remanded in custody until next month.T...

Tamar Peebles of Brooklyn pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of bribe receiving

Tamar Peebles of Brooklyn pleaded guilty to one count of attempted criminal sale of a controlled substance and one count of bribe receiving ...

Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine worth £140,000 into Britain.

Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine worth £140,000 into Britain.The former fast bowler, who took 93 wickets for England, hid the drug in fruit and vegetable juice tins stashed in his kit bag.The court was told drug barons used Lewis, 41, as a high-profile “mule”, believing his fame would guarantee his safe passage through customs.The jury at Croydon Crown Court heard how Lewis, who played in 32 Tests for England between 1990 and 1996, hid the drug in liquid form in the tins.He was stopped by customs officers at Gatwick Airport, following what he claimed was an innocent holiday visiting friends and family on the Caribbean island of St Lucia.When opened, the tins were found to contain 100% cocaine.Ex-London Towers basketball player Chad Kirnon, 27, who was co-accused of drug smuggling with Lewis, was also jailed for 13 years.The court heard the pair were stopped independently at the airport just after 5am on December 8 last year.They claimed to be travelling separately, but a Puma cricket bag Lewis was carrying was labelled with Kirnon’s name.Tom Wilkins, prosecuting, insisted the pair had been “acting together” to import the “very valuable consignment” in a “joint enterprise”.The jury was told that Lewis and Kirnon had known each other for two years and bumped into each other in north London last November.The trip was planned over a game of pool and they set out for Gatwick in the same taxi, the jury heard.But they fell out and during the trial they each blamed the other for setting them up.Lewis said: “When the officer said: ‘This isn’t juice, it’s cocaine,’ I thought it must be a mistake.“I’ve never even tried cocaine, I’ve never smuggled cocaine, or any other drug.”Peter Avery, assistant director of criminal investigations for the customs service, said after the case: “We have got the Olympic games coming up in 2012.“And clearly sportsmen and women will be targeted by organised criminal gangs from all over the world with a view to facilitating the importation of drugs into the UK"

Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine worth £140,000 into Britain.

Chris Lewis has been jailed for 13 years after being found guilty of smuggling cocaine worth £140,000 into Britain.The former fast bowler, w...

Indo-Canadian gang hit Bodies of two men were found in the trunk of an abandoned car in rural Pickering

Bodies of two men were found in the trunk of an abandoned car in rural Pickering, killings with all the hallmarks of a gang hit. The bodies are suspected to be that of Indo-Canadians as a car full of Indo-Canadian men from Brampton paid a visit to the crime scene with one of the men saying in accented English that his brother had been missing for a while and he suspected one of the dead to be the missing man. "Our brother, he's been missing for the last two days, right?" said an Indo-Canadian man, who didn't identify himself. It's not clear yet if the family members are related to either of the dead men, Durham Det. Mitch Martin said. "The act doesn't appear to be random to me," Martin said, trying to calm fears of residents in the rural area. But although it appears the two victims were targeted, Martin didn't elaborate on the killings, saying the investigation is in its early stages. "We're looking for suspects, we don't have anybody in custody," he said. Detectives wouldn't confirm or deny reports the victims were shot and beaten, or comment on a motive in the region's second and third murders of the year But there was "trauma on both bodies," Martin said. The bodies, one of a Peel resident and the other whose hometown hasn't been revealed, were found around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday after an area resident reported a vehicle parked on Rosebank Rd., just north of Taunton Rd. The Ottawa Valley plays a role in the investigation, sources said. Other GTA police and the OPP are assisting in the investigation, Durham Police spokesman Dave Selby said. Traces of blood were found next to the car. Martin wouldn't confirm reports that the car was a rental from Toronto. Autopsies are expected to be performed today on the bodies that were kept in the vehicle as it was taken away for forensic examination.

Indo-Canadian gang hit Bodies of two men were found in the trunk of an abandoned car in rural Pickering

Bodies of two men were found in the trunk of an abandoned car in rural Pickering, killings with all the hallmarks of a gang hit. The bodies ...

Guiseppe Gregory, gunman sprayed bullets into the car he was in as it was being driven out of the car

Guiseppe Gregory, 16, from the Ardwick area of the city, had survived an earlier shooting three years ago.Shortly before midnight on Sunday ...

Gangland criminals will be tried in the same court as terrorists under new laws .

Gangland criminals will be tried in the same court as terrorists under new laws The move is among a raft of measures to be brought in by the end of the year as the Government tackles the country’s gangs. Attorney General Paul Gallagher has approved legislation to go to Cabinet tomorrow, allowing the DPP to prosecute major criminals in the nonjury court. The move is part of a major package of anti-gangland laws, including new 15-year sentences for directing or involvement with a criminal gang. Tougher sentences will also be imposed for those who threaten witnesses. The plans come after 10 gangland murders in Dublin alone this year. Charges have not been brought in relation to any of the killings at this point. It also follows an anti-crime march in Limerick yesterday, led by local businessman Roy Collins, whose son Steve was shot dead last month. It was attended by 5,000 people. The Attorney General's sign-off on the proposed laws indicate constitutional hurdles over the legislation have been overcome. Retired detective superintendent PJ Browne, who policed underworld crime in Dublin's south city, said the judiciary's response to the moves by Brian Cowen's Government will be crucial. He said courts have not always acted in the way expected to by the legislators. "You have to ask will this law be akin to the Drug Trafficking Act, where there is a mandatory 10-year sentence for certain drugs offences, which has never been accepted by the courts," he said. "Instead the judiciary has made its own mind up on the laws." The proposals are separate to the Criminal Justice (Surveillance) Bill, which is currently before the Oireachtas. That law governs the use of phone taps and other secret surveillance procedures against criminals. It will be voted on in the coming weeks and could be in force by the end of the year. The move to try gangland offenses in the three-judge Special Criminal Court has been used in the past by the DPP. Drug boss John Gilligan was tried and convicted on drugs offences, and his associate, Brian Meehan, was also found guilty of murdering journalist Veronica Guerin. The move to prosecute serious offences has been repeatedly called for by commentators, including Herald columnist Gerry O'Carroll. It has been welcomed by law enforcement agencies, but some experts have questioned how it may be implemented by the courts. The Special Criminal Court, at Green Street in Dublin, is usually used to try those suspected of terror offences. Justice Minister Dermot Ahern said that he wanted the same powers available to combat terror organisations to be applied to crime gangs. He said: "These are not decisions that any normal society would take lightly, but particularly in Limerick and in some places in Dublin, there is intimidation of people who have been involved in court case and we have to take cognisance of that." He outlined that internment of suspects was not an option but that more weight would be given to the evidence of gardai. "There is no doubt that the killing of Roy Collins showed clearly that these criminal gangs are willing to kill family members of people who become involved in court cases against them," he said. The Minister also said it is envisaged "that a new offence of directing a criminal gang would be created, along with an offence of involvement in criminal activity in association with a criminal gang, with a maximum penalty of 15 years". Mr Ahern said the aim was that such offences would be tried in the Special Criminal Court and that it would be more difficult for suspects to be awarded bail. There may also be post-release supervision similar to that used for sex offenders. "In essence," he said, "what we're trying to make available is that powers that were available to combating subversives organisations, terrorist organisations that would be similarly applied to criminal gangs."

Gangland criminals will be tried in the same court as terrorists under new laws .

Gangland criminals will be tried in the same court as terrorists under new laws The move is among a raft of measures to be brought in by the...

Haiti is a fragile state where armed gangs can be used to stir up trouble for political reasons

"Haiti is a fragile state where armed gangs can be used to stir up trouble for political reasons and abject poverty fuels discontent." See photos taken by award-winning photojournalist Ron Haviv »Even among the children. In Cité Soleil, a dozen street children start pummeling a young girl. It's not known why. But within seconds word has spread that a fight is on. Hordes of children with matted hair and ragged clothes race to the scene, glad of anything to relieve the monotony of yet another day with nothing to do. Weary parents pull their children away, leaving the shaken girl to escape.This is a far cry from the days when families ran for cover from daily gun battles. A few years ago, Cité Soleil was one of the most dangerous and destitute places on earth -- a shanty town torn apart by a vicious gang war for control of the area. United Nations troops have stabilized the security situation in Haiti, the western world's poorest country, and many gang members are either dead or behind bars. Nevertheless, violence still surrounds the 300,000 residents of Cité Soleil, fueled by hunger and the frustration of trying to survive on less than a dollar a day.I sidestep the brawling children and enter the home of a woman who has suffered more than most. A long-standing resident of Cité Soleil, 83 year old Elevanise Tidor was first caught in gangland crossfire in 1993. In 2004 she stepped into harm's away again when she was shot in the breast and stomach. As she undoes her faded dress to show the scars from her mastectomy, she tells me she was later hit by a car and now can hardly walk. Confined to a sparsely furnished corrugated iron shack, she worries about how her children and grandchildren are going to make ends meet."My body took the bullets, but my family has been hit the hardest," she says. "I can't work or do anything for them. My grandchildren often go to bed crying with hunger."That the victims of violence can suffer for years after the event is well-known, but in Cité Soleil the suffering can last a lifetime.With the help of the ICRC, a group of victims of the violence is aiding fellow sufferers. In 2007, Pierre Wilber founded REVICIS (Regroupement des victimes de Cité Soleil) after gang members beat him up for political reasons. REVICIS has already identified 300 victims and is now trying to get funds for social, psychological and legal help. "There are so many social problems in Cité Soleil that everyone here is a victim," he says. "But we give priority to people visibly scarred by violence, because they have suffered a double blow.Brice Osmer is one of the rare victims who can still work. In April 2005, he was caught in a shoot-out between UN troops and gang members. He was hit three times and lost an arm. Since then he walks the streets selling mobile phone time cards and bags of water."On a good day I earn a dollar, but it's thanks to my wife who sells food from dawn to dusk that my children don't starve."In 2004, at the height of the gang warfare, the Red Cross ensured that people had safe access to water. Previously, they had been risking their lives crossing frontlines to fill up their buckets.Today, the ICRC works with the water board, maintaining and running 53 communal water points across Cité Soleil, turning them on for a couple of hours 20 days a month.Prospere Borgelin works with the ICRC on its water project. He also works with other international organizations to improve living conditions in Ti-Haiti where he lives (Ti-Haiti is Creole for Petit Haiti, or Little Haiti.)Like other community leaders, he has seen the benefits of working closely with the humanitarian agencies and with the Brazilian troops from the U.N. stabilization mission responsible for security in Cité Soleil. "The troops have brought security. Communities are beginning to organize themselves. We see the results in that roads are being built, rubbish collected and sewage removed," he says.At considerable personal risk, Borgelin has helped the U.N. and the Haitian police arrest gang members in his neighborhood and continues to be vigilant.Like many in Cité Soleil, he fears that the U.N. will pull out before the Haitian police are ready to take over and that the streets will again echo to the sound of gunfire."Misery," he says, "breeds violence. And there's still plenty of misery in Cité Soleil."

Haiti is a fragile state where armed gangs can be used to stir up trouble for political reasons

"Haiti is a fragile state where armed gangs can be used to stir up trouble for political reasons and abject poverty fuels discontent....

Peter de la Serpe, who is suspected of involvement in several killings, had been due to give evidence in the trial

Peter de la Serpe, who is suspected of involvement in several killings, had been due to give evidence in the trial of 10 men and one woman c...

Jeff Hajebrahim, 44, and Alan Austin, 55,convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court of conspiracy to import class A drugs.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPNKR317ETfBz0A9d-EvYQ5Khw7zi7OJjWcJ1LmtK6KXw0Mjz5DD_j9psmEOG3nAA3gntIUWo-rIwOQjb7xMTtwgUK3wCCX10yukMYpr42cRMRLGHBy2blDcGapvjWqhaAvNGg2b8NEE/s1600-h/HAJEBRAHIM.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5331649893912297698" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNPNKR317ETfBz0A9d-EvYQ5Khw7zi7OJjWcJ1LmtK6KXw0Mjz5DD_j9psmEOG3nAA3gntIUWo-rIwOQjb7xMTtwgUK3wCCX10yukMYpr42cRMRLGHBy2blDcGapvjWqhaAvNGg2b8NEE/s400/HAJEBRAHIM.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 310px; height: 289px;" /></a> Gang of drug runners has been jailed for trying to smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine through Portsmouth.The five-strong crew picked up the drugs in Spain and then ferried them in to the UK through the city's ferry port.They successfully brought in five loads of cocaine worth several millions of pounds over two years. But on December 11, 2006, customs at Portsmouth stopped the gang's car and found 10kg of cocaine hidden in its fuel tank.Yesterday all five received jail sentences between them totalling 72 years. Judge Harvey Clark QC said: 'Almost every day I see the consequences of cocaine and heroin addiction.'Such addiction wrecks and destroys people's lives.'It causes moral disintegration and untold misery to those involved.'So it is small wonder that the courts show no mercy to those being involved in the importation of these pernicious drugs.'Jeff Hajebrahim, 44, and Alan Austin, 55, were the brains behind the operation.They lived a life of luxury in Brazil while arranging for huge quantities of cocaine to be shipped in to Madrid from South America.The pair – along with Hajebrahim's cousin Poria Abraham, 24, and Ali Tavakolinia, 39 – would then arrange for them to be picked up.They would hide the drugs in the fuel tanks of Vauxhall Corsas and then either drive them up through Europe and in to the UK themselves, or enlist couriers.One courier was Louise Brindle, 33, who was stopped by customs officers as she arrived in Portsmouth.The drugs which were found were examined and had Hajebrahim's fingerprints on them.Further investigations led police to the other three conspirators.Hajebrahim was extradited from Brazil and went on trial with his co-defendants at the start of the year.All five were convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court of conspiracy to import class A drugs.Detective Superintendent Russ Middleton, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: 'It was a complex investigation culminating in a lengthy trial and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and dedication in securing these convictions.'

Jeff Hajebrahim, 44, and Alan Austin, 55,convicted at Bournemouth Crown Court of conspiracy to import class A drugs.

Gang of drug runners has been jailed for trying to smuggle millions of pounds worth of cocaine through Portsmouth.The five-strong crew picke...