Crime Correspondent

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug when he ran on to a bus after officers spotted him acting suspiciously. And as well as having the drugs, which weighed about five grams, the 25-year-old also had £160 in cash. Rachel Marshall, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court how officers saw him acting suspiciously on Friday, November 9 last year. She said they followed him as he ran on to a bus and saw him put something into his backside. He was arrested and officers later recovered a package which contained 28 wraps of drugs. When he was questioned he told police he was acting under duress as he had previous drug problems and his dealer had beaten him up. He said he had to do jobs for him including acting as a courier which is what he was doing when he was arrested. The court heard he had a number of previous convictions for dishonesty consistent with drug addiction as well as possessing cannabis in 2000 and heroin in 2003. Bruce, who gave the court a care of address in Purton Road, pleaded guilty to possessing heroin with intent to supply. Mike Pulsford, defending, said his client accepted he had bought the drugs and was to supply them to friends. His client’s mother had left him some money to look after himself while she went away, he said, and he had spent it on the drugs. He said that he had also withdrawn some money from his bank account shortly before he was arrested as his Giro had just been paid in. Although he had planned to sell the drugs, he said he did not have an opportunity before he was arrested, so none of the money came from that. He said in the time since the offence his client had stopped taking drugs and had been offered work if he kept his liberty. But jailing him, Judge John McNaught said: “A lot of the criminal cases that come before the court here and up and down the country are drug related. “Higher courts in London tell me what I have to do to people who are caught with class A drugs with intent. “The courts do what they can, it may not be much but they do what they can. Anyone who risks it must know that they may go to prison.” He also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs and the confiscation of the £160 he had on him when he was arrested.

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug

Paul Bruce was caught with 28 wraps of the drug when he ran on to a bus after officers spotted him acting suspiciously. And as well as havin...

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer during a Cleveland Police operation to target peddlers in Hartlepool last year. The 38-year-old was given a 12-month suspended prison sentence with probation service supervision. The Recorder of Middlesbrough, Judge Peter Fox, QC, also ordered that Elsdon undergoes a drug rehabilitation programme over the next two years. He told him: "You are one of the few - very, very few - people who get convicted of supplying Class A drugs who don't go straight to prison. "You have got a great deal of ability and a great deal going for you, and you are only 38. There is a lot yet you can do with your life, but its down to you." Teesside Crown Court heard that Elsdon was asked by an associate who became friends with the undercover officer to find crack cocaine. The pal - jailed last month three years for supplying heroin to the officer - was one of the main targets of Operation Beckford, but Elsdon was not. Paul Cleasby, mitigating, said Elsdon was a conduit, but since his arrest, he has become drug-free and found a job in the demolition industry. Elsdon, of Masefield Road, Hartlepool, admitted two charges of supplying Class A drugs - on October 24 and November 2 last year. Mr Cleasby told the court: "He recognises the offence in which he became embroiled were serious. He is making every effort to address his underlying issues."

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer

Stephen Elsdon twice supplied crack cocaine to an undercover officer during a Cleveland Police operation to target peddlers in Hartlepool la...

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering. He was picked up along with other arrestees during the morning hours of Sept. 17 as apart of a North Texas drug dealing crackdown known as “Operation Dos Equis.”In total, more than $1 million cash, approximately 300 kilograms of cocaine, approximately 400 pounds of methamphetamine, approximately 20 weapons, and various explosive devices were seized in the North Texas area.The arrests were part of "Project Reckoning," a multi-agency law enforcement effort led by the DEA. According to the statement, the Gulf Cartel is responsible for transporting multi-ton quantities of cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marjiuana from countries in South and Central America to the United States, as well as the distribution of those narcotics within the U.S. "Project Reckoning" is a 15-month investigation that has led to the arrests this week of more than 175 individuals throughout the United States and Italy. In the northern district of Texas, "Operation Dos Equis" focused on the Mexican cocaine distribution organization, and stems from a federal grand jury indictment charging 21 defendants with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.Another North Texas effort, titled "Operation Vertigo," was an investigation into a methamphetamine distribution organization, and included 11 defendants charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine."Operation Dos Equis and Operation Vertigo are an unprecedented success in North Texas, resulting in the largest combined seizure ever of money and drugs at one time," Roper said. Special Agent Capra said that the combined national drug enforcement activities during the course of the operation have significantly disrupted the Gulf Cartel's transportation and distribution networks, and that the cooperation among domestic law enforcement agencies was instrumental in the successful outcome of the investigation.

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money laundering.

Hector “Guero” Omero Rodriguez was arrested and charged for intent to obtain and distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine and money la...

Juan Delarosa, 56, drug counselor was initially arrested in January this year after authorities, who had been alerted to his criminal activity,

Juan Delarosa, 56, was initially arrested in January this year after authorities, who had been alerted to his criminal activity, caught him ...

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine , jumped from the first floor of the Kotoka International Airport

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine outside the country, jumped from the first floor of the Departure Hall of the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to escape arrest. The suspect, who was fleeing from operatives of the Narcotics Control Board (NACOB) after he had been invited by them, received multiple fractures on his left thigh as a result of the heavy fall on the ground floor of the main airport building. He is currently on admission at the 37 Military Hospital receiving treatment and the doctors say he will be there for the next 10 weeks. Two other suspects, Daniel Mensah, 23, and Frank Amoako, 37, who were arrested later are in custody pending further investigations. The three suspects have together expelled a total of 199 pellets of the drug. The Public Relations Officer (PRO) of NACOB, Mr Francis Opoku Amoah, told the Daily Graphic yesterday that about 10:30 p.m. on August 30, 2008, Danso, who was resident in London, was the last person to go through departure formalities to board a London-bound flight. Mr Amoah said while Danso was on his way to board the aircraft, operatives of NACOB invited him for random checks but he quickly turned and took to his heels. According to the NACOB PRO, after meandering his way through Immigration Control, Danso jumped onto the ground floor. Mr Amoah said Danso was rushed to the 37 Military Hospital where he was admitted for treatment. While on admission, he said, the suspect expelled 64 pellets of the substance. He said upon interrogation, Danso claimed that a United States of America-based friend of his, Alhaji Musah, had sent him £1,500 to enable him to meet his financial obligations in Ghana before returning to London. Mr Amoah said Danso, however, claimed that Alhaji Musah gave him that amount on condition that he took some drugs to London on his behalf. On Mensah, the PRO said the suspect was arrested at the airport about 7.00 p.m. on September 6, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Holland. Mr Amoah said the suspect confessed to swallowing 65 pellets of the drug which had been given to him by someone he identified only as Emma at Madina for a fee of 3,500 euros. He said the suspect had since expelled all the 65 pellets. According to Mr Amoah, Amoako was arrested on September 10, 2008 while going through departure formalities for Germany, where he was based. He said Amoako confessed to swallowing 50 pellets but expelled 70 pellets after he had been detained. The PRO said Amoako claimed that he was to deliver the drugs to someone he identified only as Shivry in Berlin for a fee of 3,500 euros.

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine , jumped from the first floor of the Kotoka International Airport

David Danso, who allegedly attempted to smuggle a substance suspected to be cocaine outside the country, jumped from the first floor of the ...

Anthony Connolly was arrested on Wednesday evening after UK Border Agency officers searched a truck carrying a consignment of beer at Dover.

Anthony Connolly, of North Sudley Road, Mossley Hill was arrested on Wednesday evening after UK Border Agency officers searched a truck carr...

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison. judge also ordered him to complete the remainder of the five-year sentence he was serving while in Sudbury and sentenced him to an additional 230 days. West Derbyshire MP Patrick McLoughlin said people convicted of serious drugs offences should not be sent to open prisons. He said: "This is a person who has obviously caused a lot of damage and I find it absurd that someone convicted of this type of crime can be considered for an open prison. A spokeswoman for Sudbury Prison said Steadman would have been assessed for suitability for Category D (low security, open jail) conditions by a governor at the prison from which he was sent. She said: "I am unable to give any further information as the computer records held are now unavailable." Steadman had been convicted of possession with intent to supply drugs. After he walked out of his Sudbury sentence, he became involved in the drugs ring when he was recruited by a "Mr Big" in London. The ring was centred on Teesside. Cleveland police could not yesterday give details of which prison Steadman, now of no fixed abode, was sent to when he began his five-year sentence, or when he was transferred to Sudbury. The Derbyshire jail could also not immediately give those details. Teesside Crown Court had heard that the drugs ring became known as the Donna Network, because addicts telephoning to get crack cocaine spoke to a woman who gave the false name Donna. It is likely the group first targeted Middlesbrough in 2004. They hoped to establish the town as the regional hub from which to supply crack cocaine to the North East. Police estimate that the Donna Network had a turnover of £1m a year from its Middlesbrough dealings. It is believed that the drug cash fuelled lavish lifestyles among the hierarchy and was also sent to Jamaica to invest in property. Steadman was arrested by police in Teesside in April last year. The court was told he had been brought from London to run so-called safe houses in Middlesbrough. He was jailed along with seven others involved in the drugs scam. Detective Constable Kevin Harper, a police intelligence officer for Sudbury Prison, said it would be unlikely that Steadman would end up in an open jail again. He said: "The majority of prisoners who abscond from the prison are recaptured very quickly. Those found to abusing the open prison conditions, such as Steadman, would be unlikely to be considered for those conditions again." Sudbury had faced criticism because of its number of escapees. However, figures released exclusively to the Evening Telegraph recently revealed how the number of absconders had reduced by 75% since the introduction of a new policy which takes a harder line on those who try to flee. Between January and June 2006, 48 inmates walked out of the prison, compared with 12 this year – a 75% reduction. In 2006, 86 prisoners escaped but, by the end of 2007, this was reduced to 54. Mr McLoughlin said: "I would say that Sudbury has improved dramatically in the rate of absconders, particularly since the introduction of a new system which means the consequences of absconding are more severe."

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison.

Marcus Steadman, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply crack cocaine, was sentenced to four years in prison. judge also ordered him to ...

Pasquale Barbaro “I would rather be poor and free than a millionaire"posed too much of a risk of violating bail conditions and fleeing the country

Barbaro, from Griffith in NSW, is facing five charges of trafficking commercial quantities of ecstasy, money laundering and dealing with the proceeds of crime over a large ecstasy haul uncovered by Australian Federal Police. Pasquale Barbaro posed too much of a risk of violating bail conditions and fleeing the country and therefore refused the application. The 15 million pills were hidden in tomato tins in a container shipped from Italy to Melbourne in June last year. Twenty-five people allegedly involved in the syndicate - stretching from the NSW town of Griffith to Europe - have been charged. Mr Garnett said he agreed with police evidence that Mr Barbaro was the head of the international syndicate allegedly responsible for the 4.4 tonnes of ecstasy. He said that even though there were delays in the case and it would most likely not go to trial until 2010, he had to balance this against the seriousness of the charges and the strength of the prosecution case. The Melbourne Magistrates Court yesterday heard Mr Barbaro believed Mr Mokbel should have stayed “underground” and could have “lived like a king” with his children, “eating fish and drinking champagne” if he had been smarter. The court heard police recorded conversations between the accused and another co-defendant in May last year after they had been watching the news of Mr Mokbel's arrest in Greece on television. Prosecutor Brent Young told the court listening devices captured Mr Barbaro talking about knowing people who had successfully lived happily in the “mountains of Lebanon” without being caught. “What's money,” he allegedly said. “I would rather be poor and free than a millionaire in jail. F..k that!”

Pasquale Barbaro “I would rather be poor and free than a millionaire"posed too much of a risk of violating bail conditions and fleeing the country

Barbaro, from Griffith in NSW, is facing five charges of trafficking commercial quantities of ecstasy, money laundering and dealing with the...

Joseph Hyde. , who now lives in Thailand, was stopped in his car by police in March last year and was found with 3.3 grams of cocaine

Thomas Thompson, 52 of Dragside, South Shields was jailed for seven years, Aaron Fada, 33, of Braybourne Street, South Shields was jailed for three years and Simon Welsh, 33, of Strathmore Gardens, South Shields was jailed for 21 months. Joseph Hyde. , who now lives in Thailand, was stopped in his car by police in March last year and was found with 3.3 grams of cocaine, with a street value of £200. Following his interview and release police began surveillance on Hyde and which led them to a number of other criminals. As a result three men were jailed for a total of over 11 years. A fourth defendant, John Scott, 38, of Chaucer Avenue, South Shields had his sentence for supply of cocaine and transferring money to Thailand adjourned until October 20 for the preparation of a psychiatric report. The court heard Callum Taylor, 24 who died of a suspected drugs overdose after ahouse party would have also been sentenced for his part in the crimes. Thompson had pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine and transfering money, Fada, pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and Welsh pleaded guilty to supplying cocaine and transfering money Tim Gittins, prosecuting, said that after Hyde and Scott were stopped by the police it, "Led detectives to the doors of the other defendants." Thomas Thompson, who was described as Hyde's "Number one man" had his home raided in July last year. There police found 250 grams of cocaine, with a street value of £40,000, a 'debtors list' which totalled £400,000 and £8,400 in cash. Police also found a cache of weapons including batons, flick knives, knuckle dusters and a crossbow. Mr Gittins said: "He made frank admissions that the cocaine was there ready to be distributed in South Shields. "He was clearly frightened and remorseful during the course of interview. "Enquiries revealed Thompson, Welsh and Scott had been responsible over a period of time for transferring large quantities of currency to Thailand." The court heard that between January and July 2007 Thompson had sent £51,000 to Thailand, while Welsh had sent £5000, most of it in his partner's name. In September 2007 police raided A and S Auto Salvage in Gateshead, which belonged to Welsh and Fada. There police found around 130 grams of cocaine and 230 grams of cannabis resin. Glen Gatland, defending Thompson, said that he was not making huge profits from the drugs and was paid £150-£200 a week for driving Hyde around. He said: "The mastermind behind all this was Mr Hyde, who escaped abroad." Judge Beatrice Bolton, sentencing Thompson, said: "Hyde is undoubtedly the man behind this operation but you were is number one man. "On your arrest you were ready, willing and able to tell police what had been happening." The Judge said Fada was not at first "on the police radar" but the raid on his business implicated him in drug dealing.

Joseph Hyde. , who now lives in Thailand, was stopped in his car by police in March last year and was found with 3.3 grams of cocaine

Thomas Thompson, 52 of Dragside, South Shields was jailed for seven years, Aaron Fada, 33, of Braybourne Street, South Shields was jailed fo...

Richard J. Scirocco,was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speeding and a marked lanes violation

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5rKoxJDgk5q3HO_S5d67VApNaXmdI485CaNw7MHF_5oa_9s2N8zhM2OCNoANr1C-i-F8dFpXc93b6DLyWZUYuOiGqLU7WjclNGZcrhwvaDxPVFkvrW5VOoqDWI3vCgRP1DiIJbiy4xc/s1600-h/scirocco_web.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5247394974988245362" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd5rKoxJDgk5q3HO_S5d67VApNaXmdI485CaNw7MHF_5oa_9s2N8zhM2OCNoANr1C-i-F8dFpXc93b6DLyWZUYuOiGqLU7WjclNGZcrhwvaDxPVFkvrW5VOoqDWI3vCgRP1DiIJbiy4xc/s400/scirocco_web.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Richard J. Scirocco, 42, of 10 Howe Street, was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speeding and a marked lanes violation, police said. Scirocco was driving with another man, Scott Carty Jr., 21, in the passenger seat, police said. Both men acted nervously and moved toward the center console of the car when the trooper approached them, police said.Inside the center console, the trooper allegedly found a double-edged knife, one plastic bag containing four more plastic bags of cocaine and 13 loose bags of cocaine packaged for sale.Both men were arrested and charged with possession of cocaine with intent to distribute and drug violation in a school zone. Scirocco was also charged with a marked lanes violation and failure to signal before making a turn.Scirocco received 464 votes for mayor last year and finished third against incumbent Joseph A. Curtatone and challenger, Suzanne Bremer. On Election Day, Scirocco drove around the city in a stretch limousine while teenagers shouted, “Vote for Scirocco, vote for change” through a bullhorn from the vehicle’s windows.After the election results came in showing that he had finished third, Scirocco blamed his loss on media coverage of his past arrests. Four women, all mothers of his children, had each taken out restraining orders against him, and Scirocco once pled guilty to punching his child’s mother in the face.He was also put in handcuffs in March 2004 after police said he bought three kegs of beer for more than 30 teenagers. He was the city’s Little League Baseball president at the time.“If the papers had given me a chance and not gone through with a smear campaign against my name, maybe people could have had a different perspective of me and I would have prevailed,” Scirocco said after the loss last year. “I’m not a bad person; at least I don’t think I am. The media is completely the reason I lost.”

Richard J. Scirocco,was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speeding and a marked lanes violation

Richard J. Scirocco, 42, of 10 Howe Street, was caught with the drugs after a state trooper pulled his 1997 Chevy Trailblazer over for speed...

Omar Stevenson, faces two counts of illegal drug sales and two of illegal drug possession.

Omar Stevenson, 30, of 234 School St., is accused of selling cocaine July 15 and Aug. 15 on School Street, police said. When he was arrested...

Gary Bryant,claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to dealers in North Wales to clear his own drug debt.

Gary Bryant, 35, of Tynwadd, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to dealers in North Wales to clear his own drug debt.The Recorder of Chester, Judge Elgan Edwards, commended two officers from British Transport Police, Joan Moore and Geoffrey Robinson, for their actions which led to Bryant’s arrest.Judge Edwards said: “As a result of their actions they have prevented a sizeable degree of public harm being done.“I issue a Crown Court commendation to both of them.”Bryant was seen acting suspiciously walking across a bridge linking the platforms at Chester station on Monday, June 23, at about 11pm, Chester Crown Court was told.Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said: “Officers approached him and suspected that he may be in possession of drugs. “From his pocket he produced a plastic bag about the size of a golf ball with a number of smaller packages within. Analysis revealed it was crack cocaine and that there were 140 bags of £10 deals ready for selling.”Bryant, a father of three, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply.Andrew Green, defending, said: “For much of his life he has had a longstanding addiction to class A drugs.“For a repeat offender with a history of addiction to hold down any semblance of family life and stay away from the courts would have taken some resolve and determination.”Judge Elgan originally sentenced Bryant to five years’ jail but reduced it to four after listening to Mr Green’s argument

Gary Bryant,claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to dealers in North Wales to clear his own drug debt.

Gary Bryant, 35, of Tynwadd, Llanerchymedd, Anglesey, claimed he was ordered to transport 140 wraps of the class A drug from Liverpool to de...

Leslie Adgar and Jon Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Those crimes carry a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years

Leslie Adgar, 42, of Decatur, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge J. Owen Forrester to 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Jon Patton, 44, of Lawrenceville, Ga., got 10 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. Andre Mays, 24, of Atlanta, was sentenced to 2 years and six months of probation and ordered to perform 160 hours of community service for entering a secure airport area in violation of federal screening requirements. Patton and Mays were, at the time of the crimes, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees working at HJIA. Adgar was a Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) employee, also assigned to HJIA.All three defendants pleaded guilty on June 18.In December 2007, a confidential source working for the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) brokered a deal with TSA employee Patton to send two kilograms of cocaine through Hartsfield-Jackson to New York. Patton set transportation fees of $5,000 for the first kilogram of cocaine and $3,000 for every kilogram after. Patton provided the source with a piece of luggage that was later used to carry the two kilograms of cocaine past security and onto the Delta flight.On Dec. 19, 2007, at the direction of the DEA, the source met with Patton and a second TSA employee, Mays, at Hartsfield-Jackson and handed them a carry-on bag packed with two kilograms of fake cocaine and $4,000. Both Patton and Mays were in TSA uniform and on duty at Hartsfield-Jackson when they took the luggage. The $4,000 was one-half of the total $8,000 transportation fee; the plan was for the source to hand the second $4,000 to Adgar in New York when the sham drugs were delivered.After taking the source's bag, Patton and Mays went into a bathroom in Hartsfield-Jackson's North Terminal. About two minutes later, Patton was seen inside the bathroom standing outside of a closed bathroom stall talking to Mays in the stall. Patton no longer had the bag. Mays was not visible, but the bag was on the floor inside the stall outside of which Patton was standing. Patton and Mays then exited the bathroom together. Patton once again was carrying the bag. Mays, who had entered the bathroom with his coat open, now had his coat closed. Mays was next spotted on the other side of the security check point. Patton walked around the magnetometers, sending the bag through the x-ray machine. Patton and the bag were not challenged by TSA screeners. Patton retrieved the bag and eventually met with Adgar in the T concourse, giving her the bag. Adgar immediately boarded a Delta flight to New York's LaGuardia Airport. After arriving at LaGuardia, Adgar met with the source, who paid Adgar the remaining $4,000 of the smuggling fee. Adgar gave the source his bag with the two kilograms of fake cocaine. Adgar later boarded another Delta flight and came back to Atlanta. In late January, the source and Patton negotiated a second smuggling transaction. On Jan. 23, the source traveled to Hartsfield-Jackson and gave Patton with the same carry-on bag that was used in the December deal. This time, however, the bag was packed with one kilogram of fake heroin and $4,500. Patton was in uniform and on duty when he took the luggage.After taking the bag, Patton passed the heroin through the security checkpoint without notice. He then went near Gate T-8 and gave Adgar the bag. Adgar then boarded a Delta flight bound for LaGuardia Airport. After arriving in New York, Adgar deplaned and returned the bag with the sham heroin in it to the source. In exchange, the source handed Adgar the remaining $4,500. Adgar later boarded a Delta flight from New York to Orlando.A third and final transaction happened Feb. 15. The source and Patton negotiated a three-kilogram cocaine deal, again from Atlanta to New York. The source arrived at Hartsfield-Jackson and gave Patton with the same carry-on bag that had been used in the previous two deals. The bag was packed with three kilograms of fake cocaine and cash. Patton was again in TSA uniform and on duty at Hartsfield-Jackson when he took the luggage. Patton passed the fake cocaine through security without incident. Inside the airport, Patton provided Adgar with the bag. Adgar was arrested by DEA agents while attempting to board a Delta flight to LaGuardia Airport. Patton and Mays were arrested shortly thereafter.Adgar and Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Those crimes carry a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison and a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.Mays pleaded guilty to entering a secure airport area in violation of federal screening requirements, a misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in prison.

Leslie Adgar and Jon Patton pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute cocaine and heroin. Those crimes carry a statutory minimum penalty of 10 years

Leslie Adgar, 42, of Decatur, Ga., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge J. Owen Forrester to 10 years in prison followed by five year...

Trial of Aaron Washington and Vonnie Williams is expected to take two or three weeks.

Trial of Aaron Washington and Vonnie Williams is expected to take two or three weeks. Washington and Williams were indicted in March on 36 c...

Maria Venegas Vda. De Trevino admitted to hiding the drugs on her body

Aside from the nearly 20 pounds of cocaine Trevino-Venegas had strapped to her body, agents say they discovered another 17 pounds of narcotics in the 2006 Mercedes ML350 being driven by one of the sisters.Maria Venegas Vda. De Trevino, 60, and her three daughters were arrested June 18 when she attempted to smuggle $1 million worth of cocaine through the B&M International Bridge.United States Attorney Don DeGabrielle says Trevino-Venegas, a resident immigrant from Mexico, admitted to hiding the drugs on her body.During a secondary inspection agents say the woman and her daughters tried to run back across the bridge into Mexico, but were arrested before they reached the mid-point.Laura Trevino, 31, Adriana Trevino, 23, and Evelia Trevino, 27, are all accusedof conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. Evelia and Adriana Trevino are also charged with possessing with intent to distribute cocaine.The three sisters will go on trial next month. Their mother is in the custody of the U.S. Marshals and will be sentenced Jan. 12, 2009. She faces a mandatory minimum of 10 years to life in prison as well as a $4 million fine.

Maria Venegas Vda. De Trevino admitted to hiding the drugs on her body

Aside from the nearly 20 pounds of cocaine Trevino-Venegas had strapped to her body, agents say they discovered another 17 pounds of narcoti...

Rajput Kaleem Uddin was charged with smuggling a Class C drug

Rajput Kaleem Uddin, 38, a Pakistani national who arrived on Tyneside from Karachi, Pakistan, via a flight from Dubai, was later charged wit...

Chinaemerem Callistus Ukwanna Igboanusi, 25, has been charged with attempting to smuggle Class A drugs into the UK

Chinaemerem Callistus Ukwanna Igboanusi, 25, of Tamworth Road, Fenham, Newcastle, has been charged with attempting to smuggle Class A drugs ...

Peter Musoloki fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium.

UPDF officer, Peter Musoloki. The officer fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium. The rolled sticks were found in a water jar, according to the Police. The Police said Musoloki deals in opium rolls of which he sells at about sh1,000 each. “He buys and sells to his fellow soldiers and a gang of youth who reside at Kasubi Small-Gate,” said the regional Police spokesman, Jonhson Kilama.  He said the hunt for the retired soldier continues adding that people should desist from dealing in bhangi. A team of 23 Police constables, headed by the district Police commander, Yasin Ndimwibo, conducted the operation. Kasubi ward local leaders said the rate of bhangi smoking in the area was very high, especially among soldiers and the youth. They said they had warned them in vain. According to a recent Police report, Uganda is East Africa’s biggest producer of opium. The report also indicated that cocaine and heroin were being smuggled into Western markets through Uganda.

Peter Musoloki fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium.

UPDF officer, Peter Musoloki. The officer fled but his wife Christine Lanyero was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of opium. Th...

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were held as a spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were held as a spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, uncovered 2.3kg ...

Hugo L. Olmedo-Lopez, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine

Hugo L. Olmedo-Lopez, 38, was charged with possession of cocaine and littering. He also had an active warrant in Florida for trafficking in...

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from his May 2004 arrest, which also turned up three guns and more than $130,000 cash inside his car and home.He was on bail at the time for an earlier arrest for conspiracy to traffic five kilograms of cocaine from British Columbia. "He was fairly high on the chain of distribution here in Manitoba," Crown attorney Michael Foote said in court Monday. Rozsa admitted to the conspiracy charge and was sentenced to three years in prison. "The clear message here is crime doesn't pay," said defence lawyer Tim Killeen. The university-educated Rozsa had been living a crime-free lifestyle that included being an award-winning car salesman until he got involved with the wrong people, the defence lawyer said.He was receiving cocaine by the kilogram "off the boat" from Columbia and repackaging it in his home for resale in Winnipeg, court was told.Killeen said his client learned a valuable lesson during his previous jail stint and it's unfortunate he is now going back into custody, away from his family and community supports.Many reference letters were submitted to court, and a packed gallery of loved ones attended Monday's hearing."There's a real good chance you have turned your life around," Queen's Bench Justice John Scurfield told Rozsa. "It frankly saddens me that I have to do what I have to do today."Rozsa was given double-time credit for six months of pre-trial custody, leaving him with another six years on his sentence. He won't be eligible for accelerated parole after serving one-sixth of his time because he's no longer a first-time federal offender.

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges

Scott Rozsa, 37, pleaded guilty to several charges stemming from his May 2004 arrest, which also turned up three guns and more than $130,000...

Inspector Mohammed .A. Kamara and Sgt. Patrick Johnson,detained on allegation of involvement in the landing of the 700 kg of cocaine

Inspector Mohammed .A. Kamara, head of the Police Special Branch, Sgt. Patrick Johnson, formerly of the Congo Cross Police Station and Mr. ...

Nnadozie Kenneth ingested 65 pieces of substance suspected to be cocaine on his way to Paris

Nnadozie Kenneth, who claimed to be a car dealer in Lagos ingested 65 pieces of substance suspected to be cocaine on his way to Paris last S...

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Sunday.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Sunday.HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) said the drugs, weighing about 2.3kg and valued at £170,000, were apparently found stitched into the hair pieces.A Jamaican police spokeswoman said the two women were charged with possession, dealing and attempting to export cocaine, and will appear at Montego Bay Resident Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. The pair were on holiday in Jamaica for two weeks before their arrest, and have allegedly told police they were to be paid £4,000 for smuggling the drugs into the UK, an HMRC spokeswoman said.The arrests came about through Operation Airbridge, a UK-Jamaican collaboration to catch drugs couriers - known as mules - before they board planes from Jamaica.Tony Walker, of the UK Border Agency and head of Operation Airbridge, said: "The Airbridge operation is delivering real results in this and other cases by helping to protect both countries from the violence and corruption that always accompanies the trade in illegal drugs."The number detected at UK airports from Jamaica has fallen from about 1,000 every year to five in 2007, the HMRC said.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on Sunday.

Tanisha Samuel, 20, and Shereen Mariah Hardy, 17, were detained after a random spot check at Sangster International Airport, Montego Bay, on...

Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.

<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-e1JsLoGlrh8TBAFJQUduIJ5nNz-EqkCo_FMGAjpxIgKGmh9HCt8dGjIOm8fay3kcvZJmTbAtGJB6oldU6EwhJA6dbZ9jjvpFnaoI7njHcDl5r_MSb-ZXLFWPvc9lrJrVjZ_PVwCl7E/s1600-h/ron.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5246819308568586130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge-e1JsLoGlrh8TBAFJQUduIJ5nNz-EqkCo_FMGAjpxIgKGmh9HCt8dGjIOm8fay3kcvZJmTbAtGJB6oldU6EwhJA6dbZ9jjvpFnaoI7njHcDl5r_MSb-ZXLFWPvc9lrJrVjZ_PVwCl7E/s400/ron.jpg" style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" /></a> Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.“I understand I could have taken a very different route,” Sailor, 33, told U.S. District Court Judge Jack Camp before sentencing. “I’ve repented before God for my mistakes.”During an hour-long sentencing hearing, Sailor’s family and friends described one side of the former four-term Democratic lawmaker while prosecutors described another. But Sailor didn’t challenge prosecutors’ descriptions of his crimes.Sailor showed leadership qualities as a teenager when speaking to youth groups organized by the NAACP, the judge was told. As pastor, Sailor energized his congregation. As legislator, he inspired members of his constituency.“Ron had an outstanding life in every way,” Sailor’s father, Ron Sailor Sr., a pastor and former TV and radio personality, told Camp. “He helped people in many ways.”But last December, Sailor, who represented parts of DeKalb and Rockdale counties, was ensnared in an undercover drug sting at an Atlanta hotel.During meetings with a man he believed to be a drug dealer, Sailor agreed to launder $375,000 in illicit drug proceeds into money that appeared to have come from legitimate sources, prosecutors said Tuesday. But when he was arrested, Sailor learned that the “dealer” was, in fact, an undercover agent. Sailor quickly acknowledged wrongdoing to federal prosecutors and went even farther, agreeing to help with a corruption investigation by apparently implicating other public officials in wrongdoing. Prosecutors have not brought any charges or outlined the nature of the corruption.When Sailor pleaded guilty in March to money-laundering charges, his help in the corruption probe appeared certain to yield him greatly reduced prison time at sentencing.But federal prosecutors soon learned that Sailor was not finished committing crime.In the days before his plea, Sailor fraudulently obtained a $250,000 loan using his own church, Greater New Light Missionary Baptist Church in southwest Atlanta, as collateral. Sailor used the proceeds from the loan to cover various personal expenses, including debts.“His conduct with respect to money became amoral,” Sailor’s lawyer, Bruce Maloy, said. “He found himself in a downward spiral and, I don’t mean this as a pun because he was a pastor, he began robbing Peter to pay Paul.” Sailor always intended to repay the money, Maloy insisted.But Maloy said when the undercover agent proposed money laundering, “it didn’t stop [Sailor]. It wasn’t even a speed bump in the road.”Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Hathaway questioned whether Sailor was truly remorseful for what he did, or simply remorseful he got caught.“At the same time he was working with the government and looking the FBI in the eye and saying he was going to cooperate, he was working a new scheme,” Hathaway said.Camp told Sailor if he had hooked up with a real drug dealer and arranged to launder the cocaine profits, “you would have done a great deal of damage to your community.” Camp ordered Sailor to repay $147,802 to his church and serve 240 hours of community service after his release from prison. After the sentencing hearing, U.S. Attorney David Nahmias described Sailor as a man of great potential whose conduct “went way off the rails.”

Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.

Ron Sailor Jr was sentenced to five years and three months in prison for money laundering and defrauding the church he once led as pastor.“...

Ryan O'Neil Jeffries, was wanted in McDowell for felony fleeing to elude arrest

Ryan O'Neil Jeffries, was wanted in McDowell for felony fleeing to elude arrest, in Buncombe County for failing to register as a sex off...

Albert “Papa” Thoms. Head of the gang flooding Teesside with the highlyaddictive Crack.

Albert “Papa” Thoms was sentenced to ten years in jail by Teesside Crown Court after he admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The 32-year-old violent gangster headed the conspiracy, monitoring stock, arranging couriers’ travel and even dealing occasionally. His girlfriend and fellow Jamaican, Claudine Neil, 38, was given a reduced sentence of two years in jail when she was sentenced in the summer. Neil played a major role in the network as the telephone operator who arranged the deals – and agreed to give evidence against the rest of the gang. She is now a protected witness and is unlikely to be deported back to the West Indies because of her endangered status as a supergrass. Thoms and his gang moved into Middlesbrough and controlled the supply of crack cocaine to the North-East. His operation made at least £1m profit a year, and threatened to cause a turf war with local gangsters, police feared. After sentencing, Detective Inspector Dave Lamplough, one of four officers commended for their work on the case, said breaking up the gang could have prevented a huge increase in gun crime, like that seen in other UK cities. He said: “This has certainly reduced the availability of crack cocaine in the region, and there is evidence there has been a reduction in acquisitive crime. The availability of crack cocaine in this area was reasonably limited, so this group could have been one of the main suppliers. “As time progressed, it was inevitable that there would have been turf wars and increased violence.” Thoms’ second-in-command – Lloyd Ormsby, 33, from Galbraith Street, London – received a seven-year sentence for conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. Major dealers Wycliffe Clarke, 37, of Briggeford Close, London, and Marcus Steadman, 30, of no fixed address and who was an escapee from prison at the time of the operation, were jailed for four years each. Three other Jamaican nationals – Neisha Hemmings, 26, from Oxford, Sushana Young, 24, from Wolverhampton, and Stephen Alcide, 47, from London – were given community sentences for lesser roles in the conspiracy. Head of the gang flooding the region with the highlyaddictive drug was identified as Albert “Papa” Thoms. One of his many girlfriends, Claudine Neil, was the telephone “hub” known as Donna to those who called a variety of numbers to make orders. Months of undercover work was carried out to monitor the movements of Thoms, Neil and the couriers and dealers who worked for them. In April last year, more than 400 officers – including armed teams – were used in six force areas to carry out raids and arrests. More than £60,000 in cash and huge amounts of crack cocaine were recovered in the swoops on Teesside, County Durham, North Yorkshire and Tyneside, as well as London, the West Midlands and South Yorkshire. It emerged that the Donna network was making a profit of almost £3,000 a day. Thoms is thought to have had the drugs imported from Jamaica, mixed them with a bulking agent to increase quantity and profit and arranged for their delivery north. Judge Les Spittle ordered a public commendation to Detective Inspector Dave Lamplough, Acting Detective Sergeant Tony Keogh and Detective Constables June Campbell and Phil Burns. Judge Spittle said: “This investigation was a monumental task and this must have been a tremendous team effort. “Each of these officers is representative of a particular area of this investigation and I am pleased there should be on record a public commendation, not only of your work, but also of the vast amount of work of other police officers involved in this investigation.” After the case, the Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Sean Price, said: “I firmly believe that the dismantling of this drugs network from the top downwards has prevented the emergence of gun crime on the streets of Cleveland. “The Operation Elland team, led by Det Insp Dave Lamplough, deserve immense credit for their determination to bring to justice those that would bring such misery to the streets of Middlesbrough and the North-East. The large number of convictions, including those at the very top of supply chain, sends out the powerful message that if you come to Middlesbrough to deal drugs, regardless of whether you are local, national or international, you will go to jail. “I also want to stress the important role the public have played in this matter. “It may be that having supplied us with information, some local people may have been disappointed not to see immediate action. “I want to assure the public that there are very good operational reasons for this. Timing in this operation was crucial and once all the information was in place, we were able to move in, secure evidence and take out the whole network in one go. “This would not have been possible without the assistance of the public and I would urge anyone with any further information to contact us immediately.” Det Insp Lamplough said: “It has been two years of painstaking work, but results like today are why you become a police officer. “It has been a privilege to work with such a dedicated team. “This was a partnership between police and public, which has resulted in the removal of an entire drugs network, not just from the streets of Middlesbrough, but the UK. “I welcome the sentences handed out today, which should act as a clear warning to those who mistakenly see drugs as a way of making easy money. “I can assure any other gang hoping to step into the shoes of the Donna network that we will be waiting for them.”

Albert “Papa” Thoms. Head of the gang flooding Teesside with the highlyaddictive Crack.

Albert “Papa” Thoms was sentenced to ten years in jail by Teesside Crown Court after he admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. The 32-...

Phillip Grange, Simon Finlay,Peter Hannigan, Darren Morris, and Mark Neville,arrested following an investigation by Cumbria police

Five men are to appear at Carlisle Crown Court next month accused of being involved in a conspiracy to import £14 million-worth of cocaine i...

Juan Manuel Perez-Reyes, Jesus Cruz-Gonzales, Luis Sanchez, and Francisco Gutierrez-Oronia were arrested last week for allegedly trafficking cocaine.

Juan Manuel Perez-Reyes, Jesus Cruz-Gonzales, Luis Sanchez, and Francisco Gutierrez-Oronia were arrested last week for allegedly trafficking...

Joseph Nsubuga, 39, was found with some 40 grams of heroin in his rented house in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

In a Sunday press release, the head of the Jakarta Police narcotics directorate, Sr. Comr. Arman Depari, said Joseph Nsubuga, 39, was found ...