Month: January 2021

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

LOS ANGELES—A military Humvee worth approximately $120,000 was stolen Friday from a military facility in Bell, California. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to the recovery of the vehicle.

At approximately 8:15 a.m., Friday morning, a military vehicle was stolen from the National Guard Armory in the city of Bell, California. The four-door High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicle—commonly known as a Humvee—was up-armored, meaning it had been upgraded and is considered a combat vehicle.

The vehicle has four doors and is green camouflage in color. The bumper number is #40BSBHQ6; the Administrative # is WV57TO-HQ06/M1165A1; and the registration number is NZ311R. The Battalion number, 40TH BSB, can also be seen on the vehicle.

Photographs of the vehicle are being distributed publicly. Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of the vehicle or the person or group responsible for the theft is urged to call the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office at 310- 477-6565.

A theft from a military facility—government property—violates federal law and carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Major Theft Task Force in Los Angeles, which includes FBI agents and Task Force officers with the Los Angeles Police Department. Assistance is being provided by the Bell Police Department; the California Highway Patrol; and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The California Army National Guard is supporting the investigation.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

During the holidays, scammers focus less on giving and more on stealing. Shoppers looking for a good deal this holiday season should be aware of increasingly aggressive and unorthodox scams designed by criminals to steal money and personal information. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2019 Arkansans lost over $22,681,000 due to a variety of scams. This year, FBI Little Rock wants local shoppers to enjoy a scam-free holiday season by remaining vigilant against the following schemes.

Online Shopping Scams: If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is! Steer clear of unfamiliar sites offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise. Scammers frequently prey on Black Friday and Cyber Monday bargain hunters by advertising “One-Day Only” promotions from recognized brands. Without a skeptical eye, consumers may end up paying for an item, giving away personal information, and receive nothing in return except a compromised identity.

Payment Red Flags: Be cautious of sellers and websites that demand payment solely through gift cards. Scammers sometimes encourage shoppers to conduct wire transfers, allowing criminals to quickly receive illicit funds. Credit cards provide several layers of security against fraud and are typically the safest way to conduct online shopping.

Charity Scams: Charity-related frauds increase during the holidays as individuals seek to donate money to those less fortunate. Criminals use phone calls, email campaigns, and fake websites to solicit on behalf of fraudulent charities. Scammers target people who want to donate to charity, then hoard their well-intentioned donations while those most in need never see a dime.

Steps to avoid holiday fraud schemes:

• Before shopping online, secure all financial accounts with strong passwords or passphrases. Additionally, the FBI recommends using different passwords for each financial account.
• Check bank and credit card statements routinely, including after making online purchases and in the weeks following the holiday season.
• Never give personal information— such as your date of birth, Social Security number, or billing addresses— to anyone you do not know.
• Be wary of promotions and giveaways that request your personal information.
• Prior to donating to any charity, verify that they have a valid Taxpayer Identification number by visiting their website or calling the charity directly.

Reporting fraud: Arkansan shoppers who suspect they’ve been victimized should immediately contact their financial institution, then call their local law enforcement agency or FBI Little Rock at (501) 221-9100. Victims of holiday scams are also encouraged to file a complaint with the FBI at www.ic3.gov.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

The Phoenix Police Department, Peoria Police Department, and FBI are asking for the public’s help in seeking potential victims and additional information about an alleged sexual offender and homicide suspect, Lance David Ray.

Ray, 53, was recently arrested in connection with three separate incidents in 2000. In the Peoria incident, it is alleged that Ray kidnapped a 14-year-old, held him at gunpoint, and sexually assaulted him. In the first of the two Phoenix Incidents, the charges allege that Ray kidnapped, bound, and sexually assaulted a 17-year-old at gunpoint. The other incident involved an 18-year-old male victim who was shot and killed after a struggle.

In 2020, D.N.A. evidence linked Ray to these crimes. In October of 2020, Ray was arrested in Bloomington, Indiana, where he was visiting. He was extradited to Phoenix and booked into the Maricopa County Jail. The investigation is ongoing, and it is believed that additional victims may exist.

Ray lived in the San Francisco, California, area in the early 1990s before moving to Portland, Oregon, in 1993. Ray resided in Oregon, Washington, and California until 1999, when Ray moved to Phoenix, Arizona, from 1999 to 2003. Ray then resided in California again from 2003 to 2017 before moving to St. Louis, Missouri, in 2017.

If you believe you or someone you know may have information regarding Lance David Ray, please e-mail ReportRay@fbi.gov or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. In your e-mail please provide your name, date of birth, phone number, and address.

We would like to thank all of our partners who have helped in this investigation, including FBI St. Louis, FBI Los Angeles, and FBI Indianapolis.

Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News

The FBI has published more than a dozen posters in the Navajo language to request the public’s help with homicide and missing-person investigations on or near the Navajo Nation.
 
The 13 posters include photographs, incident details, physical descriptions, and in many cases, rewards.
 
“The goal of our partnership with the Navajo Nation is to help them make their communities safer,” said James Langenberg, special agent in charge of the Albuquerque FBI Division. “The FBI has made it a priority to translate as many posters as possible into the Navajo language so we can solve these cases and provide justice for the victims and their families.”
 
“The FBI works to ensure safety and security in Indian Country and remain committed to that role and responsibility. Our success relies on collaboration and partnerships with our tribal law enforcement agencies, and the community providing invaluable tips,” said Sean Kaul, special agent in charge of the Phoenix FBI Division. “These poster translations help us not only connect with the community, but they provide us with one more avenue to solicit information that can help solve these crimes and bring the perpetrators to justice. We will continue to work with all our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to protect all of our communities.”
 
“We appreciate the effort and commitment our federal partners have in working alongside our department and the Navajo Department of Criminal Investigations in solving these cases,” said Chief Phillip Francisco of the Navajo Police Department. “The posters developed by our federal partners bring light to these cases by recognizing and creating awareness through a large population of our Navajo Nation who read and speak the Navajo language.  We continue to ask the public for any information that will help bring justice for these victims and answers to those with missing loved ones. ” 
 
Anyone with information about any of these cases is asked to call the FBI office responsible for the part of the Navajo Nation where the incident occurred:

• Arizona: (623) 466-1999
• New Mexico: (505) 889-1300
• Information can also be sent online by going to tips.fbi.gov.

 
The FBI has a worldwide reputation for aggressively pursuing justice for victims of crimes. The FBI’s Language Services Section (LSS), part of the Directorate of Intelligence, is committed to providing Navajo translation assistance in the furtherance of investigations that bring perpetrators to justice.
 
To make this campaign possible, the FBI worked closely with the Navajo Nation Division of Public Safety, FBI Navajo-speaking employees, and Translation and Deployment Unit III National Program Manager Paul Bargota.
 
“By applying established standards, policies, and protocols to fulfill these unique language requirements, we are proud to leverage our existing Navajo resources to support this critical initiative,” Bargota said.
 
The first translation was released in March. More are expected as additional cases are identified.