Source: United States Department of Justice News
Today, a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of New York unsealed the indictment of one fisherman, a wholesale fish dealer, and two of its managers for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and obstruction in connection with a scheme to illegally overharvest fluke and black sea bass. All four defendants are from Montauk.
Source: United States Department of Justice
Attorney General Merrick B. Garland announced today the Justice Department has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the City of Minneapolis (the City) and the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). The investigation will assess all types of force used by MPD officers, including uses of force involving individuals with behavioral health disabilities and uses of force against individuals engaged in activities protected by the First Amendment. The investigation will also assess whether MPD engages in discriminatory policing. As part of the investigation the Justice Department will conduct a comprehensive review of MPD policies, training and supervision. The department will also examine MPD’s systems of accountability, including complaint intake, investigation, review, disposition and discipline. The Department of Justice will also reach out to community groups and members of the public to learn about their experiences with MPD.
“The investigation I am announcing today will assess whether the Minneapolis Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of using excessive force, including during protests,” said Attorney General Garland. “Building trust between community and law enforcement will take time and effort by all of us, but we undertake this task with determination and urgency, knowing that change cannot wait.”
This morning, Department of Justice officials informed Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, MPD Chief Medaria Arradondo, City Attorney Jim Rowader, City Coordinator Mark Ruff, and City Council President Lisa Bender of the investigation. The department will continue to work closely with both the City and MPD as the investigation progresses.
“One of the Civil Rights Division’s highest priorities is to ensure that every person in this country benefits from public safety systems that are lawful, responsive, transparent and nondiscriminatory,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Pamela S. Karlan for the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “It is essential that police departments across the country use their law enforcement authority, including the authority to use force, in a manner that respects civil rights and the sanctity of human life.”
“People throughout the city of Minneapolis want a public safety system that protects and serves all members of our community,” said Acting U.S. Attorney W. Anders Folk for the District of Minnesota. “This investigation by the Department of Justice provides a vital step to restore and build trust in the Minneapolis Police Department and its officers.”
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The Act allows the Department of Justice to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the First, Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
The Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division, in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota, in Minneapolis, are jointly conducting this investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at Community.Minneapolis@usdoj.gov or by phone at 866-432-0268. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s new reporting portal, available at civilrights.justice.gov.
Additional information about the Civil Rights Division is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Additional information about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota is available on its website at https://www.justice.gov/usao-mn.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
The Dallas Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Wichita Falls Police Department are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the individual(s) responsible for the damage caused to two communications towers in Wichita Falls, Texas. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest and conviction of the individual or individuals responsible for this crime.
In the pre-dawn hours of Friday, December 18, 2020, an unknown person or persons seriously damaged two communications towers in Wichita Falls by cutting several of the wires that support the structures. One 500-foot-tall tower collapsed to the ground at its location in the 3700 block of Arena Road. The second tower at Seymour Highway did not collapse, but the damage required evacuation of a nearby business.
Investigators believe that if the 1,200-foot-tall second tower had collapsed on the business or highway, serious bodily injuries and fatalities could have resulted.
“Along with the Wichita Falls Police Department, we take this investigation seriously and are committed to protecting the infrastructure that connects our community,” said Dallas FBI Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno. “Regardless of how insignificant you think your information might be, we strongly encourage you to come forward. We will thoroughly investigate every lead and are counting on assistance from members of the community to keep Wichita Falls safe.”
Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers is also offering a reward of up to $1,500 if your information leads to an arrest and receives board approval. The public is urged to come forward with any information on either of these incidents.
Please contact the FBI’s Dallas Field Office at (972) 559-5000 or the Wichita Falls Crime Stoppers Tip Line at 940-322-9888. You may also contact your local FBI office, the nearest American Embassy or Consulate or you can submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov. Tips can remain anonymous.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
PITTSBURGH—The FBI Pittsburgh’s Charleston and Huntington Resident Agencies are teaming up with state, local, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as local colleges and universities, to talk with students about a career in criminal justice.
In recent months, we have seen the law enforcement community around the country experiencing issues retaining personnel and recruiting new hires. West Virginia law enforcement agencies are not exempt and are feeling the impact. The state is losing qualified applicants to surrounding states. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, many agencies and schools have stopped having career fairs or hosting recruiting events. That’s why the FBI Pittsburgh Field Office partnered with more than 30 different agencies, colleges, and universities to host a safe event where local students can talk to agencies about their future and organizations also get a chance to showcase their programs.
The events will be held in Charleston on April 17th and Huntington on May 15th and will run from 11 to 4 each day. There will also be a panel discussion at noon where students can ask questions to criminal justice professionals from West Virginia. The Charleston event will be held at the BridgeValley Community and Technical College. The Huntington event will be held at the Mountwest Community and Technical College.
“This event puts all of the stakeholders in one spot for local students to get their questions answered,” said Acting FBI Pittsburgh Special Agent in Charge Carlton Peeples. “The FBI works shoulder to shoulder with our partner agencies and this is a wonderful opportunity to help all of us grow and make our communities even stronger.”
“The West Virginia State Police is excited to be a part of the Law Enforcement Career Days,” said West Virginia State Police Colonel Jan Cahill. “Across the nation law enforcement and first responder recruiting has been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. These recruiting events will be a wonderful opportunity to engage and connect with our communities and those interested in a career with the West Virginia State Police.”
“It’s as important as ever for students to understand the role law enforcement plays in maintaining a safe and just society,” said Sheriff Mike Rutherford with the Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office. “Our limited, but integral part must be played efficiently, ethically, and lawfully each day in order for the rest to be free to build businesses, create new things, and raise families. We are proud to play a role in educating and building relationships with students, some of whom may pursue a career in law enforcement, but all of whom will be important in the society of tomorrow.”
“The last year has brought new challenges to law enforcement recruiting and the impact has been felt by our department, as it has so many others. As the world slowly begins to get back to some semblance of normal, the Charleston Police Department is looking forward to this career fair and the opportunity to meet individuals who have a true passion for bringing change to their community and being the difference they want to see in their neighborhoods.” – Chief James “Tyke” Hunt, Charleston Police Department.
“The West Virginia State University criminal justice faculty have a broad range of field experience,” said Dr. Leighann Justice Davidson, Chair of the Criminal Justice Department at West Virginia State University. “With this professional experience, our faculty are involved in multiple projects within the criminal justice field and expose the students to an experiential atmosphere of criminal justice content. Our faculty and department have gained national recognition, currently ranked 12th in the nation, for their expertise and community engagement and have created partnerships with multiple law enforcement agencies that offer internships and potential employment opportunities to our students.”
“The Charleston Fire Department has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic when it comes to recruiting,” said Chief Shawn Wanner with the Charleston Fire Department. “The Charleston Fire Department is looking forward to the opportunity to get back into the community and recruit qualified individuals. If you are looking for a career where you truly serve your community every day, the CFD wants you! We respond to over 9,000 fire emergencies a year and over 16,000 medical emergencies a year. Do you have what it takes to be one of Charleston’s bravest?”
The FBI Pittsburgh Field Office is proud to partner with these agencies and organizations to start the conversations with the next generation of leaders by providing jobs that would allow them to stay in their home state and help make a difference in their community by having a job in public service.
The following agencies and organizations are scheduled to participate: FBI Pittsburgh’s Huntington and Charleston RA offices, FBI CJIS Division, FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, (IC3), DEA Charleston District, DEA Louisville Field Division, ATF, U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, Parkersburg Police Department, Huntington Police Department, West Virginia State Police, Kanawha County Sheriff’s Office, Charleston Police Department, Charleston Fire Department, Putnam County Sheriff’s Department, Bureau of Prisons, FCI Beckley and Morgantown, Saint Albans Fire Department, West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Law Enforcement Section, TSA, West Virginia Army National Guard, FBI Charleston Citizens Academy Alumni Association, West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation, West Virginia State University, Concord University, Mountwest Community & Technical College, Ashland Community and Technical College, and the University of Charleston.
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) State Crime News
The Cleveland Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Northern District of Ohio United States Attorney’s Office, announce the arrest of Bradley Willem Beun, 41 years old, of Uniontown, Ohio.
Mr. Beun is believed to have engaged in an online chat with an FBI employee acting in an undercover capacity on April 15 to 16, 2021. It is alleged that Mr. Beun and the undercover employee discussed Mr. Beun meeting the undercover employee and the employee’s purported eight-year-old daughter at a hotel for sex.
On Friday, April 16, 2021, at approximately 10:40 a.m., Mr. Beun arrived at the prearranged location, an Akron, Ohio hotel. Found inside the vehicle Mr. Beun was driving were items requested during the online chat. Skittles, condoms, and a bottle of Nyquil were observed and seized. Mr. Beun was placed into custody by FBI agents and Summit County Sheriff’s Office deputies without incident.
Mr. Beun has been federally charged with coercion or enticement. He will appear before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan D. Greenberg this afternoon.
The FBI is encouraging anyone that has had contact with Bradley Willem Beun where they may have been “groomed” for possible future sexual purposes, they were inappropriately touched, or they were sexually assaulted by Bradley Beun to please call 1-877-FBI-OHIO. All information will be strictly confidential.
A complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
For questions regarding this press release, please contact SA Vicki Anderson at 216-522-1400 or at vagregg@fbi.gov.