Frank James Pleads Guilty to Mass Shooting on New York City Subway

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Defendant Directed a Barrage of Gunfire at Helpless Commuters During Rush Hour in Brooklyn

Earlier today, in federal court in Brooklyn, Frank James pleaded guilty to 10 counts of committing a terrorist attack or other violence against a mass transportation vehicle—one count for each gunshot victim—and one count of discharging a firearm in furtherance of his attack.  The charges relate to the defendant’s April 12, 2022 mass shooting on the New York City subway in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.  Today’s proceeding was held before United States District Judge William F. Kuntz, II.  When sentenced, James faces up to life in prison on each of the 11 counts.

Merrick B. Garland, United States Attorney General, Breon Peace, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of New York, Michael J. Driscoll, Assistant Director-in-Charge, Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office (FBI), and Keechant L. Sewell, Commissioner, New York City Police Department (NYPD), announced the guilty plea.

“On the morning of April 12, 2022, Frank James cold-bloodedly shot innocent New Yorkers traveling on the subway in Brooklyn, and brought terror to our great city.  James’s crimes of violence have been met with swift justice,” stated United States Attorney Peace.  “James’s admission of guilt to all eleven counts of the superseding indictment acknowledges the terror and pain he caused. This guilty plea is an important step towards holding James fully accountable and helping the victims of the defendant’s violence and our great city heal.”

Mr. Peace praised the outstanding efforts of the FBI’s New York Joint Terrorism Task Force, which principally consists of agents from the FBI and detectives from the NYPD in bringing the defendant to justice.  Mr. Peace also thanked the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) for their substantial assistance.

“As described in court filings, the defendant set off a smoke bomb in a New York City subway car and then fired a handgun more than 30 times, striking ten innocent passengers,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “Today’s guilty plea demonstrates that the Justice Department will work relentlessly to hold accountable those who engage in mass violence and terrorize our communities.”

“Frank James, as he admitted today, deliberately planned and carried out an attack of terror on everyday New Yorkers.  The FBI’s JTTF and our law enforcement partners remain ever vigilant in our efforts to protect our city, and we will ensure those willing to commit acts of terror face the consequences of their actions,” stated FBI Assistant-Director in Charge Driscoll.

“Today’s guilty plea is a distinct admission of the terror Mr. James inflicted on New Yorkers last April in Brooklyn, and he is being held accountable for his reprehensible actions that morning,” stated NYPD Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell. “Our nation’s largest transit system is the lifeblood of New York City. And its subway riders expect and deserve the brisk, coordinated, and meticulous work exhibited by everyone involved in bringing this terrible incident to a successful close. For their unwavering dedication to all the people we serve, I thank and commend the NYPD patrol officers who arrested Mr. James on the run, as well as each of the detectives and agents assigned to the Joint Terrorism Task Force who methodically shrunk his world until he had nowhere else to turn. Lastly, I also want to thank the public for their vigilance and their help in taking this violent criminal off of our streets.”

According to court filings and facts presented at the plea proceeding, at approximately 8:26 a.m. on April 12, 2022, James used a Glock 17 handgun that he legally purchased in Ohio to conduct a mass shooting on an N subway train in Brooklyn.  As part of his attack, James—disguised in an orange reflective jacket and yellow hardhat to look like an MTA employee—set off a smoke-emitting device in a subway car before opening fire on his captive victims.  The smoke-emitting device caused panicked passengers to scramble to one end of the subway car, allowing James to more easily shoot at his victims.  In total, 10 victims were struck by the defendant’s bullets.  Even more passengers suffered from smoke inhalation and other emotional and physical injuries caused by the defendant’s attack. 

The investigation reflects that the attack was the culmination of substantial planning.  Beginning as early as 2017, James began purchasing items he could use in an attack, including smoke grenades, ammunition, weapons, and his disguise.  In the months leading up to his attack, James conducted internet searches for “MTA,” “New York,” “transit,” “stops on the N train,” and “311 kings highway brooklyn ny,” which is near where James parked his rented U-Haul van before entering the subway.  The defendant also recorded and posted videos online foreshadowing his plans, including stating that “if you hear the name Frank James on the news, if something happens to a Frank James that’s sixty-something years old, chances are that’s me.”

Following James’s attack, law enforcement officers searched James’s apartment and storage unit and uncovered a stockpile of weapons, including, among other items: 9mm ammunition; a threaded 9mm pistol barrel, which allows for a silencer or suppresser to be attached; .223 caliber ammunition, which is used with an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle; a taser; a high-capacity rifle magazine; and a blue smoke cannister.

The government’s case is being handled by the Office’s National Security and Cybercrime Section.  Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian C. Richardson, Sara K. Winik and Ellen H. Sise are in charge of the prosecution, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Magdalena St. Surin and Trial Attorney David Cora of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.

The Defendant:

FRANK JAMES
Age:  63
Milwaukee, Wisconsin

E.D.N.Y. Docket No. 22-CR-214 (WFK)

Sunset Mesa Funeral Home Operators Sentenced to Federal Prison For Illegal Body Part Scheme

Source: United States Department of Justice News

DENVER – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Colorado announced today that the operators of Sunset Mesa Funeral Home in Montrose, Colorado, were sentenced to federal prison for illegally selling body parts or entire bodies without the consent of the family of the deceased.  

Megan Hess, age 46, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud and aiding and abetting. According to the plea agreement, from 2010 through 2018, the defendant and others stole the bodies or body parts of hundreds of victims, and then sold those remains to victims purchasing the remains for body broker services. Under the auspices of Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors, the defendant would frequently meet with victims seeking cremation services for themselves or their loved ones who had died. During those meetings, the defendant and others would represent to the victims that Sunset Mesa Funeral Directors would cremate decedents and provide their cremated remains back to the families. Instead, the defendant and others would harvest body parts from, or prepare the entire bodies of, the decedents for sale in body broker services.

 Shirly Koch, age 69, was sentenced to 15 years in prison after earlier pleading guilty to one count of mail fraud and aiding and abetting. According to the plea agreement, from 2010 through 2018, Koch was involved in meeting with families seeking cremation services for their loved ones who had died. In many instances, Koch and Hess neither discussed nor obtained authorization for donation of decedents’ bodies or body parts for body broker services. In other instances, the topic of donation was raised by Hess or Koch, and specifically rejected by the families. In such circumstances, despite lacking any authorization, Koch and Hess recovered body parts from, or otherwise prepared entire bodies of hundreds of decedents for body broker services. In the few instances where families agreed to donation, Hess and Koch sold the remains of those decedents beyond what was authorized by the family, which was often limited to small tissue samples, tumors, or portions of skin. Hess and Koch also delivered cremains to families with the representation that the cremains were that of the deceased when, frequently, that was not the case.

According to the plea agreements, Hess and Koch would also ship bodies and body parts that tested positive for, or belonging to people who had died from, infectious diseases, including Hepatitis B and C, and HIV, after certifying to buyers that the remains were disease free. These shipments would be through the mail or on commercial air flights in violation of Department of Transportation regulations regarding the transportation of hazardous materials.

 Judge Christine M. Arguello sentenced Hess and Koch on January 3, 2023.

“The defendants’ conduct was horrific and morbid and driven by greed. They took advantage of numerous victims who were at their lowest point given the recent loss of a loved one. We hope these prison sentences will bring the victim’s family members some amount of peace as they move forward in the grieving process,” said U.S. Attorney Cole Finegan. “We sincerely hope this punishment deters like-minded fraudsters in the future.”

“These two women preyed on vulnerable victims who turned to them in a time of grief and sadness. But instead of offering guidance, these greedy women betrayed the trust of hundreds of victims and mutilated their loved ones,” said FBI Denver Acting Special Agent in Charge Leonard Carollo. “Without knowledge or consent, the women disrespected the wishes of the grieving victims and degraded the bodies of their family members to sell them for profit. These two criminals continued in their atrocities for years, showing no remorse or contrition even after they were exposed. Nothing can guarantee solace for the victims or repair the damage done, but perhaps this sentence can mark the end of a horrible chapter in their lives.”

“Together with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners, we are committed to pursuing those who put the safety of the public at grave risk for personal gain,” said Cissy Tubbs, Special Agent-in-Charge, Western Region, U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General. “We hope today’s sentencing provides a sense of justice served for the families and loved ones of the victims of this callous scheme.”

This case was complex and involved a detailed forensic review of evidence. The investigation was led by the FBI Denver Division and the Department of Transportation Office of the Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Tim Neff, Assistant United States Attorney Rebecca Weber, Assistant United States Attorney Laura Hurd, with invaluable assistance from former Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy Chaffin and Victim Witness Coordinator Donna Summers.

CASE NUMBER: 20-cr-00098

Hagerstown man admits to role in international drug trafficking operation

Source: United States Department of Justice News

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA – A Hagerstown, Maryland man has admitted to his role in an expansive drug trafficking conspiracy that spanned several states.

According to court documents, Daniel Inoa-Rodriguez, also known as “Danny,” 23, was heard on wiretap phone calls, talking with other known defendants about drug deliveries. One of the conversations revolved around $30,000 in drug proceeds and what to do with the cash just before Inoa-Rodriguez planned to travel to the Dominican Republic to deliver the money. Because of the intercepted communications, agents were able to seize the cash before he successfully boarded the plane at JFK Airport in March 2021. Court documents also reveal that Inoa-Rodriguez was in the back area of Top 3 Sources, a business in Hagerstown and a target in this investigation, during multiple drug transactions. The crimes occurred from August 2020 to June 2021 in Berkeley County and elsewhere.

Inoa-Rodriguez pleaded guilty today to one count of “Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute and to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, Cocaine Base, and Cocaine Hydrochloride.” Inoa-Rodriguez faces up to 20 years of incarceration and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed will be based upon the seriousness of the offenses and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The FBI; U.S. Marshals Service, Homeland Security Investigations; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; The Drug Enforcement Administration; the West Virginia Air National Guard, the Eastern Panhandle Drug Task Force, a HIDTA-funded initiative (agencies included are the West Virginia State Police, Berkeley County Sheriff’s Department, Jefferson County Sherriff’s Department, Ranson Police Department, Charles Town Police Department, and Martinsburg City Police Department); West Virginia State Police; Customs and Border Protection; the Hagerstown Police Department; the National Resources Police Department; FBI-New York Safe Streets Task Force; the New York Police Department; the New Jersey State Police; the Washington County (Maryland) Drug Task Force; the Maryland State Police; the  U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland;  and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania investigated.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Omps-Botteicher is prosecuting the case on behalf of the government.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert W. Trumble presided.

Find the related case here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ndwv/pr/34-indicted-expansive-drug-trafficking-operation

Colorado Man Sentenced to 19 Years for Heroin Trafficking, Illegal Firearm

Source: United States Department of Justice News

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – An Aurora, Colorado, man was sentenced in federal court today for heroin trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm while traveling through Kansas City, Mo., on a bus bound for Virginia.

Izeall T. Collins, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to 19 years in federal prison without parole.

Collins was found guilty at trial on June 15, 2022, of one count of possessing a kilogram or more of heroin with the intent to distribute, and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.

According to evidence introduced during the trial, law enforcement officers contacted Collins at a Kansas City, Mo., bus station on March 4, 2019, during a layover while Collins was traveling from Denver, Colo., to Norfolk, Va. Collins had been acting suspiciously, and admitted to officers that he had some marijuana in his possession. Officers searched Collins and found a large, hard, brick-shaped object in Collins’s pants.

Officers found 1.05 kilograms of heroin, which was packaged in a rectangular bag wrapped in silver duct tape, concealed in the waistband of his underwear. Officers also found a round of 9mm ammunition in his pocket.

Officers retrieved Collins’s backpack and soft-sided cooler from the bus and obtained a search warrant for them. Investigators later found a loaded Keltec 9mm semi-automatic handgun in the soft-sided cooler.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Smith and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Bradshaw. It was investigated by the MOWIN (Missouri Western Interdiction and Narcotics) Task Force and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Wallingford Man Pleads Guilty to Child Exploitation and Drug Trafficking Offenses

Source: United States Department of Justice News

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER LISCIO, 40, of Wallingford, pleaded guilty today in Bridgeport federal court to child sexual exploitation and drug trafficking offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, between January 2016 and February 2020, Liscio used Snapchat to entice two minor girls to take sexually explicit photographs and videos of themselves and send them to him via the social media application.  The communication with one of the minor victims started when she was approximately 13 years old and continued until she was approximately 16 years old, and the communication with the second minor victim occurred when she was 15 and 16 years old.  Liscio also engaged in sexual acts with the second minor victim on multiple occasions when she was 15 and 16 years old.

In February 2020. Liscio was arrested on state charges related to the sexual assault of a minor.  Between February and April 2020, while he was released on bond in his state case, Liscio sold 2,000 30mg oxycodone pills.

Liscio has been detained since his federal arrest on May 26, 2021.  On that date, a search of his Wallingford residence revealed approximately 500 grams of cocaine, items used to process and package narcotics, and $22,440 in cash.

Liscio pleaded guilty to one count of enticement of a minor to engage in illegal sexual activity, one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.  At sentencing, Liscio faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

This matter has been investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad, with the assistance of the Wallingford Police Department, Middletown Police Department and Fremont (N.H.) Police Department.  The Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, New Britain, West Haven, Newington, Manchester, Glastonbury and Watertown Police Departments.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Amanda S. Oakes.

U.S. Attorney Avery thanked the State’s Attorney’s Offices for the Judicial Districts of New Haven and Middlesex for their close cooperation in investigating and prosecuting this matter.

This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.

To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.