Recently in FBI Category

The third matter regarding Ms. Smith that the FBI investigated was an allegation that she contemplated the murder of E. Pierce Marshall, the son of her deceased husband. There are three sections to this release: 166C-LA-223601; 166C-LA-223601, 1A, Volume 1; and 166C-LA-223601, 1A, Volume 2. This release consists of one section of investigative case file and two volumes of 1A envelopes. 1A envelopes contain case materials retained as evidence (in this instance, materials like interview notes), documents obtained from other police agencies, and other items gathered in the course of the investigation. All of these files are redacted because of laws protecting personal privacy.

Alex Sanchez had a second bail hearing on Wednesday afternoon. He did not get bail. Nor was he denied it.

Alex, if you'll remember, is the former MS-13 gang member turned highly honored gang intervention leader and head of the well-regarded nonprofit, Homies Unidos. A month ago, Sanchez was named in a federal racketeering indictment and accused of plotting the murder of a rival gang member. The case alleges Sanchez was leading a double life: while a good guy by day, by night he was the premier shot caller--AKA leader--of a particularly violent clique of MS-13.

At the last bail hearing held on June 30, 110 people wrote letters of support--including city leaders and a wide array of clergy. Friends and colleagues put up $1.2 million in surities against any bail. To sweeten the deal, Tom Hayden put up his house toward the hoped for bond. Sanchez was denied bail anyway.

Sanchez's attorney appealed the bail decision, and Wednesday's hearing was the result. But rather than settle the matter, U.S. District Judge Manuel L. Real decided to continue the bail issue until August 17, nearly a month from now.

On the surface this might sound like just another case of justice delayed. But, there is a lot more to this story.

FBI agents honed their skills in identifying and collecting evidence from bodies at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville in May at the annual "Body Farm" field study class. Bodies are buried and left to decompose so that agents can dig them up, study them and gain experience in body recovery.

The following comes from the FBI's Web site:

The bug expert gathered FBI agents around the table to introduce his maggots. He selected a mature one from a watery dish and held it up to his eyepiece, staring through its translucent carapace like a jeweler appraising a precious stone.

"All of these, if you look, have a gut in them," said Dr. Ian Dadour, a forensic entomologist, explaining how pinpointing a maggot's age can tell a lot about what it's eating. "So this means they're still feeding...they haven't used all their food up."

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LOS ANGELES - Federal and local authorities in the Los Angeles area have arrested the executive director of a high-profile anti-gang nonprofit organization as part of an action against the notorious Mara Salvatrucha street gang.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller says Alex Sanchez, who heads Homies Unidos, was arrested at his home in Bellflower early Wednesday on federal racketeering charges. In all, about eight people have been arrested.

The indictment names 24 members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, and alleges crimes including several murders, conspiracies to commit murder and narcotics offenses. Several of those named were already in custody.

Homies Unidos works to rescue kids from gangs in Los Angeles and Sanchez's native El Salvador. A message left at the organization's offices was not immediately returned

Craig Monteith, a West Covina native who inflitrated several Southern California mosques filed suit against the FBI asking for $10 million in damages for an informant fee he never received.

Here's a bit from the Associated Press:

The claim, dated Saturday, alleges the FBI failed to pay Monteilh $100,000 and provide witness protection as part of an exit strategy from his work as an undercover informant in Southern California mosques.

Monteilh, 46, also accuses the FBI of letting him serve eight months in prison on a grand theft charge he said was related to his work on a case involving the illegal distribution of steroids and human growth hormone.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said the agency does not comment on claims.

They also want to find little Briant Rodriguez, kidnapped from his home in San Bernardino this week.

Here's the bureau's Facebook page. One can only wonder what J Edgar would have thought about this technology ... Below, the FBI (as I remember it)

As part of a series of articles published by the FBI on the major crimes and criminals in the FBI's history, the feds have published this interesting report on John Dillinger, whom they began hunting 75 years ago this month.

Next month, the FBI is promising a report on Bonnie and Clyde, complete with never-before-released files.

To see the report, click here.

*Photo courtesy of the FBI

A report in USA Today notes that the FBI claims criminal gangs are responsible for 80 percent of our nation's crime. Here's the story.

No Chargers in Industry this year, at least that's a what a report in the San Diego Business Journal claims.

Local soldier Sgt. Hy Thai, of Monterey Park is profiled on News Blaze, for his work in Iraq.

Detroit cops slow to respond to reports of frozen body in abandoned warehouse, according to the Detroit News and the Associated Press, which cites the indifference of cops there as part of the city's overall problem.

LASO unveils new technology in the pursuit of criminals.

This from staff writer Robert Hong:

A former teacher at Mayfield Senior School in Pasadena pleaded guilty today to possessing child pornography.

The illegal images were found on a computer belonging to 63-year-old David Hassler when authorities searched his home in November 2007, authorities said. He was among about 10,000 of people arrested in nationwide federal investigation into on-line child pornography.

Hassler, who pleaded guilty in federal court in downtown Los Angeles, could be sentenced to up to 10 years in federal prison.

A federal grand jury handed down an extensive indictment Tuesday charging a group of Californians and Canadians in a conspiracy to move MDMA from local cities to Canada.

A portion of the indictment talks about how defendant Nathanael Lineham used his position with a company called beStealth to supply encrypt BlackBerrys to drug dealers. Here's a link to the beStealth site.

Here's the indictment:

Candystore_-_Lineham_indictment[1].pdf

Here's a portion of our Web story:

Prosecutors allege the organization was overseen by Temple City resident Jason I. Ming Wei, 30, a Canadian national. He was arrested Sunday night at Los Angeles International Airport while preparing to board a flight to Canada.

A total of 18 people, including seven residents of the San Gabriel Valley, have been named in two federal indictments that outline the operations of the organization. Marijuana and ecstasy were allegedly brought to the United States from Canada, while cocaine was shipped from the United States to Canada.

The other suspects arrested Monday morning include: Jerry Fanyuan Lin, 32, of Temple City; Jose G. Garibay, aka "Guero," 28, of La Puente; Ming Chien Hsieh, aka "Sonny," 24, of San Gabriel; and four others from California and Canada.

The ten others being sought by authorities include Ren Sui, aka "Jeffrey," 31, of Rosemead; Erik Damien Vicente, 41, of Baldwin Park; Hong Yee "Annie" Chow, 28, of Rowland Heights.