Chicago's FBI Joint Task Force on Gangs Featured on AMW

Dionne Garcia: After several years of hard work, the Chicago FBI's Joint Task Force on Gangs was able to indict 52 people in relation to the manufacture and distribution of PCP on the streets of the Windy City . Of all those indictments, only two people remain on the run. Agents say Dionne Garcia fled after being charged, probably with her common-law husband and their four children.

Jimmy Trindade: "Jimmy T" Trindade was a seasoned sportsman and an avid boater, but he hasn't been seen since leaving the Bahamas for Florida in 2006 at the helm of a 38' speed boat. The boat was found 11 hours after his departure, and his family, his friends, the FBI, and now Immigration and Customs Enforcement are trying to figure out what happened.

Roy Hyatt: Cops say Roy Stephen Hyatt is a convicted sex offender on the run who still has an appetite for children. Police are looking for him on charges of downloading, possessing, and possibly distributing child pornography.

Anthony Harris: Father of five daughters Jesse Brown was murdered on August 25, 2006 in a senseless crime has shocked a community and torn a family apart. Now Anthony "Tone" Harris -- the man cops say is responsible -- is on the run, and police need your help to find him.

Jose Lopez: Jose Orlando Lopez has been deported twice for crimes committed in the U.S., and authorities still can't seem to get rid of him. They say Lopez has so little respect for this country that he raped a stranger on a busy street in New York . Police believe he's running from his latest charges from 2004 to prevent being deported, again.

Special Ops: Coast Guard Feature: The U.S. Coast Guard broke drug interdiction records in 2007, seizing 355,755 pounds of cocaine with a street value of more than $4.7 billion. This week, AMW’s Tom Morris takes you to San Diego , Calif. for an inside look at what makes the Coast Guard so successful.

Joseph Garcia: In the border town of Laredo , Texas , walk a few steps and you could be in an entirely different country. But without going anywhere, Laredo teens face the temptation of crossing into another world: a world in which greed, money, and drugs reign supreme. Cops say a kid named Joseph Allen Garcia fell prey to the lifestyle's allure, and now they hope AMW will help them find him.

Brianna Denison: A man sought for questioning in 19-year-old Brianna Denison's disappearance has been located and cleared of any involvement in the case. Reno authorities say that the man came forward after seeing news reports about the investigation. Meanwhile, the search effort continues as search dogs have failed to find any indication of the missing teen: Reno cops say they were hoping to get a few more areas canvassed before a snowstorm began.

James Malave: Cops in New York and Pennsylvania have been working together to track down alleged killer James Malave. Now, all of their hard work has paid off: thanks to an AMW tipster, Malave is behind bars.

Kenneth Freeman: Accused child rapist Kenneth John Freeman, described by the U.S. Marshals as the 'King of the Child Exploitation Suspects', is now back in the United States, and AMW cameras were the only ones to catch a glimpse of the elusive fugitive. On November 29, 2007, Freeman's third wife, Maleka May Freeman, was sentenced to 6 months home confinement and 240 hours of community service as part of a 3 year term of probation for lying to two different law enforcement agencies on multiple occasions about knowledge of her husband's whereabouts.

Warren Villalta: Warren Villalta is no longer a free man. An AMW tipster led U.S. Marshals to Puerto Rico, where they found Warren Villalta hiding in a town near San Juan . Villalta is now behind bars in New Jersey.

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Tatto Parlor Order Hit by Mob for Retaliation

A reputed hit man ordered a Chicago-area tattoo shop closed and its owner hurt because the daughter of a mob boss was tattooed there, court records allege.

The revelation came in the case of alleged mob killer Anthony Calabrese, scheduled to go to trial in February on charges he participated in three suburban robberies, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Friday.

The recent court filings provided another detail about Calabrese's alleged connections to organized crime, the newspaper said.

An informant told investigators Calabrese not only paid street tax to members of the Outfit mob but also did them criminal favors, a court filing said. One was the July 2001 strong-arm robbery of the Metamorphous Tattoo parlor in Lockport, authorities said.

During the robbery, the tattoo parlor owner was beaten, but his hands were not broken, even though that was part of the plan drawn up because of the unnamed boss's underage daughter's tattoo was inked at the parlor, the court papers said.

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James "Whitey" Bulger Audio Recording and Transcript

The Bulger Fugitive Task Force (BFTF), comprised of agents and officers from the FBI, State Police, Department of Corrections, and Prosecutors from the United States Attorney's Office, is making recordings of fugitive James J. Bulger available. Bulger is on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted List.

Although these recordings were taken prior to Bulger's fugitive status, it is believed that they depict the unique sound of Bulger's voice and may be recognizable by anyone who may have come in contact with him.

The audio recordings were taken by the FBI during their criminal investigation of Bulger and are being released at this time as the BFTF believes the international exposure of the recordings will be beneficial to the future investigation.

The FBI is offering a $1,000,000 reward for information leading directly to the arrest of James J. Bulger.

Audio Recording of James Bulger: MP3 File

Transcript of Recording:

Participants:

JB - James Bulger

JB: How you doing? Did he order any sandwiches? If he does, order me one (UI) see him in a little while (UI) did he come back from that thing? Wow. Hmm. Boy the cough medicine was strong. (Whistles) Did he have trouble after he takes this? Little bit, not bad. That stuff its devastating wasn't it? I'm gonna see if my brother, Jackie, wants any, still sick, you know. All right. I'll see you in 15. Bye.

JB: Could I speak to Jack? Thank you. Hi, Jack. Is there any rentals up at that place up across from, umm, Kelly's? Okay. Gonna find out now...I think that's the Ma- Marine Park they call it. Ah, what do they call it, "The Marine Park"? Yeah, is it the Marine Park they call it? Okay. You had one for sale recently? Or is it for sale now? What floor is it on (UI) first floor? They're no good. Yeah...Okay. Is there any others for sale up there, do you know? How, how long would it take you? I mean I asked you about the rentals, you never get back to me. Yeah, call me down the store here (UI) 3, 0, 3, 1. Jack, bye.

JB: (UI) cashing. Jack talking. (UI) Jack. Oh, that's good. Ah, it's not for me, it's for Patty. Uh, huh. How much is she looking for? Mmm, hmm. Mmm, hmm. Yeah. Find out what (UI). Yeah, I know where it is (UI), yeah. Yeah, get me the particulars and everything, Jack. Okay. Thank you. Bye.

JB: How you doing, Jack? Nothing much. What's new with you? A book. Oh. Ah, in that area where you are there, is there anything, any rentals? Would that, ah, Bob would know, wouldn't he? Yeah, would, would you? It's for Patty, you know. One bedroom is be fine. You know. Yeah, bye.

JB: How you doing? Nothing. Okay, Jack. Ah, did you need any cough medicine? Okay, cause I bought some stuff last night. It knocked me for a loop, you know. Okay. All right, Jack. Oh, good. All right I'll catch you later. Okay. Bye.

JB: How you doing? Who is there? Oh. What are you doing? You eating already? Okay, yeah, I'll see you in a little while. All right. Bye.

JB: Check Cashing, Charlie. You coming down? Hey, John, come on down here. I want to talk to you. Yeah, all right. Have you got the money for them checks? Bring it back and give it back to Glen. Yeah, no, this is Jim. All right. Well, well, he'll be here waiting for you. Well, he'll explain it to you when you get here. But give him the check or the money back, he'll give you the check. All right. Bye.

JB: Hello. Hello. Tammy is not here. There is no Tammy at this phone number. What number you calling?

JB: Hello. Check cashing. Yes, could you tell me what the, his hours are, please? The off- office in Quincy. Oh, okay, on, on a Tuesday, to- like today what hours? Oh, okay, all right. Wednesday. Okay. Thank you very much. Bye.

JB: Hello, ah, in Cohasset is he, what is his hours down there today? O-okay on Tuesday afternoon from what? Sure, yeah. Okay, okay, thank you very much. Bye.

JB: Check cashing. Just a minute. Hello. Could I have, ah, the, ah, address of the Cohasset, ah, office, please? Parking Way. Okay. Coming from Boston, do you know anything more about it than that? Yeah, to the, how to get there? No? Not at all? All right. Do you have a phone number for that office?

JB: Hi, is Patty there? Did he ever come in today? You don't have his phone number at home, do you? See if it's there some place on the desk. Beeper number. Give him a call on the beeper and find out where he is and then I'll call you back and I'll get the number. Okay, thanks.

JB: How you doing? Couldn't find his number (UI) there. No, I don't want to do that. Patty comes in and I'll call back at five. Thanks.

JB: Kevin, I mean Pat there? Oh, okay. Number. What's the area code? Okay. Thanks, Kev. Bye.

(End of recording.)

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Poll Results: Would a Casino Operated by the City of Chicago be Influenced by the Chicago Outfit?

Poll Results: Would a Casino Operated by the City of Chicago be Influenced by the Chicago Outfit?

48% Yes - The Mob would have their hands all over it.
22% Yes - But the Mob would only be on the fringes.
17% No - But it would still be influenced by typical Chicago Clout.
2% No - But I am pretty naive.
9% No - I think it will be regulated fairly.

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One Last Shot at Glory for The Sopranos

It’s bound to be a major dramatic moment at the 14th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards: the announcement of the winner for performance by an ensemble in a drama series.

Contenders for the award are the casts of “Boston Legal,” “The Closer,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Mad Men” and “The Sopranos.”

“The Sopranos” closed its sixth and final season last year with the infamous “cut to black” ending, leaving it up to the viewer to decide what happened to Tony, Carmela, Meadow and A.J. Soprano.

“These are people who have become icons. They are legendary,” said Matt Roush, television critic for TV Guide. “There were so many great moments in the last season—Tony’s brush with death, Dr. Melfi firing Tony, Christopher’s death and Uncle Junior’s decline into dementia. A lot of great material sometimes got obscured by the final episode.”

“The Sopranos” won its second drama series Emmy last year. “It’s the last chance for the show to be honored,” Roush reminds.

“Mad Men,” an hour drama set in a Manhattan advertising agency in the early 1960s, scored major critical acclaim in its first season, winning Golden Globes this year for TV series, drama, as well as for star Jon Hamm, a winner as actor in a television drama. He is also in the running at the SAG Awards for his performance.

“Watching the show, you find it does resonate in your world,” said Mr. Hamm, who plays Don Draper, a dapper executive with a secret past at the fictional Sterling Cooper agency on Madison Avenue. “You work in an office with personalities and superiors and inferiors and people you have to manage and there are different rules, yet all the same stuff was going on in 1960.

“It’s a nostalgic and yet resonant sort of ethic. It’s not mean-spirited, and it depicts a world exploding into a modern aesthetic of midcentury ideas, with a very specific, very cool look and attitude.”

“The Closer” premiered in June 2005, and its star, Kyra Sedgwick, also is nominated for a SAG Award for her performance. “In some ways it looks like a star vehicle for Kyra Sedgwick, but the bench strength in all the other actors is amazing. They are almost overqualified and get to rise to the occasion,” said Mr. Roush. “There’s a lot of terrific, stylish acting, and so many colorful characters. There’s no question she’s the star, but there are a lot of meaty characters in and around her life.”

“Boston Legal,” spun off from “The Practice” in fall 2004, follows the personal and professional lives of the attorneys at the law firm of Crane, Poole & Schmidt.

“This is a show that Hollywood adores,” said Mr. Roush, pointing to its numerous Emmy Awards. “David Kelley writes colorful dialogue, and James Spader gets to wow everyone with Kelley’s writing. These are the most eccentric characters on television, and they milk those eccentricities, and the industry seems to love that. I guess it’s because they get those big scenes in the courtroom and get to indulge quirky characters.”

The cast of “Grey’s Anatomy” won the SAG Award last year for dramatic ensemble.

“What it has is charisma, and one of the sexiest casts on TV,” Mr. Roush said. “The ensemble is one of the most watchable. They play flawed characters set in a hospital with life, death and love commingled, and played in a way that draws people in. The show has made stars of a lot of people: Ellen Pompeo, Katherine Heigl, T.R. Knight and Chandra Wilson.”

Four of the five actresses vying for SAG honors for their performance in a drama series have impressive credits on the big screen, and one was the first actress to sweep all the major television awards in one season, winning a SAG, the Emmy and a Golden Globe for her performance as a mobster’s wife.

That would be Edie Falco as Carmela Soprano.

“Carmela is one of television’s great characters. She’s just as ruthless as Tony, but in a different way. She remained great through the end, even when her role wasn’t as central to the action,” said Mr. Roush.

Ms. Falco and “The Closer’s” Ms. Sedgwick as Deputy Police Chief Brenda Johnson are up against a pair of contenders in first-season dramas: Glenn Close, who plays attorney Patty Hewes on “Damages,” and Holly Hunter in her first starring TV role as Oklahoma City police detective Grace Hanadarko on “Saving Grace.” They’re joined in the category by Sally Field, who portrays Nora Walker, the matriarch on “Brothers & Sisters,” which premiered in September 2006.

“Glenn Close’s role fits her like a glove, and she is devilishly entertaining in a wonderful star performance in a twisty show,” said Mr. Roush. “Holly Hunter is allowed to chew the scenery, and playing a self-destructive cop in a flamboyant role is one anybody would be thrilled to have. Sally Field is the premier mom on television, warm, funny and charismatic, yet as crazy as the kids.”

The male actors competing for the SAG Award are Mr. Hamm, James Gandolfini as Tony Soprano, Michael C. Hall as Dexter Morgan on “Dexter,” Hugh Laurie as Dr. Gregory House on “House” and James Spader as Alan Shore on “Boston Legal.”

“Jon Hamm as Don Draper is magnetic and at the same time troubled. You worry about him but realize he’s staring into the abyss. Mr. Hamm brings that alive, delivering a very deep performance. It’s a home run,” Mr. Roush said.

“James Gandolfini created a character of incredible depth, the role of a villain who is as human as he is monstrous. You root for him, yet you fear him,” Mr. Roush continued. “Michael C. Hall pulls off an impossible feat: He makes you sympathize for a serial killer. The potential for disaster is huge, but he makes it appealing and thoroughly original. Hugh Laurie as House is a great character, so enjoyable to watch as he confounds patients and frustrates the staff. He’s an impossible person but impossibly appealing. James Spader plays one of the quirkiest characters on TV. People are drawn to him because he is so unpredictable. He nails it.”

Thanks to Hillary Atkin

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