A former Freeport, Illinois man was convicted late yesterday of witness retaliation by a federal jury in U.S. District Court in Rockford following a two-day jury trial. Damon Rucker, 36, was found guilty of causing bodily injury to a witness on December 20, 2012, with intent to retaliate against the witness for testifying against Rucker in federal court.
According to the incitement and evidence at trial, Rucker was initially convicted in federal court in Rockford on July 31, 2012, having pled guilty to a drug trafficking crime. A co-defendant, who also pled guilty in that case, agreed to cooperate with the government and testified against Rucker during Rucker’s sentencing hearing.
On December 20, 2012, Rucker, with intent to retaliate against the co-defendant for testifying, slammed the witness’s head against a concrete wall while both were in custody. At the time, the victim was in the process of being transported to a different jail and was in hand and leg shackles. Rucker was not shackled at the time.
Rucker faces a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison, in addition to a term of supervised release of up to five years following his imprisonment, and a fine of up to $250,000. The court must impose a reasonable sentence under the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines. Sentencing is scheduled for July 30, 2013, at 2:30 p.m. in federal court in Rockford. The conviction was announced by Gary S. Shapiro, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Office of Federal Bureau of Investigation. The United States Marshals Service and the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.
The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Scott R. Paccagnini and John G. McKenzie.
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Up to $5000 Reward Offered for Capture of Paris "Polerowski" Poe
Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), is asking for the public’s help in locating a Chicago man who allegedly violated the conditions of his parole and has been on the run from authorities. Mr. Nelson also announced that the FBI is offering a reward of up to $5,000 for information that leads to the apprehension of the fugitive.
Paris Poe, aka “Polerowski,” is wanted pursuant to a federal arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid custody and confinement, a felony offense. Poe is also being sought for questioning in a federal murder investigation.
The arrest warrant was filed last week in the United States District Court in Chicago. Poe was convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County for aggravated battery and robbery, and after spending a portion of his sentence in state custody, he was released in June 2011 on parole for the remainder of his sentence. According to the warrant, Poe is charged with traveling interstate to avoid custody for a parole violation. Efforts thus far by law enforcement to locate and apprehend him have been unsuccessful. During the course of their search for Poe, authorities developed information that Poe may have fled the state, leading to the filing of the federal warrant and an ongoing manhunt coordinated by the Chicago FBI.
Poe’s last known address was 5904 South Indiana in Chicago. He is described as a black/male, 33 years old, 6’0” tall, 200 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair that he often wears in braids. He has numerous tattoos, including “Chief Hobo” on his upper right arm and “RIP Angie” on his upper left arm.
Poe is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Chicago office of the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or local law enforcement authorities.
Paris Poe, aka “Polerowski,” is wanted pursuant to a federal arrest warrant for unlawful flight to avoid custody and confinement, a felony offense. Poe is also being sought for questioning in a federal murder investigation.
The arrest warrant was filed last week in the United States District Court in Chicago. Poe was convicted in the Circuit Court of Cook County for aggravated battery and robbery, and after spending a portion of his sentence in state custody, he was released in June 2011 on parole for the remainder of his sentence. According to the warrant, Poe is charged with traveling interstate to avoid custody for a parole violation. Efforts thus far by law enforcement to locate and apprehend him have been unsuccessful. During the course of their search for Poe, authorities developed information that Poe may have fled the state, leading to the filing of the federal warrant and an ongoing manhunt coordinated by the Chicago FBI.
Poe’s last known address was 5904 South Indiana in Chicago. He is described as a black/male, 33 years old, 6’0” tall, 200 lbs., with brown eyes and black hair that he often wears in braids. He has numerous tattoos, including “Chief Hobo” on his upper right arm and “RIP Angie” on his upper left arm.
Poe is considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is asked to call the Chicago office of the FBI at (312) 421-6700 or local law enforcement authorities.
Monday, April 22, 2013
Abdella Ahmad Tounisi Arrested by FBI's Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force on Charge of Supporting Terrorism Overseas
An alleged attempt by an Aurora, Illinois man to travel to Syria in order to join a jihadist militant group operating inside Syria led to his arrest Friday evening. The arrest was announced by Cory B. Nelson, Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Gary S. Shapiro, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.
Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, 18, a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody without incident at O’Hare International Airport by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as he attempted to board a flight destined for Istanbul, Turkey. He was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court with one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony offense. Tounisi appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin and was ordered held until his next court appearance, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on April 23, 2013.
In making the announcement, Mr. Nelson stated that the investigation that culminated in Tounisi’s arrest began in 2012 and that there is no connection between this case and the events that occurred over the last several days in Boston.
The complaint states that Tounisi is a close friend of Adel Daoud, an individual arrested in September 2012 for attempting to detonate a bomb outside a Chicago bar and that Tounisi and Daoud appeared to share an interest in violent jihad. While Tounisi allegedly discussed attack techniques and targets prior to Daoud’s arrest, Tounisi did not participate in Daoud’s attempted attack.
According to the complaint, from January to April 2013, Tounisi conducted online research related to overseas travel and violent jihad, focusing specifically on Syria and the Jabhat al Nusrah terrorist group. Jabhat al Nusrah is listed by the U.S. Department of State as an alias for al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The complaint alleges that Tounisi searched online for information about travel from Chicago to Syria, obtained a new passport, and, beginning in late March 2013, made online contact with an individual Tounisi believed to be a recruiter for Jabhat al Nusrah. That individual was in fact an FBI employee acting in an online undercover capacity. The complaint further alleges that Tounisi and the undercover employee exchanged a series of e-mails in which Tounisi shared his plan to get to Syria by way of Turkey, as well as his willingness to die for the cause. During the exchanges, Tounisi also sought advice from the undercover employee on travel from Istanbul to the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which lies near the border of Turkey and Syria.
The complaint states that on April 10, Tounisi purchased an airline ticket for a flight from Chicago to Istanbul and on April 18, the undercover employee provided Tounisi with a bus ticket for travel from Istanbul to Gaziantep. Tounisi arrived at O’Hare International Airport’s international terminal Friday evening, and after passing through airport security, he was arrested.
If convicted of the charge filed against him, Tounisi faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
The JTTF is composed of special agents of the FBI, officers of the Chicago Police Department, and representatives from an additional 20 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s National Security Division assisted in the investigation.
Mr. Nelson expressed his gratitude to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the significant support provided by its officers during the arrest of Tounisi.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Abdella Ahmad Tounisi, 18, a U.S. citizen, was taken into custody without incident at O’Hare International Airport by members of the Chicago FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as he attempted to board a flight destined for Istanbul, Turkey. He was charged in a criminal complaint filed today in U.S. District Court with one count of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, a felony offense. Tounisi appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Daniel G. Martin and was ordered held until his next court appearance, which is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. on April 23, 2013.
In making the announcement, Mr. Nelson stated that the investigation that culminated in Tounisi’s arrest began in 2012 and that there is no connection between this case and the events that occurred over the last several days in Boston.
The complaint states that Tounisi is a close friend of Adel Daoud, an individual arrested in September 2012 for attempting to detonate a bomb outside a Chicago bar and that Tounisi and Daoud appeared to share an interest in violent jihad. While Tounisi allegedly discussed attack techniques and targets prior to Daoud’s arrest, Tounisi did not participate in Daoud’s attempted attack.
According to the complaint, from January to April 2013, Tounisi conducted online research related to overseas travel and violent jihad, focusing specifically on Syria and the Jabhat al Nusrah terrorist group. Jabhat al Nusrah is listed by the U.S. Department of State as an alias for al Qaeda in Iraq (AQI), a designated foreign terrorist organization. The complaint alleges that Tounisi searched online for information about travel from Chicago to Syria, obtained a new passport, and, beginning in late March 2013, made online contact with an individual Tounisi believed to be a recruiter for Jabhat al Nusrah. That individual was in fact an FBI employee acting in an online undercover capacity. The complaint further alleges that Tounisi and the undercover employee exchanged a series of e-mails in which Tounisi shared his plan to get to Syria by way of Turkey, as well as his willingness to die for the cause. During the exchanges, Tounisi also sought advice from the undercover employee on travel from Istanbul to the Turkish city of Gaziantep, which lies near the border of Turkey and Syria.
The complaint states that on April 10, Tounisi purchased an airline ticket for a flight from Chicago to Istanbul and on April 18, the undercover employee provided Tounisi with a bus ticket for travel from Istanbul to Gaziantep. Tounisi arrived at O’Hare International Airport’s international terminal Friday evening, and after passing through airport security, he was arrested.
If convicted of the charge filed against him, Tounisi faces a maximum penalty of 15 years in federal prison.
The JTTF is composed of special agents of the FBI, officers of the Chicago Police Department, and representatives from an additional 20 federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The Justice Department’s National Security Division assisted in the investigation.
Mr. Nelson expressed his gratitude to U.S. Customs and Border Protection for the significant support provided by its officers during the arrest of Tounisi.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt and that all defendants in a criminal case are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Sunday, April 21, 2013
"Gangsters of Boston" Discussed by Author George Hassett on Crime Beat Radio
April 25th, George Hassett will discuss his fascinating book, Gangsters of Boston on Crime Beat Radio.
Crime Beat is a weekly hour-long radio program that airs every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST., on the Artist First World Radio Network at artistfirst.com/crimebeat.
Crime Beat is a weekly hour-long radio program that airs every Thursday at 8 p.m. EST., on the Artist First World Radio Network at artistfirst.com/crimebeat.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
@TheMobMuseum to Host "Protectors of the State - A Conversation with 3 Former Govenors"
On Thursday, April 25 at 6:30 p.m., The Mob Museum, The National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, will host “Protectors of the State – A Conversation with Three Former Governors,” in its historic courtroom. Featuring a panel discussion with former Nevada Governors Bob List, Senator Richard Bryan and Bob Miller, the event will be moderated by journalist and author Jack Sheehan. This Courtroom Conversation’s discussion is part of the Museum’s ongoing commitment to presenting informative and thought-provoking programming to the community. The event is brought to the Museum through generous contributions from Mike Sloan, Rogich Communications Group and Robin and Danny Greenspun.
Beyond its borders, perceptions of Nevada have been challenged because of its libertarian social norms, times of economic hardship, and the presence of organized crime. “Protectors of the State” will feature three of Nevada’s great leaders who navigated tumultuous waters while continuing to modernize the State and defend its image to the outside. In addition, the discussion will include stories from Gov. Miller’s recently released book, “Son of a Gambling Man.” A book signing with Gov. Miller will follow the discussion.
Doors will open at 6 p.m. with a reception including light fare and refreshments. The program will begin promptly at 6:30 p.m. in The Mob Museum’s historic courtroom. Following the moderator-led discussion among the panel, audience members will have a chance to ask questions. The program will conclude by 8 p.m. and will be followed by Gov. Miller’s book signing.
Tickets for the April 25 event are $10 for members and $19.95 for non-members and include complimentary libation and light fare. To make reservations, please call (702) 229-2734 or visit http://themobmuseum.org/plan-your-visit/upcoming-events.
Bob List served as the 24th Governor of Nevada from 1979 to 1983. Previously, he served as the Carson City District Attorney and the Nevada Attorney General. Currently, List practices law in Las Vegas with the law firm Kolesar & Leatham, Chtd. He was the last Governor to serve from outside Clark County until Jim Gibbons' election.
A native Nevadan, Senator Richard Bryan won his first statewide election as Nevada’s Attorney General where he played a major role in successfully defending Nevada’s gaming regulatory structure in the Federal Courts. In 1982, he was elected to the first of two terms as Governor. In 1988 he was elected to the first of two terms in the U.S. Senate. He was the only Senate member to simultaneously serve on these U.S. Senate Committees: Finance; Commerce, Science and Transportation; and Banks, Housing and Urban Affairs.
When Bob Miller arrived in Las Vegas as a boy, it was a small, dusty city—a far cry from the glamorous, exciting place it is today. His father, Ross Miller, had operated on both sides of the law on some of the meaner streets of industrial Chicago, and brought his family to Las Vegas so he could create a legitimate career out of gaming. As Bob grew up, so did Vegas; the city’s population doubled every decade during the 1900’s and Las Vegas was now a “town” of some two million. He went on to become Nevada’s longest serving governor, holding office from 1989 to 1999. Bob’s new book, “Son of a Gambling Man,” is a warm family memoir, with just a little bit of “The Godfather” and “Casino” thrown in for spice, making it a unique and memorable story.
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