TERRILL MARION CRANE PLEADS GUILTY TO PRODUCING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

January 22, 2009

Atlanta, GA - TERRILL MARION CRANE, 49, of Atlanta, Georgia, pleaded guilty today before United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr. to one count of producing child pornography.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said of today’s plea, “This case goes back a number of years, which makes the list of victims longer and the facts of the case even more disturbing. This defendant sexually exploited numerous young girls and that unforgivable criminal conduct went unchecked for years even after being brought to the attention of the Atlanta Police Department. The FBI continues to try to identify all victims involved with this defendant, and we will work to make sure there are no more.”

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and other information presented in court: Beginning in 1999, CRANE approached young girls in the Atlanta area and attempted to solicit them for sexual favors in exchange for cash. In most cases, CRANE took photos or directed photos to be taken of the sexual encounters. In 2003, CRANE’s wife, who was then a Sergeant with the Atlanta Police Department, got a call from an unidentified person at APD Headquarters advising that APD had photographs of her husband in the sexual encounters.

CRANE’s wife said she found and destroyed some of the photographs by burning them. Even after that time, the sexual activity with the young females, many of them middle school age, continued. In October 2007, APD officers advised the FBI of photographic evidence involving 11 girls, most of them middle school age, which had been provided to APD by a film development store in 2000.

After FBI investigation with the assistance of APD, on November 20, 2007, FBI agents executed a federal search warrant for CRANE’s Atlanta residence on Beecher Road. Agents found undeveloped film, including some from disposable cameras, later shown to be CRANE engaged in sexual activity with the girls, including two additional girls, and nude photos of some of the girls alone. Some of the girls in the photos found at CRANE’s residence have still not been identified. CRANE claimed to agents that some of the girls in the photographs were 20 years old, but several of the identified victims were minors at the time of the sexual activity and photographs and others appear to be minors. Some of the photos depicting young girls seized from CRANE’s residence are identical to some of the photographs initially provided to APD in 2000.

Sentencing for CRANE is set for March 27, 2009, at 11a.m. before Judge Thrash. CRANE faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison on the charge. In determining the actual sentence, the Court will consider the United States Sentencing Guidelines, which are not binding but provide appropriate sentencing ranges for most offenders.

Any potential victims or anyone with information is asked to call the FBI at 404-679-9000)

This case is being investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and its Safe Child Task Force.

Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey Brown is prosecuting the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

MAN SENTENCED FOR ASSAULTING PREGNANT MAIL CARRIER

January 21, 2009

Robber Violently Stole Parcel Containing Marijuana

Atlanta, GA - HAJJA KENYATTA MARTIN, 35, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr. to serve 2 years in federal prison on a charge of assaulting and robbing a United States Postal Service mail carrier.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said, “Like all government employees, mail carriers for the U.S. Postal Service deserve protection while carrying out their official duties. In this robber’s desperate efforts to steal a package containing illegal drugs, he physically restrained and assaulted not just a postal employee, but an expectant mother.

Thankfully, both mother and baby are fine. This defendant, however, will pay for his crime by sitting in federal prison for two years.”

“The safety of its employees is critical to the manner in which the Postal Service performs its functions. As the law enforcement, security and crime prevention officers of the Postal Service, U.S. Postal Inspectors promptly investigate incidents of assaults and threats against our employees, and we will continue to make these cases high priority. We have no tolerance for acts of violence committed against our employees and criminal charges are initiated whenever possible in federal or state courts,” said Martin D. Phanco, Inspector in Charge, Atlanta Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

MARTIN was sentenced to 2 years in prison to be followed by 3 years of supervised release. MARTIN was convicted of these charges when he pleaded guilty on November 20, 2008.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: On January 10, 2008, United States Postal Service (“USPS”) Carrier Markena Jones was assaulted and robbed of a piece of USPS mail while on her route along Rockbridge Road in Lithonia, Georgia. The postal worker had been seated in her vehicle in a parking lot on Rockbridge Road, and was startled by the defendant who suddenly leaned inside the open window of her USPS vehicle. Standing only inches away from Ms. Jones, who was pregnant at the time, MARTIN demanded to be given a package that she had attempted to deliver earlier on her route. She refused, saying the address on the defendant’s license did not match the address on the package.

Suddenly, the defendant reached into postal carrier Jones’ vehicle, placed it in park, and removed the keys. He then climbed into the USPS vehicle and got on top of Ms. Jones while she was still in the driver’s seat. She attempted to get the defendant off of her so that she could call the police, but she was unable to do so as the defendant had her pinned down. The robber then reached into the back of the postal vehicle, removed a specific package, and then fled.

Sometime later, after the defendant was arrested, he admitted to assaulting the postal carrier and stealing the package because it had marijuana in it. MARTIN pleaded guilty to one count of assault on a postal carrier with intent to rob.

This case was investigated by Investigators of the United States Postal Inspection Service and detectives of the DeKalb County Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Matthew T. Jackson prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

CONYERS MAN SENTENCED TO OVER 21 YEARS IN PRISON FOR HIS

ROLE IN A DRUG TRAFFICKING & MONEY LAUNDERING SCHEME

January 20, 2009

Atlanta, GA - TROY ALEXIS, 38, of Conyers, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Richard W. Story to serve more than 21 years in prison on charges of drug trafficking and money laundering. At the time of his arrest, ALEXIS owned and operated “Alexis Motors Sales and Leasing” located in Tucker, Georgia.

United States Attorney David E. Nahmias said, “This defendant used his car dealership as a front to distribute cocaine and launder the money generated by his illicit drug dealing.

The sentence in this case shows that those who distribute drugs in our community will face lengthy prison sentences, and will lose businesses they use to aid in their criminal activities.”

ALEXIS was sentenced to 21 years, 10 months in prison to be followed by 5 years of supervised release. ALEXIS pleaded guilty to the charges on May 27, 2007.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: ALEXIS was released from federal prison in 2003 after serving a four-year sentence for drug trafficking. Shortly after release, he established and operated Alexis Motors Sales and Leasing in Tucker.

In order to support the business, however, he soon began distributing cocaine from the dealership and, over the course of several years, used it as a means to launder the cash derived from his drug dealing. After a year-long investigation, the DEA arrested ALEXIS and others associated with the dealership on November 9, 2006, seizing all of the vehicles owned by the dealership and its records.

An analysis of the dealership records showed that, between 2004 and 2006, ALEXIS funneled huge amounts of drug money through the business. The funds were then used to purchase luxury cars to put on the dealership lot. During the period of the conspiracy, ALEXIS and his group distributed over 50 kilograms of cocaine from the business and laundered approximately $2.6 million in cash through its accounts. The business has since been liquidated.

ALEXIS was the last defendant sentenced in this case. Co-defendant CHRISTOPHER HILL, 37, of Smyrna, Georgia, was sentenced to 13 years in federal prison; co-defendant EDWARD TAYLOR, 39, of Duluth, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison; and co-defendant LEROY TRICE, 44, of Lithonia, Georgia, was sentenced to 5 years in federal prison for their roles in the scheme.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Atlanta recommends parents and children learn about the dangers of drugs at the following web site: www.justthinktwice.com

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Assistant United States Attorney Kurt R. Erskine prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.

SECURITY GUARD SENTENCED FOR POSSESSING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY

AND IMPERSONATING FBI AGENT

Defendant Falsely Claimed that He Investigated Child Exploitation Cases

January 20, 2009

Atlanta, GA - DOUGLAS YUTAKA RHOADES, 43, of Jonesboro, Georgia, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Thomas W. Thrash, Jr., to serve more than 5 years in prison on charges of possessing child pornography and falsely impersonating a federal agent.

“This defendant claimed to be an FBI agent who investigated child pornography cases, but in reality he was a security guard who collected child pornography,” said United States Attorney David E. Nahmias. “Through his lie of being an FBI agent, he tried to trick others into entrusting the care of their young children to him. Today’s sentence is a just outcome for a depraved man who tried to trade on the trust that the FBI has built with the American people. This sentence also underscores the harsh consequences for people who possess images of children being sexually exploited and thereby support the creation of child pornography.”

RHOADES was sentenced to 5 years, 3 months in prison to be followed by supervised release for the rest of his life. RHOADES pleaded guilty to the charges on November 3, 2008.

According to United States Attorney Nahmias and the information presented in court: Beginning in January 2008, Clayton County Police were investigating allegations of child molestation involving RHOADES. Witnesses informed the police that RHOADES stated that he was a Special Agent of the FBI assigned to the cyber crime unit. According to one witness, RHOADES claimed to work on child pornography investigations. Clayton County Police then contacted the FBI, who checked their records and determined that RHOADES was not and had never been an FBI employee.

When FBI agents arrested RHOADES pursuant to a federal arrest warrant, they found a fraudulent FBI badge and identification as well as numerous computer discs with handwritten labels suggesting that they contained child pornography. A federal judge issued a search warrant for RHOADES’ home and vehicle, and agents found discs containing approximately 800 images of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct. In addition, the FBI located a video of a “wedding” between RHOADES and a girl under the age of twelve along with written “wedding vows” between RHOADES and the child. At the time of his arrest, RHOADES was working as a security guard.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In February 2006, the Attorney General launched Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices around the country, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

This case was investigated by Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Clayton County Police Department.

Assistant United States Attorney Paul Jones prosecuted the case.

For further information please contact David E. Nahmias (pronounced NAH-me-us), United States Attorney, or Charysse L. Alexander, Executive Assistant United States Attorney, through Patrick Crosby, Public Affairs Officer, U.S. Attorney’s Office, at (404) 581-6016. The Internet address for the HomePage for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia is www.usdoj.gov/usao/gan.