Miami Criminal Defense Lawyer Blog

The individual previously picked to run the Republican Party in the State of Florida was formally charged yesterday with fraud. The former chairman of the party was arrested in his Central Florida home on several felony counts. The statewide prosecutor's office is prosecuting Jim Greer on four counts of grand theft, one count of operating an organized to defraud, and one count of money laundering. The allegations stem from a shell company Greer created to funnel political contributions for his own use. When the allegations came to light, Greer agreed to resign as the Republican's top man back in January. He is now facing up to 80 years in prison.

Greer's previous lawyer came forward defending his client's arrest. He was quoted as saying that the arrest was absolutely outrageous as 12 armed law enforcement agents stormed his residence, kept his family at bay, seized his computer and dragged him out of the house. It is not clear which criminal lawyer will defend the case in state criminal court. The indictment alleges that Greer set up a shell company called Victory Strategies. The Republican Party then hired Victory Strategies and agreed that Victory would keep 10% of the political donations that went to the Republican Party. The indictment further alleges that Greer's company siphoned off approximately $199,254.50 in 2009. Greer kept 60% of the proceeds while a silent minority owner kept the rest of the proceeds. The silent partner has not been indicted and may be cooperating with the authorities.

Greer is accused of spending the money to sustain his personal lifestyle. Two Republicans running for U.S. Congress are trying to cut ties with Greer. Charlie Crist and Marco Rubio have been damaged to the point that their campaigns are in jeopardy as a result of their connection with Greer. In fact, Democrat Kendrick Meek issued a press statement regarding "Republican excess" right after the prosecution announced the criminal indictment of Greer. Greer denies all wrongdoing, and in fact, sued the Republican Party claiming they owed him for severance in the amount of $124,000.

The investigation into Greer's practices were initiated by Attorney General Bill McCollum, who is currently seeking the Republican nomination for governor. At some point, McCollum reviewed the party audit and requested that the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to conduct a fraud investigation. Whether the charges alleged against Greer are substantiated or not, the case has a lot of political underpinnings. Public corruption prosecutions have been popular over the past year in Miami and throughout the State fo Florida. While most of the prosecutions seem to be legitimate, other are contrived for other reasons. Be that as it may, anyone being investigated or having been arrested for public corruption needs to contact a criminal defense law firm experienced in defending these types of matters.

Forrner Florida Republic Chief Charged with Fraud, Reuters.com, June 3, 2010.

Once again local law enforcement officers are being investigated for committing illegalities and for their involvement in corrupt practices. The FBI is investigating an undercover police squad assigned to the City of Miami Police Department. Since the investigation is still underway, it is unclear how many officers are alleged to be involved. The undercover squad is being investigated for allegedly stealing money and drugs from street level dealers. If the investigation reveals that one or more of these police officers were involved in any impropriety, defendants previously arrested by these officers for crimes such as cocaine sale, cocaine trafficking, marijuana possession or sale of marijuana may have the evidence necessary to have the case dismissed by the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office.

City of Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado confirmed that an investigation was underway, but has not been briefed as to the details of the allegations. As of today, only one officer is under investigation and has been suspended from duty with pay. The officer has probably already received advice from a Miami criminal law firm regarding his rights. Depending on the strength of the evidence against the officer, he may be forced to assist federal law enforcement by providing information regarding other crimes committed by other officers on the squad. Other members of the drug enforcement squad have been served with subpoenas and are scheduled to appear before a grand jury in federal court. Whether the officers speak will depend on the advise they should have received from their criminal defense lawyers. All the officers are required to appear in court, however, they can always invoke their 6th Amendment right to counsel if questions posed to them may illicit an incriminating response.

The FBI investigation is targeting the City of Miami Police Department's Central District crime suppression unit. The detectives and officers assigned to this unit operate in plain clothes and are supposed to reduce street level crime. Based on limited available information, the feds are looking into whether any members of the crime suppression unit stole money or drugs from street level drug dealers or whether they took money and gave it to informants without properly accounting for it. Only time will tell if the allegations have any merit. We will post again regarding the outcome of the investigation to inform you which officers, if any, will be charged in the case.

The City of Miami Police Department has a long history of problems. The same street crime unit had significant problems in the 1990's which resulted in 13 indictments. The officers were accused of planting guns in four police involved shootings and then lying to law enforcement investigators about the shootings. Some of the officers were also charged with planting guns on shooting victims so they could avail themselves to claims of self-defense. As a result of that investigation and prosecution, four officers were convicted and sent to federal prison. Two of the officers received probation for cooperating in the prosecution of their fellow officer. Four of the officers were acquitted after a jury trial.

FBI Investigating Miami Police Street Crime Unit, The Miami Herald, May 28, 2010.

An embattled local commissioner remains mired in the state criminal justice system and things seem to be getting worse. Michelle-Spence Jones appeared in circuit court facing a new charge of bribery. The defendant reported to the same courtroom where she faces another case charged with grand theft. She was taken into custody for the purpose of being booked on the new case. The judge presiding over the matter did not require her to post an additional bond to secure her release. However, she had to be taken into custody to activate her new case in the system. The politician did not address the court in the presence of her Miami criminal attorney. However, as she was being led away by corrections officers she yelled out, "God be the glory."

The newest case stems from allegations that the commissioner solicited a bribe from a local developer in the amount of $25,000.00. The developer allegedly paid that sum in order to get a favorable vote from the commission regarding a condominium and office complex development. The grand jury heard the case and indicted Spence-Jones on two counts of bribery. The grand jury heard evidence that the developer requested that the commission extend Brickell Avenue north across the Miami River in an effort to gain a prominent address for the new condo and office complex. The initial request was made to the commission on March 23, 2010, but the issue was not resolved. Prosecutors allege that Spence-Jones or her representative demanded $25,000 from the developer. The developer allegedly eventually contributed $12,500 to non-profit organization created by Spence-Jones. At the developer's request, the project's chief builder contributed another $12,500 to the organization.

The commission never voted on the name change because only the Florida Legislature had the authority to change the name of a state road. Spence-Jones is also involved in state civil court, as well as criminal state court. The civil circuit court judge is determining whether the governor of Florida acted within his rights in suspending the politician, not once, but twice. The governor initially suspended Spence-Jones, but she was re-elected to different seat. Upon her re-election, she was again suspended by the governor. This latest case comes as Miami-Dade County is attempting to clean up politics in the South Florida area. The last politician charged was a former judge accused of committing grand theft. He was found guilty and sentenced to 21 months in state prison.

Bribery and corruption cases are usually charged under Florida Statute 838.014. The charge is defined as corruptly giving or offering to give a public servant or soliciting or accepting any pecuniary or other benefit in violation of state law with the intent and purpose to influence the performance of an overt act in violation of a public duty. Bribery is second degree felony punishable up to 15 years in prison. Bribery is a level seven offense under the offense severity ranking chart established under the Florida Criminal Punishment Code. Assuming a person has no prior record, a conviction for bribery will sustain a prison sentence from 21 months to 15 years. The sentencing guidelines mandates that judges cannot deviate below the guidelines without a legal reason for departure. That being the case, Spence-Jones is facing prison time if she loses her case at trial.

Michelle Spence-Jones Pleads Not Guilty to New Bribery Charges, The Miami Herald, March 4, 2010.

An FBI investigation led to the arrest of at least fifteen prison guards involved in marijuana trafficking and cocaine trafficking. The guards were involved in moving cocaine and marijuana from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach County. "Operation Blind Justice" focused in on two South Florida correctional facilities. Eleven corrections officers from Glades Correctional Institute and four corrections officers from South Bay Correctional Institute were arrested by federal authorities. Undoubtedly, the arrested correctional officers will seek to retain Palm Beach, Broward, and Miami criminal defense lawyers to defend the serious charges. The investigation began when a former warden provided information in 2007 to the Florida Department of Correctional Inspector General's Office. After a 26 month investigations, the feds moved in and made the arrests.

A spokesman from FBI reported that the group of correctional officers created their own marijuana and cocaine trafficking ring. The guards believed they were working for major drug traffickers, but in reality they were moving marijuana and cocaine provided to them by FBI agents. The correctional officers agreed to use their badges to protect the shipments that were being transported. They allegedly guarded nine shipments and received payments in excess of $150,000.00. The guards were also selling a steady supply of marijuana and cocaine to inmates. Some of the prison guards worked for the Florida Department of Corrections up to twelve years.

The defendants will be indicted in federal court for cocaine trafficking, marijuana trafficking, bribery and unlawful compensation charges. It is unclear whether the defendants will face charges in Palm Beach, Broward or Miami-Dade County. For years, correctional officers have been arrested and charged both in state and federal court. However, the other criminal investigations involving correctional officers are dwarfed by the size of this criminal organization. The sad part is that the correctional officers sell the drug to the inmates who then get caught and get charged with additional charges such as marijuana possession and illegal importation of drugs into a correctional facility. Offenses such as these can cause inmates to lose their gain time.

The reports regarding the drug trafficking organization do not set forth the amount of narcotics being moved from West Palm Beach to Miami. The amount of drugs being trafficked is essential in determining the amount of time the corrections officers are facing in federal prison. The federal sentencing guidelines consider the type and weight of the drug to determine the guideline range which the court will use to sentence the defendants. If you or anyone you know is arrested for drug trafficking charges it is essential to retain an experienced criminal lawyer to defend the case.

FBI Busts prison Guard Drug Ring, NBC Miami.com, February 11, 2010.

A former Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) entered a guilty plea to several federal offenses. Richard Padilla Cramer will return to court in Miami on February 18, 2010 where he is facing up to 20 years in federal prison. Federal prosecutors alleged that Cramer provided individuals involved in money laundering and cocaine trafficking with database reports from ICE and Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) computer systems. He was a former ICE agent assigned to an office in Guadalajara, Mexico. Cramer's Miami criminal lawyer was present by his side when he entered the guilty plea.

Cramer was alleged to have assisted two Mexican nationals accused of money laundering by providing them with database reports taken from ICE and DEA computer systems. In a different case, Cramer allegedly assisted another known money launderer by investigating whether there were any arrest warrants in the system for him. As a result of the information, he was able to leave Miami and return to Mexico without being arrested.

Cramer is also alleged to have sold inside information to those engaged in large scale cocaine trafficking operations. The information provided to the drug traffickers assisted them in determining whether any of their associates were working with federal anti-drug investigative authorities. Initially, Cramer was accused of assisting in the transportation of cocaine from Mexico to Spain, but the charge was later dropped due to insufficient evidence.

According to Cramer's Miami federal criminal defense lawyer, Cramer received no monetary benefit for the information provided to the drug traffickers. Cramer became implicated during the investigation of being looked at by the federal government. His name came to light during several hours of recorded conversations which occurred at a South Florida restaurant. The conversations revealed that the drug traffickers were able to determine if an intercepted shipment of cocaine was linked to one of their own. The DEA was able to located e-mails sent by Cramer to one of the traffickers's e-mail accounts.

If there is a lesson to be learned in this case, anyone involved in a criminal enterprise should be wary of their business associates. Additionally, e-mails and text messages can be obtained easily through the use of search warrants. Law enforcement has access to telephone records and even have the ability to tape record telephone conversations. Any such evidence obtained by law enforcement authorities will be used by the prosecution in the case.

Federal Agent Faces Prison for Tipping Off Traffickers, The Miami Herald, December 14, 2009.

Miami Commissioner, Angel Gonzalez, agreed to resign as part of a negotiated deal with the Miami-Dade County State Attorneys Office. The Miami criminal lawyer representing Gonzalez would not admit that his client agreed to resign in lieu of being arrested. Another Miami-Dade commissioner, Michelle Spence-Jones, is also currently under investigation. The current investigation involves a job that Gonzalez obtained for his daughter.

The current investigation is Gonzalez's second brush with the law. He served as a director of the Allapattah Business Authority in the 1990's. The agency became embroiled in voter fraud that occurred in the 1997 election. Gonzalez pled guilty to charges including voter fraud. He received a withhold of adjudication and one year of reporting probation. Because Gonzalez was not convicted, he remained eligible to run for office.

Despite his criminal record, Gonzalez won the Miami commissioner's seat for District 1 in 2001. He also won re-election bids for the same seat in 2003 and 2007. Gonzalez was also investigated this year for failing to properly fill out financial disclosure forms. He failed to report $135,000 in rental income he received since 2005. With the assistance of his Miami criminal attorney, Gonzalez amended the financial forms and paid a nominal fine.

Spence-Jones is being investigated for approving thousands of dollars in grant money to a business owned by the Spence-Jones family. Her Miami criminal defense lawyer did not believe his client will be formally charged by the state attorneys office. In May, the state attorney's office cleared Spence-Jones of allegations including bribery and paying out illegal kickbacks.

The ongoing investigations in to official misconduct are in full force as the new mayor of Miami took office this week. Miami has for years been the focal point of political corruption on the local government level. Miami has also become well-known for cocaine trafficking, mortgage fraud and medicare fraud. With all of the investigations and criminal prosecutions that occur in Miami, th justice system will never be short of business.

Miami Commissioner Angel Gonzalez to Resign Amid Probe, The Miami Herald, November 11, 2009.

Former Miami Circuit Judge Phillip Davis is once again facing allegations in the courthouse where he used to preside over criminal cases. Davis now faces Miami money laundering and grand theft charges. The case is being prosecuted by the Broward County State Attorneys Office. Reports fail to mention which Miami criminal lawyer is representing Davis in his new case. This not the first time Davis faces criminal charges.

Sixteen years ago, Davis was indicted in federal court on bribery and extortion charges. The allegations stemmed from Operation Court Broom which was initiated as a result of the massive corruption which was occurring on the bench in Miami in the late 1980's. Davis was allegedly taped recorded by the FBI arranging to receive a $20,000 payoff from then Miami criminal attorney, Ray Takiff to fix the outcome of a criminal case. Takiff, at the time of the conversation was an informant for the federal government.

Davis testified in his federal trial and explained to the jury that he was suffering from a cocaine addiction, and in fact, admitted to snorting the illegal substance in his courtroom chambers. He admitted that he usually carried cocaine on his person and that he addiction led to his poor judgement. As a result of his heart-felt apology, the federal jurors acquitted him of the bribery and extortion charges.

After leaving the bench, David assisted in the foundation of the Miami-Dade Resident College in the late 1990's. The program was created to assist less fortunate citizens with parenting, life and vocation skills. According to investigators, Davis and a co-worker submitted fraudulent invoices to receive extra grant money. He created a sham corporation to pay non-existent independent contractors and kept the proceeds for himself. David was arrested in 2005 for stealing money slated for the college. He was charged with money laundering and for the theft of over $80,000.

Davis took the stand and told jurors that the invoices were not fraudulent and that he did not steal money intended to help the poor which was supplied the county and the state. Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle decided to opt out of the case to avoid a conflict. As a result, the Broward County State Attorneys Office is prosecuting the case.

Ex-Miami-Dade Judge Acquitted of Bribery Faces New Charges, The Miami Herald, November 3, 2009.

A Boston developer surrendered to local authorities for his involvement in a 1 million dollar Miami scheme to defraud. Dennis Stackhouse allegedly stole money that was earmarked by the local legislature to revitalize Liberty City by building the bio-pharmaceutical park. A Miami-Dade County circuit court judge issued a warrant for his arrest for two counts of organized scheme to defraud and two counts of grand theft first degree. Stackhouse has hired a notable Miami criminal attorney to represent him in this highly publicized case. Anyone being investigated or arrested for their involvement in an organized scheme to defraud should hire an experienced Miami fraud lawyer to protect their interests.

The Miami-Dade County State Attorneys Office is alleging that Stackhouse created an intricate scheme to defraud revolving around his involvement with the Poinciana Project. The Poinciana Project was intended to revitalize an area of Miami that desperately needed the help. Stackhouse was supposed to build a real estate and commercial complex that would be home to several noteworthy tenants, such as Wyeth Pharmaceuticals and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Miami-Dade County State Attorney Katherine Fernandez-Rundle told reporters, "This greedy individual stole more than just money from our community; he stole the promise of jobs, hope and revitalization from one of our most needy communities."

Stackhouse leased 15 acres from the county which was to be used for the development. He secured funding from Tremont Realty, a Boston based finance company. Without Tremont's knowledge, Stackhouse secured a second loan using the same property as collateral from a real estate trust, Empowerment Trust. The arrest warrant alleges that Stackhouse submitted duplicate bill to both companies for the same work. Stackhouse double billed both companies to the tune of $600,000. The arrest warrant also alleged that he billed for work that was never completed.

The investigation completed by local authorities took months due the massive fraud. Authorities seized 53 boxes of documents from Stackhouse's office and subpoenaed numerous bank accounted to piece together the case. All of the monies fraudulently obtained from the lending institutions went into Stackhouse's personal accounts and business accounts for unrelated projects. Public corruption detectives from the Miami-Dade Police Department led the investigation.

Developer Arrested in Alleged Liberty City Fraud, The Miami Herald, October 29, 2009.

In Miami federal court, a former U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent was indicted on cocaine trafficking charges. The indictment also alleges that he sold information about law enforcement activities to a well-known drug cartel. Richard Padilla Cramer was employed by the federal government for 30 years as an immigration agent. The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Florida filed a criminal complaint against Cramer for allegedly negotiating cocaine shipments from Panama to Spain.

The case is just a prime example of how state, local and federal authorities get tangled up in the drug trade. There is the recent occurrence of a Florida Fish and Wildlife Officer involved in a Miami cocaine trafficking ring. Why do law enforcement officers succumb to becoming involved in the drug and narcotics trade? Is it out of greed or necessity? As a Miami criminal lawyer, I have seen examples of both. Some law enforcement officers who have been indicted or arrested on cocaine or marijuana trafficking charges claim to have made a mistake and wanted to live a more lavish lifestyle. Other law enforcement officers became involved in similar criminal enterprises for economic reasons; such as insufficient income or economic difficulties.

Cramer became involved in the cocaine trafficking case when he was working in Guadalajara, Mexico. The allegation suggests that Cramer invested between $15,000 and $20,000 into one shipment of 660 pounds of cocaine. Cramer left Nogales, Mexico in 2004 when he retired from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency. Cramer moved to Green Valley, California and was employed by the Santa Cruz County Detention Center as a correctional officer.

Several former fellow employees were surprised by the situation. Cramer was well-known and respected law enforcement veteran. Cramer's employment records were indicative of a 30 year veteran of federal law enforcement. It is unclear what defenses will be set forth by his Miami criminal attorney in representing Cramer.

Ex-lawman from Nogales is Arraigned in Drug Case, Nogales International, September 8, 2009.

Miami Beach developer Michael Stern is facing arrest for failing to appear in federal court for his bankruptcy case. Additionally, Stern has also refused to produce documents and testify in the bankruptcy case. Creditors and former business partners are accusing him of real estate fraud among the many accusations. Stern is also the key witnesses in Miami Beach City Hall bribery case. His testimony led to the arrest of three city hall employees who are currently facing fraud, racketeering and bribery charges. Stern paid the building and planning officials more than $100,000 in order to receive approval of his plans to demolish his landmark coral rock house located on Collins Avenue. Miami criminal defense lawyers met with Stern to take his deposition. According to a local Miami criminal lawyer, Stern has failed to appear to complete the deposition.

U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Mack held Stern in contempt of court for failing to appear at a court appearance last Wednesday. At the hearing, Judge Mack told Stern's Miami lawyer that if he fails to appear again at the next court hearing, he would order him arrested. Stern's Miami lawyer filed papers with the federal court explaining that Stern wants to return to Miami, but cannot travel due to a back injury. "He is not hiding, absconding or avoiding discovery or otherwise. He is simply unable to travel." Stern in currently residing in Uruguay. Stern's doctor provided a note to the court explaining that Stern was suffering from a herniated disc that requires surgery and that he will not be able to travel for 45 to 60 days.

Stern, a Miami Beach real estate mogul, owned dozens of properties on Miami Beach. The South Florida real estate bust has caused him to be served with several foreclosure lawsuits and various other claims. Stern and his wife filed for bankruptcy protection back in February. In the bankruptcy case, Stern and his wife claim to have 52 million dollars in debt. It has been alleged that Stern has assets and properties worth in excess of 65 million dollars. Stern owes 6 million dollars to a Miami Beach women who won a lawsuit against him for real estate fraud. The fraudulent real estate deal involved fake mortgages and forged documents.

Stern's former business partners sued him based on another act of real estate fraud by not disclosing a 4.2 million dollar mortgage on a piece of property they owned jointly. The signatures on the loan documents were purportedly forged. The are several other cases pending against Stern which also allege fraud forgery. Other than facing arrest, if Stern fails to comply with court orders, has bankruptcy case may be tossed out causing him to be responsible for all of his debt.

Missing Miami Beach Developer May Face Arrest, The Miami Herald, August 28, 2009.

A Miami police officer assigned to take Crime Stoppers tips collected almost $15,000 in reward money and split it with two of his friends. Officer Wayne Fortella was charged in federal court with one count of wire fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Fortella used inside information to collect rewards for himself and his friends. Fortella was represented by a Miami criminal defense lawyer at his initial hearing. Fortella and one co-conspirator were released on bail. However, one of the co-conspirators remains at large.

Crime Stoppers is a Miami-Dade County organization that receives anonymous tips from Miami residents regarding crimes. Individuals that place calls to Crime Stoppers are given a code name a number. This information is available to all police officers assigned to the Crime Stoppers detachment. Tipsters can call back to determine whether their information led to an arrest. If the information led to an arrest, the Crime Stoppers board convenes to decide whether to approve a reward and the amount of the reward. Once the reward is granted, an individual simply has to go a Wachovia branch and contact Crime Stoppers. If Crime Stoppers approves the reward, the individual can collect the money. Crime Stoppers has a led to arrests in cocaine trafficking, murder, armed robbery and fraud cases.

Fortella worked from the inside by taking the code numbers and code names that had been approved for payment. He would take the approved code numbers and code names and provide them to his co-conspirators who would in turn contact Crime Stoppers and would receive the cash reward. Miami Police Chief John Timoney said in a statement, "I was undoubtedly disappointed and disheartened to hear that Officer Wayne Fortella had been arrested today by the FBI." Richard Masten, the executive director of Crime Stoppers said the charges were sickening.

Investigators became suspicious when the rewards were picked up in the southern part of Miami-Dade County when the tips were supplied from the northern part of Miami-Dade County. Some of the rewards received by Fortrella involved a firearm bounty program. One day in June 2008, one of the co-conspirators picked up four different reward from four different bank branches.

Several cellular calls between the co-conspirators and Fortella led to the arrest. FBI agents said there is no legitimate reason for a Crime Stopper's officer to talk to tipster on his cellular phone. More evidence was accumulated against Fortella through a wiretap authorized by a federal judge. Federal agents taped more incriminating conversations between Fortella and his co-conspirators.

FBI: Miami Officer Pocketed Crime Stoppers Reward Cash, The Miami Herald, August 27, 2009.

In a Miami, federal court, U.S. District Judge Jose E. Martinez sentenced Pedro Clintron, a former agent with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, to a two-year prison term after he entered into a guilty plea to the charge of receiving a gratuity by a public official. Many skilled Miami criminal defense attorneys represent public officials on public corruption charges on the local, state and federal level. Clintron was assigned to Miami, Florida ICE Office of Investigations as a special agent.

As the agent in charge of the investigation, Clintron acted as the controlling agent of a confidential informant who was assisting federal authorities in a human trafficking investigation out of Equador. The confidential informant agreed to set up individuals involved in various human trafficking organizations. In exchange for his services, the confidential informant was compensated in U.S. currency by federal authorities.

Above and beyond the investigation and contrary to federal law, Clintron participated in several illegal transactions with and made several illegal requests of the informant. In 2004, he asked the CI to deliver $300 in government funds to his girlfriend who was residing in Equador. Additionally, the informant gave Clintron a gold bracelet valued at $800 and cellular telephones which were to be delivered to Clintron's girlfriend in Equador. The source of the money and gifts were traced to monies the informant had received from the federal government.

Clintron also received additional illegal gifts from another informant who was also engaged in an investigation into human trafficking in Equador and other foreign countries. In 2005, Clintron received approximately $6,000 in kick-backs from this informant. In addition to illegally receiving gifts and money from two confidential informants, he also received a payoff from a fugitive target named Fang who was also allegedly involved in human trafficking.

Clintron requested that Fang pay him the sum of $12.,000 in exchange for assisting him in smuggling four aliens into the United States from Lima, Peru. Clintron was unable to smuggle the four aliens into the United States. When Clintron was later questioned by federal authorities in an effort to apprehend Fang, he denied having knowledge of Fang's whereabouts and was unable to locate him.

Ex-ICE Agent Sentenced for Kickbacks, Obstruction, North Country Gazette, August 1, 2009