South Philly Auto Body Shop Owner With Alleged Ties To Organized Crime And Allegedly Hired Two Hitmen To Kill His Daughter's Boyfriend, Prepares For Trial, May Take Stand

Veteran organized crime reporter George Anastasia offers a look a the defense of Ron Galati at Bigtrial.net.

Ron Galati has decided to roll the dice and put his future in the hands of a federal jury that will begin hearing testimony later this month in his murder-for-hire case.

What's more, the South Philadelphia auto body shop owner and wannabe wiseguy is considering taking the stand in his own defense, a move that was hinted at in a motion filed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Richardson, the prosecutor in the case.

In the same motion, Richardson alleged that Galati has made frequent payments to two prominent South Philadelphia organized crime figures, mob boss Joseph Ligambi and his nephew George Borgesi, but offered no explanation of what the payments were for.

Galati, 64, faces from 15 years to life if convicted. His apparent resolve to go to trial and perhaps tell his story in his own words to the jury undercuts speculation and media reports that he might cooperate with authorities.

"I don't know anything about anybody," he has reportedly told those close to him. 

Prior to the start of a pre-trial hearing this morning, Galati's defense attorney, Anthony J. Voci Jr., said no decision had been made on whether Galati would testify. Voci spent most of the hearing  attempting to block the introduction of evidence detailing Galati's alleged prior criminal activities. Voci said that evidence would be highly prejudicial and would make it impossible for his client to receive a fair trial. The prosecution says the evidence should be permitted, but has agreed not to introduce evidence alleging mob involvement. 
You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.bigtrial.net/2014/09/galati-prepares-for-trial-may-take-stand.html

William Lashner's Crime Thriller "Bagmen" Offers A Look At Philly, Fixers And Favors

Michael D. Schaffer, my editor at the Philadelphia Inquirer, offers a good review of William Lashner's Bagmen.

If they gave a Pulitzer Prize for snappy dialogue, William Lashner would be a betting favorite every time.

Dialogue is a big part of what makes crime fiction go. "Show, don't tell" is OK advice, but the giants of the genre - Elmore Leonard, Raymond Chandler, Ross McDonald, Dashiell Hammett - knew conversation counts. Let the characters tell the tale.

Consider the volley on the first page that sets Bagmen's mood. Philly criminal lawyer Victor Carl is visiting Boyds to buy some duds for a political bash, a form of social gathering hitherto unknown to him, and he's sparring with sales clerk Timothy over some pricey and foppish footwear:

Politics, stripped of its masquerade of policy, is an exercise in pure personal ambition. Right up my stinking alley, you would think. But the shoes gave me pause.

"You've got to be kidding me," I said.

"I never kid, Victor, about $500 shoes."

"Five hundred? For a pair of slippers? I'd sooner go barefoot."

"You might as well, if you intend to wear those . . . those clodhoppers you came in with."

"They're my normal work shoes."

"What kind of work, Victor, exterminating? Because I've no doubt they're lethal on cockroaches, but they just won't do with a tuxedo. Now this fine pair of Guccis would be just perfect."

"They have bows on them, Timothy."

"You'll be the belle of the ball."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

And off we go, to follow Victor on his adventures in the demimonde of Philly's political fixers, the bagmen, the good folks who make sure favors are dispensed to supplicants. Blessed are they who have a friend who has friends in City Hall.

You can read the rest of the review via the below link:

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20140902_Of_Philly__fixers__and_favors.html 

Colombian National Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping and Murder of DEA Agent Terry Watson

The U.S. Justice Department released the below information:

A Colombian man extradited to the Eastern District of Virginia pleaded guilty today for his involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Special Agent James Terry Watson in Bogotá, Colombia, on June 20, 2013.    

 Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Dana J. Boente of the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge George L. Piro of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, DEA Administrator Michele M. Leonhart and Director Bill A. Miller of the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) made the announcement.

 “Special Agent Watson gave his life in the service of his country, and we will do everything in our power to honor his sacrifice,” said Attorney General Holder.

 “This conviction is a critical step forward.  But while this action represents the first measure of justice for his kidnapping and murder, it will not be the last.  The Department of Justice will not rest until all those involved in this senseless act of violence have been held to account for their crimes.  Our nation will never yield in the protection and defense of its citizens.  And we will continue to demonstrate that anyone who seeks to harm an American will be found, will be prosecuted, and will be brought to justice.”

Julio Estiven Gracia Ramirez, 31, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee of the Eastern District of Virginia to aiding and abetting the murder of an internationally protected person and conspiracy to kidnap an internationally protected person.   Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 5, 2014.

In a statement of facts filed with the plea agreement, Gracia Ramirez admitted that he and his conspirators agreed to conduct a “paseo milionario” or “millionaire’s ride” in which victims who were perceived as wealthy were lured into taxi cabs, kidnapped and then robbed.  Gracia Ramirez admitted that he targeted Special Agent Watson and picked him up outside a Bogotá restaurant in his taxi.   Soon after, two conspirators entered Gracia Ramirez’s taxi, and one used a stun gun to shock Special Agent Watson and the other stabbed him.   Special Agent Watson was able to escape from the taxi, but he later collapsed and died from his injuries.

Six other defendants have been charged in an indictment in the Eastern District of Virginia for their alleged involvement in the murder of Special Agent Watson.  Gerardo Figueroa Sepulveda, 39; Omar Fabian Valdes Gualtero, 27; Edgar Javier Bello Murillo, 27; Hector Leonardo Lopez, 34; and Andrés Alvaro Oviedo-Garcia, 22, are each charged with second degree murder, kidnapping and conspiracy to kidnap.   Oviedo-Garcia is also charged with assault.   Wilson Daniel Peralta-Bocachica, 31, is charged for his alleged efforts to destroy evidence associated with the murder of Special Agent Watson.   Trial is set for Jan. 12, 2015.    

 The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

This case was investigated by the FBI, DEA and DSS, in close cooperation with Colombian authorities and with assistance from INTERPOL and the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.   The case is being prosecuted by Special Counsel Stacey Luck of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael P. Ben’Ary of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.    

 The Department of Justice gratefully acknowledges the Colombian Attorney General’s Office, Colombian National Police, Colombian Directorate of Criminal Investigation and Interpol (DIJIN), DIJIN Special Investigative Unit, Bogotá Metropolitan Police, Bogotá Police Intelligence Body (CIPOL) Unit and Colombian Technical Investigation Team for their extraordinary efforts, support and professionalism in responding to this incident.

FBI: A Case Of Corporate Greed - Executives Sentenced In $750 Million Fraud Scheme

The FBI offers the below piece:

Two former top executives of a publicly traded medical device company were sentenced to lengthy prison terms last week for their roles in a massive fraud scheme that cost shareholders $750 million.
Former ArthroCare Corporation Chief Executive Officer Michael Baker and Chief Financial Officer Michael Gluk were sentenced Friday to 20 years and 10 years in prison, respectively, for crimes including wire fraud and securities fraud. Two former vice presidents of the Austin, Texas-based company also received jail time.

“For years, the CEO and the CFO cooked the books to meet and exceed Wall Street’s expectations,” said Special Agent Duncan Edwards, one of several agents who worked the investigation out of our San Antonio Division. “It was only a matter of time before their crimes caught up to them.”

Baker and Gluk were engaged in a sophisticated fraud scheme known in business circles as channel stuffing. “You get your distributors to buy more product than they need so the company’s sales and revenue appear to be greater than they actually are,” explained Special Agent Stephen Callender. “They were creating sales on paper that didn’t exist in reality.”

Beginning in 2005 and continuing until 2009, Baker orchestrated a series of end-of-quarter transactions involving distributors who willingly received more of ArthroCare’s product—a specialized needle used in back surgeries known as a spine wand—than they expected to sell.

The distributors agreed to stock their shelves with the extra devices because ArthroCare made it profitable to do so. Distributors were given a fee for taking extra product or given generous terms to pay for the devices. Some were told they could return the spine wands at no cost if they didn’t sell.
This long-running misrepresentation of sales gave ArthroCare the appearance of significant growth, and its stock price climbed—even as Baker lied to investors and analysts about ArthroCare’s relationships with its distributors.

“The CEO was digging the company into a bigger and bigger hole to maintain the stock’s inflated price,” Callender said. At one point, the company bought one of its distributors in an effort to sidestep regulatory reporting requirements.

But the fraud was getting too big to control, and in July 2008, amid public speculation of the channel stuffing scheme, the company announced it would restate previously reported financial results as a result of an internal investigation. The price of ArthroCare shares plummeted, resulting in an immediate loss in shareholder value of more than $400 million, and total losses of more than $750 million.

“There were countless victims in this case,” said Special Agent Robert Cochrane, “including individual investors, banks, and large investment funds.”

The FBI opened a case in 2011. Over the next three years, investigators combed through tens of thousands of paper and electronic records and documents; they also crisscrossed the country interviewing distributors, investors, and other individuals. In June 2014, after a four-week trial in Texas, a federal jury convicted Baker and Gluk.

“This scheme of betrayal and deceit was carried out by the defendants without regard to the deep-reaching and irreparable harm their actions caused to thousands of victims,” said Chris Combs, special agent in charge the San Antonio Division. “Many of the victims will never recover from the financial ruin caused by the defendants’ greed.”

Special Agent Tom Hetrick, another agent who worked on the investigation, noted that the lengthy prison terms given to the CEO and CFO should send a clear signal: “No matter what your title or position, no one is above the law. This type of corporate fraud is unacceptable.”

Note: The above photo was provided by the FBI.

On American Seapower For the 21st Century

Former Navy secretary John F. Lehman and Congressman Randy Forbes offer a piece on American seapower for National Review.

In 1987, the United States Navy numbered 594 ships. On, above, and below the ocean, the Navy reigned supreme, granting the commander-in-chief a flexible tool to secure the world’s economic maritime highways and project power ashore from the sea at the time and place of the nation’s choosing.

More than a quarter century later, the Navy has shrunk to just 288 ships and sits poised to shrink still further in the coming years. The naval buildup of the 1980s was so large and so enduring that it allowed the U.S. Navy to thrive for the next three decades. But succeeding presidents and Congresses have failed to sustain the fleet that President Reagan built. As this fleet retires in the decade ahead, the Navy will begin experiencing serious shortfalls in the minimum number of attack submarines, amphibious ships, and large surface vessels required to execute its mission.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.nationalreview.com/article/386777/american-seapower-21st-century-john-f-lehman-j-randy-forbes

Note: The U.S. Navy photo above shows the aircraft carrier USS George Bush.

 

Somali Airstrike Targeted al-Shabab Leader, Camp, Pentagon Spokesman Says

Claudette Roulo at the DoD News offers the below piece:

WASHINGTON, Sept. 2, 2014 - Manned and unmanned aircraft operated by U.S. special operations forces participated in an airstrike yesterday in Somalia that destroyed an al-Shabab encampment and a vehicle located at that camp, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby (seen in the above DoD photo) said today.

Kirby said the operation was a direct strike against the al-Shabab network, and specifically, the group's leader, Ahmed Abdi al-Muhammad, also known Ahmed Godane. The operation was carried out after actionable intelligence was obtained that suggested that Godane was present at the camp, located south of the Somali capital of Mogadishu, the press secretary said.

It's too early to know whether Godane was killed as a result of the airstrikes, Kirby said, adding that if he were, it would be a "very significant blow to their network, to their organization and, we believe, to their ability to continue to conduct terrorist attacks."

The aircraft fired several Hellfire missiles and laser-guided munitions, he said, noting that the Defense Department is still assessing the results of the operation. "We certainly believe that we hit what we were aiming at," the press secretary said. "And based on intelligence that, as I said, we believe was actionable -- in other words, strong enough -- we took this strike."

No U.S. forces were present on the ground, either before or after the attack, he noted. Al-Shabab is a jihadist group based in Somalia. It has claimed responsibility for last year's attack on the Westgate Mall in Nairobi, Kenya, which resulted in more than 70 deaths and 200 injured. The group is also believed to be responsible for many bombings, including suicide attacks in Mogadishu and in central and northern Somalia, the admiral said.

These attacks typically target officials and perceived allies of the current federal government of Somalia and the former transitional federal government of Somalia, Kirby said.

Al-Shabab has occupied most of southern Somalia since 2006, he said. It has claimed responsibility for the deaths of numerous government officials, aid workers, peace activists and journalists and was named as a foreign terrorist organization by the State Department in 2008.

"They've also continued to plan plots targeting Westerners, including U.S. personnel in East Africa," the press secretary said. "In recent months, al-Shabab claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing in Djibouti that killed a Turkish national and wounded several Western soldiers, as well as a car bomb at the Mogadishu Airport that targeted and killed members of the United Nations convoy."

The operation is an example of the commitment of the U.S. government and its allies and partners to the people and government of Somalia "to detect, deter, disrupt and defeat violent extremists who threaten progress in the region, as well as threaten to conduct terrorist attacks against innocent people around the world," Kirby said.

The United States will continue to use all of the tools at its disposal, he said -- including finance, diplomacy, intelligence and military force -- to dismantle al-Shabab and other terrorist groups that threaten U.S. interests and those of U.S. allies and partners. 

Thriller Writer And Gun Expert Stephen Hunter Looks At Ferguson Shooting

Stephen Hunter, author of the thriller series that features former Marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger,  offers his take on the shooting of Michael Brown by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri at powerlineblog.com.

So much has been written about the incident at Ferguson, Missouri, that it’s remarkable none of it is of any use. So let’s try something new.

My idea is to look at the shooting as a shooting, not as an avatar of social malaise, a tragedy or an inevitability. Instead, let’s determine what can be learned from the few facts known and considered incontrovertible. I am no expert but I do know a little about this stuff.  

The four shots that hit Michael Brown in the right arm, according to autopsy drawing provided by Dr. Michael Baden at the insistence of Brown’s own parents, penetrated the outside, leading edge of that limb, just inside the bone. Thus it seems unlikely that those shots, assuming they came directly from in front, could have penetrated the arm at those locations while maintaining a front-to-rear angle.

Try this simple test. Raise your arms. In that position, examine which surface of your arm is vulnerable to frontally incoming gunshots. Clearly, it is the inside, unless you torque your arms inward in order to make the outsides vulnerable to incoming shots, an inconceivable notion.

As I see it, Brown’s arms were not up when he was shot, at least four of the six times.

You can read the rest of the piece via the below link:

http://www.powerlineblog.com/archives/2014/08/stephen-hunter-thoughts-on-ferguson.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+powerlineblog%2Flivefeed+(Power+Line)