Press Release
For Immediate Release
March 26, 2010
Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending March 26, 2010

FBI Headquarters: FBI Releases Bank Crime Statistics for Fourth Quarter of 2009

During the fourth quarter of 2009, there were 1,312 reported violations of the Federal Bank Robbery and Incidental Crimes Statue, a decrease from the 1,649 reported violations in the same quarter of 2008. According to statistics released Monday by the FBI, there were 1,294 robberies, 16 burglaries and two larcenies of financial institutions reported between October 1, 2009 and December 31, 2009. No extortions were reported during the quarter. Full Story

New Haven: Members and Associates of White Supremacist Group Charged with Making Grenades, Selling Guns

A federal grand jury in New Haven returned a seven-count indictment charging five individuals with conspiracy and firearms offenses stemming from an alleged attempt to sell firearms and explosive grenades to a white supremacist group located outside of Connecticut. The group, the Connecticut White Wolves, is now known as Battalion 14. Members are alleged to have planned to rob an individual who had an extensive inventory of weapons at his house. Full Story

Detroit: Woman Who Opened Clinics to Fraudulently Bill Medicare Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison

Daisy Martinez was sentenced to 96 months in prison for her role in a series of Detroit Medicare fraud schemes. According to information contained in plea documents, Martinez admitted that in approximately March 2006, she devised a scheme with co-conspirator Jose Rosario to open a clinic that purported to specialize in infusion and injection therapy services in Michigan. She admitted that during the time Sacred Hope was open, the clinic routinely billed the Medicare program for services that were medically unnecessary or were never provided. Full Story
Atlanta: Polk County Police Officer Charged with Running a Chop Shop and Obstructing a Federal Investigation

Mark Howell Sparks was indicted by a federal grand jury and arraigned on charges that he operated and maintained a chop shop, possessed vehicles and vehicle parts with altered, obliterated and removed vehicle identification numbers (VINs), and obstructed a federal investigation. Full Story

Sacramento: Man Convicted of Federal Hate Crime for Race-Motivated Assault

A federal jury convicted Eric Clawson of a federal hate crime for his assault of an African-American man in a Chico bar. On July 6, 2008, Clawson entered Riley’s Bar & Grill in Chico while the victim was sitting inside with a friend. Shortly after entering the bar, Clawson used a racially derogatory term to object to the victim’s presence. Clawson repeated this slur several times and, a short while later, without any verbal or physical provocation, approached and punched the victim in the face. The assault rendered the victim unconscious and inflicted injuries to his face and mouth. Full Story

New York: Former Lieutentant of Genovese Crime Family Sentenced in Manhattan Federal Court to an Additional Year in Prison

Joseph Leo, nephew and former primary lieutenant to Daniel Leo, aka “The Lion,â€