Press Release
For Immediate Release
June 5, 2009

Washington D.C.
FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691


FBI’s Top Ten News Stories for the Week Ending June 5, 2009

1. Headquarters: FBI Releases Preliminary Annual Crime Statistics for 2008

According to the FBI's Preliminary Annual Uniform Crime Report, the nation experienced a 2.5 percent decrease in the number of violent crimes and a 1.6 percent decline in the number of property crimes for 2008, compared with data from 2007. The report is based on information that the FBI gathered from 12,750 law enforcement agencies that submitted six to 12 comparable months of data to the FBI for both 2007 and 2008. Full Story

2. Little Rock: Arrest in Army Recruiting Office Shooting

Abdulhakim Mujahid Muhammed, formerly known as Carlos Bledsoe, was arrested on state charges by the Little Rock, Arkansas, Police Department for the murder of Pvt. William Long and the attempted murder of Pvt. Quinton Ezeagwula, two soldiers in the United States Army at an Army Recruiting Office in Little Rock. The FBI is also investigating this incident, which may result in federal charges. Full Story

3. FBI Headquarters: Cultural Artifacts Returned to Anguilla

The FBI returned more than 100 bronze medallions to the Government of Anguilla in a ceremony during the island’s 42nd national holiday, or Anguilla Day, celebrations. The medallions were presented to The Honorable Mr. Osbourne Fleming, Chief Minister, by Samuel Bryant, Jr., the FBI Legal Attaché in Bridgetown. Full Story

4. New York: Four Indicted in Plot to Bomb Jewish Buildings, Shoot Military Planes

An eight-count Indictment was filed against James Cromitie, David Williams, Onta Williams, and Laguerre Payen in connection with their plot to detonate explosives near a synagogue and Jewish community center in the Riverdale section of Bronx, New York, and to shoot military planes located at the New York Air National Guard Base at Stewart Airport in Newburgh, New York, with Stinger surface-to-air guided missiles. Full Story

5. Seattle: Army Sergeant Charged with Sex Trafficking Juveniles

Sterling Terrance Hospedales, an Army Sergeant based at Fort Lewis, Washington, was charged with sex trafficking of a child and attempted sex trafficking of a child. Hospedales allegedly set up an apartment and Craigslist postings advertizing juvenile prostitutes. Full Story

6. Boston: Former State Legislator and Associates Indicted on Corruption Charges

Salvatore F. DiMasi, former Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, and three of his associates were charged with engaging in a wire and mail fraud scheme to deprive the citizens of Massachusetts of DiMasi’s honest services by allegedly using his power and influence to enable a software company to obtain multi-million dollar procurements from agencies of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Full Story

7. Charlotte: Four Indicted in Unlawful Coin Operation

Bernard von NotHaus, William Kevin Innes, Sarah Jane Bledsoe, and Rachelle L. Moseley were indicted on conspiracy and other charges in connection with an alleged unlawful operation to produce and sell coins that resembled genuine U.S. currency, including Liberty Dollar coins. Full Story

8. Philadelphia: Two Arrested in Connection with Firearm Onboard Aircraft

Damien Young and Roshid Milledge were arrested and charged in connection with Young’s boarding of a U.S. Airways flight from Philadelphia with a concealed handgun in his carry-on baggage. Milledge, a U.S. Airways employee, aided and abetted Young’s possession and concealment of the weapon onboard the aircraft. Full Story

9. Dallas: Man Sentenced for Sending Hoax White Powder Letters

Richard Goyette was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for mailing 65 threatening letters from Amarillo, Texas, to financial institutions last October. All but one of the letters contained a white powder along with a threat that the person breathing the powder would die within 10 days. All letters tested negative for hazardous materials. Full Story

10. Washington Field: Former Military Officer Sentenced for Role in Fraud Scheme

Debra Harrison, a former lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for her honest services wire fraud related to a scheme to defraud the U.S. government, the Republic of Iraq, and the Coalition Provisional Authority - South Central Region (CPA-SC) in Al-Hillah, Iraq. Full Story

Follow the FBI on Twitter @ FBIPressOffice

Privacy Policy | USA.gov | White House
FBI.gov is an official site of the U.S. Federal Government, U.S. Department of Justice.
------------------------------------------------------------
You can read these stories at this link:

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel09/ ... 060509.htm