Crime Time

Last of black tar heroin dealers working in Northeast Tarrant County sentenced

The last of 10 members of a drug-trafficking ring working in Northeast Tarrant County was sentenced to federal prison today.

William Walter Rainey was sentenced to 30 years in prison by by U.S. District Judge John McBryde in Fort Worth, the U.S. attorney's office said.

The other nine defendants in the case were sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from six to 40 years months, following their guilty pleas to their respective roles in the black tar heroin operation.

   The invesgitation was conducted by the DEA, Tarrant County Narcotics Unit and police departments from Bedford, Euless, Grapevine, Haltom City, Hurst, North Richland Hills and Watauga.

   The investigation began in May 2011 when Mark Andrew Talamini was arrested for possessing two ounces of black tar heroin, which led investigators to his supplier and other dealers.

   Investigators eventually determined that the 10 defendants were part of a larger organization responsible for distributing heroin in Northeast Tarrant County.

  Other defendants, and their sentences, are:

 Mario Guerra-Rocha, 28 years

Agusten Diaz, aka “Popeye,” 40 years
Michael Diaz, aka “Darky,” 9 years

Manuel Parada, aka “Pelon,” 6.6 years

Matthew Christopher Talamini, 9 years

Christopher Paul Sibley, 9 years

Mark Andrew Talamini, 26 years

Timothy Joseph Metzler, 6 years

John David Talamini, 11 years

- Lee Williams

 

 

Waco man accused of beating, eating a dog

A Waco man who told police he was having a "bad trip" after taking synthetic marijuana has been accused of beating -- and eating -- his family's dog after chasing a neighbor on his hands and knees while, yes, barking like a dog.

Michael Terron Daniel, 22, has been charged with felony cruelty to a non-livestock animal in the fatal attack against the dog, according to numerous news reports.

Waco police responded to a call on June 14 with a report of a man going crazy.

Police found Daniel,  covered in blood, on the porch and holding the dead dog. He apparently told people in the home that he had taken K-2, synthetic marijuana.

- Lee Williams

Texas DPS increasing patrols for July 4th holiday

FORT WORTH _ This is a warning to motorists in Texas who in the next few days will be driving too fast, not wearing their seat belts or driving drunk.
Troopers with the Texas Department of Public Safety will be out in force this Fourth of July holiday to stop you.
Increased DWI patrols will begin on Saturday and continue until July 8 throughout the state, particularly near lakes and recreation areas. Troopers also will participate in Operation C.A.R.E. from July 4 to July 8 where they will be watching out for seat belt violators and speeders.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that the July 4th holiday ranks as number one nationally for alcohol-related fatal crashes.
Last summer, DPS troopers made 1,406 DWI arrests during the holiday.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, more than 1,000 Texans are killed each year because of impaired drivers.
In addition last summer, troopers issued more than 21,300 speeding and seat belt violation citations and made more than 1,500 fugitive and felony arrests.
_ Domingo Ramirez Jr.

Former college student convicted of planning terrorist attacks in the United States

A former Texas Tech University student and native of Saudi Arabia was found guilty Wednesday afternoon of planning to bomb several American sites that included dams, the homes of former military officers and the Dallas residence of former President George W. Bush.
Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari, 22, also researched how to place explosive devices in infant dolls to target a nightclub.
A federal jury in Amarillo found Aldawsari guilty of one count of attempted use of a weapon of mass destruction.
Aldawsari who faces a maximum of life in prison and a $250,000 fine is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9 in Amarillo
The 22-year-old was arrested on Feb. 23, 2011 in Lubbock.
Aldawsari was lawfully admitted to the United States in 2008 on a student visa and had attended Texas Tech and South Plains College in Levelland near Lubbock.
At the time of his arrest last year, evidence in the trial showed that the Saudi Arabia native had been researching  online how to construct an improvised explosive device using several chemicals as ingredients. Aldawsari allegedly described his desire for violent jihad and martyrdom in blog postings and a personal journal.
Federal agents got tipped off in February 2011 when a chemical supplier reported to the FBI a suspicious attempt to purchase concentrated phenol by a man identifying himself as Khalid Ali-M Aldawsari.
Excerpts from a journal found a Aldawsari’s residence indicated that he had been planning to commit a terrorist attack in the United States for years.
_ Domingo Ramirez Jr.

Driver injured in crash with Fort Worth patrol car

FORT WORTH _ A motorist was injured Tuesday afternoon when a patrol car rear-ended a vehicle on a service road, police said.
The driver who was not identified was taken to a local hospital, but her injuries were not considered life-threatening.
The officer was not injured, police said.
The crash occurred about 3 p.m. Tuesday on a service road near east Loop 820 and Craig Street.
The vehicle was on the service road when it stopped because of ladders on the road, police said. A patrol car that was behind the vehicle collided with the back of the vehicle, police said.
_ Domingo Ramirez Jr.

Man killed in one-vehicle crash in Forest Hill

FOREST HILL — A 55-year-old man was killed Tuesday afternoon when he was thrown from his truck that jumped a retaining wall and crashed in front of oncoming traffic, police said.

Interim Police Chief Dan Dennis said the man, who was not identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The wreck occurred about 5:15 p.m. in the 5300 block of Southeast Loop 820 near Mansfield Highway.

Traffic was backed up for miles as emergency personnel worked to clear the scene, Fire Chief Ed Henderson said.

According to Dennis, the driver of a red 2007 Ford F-150 suddenly crossed three westbound lanes, struck a guardrail and went over a concrete barrier. He said the vehicle rolled and landed upside down in an eastbound lane.

No one else was involved in the crash.

Dennis said there was no obvious reason why the driver had suddenly crossed three lanes of traffic, adding that the driver may have been speeding.

The Police Department asks that anyone who may have witnessed the accident contact Detective Winters at 817-531-5250.

— Marty Sabota

 

Euless man held in shooting death outside Arlington party

A 19-year-old Euless man was in the Arlington City Jail on Friday facing a murder charge in connection with the shooting of Obeth Hernandez, 18, of Dallas outside a house party in east Arlington.

Bail was set at $250,000 for Dreonte Baron Dillard (at left), whom police said was with a group of friends who were asked to leave the party in the 1600 block of Geraldine Lane after an argument early Sunday.

Hernandez was shot in the chest and abdomen while outside the house and later died at John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.

Police said they continue to investigate other suspects who may have been involved.

A 21-year-old man whom police did not identify also suffered gunshot wounds. He was taken to JPS in critical condition.

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Jurors resume deliberations in 'skimmer' trial with jury request to review evidence

UPDATE: 1:30 p.m.

The jury resumed deliberations in the "skimmer" trial after taking a one-hour lunch break.

Shortly after returning to the jury room, they asked to see additional evidence, including photos of the hotel room where evidence was seized and the black card case that defendant Aleksandr Goukasian had that contained cards made with stolen date.

Goukasian, 52, an Armenian who listed a California address when arrested, is charged with participating in a theft ring that used illegal "skimmers" to steal credit and debit card information and PIN numers from gas pumps.

-Dianna Hunt

UPDATE: 10:45 a.m.

The jury began deliberating about 10:30 a.m.in the case against Aleksandr Goukasian, accused of participating in a credit and debit card "skimming" ring that victimized 38,000 people across the nation.

Prosecutors Lori Burks and Jon O'Toole told jurors that Goukasian is linked to four other people, all of whom arrived from California to plant high-tech "skimmers" in gasoline pumps across the area so they could skim account information and PIN numbers.

"He came to North Texas and he targeted our community, our financial information," Burks told jurors. "Why? Money. He's greedy."

Defense attorney Abe Factor told jurors that Goukasian was guilty of using stolen credit card information but that he had not been linked to the larger theft ring.

"Aleksandr Goukasian is a mule," Factor said. "He was packed up and given a task ... He is guilty of credit card abuse."

The trial in state District Judge Wayne Salvant's court was delayed for two days after Goukasian was found nearly unconscious in his home in Fort Worth. Investigators found him after he failed to appear in court for his trial.

-Dianna Hunt

Friday morning, 9:25 a.m.

Accused ID skimmer Aleksandr Goukasian is back in court Friday after being hospitalized for an apparent overdose of prescription sleeping pills.

Closing arguments are expected to begin by 9:30 a.m. in Goukasian's trial on charges he participated in a theft ring that used illegal "skimmers" placed surreptitiously in gas pumps across North Texas to cull consumers' account information.

Goukasian, under questioning from his attorney Abe Factor, told the judge outside the jury's presence that he had decided not to testify. A Russian translator was brought in to ensure that Goukasian, who is Armenian, understood the decision.

Prosecutors Lori Burks and Jon O'Toole presented evidence that Goukasian was part of a ring that bilked thousands of dollars from credit and debit cards after obtaining account information and PIN numbers from the skimmers.

Thirteen skimmers were found throughout North Texas. Others were found in Houston, Mojave, Calif. and Las Vegas.

The jury in state District Judge Wayne Salvant's court is expected to begin deliberating Friday morning.

-Dianna Hunt

Oncor: 3,600 Grapevine customers lose power

GRAPEVINE — More than 3,600 area customers were without power Thursday afternoon.

An Oncor spokeswoman said that the cause of the 5 p.m. outage was unknown. The number of outages had been reduced to 1,800 by Thursday evening.

The spokeswoman did not have an estimated time for restoration of power to all customers.

— Marty Sabota

'Skimmer' trial to resume Friday after defendant recovers from apparent overdose of sleeping pills

The trial for accused ID skimmer Aleksandr Goukasian will resume on Friday after being halted for two days while the defendant was hospitalized with an apparent overdose of prescription sleeping pills.

The defense is expected to begin presenting its case at 8:45 a.m. Friday in state District Judge Wayne Salvant's court.

Goukasian, 52, an Armenian who listed a Los Angeles address at the time of his arrest, is accused of participating in a theft ring that used high-tech "skimmers" to cull consumers' account information from gas pumps across North Texas.

Prosecutors Lori Burks and Jon O'Toole presented evidence that the ring placed small devices inside gas pumps to collect credit and debit card information and PIN numbers as consumers filled their tanks. Thirteen skimmers were discovered throughout North Texas.

Defense attorneys Abe Factor and Gerard Kardonsky could not be reached for comment.

-Dianna Hunt