Alabama Man Indicted for Lacey Act Wildlife Crimes

WASHINGTON – A Scottsboro, Ala., man was indicted today for the illegal possession, transportation and sale of protected reptiles in violation of the Lacey Act, announced Ignacia S. Moreno Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’ s Environmental & Natural Resources Division and Joyce White Vance, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama.

David Langella, 43, a resident of Scottsboro, traveled to Arizona for the past six years to hunt and capture Arizona state protected reptiles.   According to the felony and misdemeanor charges filed in federal court, Langella conspired with others to violate the Lacey Act, as well as   Arizona and Alabama state laws.   Langella transported some of the illegally captured reptiles back to Scottsboro for his own collection and some were distributed to others.   In addition, Langella provided guiding services to others for the capture of Arizona protected reptiles.  

According to the indictment filed in federal court:

In 2009, Langella traveled to Arizona where he provided guiding services to others for the capture of Gila monsters and Ridge nosed rattle snakes. Arizona state law prohibits the hunting and capture of both reptiles.

In 2009, Langella facilitated the transportation of non-indigenous poisonous reptiles into and out of Alabama in violation of Alabama law.

In 2009, Langella attempted to obstruct law enforcement officials in Alabama by concealing illegally obtained reptiles.

In 2006, Langella shipped illegally captured protected reptiles to Alabama using false shipping labels.

In 2008, Langella captures protected reptiles in Arizona and transported them back to Alabama in violation of Arizona and Alabama state laws.

The Lacey Act is a federal wildlife law which makes it unlawful to transport, sell, receive, acquire or purchase wildlife which was taken, transported, possessed or sold in violation of state, federal or Indian tribal laws or regulations.

An indictment is merely an allegation, and every defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

The investigation was conducted by agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Office of Law Enforcement and the Alabama Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries Division, Special Operations Unit. The case is being prosecuted by the Office of U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance White, Northern District of Alabama, in conjunction with the Environmental Crimes Section of the U.S. Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division.

The Chefs of RodnReel.com: A Fishing and Hunting Camp Cookbook

Mike Lane (Author)

The master chefs of one of the Gulf Coast's most popular fishing and boating organizations have compiled their best recipes into one incredible collection. A game and fishing community that shares its passion as well as its meals, the more than 100 contributors have been fishing, hunting, and cooking their entire lives. From crabs to crawfish and doves to deer, the masterminds behind RodnReel.com reveal their secrets to preparing catches worthy of being served around the campfire.

About the Author

Mike Lane is the creator of the Web sites RodnReel.com and RodnGun.com, which were among the first fishing Web sites in the United States. Lane has explored the Gulf of Mexico to depths exceeding 7,000 feet as a ROV pilot. He is past vice president and current board member of the Louisiana Outdoors Writers Association and a member of the Southeastern Outdoor Press Association. Laneís home overlooks the Mississippi River in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Two Texas Deer Hunters Indicted on Federal Charges of Violating Lacy Act

WICHITA, KS—Two Texas hunters have been indicted on federal poaching charges, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Justin Klein, 29, Center, Texas was indicted on three counts of transporting deer across state lines after the deer were illegally taken in Kansas. The indictment alleges the deer were taken in violation of Kansas hunting laws Nov. 1, 2006, and Nov. 1, 2007, in Comanche County, Kan.

Johnny Risinger, 43, Mt. Enterprise, Texas, was indicted on one count of transporting a deer across state lines after the deer was illegally taken in Kansas. The indictment alleges the deer was taken in violation of Kansas hunting laws on Dec. 1, 2005, in Comanche County, Kan.

Both men are charged under the Lacey Act, which is a federal law that makes it illegal to knowingly transport or sell in interstate commerce any wildlife taken or possessed in violation of state law or regulation.

The indictments are related to a federal investigation that led to the convictions of James Bobby Butler, Jr., and Marlin Jackson Butler on charges of conspiracy and interstate trafficking of game illegally taken in Kansas. James Butler was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison and Marlin Butler was sentenced to 27 months in federal prison. In the initial indictment against the Butlers, Klein and Risinger were identified by the initials JK and JR.

If convicted, Risinger and Klein face a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $20,000 on each count. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Treaster is prosecuting.

OTHER INDICTMENTS

A grand jury meeting in Wichita, Kan., also returned the following indictments:

Oscar Galindo, 40, a citizen of Mexico, is charged with one count of possession and use of false identification documents, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count of making a false statement to an agent of the Drug Enforcement Administration. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Jan. 7, 2011, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possession false documents, a mandatory two years consecutive to other sentences on each count of aggravated identity theft and a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of making a false statement.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Immigration and Custom Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Michael Scott Ramsey, 26, 1610 E. 7th, Hutchinson, Kan., is charged with two counts of threatening the life of the president of the United States. The crimes are alleged to have occurred July 1, 2009, and July 7, 2011, in Reno County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Secret Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Jane Doe, also known as Sarita Ceteno, also known as Sarita Gonzalez, 39, a citizen of Columbia who has been living in Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of possessing false identification documents, two counts of aggravated identity theft and one count on unlawful production of a Kansas driver’s license. The crimes are alleged to have occurred Oct. 23, 2009, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of possessing false documents, a mandatory two years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count of aggravated identity theft, and a maximum penalty of 15 years without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of producing a false driver’s license. The Kansas Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Anh Ngoc Dang, 34, is charged with one count unlawful production of a Kansas driver’s license and one count of aggravated identity theft. The crimes are alleged to have occurred March 22, 2007, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison without parole and a fine up to $250,000 on the charge of unlawful production of an identification document and a mandatory two years and a fine up to $250,000 on the identity theft charge. The Kansas Department of Revenue and the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson is prosecuting.

Robert D. Saiz, 34, is charged with failing to appear in federal court for sentencing. The indictment alleges he failed to appear Jan. 13, 2010, in federal court in Wichita. He had pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years, consecutive to the sentence on the original offense. The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Marshals Service investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mona Furst is prosecuting.

Joey Johnson, 38, Wichita, Kan., is charged with one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine, one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, three counts of distributing crack cocaine, and one count of attempting to distribute crack cocaine. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2011 in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $4 million on the conspiracy charge, a penalty of not less than five years and not more than 40 years on the count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, and a maximum penalty of 20 years and a fine up to $1 million on each count of distributing crack cocaine.

The Wichita Police Department investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting.

Samuel D. Holteen, 49, Goodland, Kan., is charged with two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction. The crimes are alleged to have occurred in 2011 and 2010 in Sherman County, Kan.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. The U.S. Attorney’s office is prosecuting.

Gabriel Garcia-Mounivong, 32, is charged with making a false statement to the FBI and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The crime is alleged to have occurred Nov. 16, 2010, in Sedgwick County, Kan.

If convicted, she faces a maximum penalty of five years and a fine up to $250,000. The FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lanny Welch is prosecuting.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

Right in Michigan's Grassroots: From the KKK to the Michigan Militia

JoEllen McNergney Vinyard (Author)

"A real contribution to Michigan history that gets to the root of the movements in twentieth-century American history that upon reflection can bring a certain discomfort and unease."

---Francis X. Blouin, Director of the Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan

Throughout the twentieth century, Michigan became home to nearly every political movement in America that emerged from the grassroots. Citizens organized on behalf of concerns on the "left," on the "right," and in the "middle of the road." Right in Michigan's Grassroots: From the KKK to the Michigan Militia is about the people who clashed with police, supported movements that others, then and later, would denounce as disgraceful---members of the Ku Klux Klan during the 1920s, the followers of Father Charles Coughlin in the 1930s, anti-Communists and the John Birch Society in the post–World War II era, and the members of the Michigan Militia who first appeared in the 1990s.

The book explores the complex historical circumstances in Michigan that prompted the emergence of these organizations and led everyday men and women to head off, despite ridicule or condemnation, with plans unsanctioned and tactics unorthodox, variously brandishing weapons of intimidation, discrimination, fearmongering, and terror. Drawing heavily on primary sources, including the organizations' files and interviews with some of their leaders and surviving members, JoEllen Vinyard provides a far more complete portrait of these well-known extremist groups than has ever been available.

Justice Department and EPA Officials Discuss Black Warrior River and Environmental Justice in Birmingham

BIRMINGHAM—The chief environmental enforcement official from the U.S. Department of Justice will visit Birmingham on Wednesday. Assistant Attorney General Ignacia S. Moreno will join U.S. Attorney Joyce Vance, EPA Regional Administrator Gwen Keyes Fleming, and Birmingham Division FBI Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Patrick Maley in meetings with federal enforcement partners and other stakeholders, including environmental organizations and community groups.

Among other meetings in Birmingham, Assistant Attorney General Moreno, U.S. Attorney Vance, EPA Regional Administrator Fleming and FBI SAC Maley will participate in a public listening session in Ensley to discuss environmental challenges, including issues affecting the Black Warrior River basin. State and local officials, including the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, have been invited to attend the listening session.

“The recent listing of the Black Warrior as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers highlights the importance of and the need for federal enforcement actions within this watershed, which provides drinking water for much of northern Alabama,” U.S. Attorney Vance said. “We hope to hear the candid concerns of the community and develop a better understanding of environmental justice concerns within the watershed.”

“I look forward to meeting with our partners in law enforcement, and with those in the community to discuss the impact of pollution in Alabama and the critical importance of environmental protection,” said Assistant Attorney General Moreno. “By vigorously enforcing the nation’s environmental laws, we are protecting the air, water, land, and the wildlife that Alabamians enjoy, including in the Black Warrior watershed. More broadly, we are seeking to make environmental justice a reality by reaching out to communities and taking their concerns into account as we enforce the law.”

“EPA has a long and effective history of working in the Black Warrior Watershed to protect public health and the environment. We look forward to hearing directly from Alabamians on key environmental issues that impact the places where they live, work, play and learn, to ensure that all communities have a seat at the table,” said EPA Regional Administrator Fleming.

Assistant Attorney General Moreno leads the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice. She is a leading practitioner in the field of environmental and natural resources law, with more than two decades of experience in both the public and private sectors.

Environmental justice is a major priority of the Department of Justice and the EPA, to provide all Americans—regardless of their race, ethnicity or income status—full protection under the nation’s environmental laws and protection from pollution, hazardous waste, and toxic substances.

The listening session will be held in Ensley, a western Birmingham neighborhood along Village Creek, a 44-mile waterway that runs from its headwaters in eastern Birmingham to the Locust Fork of the Black Warrior River. Flooding and pollution for decades have plagued the creek and many inner-city residents who live near it.

The meeting is scheduled at 10 a.m. at the East Ensley Branch of the Birmingham Public Library, 900 14th St., Ensley. Take I-59/20 Exit 120 onto 20th St., Ensley, and turn right at Avenue I. Go six blocks to 14th Street. The library is on the corner.

The Best of Fishing, Hunting, Camping, and Boating in Missouri: Tips from an Outdoor Enthusiast

Charles J. Farmer (Author)

In The Best of Fishing, Hunting, Camping, and Boating in Missouri, Charlie Farmer, an avid outdoorsman and the author of Unspoiled Beauty: A Personal Guide to Missouri Wilderness, provides the reader with some excellent tips for making the most of the four major outdoor nature activities that are available in Missouri. He also shares many of the fascinating adventures he has had during a lifetime of participating in his favorite pastimes.

Fishing—Learn about Missouri’s premier fishing lakes; trout parks and their locations; how to catch bass and bluegill; fishing for muskies; the best time to fish; the right and wrong way to catch a fish; night fishing; which fishing lures work best; the proper fishing lines to use; tips for fishing with kids; and what to include in a tackle box.

Hunting—Learn the best locations for hunting; the optimal habitat for deer, turkey, and squirrels; the different species of ducks and geese and their characteristics; how to field dress birds and waterfowl; about hunting dogs and various hunting clubs; and read about the author’s hunting experiences, first with his dad and, later, with his own son.

Camping—Find out which camping companies are best and where the ultimate camping spots are located. Learn about camping checklists and safety tips; the history of camping equipment; sources for camping information; rules of public land; and camping in winter. Farmer also includes a listing of the national and state lands in Missouri and information on the recreational opportunities they offer.     

Boating—Discover the vital role that boats, canoes, and houseboats play in enhancing the splendor of the streams and lakes and learn boating safety tips. Read about Farmer’s own frightening experience on Table Rock Lake during a terrible storm.

Clearly written and very readable, The Best of Fishing, Hunting, Camping, and Boating in

Missouri is an informative and useful book for all of the outdoor-lovers in the Show-Me State and surrounding areas. 

Job Hunting for Dummies, 2nd Edition

Max Messmer (Author)

Whether you're a recent high school or college grad or an established workforce veteran, changing jobs can be a scary experience. Let Job Hunting For Dummies, 2nd Edition, be your guide to pushing your career forward. Author Max Messmer, Chairman and CEO of Robert Half International (the world's largest specialized staffing firm), has used his job search expertise to create this cutting-edge guide to job hunting. Messmer offers the kind of friendly advice and insider's tips that can enhance your job search from start to finish.

Get yourself off on the right foot. First, organize your supplies; then, organize your search. Target your search in the job market of your choice; then, give yourself the tools that you need in order to break in to that market. Find out what separates bad resumes from resumes that get results. Discover the secrets of drumming up job leads, from researching online to using your own networks or working with a recruiter. After you're in, you'll be ready to shine with Messmer's complete list of the do's and don'ts of giving great interviews; and you'll be confident when the interview ends, knowing that you possess the keys to successfully closing an interview.

Don't wait another day. Find the job you want with Job Hunting For Dummies, 2nd Edition.

Fishing: The Extra Edge

Hartt Wixom (Author)

Veteran author and angler Hartt Wixom makes the complex simple with Fishing: The Extra Edge, his fourth book on the art and science of angling. Featuring proven strategies and secrets, advice for hooking and landing, helps for young anglers, and tips on bait fishing, spin fishing, and fly-fishing, this must-have book will help you develop the heart of an angler as it simultaneously helps you think like a fish.

"My hope in sharing half a century of angling experience herein is to help the beginner avoid mistakes and to provide the expert with an ‘extra edge’ as well. The beauty of it is that there is so much to learn, especially in fly-fishing, which I have treated more fully. Veteran guides I’ve talked with admit that they are still learning. So are we all. Or we should be."

About the Author

Hartt Wixom has been writing about angling for more than four decades. During that time, he has had more than a hundred articles published on fishing in such magazines as Outdoor Life, Field and Stream (five years a field editor), Sports Afield, Western Outdoors, American Angler, Southwestern Fly Fishing, and Salmon-Trout-Steelheader.

On one fishing trip, he went from his home in Provo, Utah, to the Kenai tip of Alaska and back, fishing on his way as he went. He has traveled to the Northwest Territories of Canada five times to catch trophy fish, including the largest fly-caught grayling in the 1967 Field and Stream contest and a world-record (catch and release, six-pound line class) northern pike on a fly he tied himself.

He has been an outdoor writer and editor for several western newspapers, including three Utah dailies: Deseret Morning News, Daily Herald, and St. George Spectrum.

Hartt has received top outdoor writing awards for his tell-it-like-it-is journalism, including recognition from the North American Association for Conservation Information. Always concerned about the next generation of anglers, he and three other fishermen organized the first chapter of Trout Unlimited in Utah. In 1965, he served as the organization’s first president in Utah. One of his prime goals is to simplify angling and protect the resource for all to enjoy for years to come.

Hartt and his wife, Judene, live in Ivins, Utah, and Cokeville, Wyoming. They have seven children and nineteen grandchildren.

Fishing and Hunting Guide to Utah (Foundations of Archaeological Inquiry)

Hartt Wixom (Author)

Hartt Wixom, a Utah native and former outdoor writer for the Deseret News, field editor for Field and Stream magazine, and author of Elk and Elk Hunting, has completely rewritten and updated his sportsman’s guide to describe Utah in the 1990s.

From trout fishing to deer hunting, from the mountains to deserts, he describes the best locations, techniques, and trophy records.

Get the paperback edition for $9!

Hunting Black-Tailed Deer: An Oregon Perspective

Louis G. Terkla (Author)

This book is a comprehensive guide to black-tailed deer hunting, based on the author's 56 years of deer hunting experience. It provides valuable tips for both the novice and seasoned hunter by combining useful biological information and hunting strategies. The book unravels much of the mystery surrounding black-tailed deer from preparation for the hunt to enjoying venison on the table and would be a welcome addition to any hunter's library.