Former State Rep. T.D. El Amin Sentenced To 18 Months

Posted at http://www.fox2now.com/news/ktvi-td-el-amin-sentenced-bribe-010610,0,2750312.story

ST. LOUIS, MO -- (KTVI - FOX2now.com) - The third Missouri politician to plead guilty under a federal anti-public corruption campaign failed Wednesday to convince a judge to be lenient. U.S. District Judge Henry Autrey ordered 39-year Talibdin "TD" El-Amin of St. Louis to serve 18 months in federal prison and two years of supervised release for soliciting and accepting a bribe of $2100. He was also ordered to pay back the bribe money.

Standing before the federal judge, El-Amin admitted he broke the law and must accept the consequences. "I detest myself," he told Autrey. His lawyer, Paul D'Agrosa told the judge his client's actions were "aberrant conduct" and he deserved a sentence less than the federal guidelines of 18 to 24 months. D'Agrosa pointed to El-Amin's previous efforts to help those in his north St. Louis community, his willingness to support his five children and his generosity in donating a kidney to his father. "Twelve months and a day is sufficient to address this crime and still serve as punishment," D'Agrosa said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Goldsmith disagreed arguing El-Amin "sold his public office and used the power of his office to prey on constituents." Goldsmith added, "what citizens got was a classic shakedown."

The conviction derailed what had been a promising political career for the northside politician. He was elected to the 57th district seat after his wife, State Representative Yaphett El-Amin vacated it to seek the Democratic nomination for the fourth Senate District seat in 2006. She lost that race to Democrat Jeff Smith who is now serving a year long federal prison term for lying to federal agents about campaign activities during his 2004 bid for Congress. "TD" El-Amin had been considered a frontrunner for Smith's Missouri Senate seat until he too ran afoul of the law.

El-Amin pled guilty in September 2009 to one count of soliciting and accepting a bribe after he learned federal agents had surveillance video showing him accepting cash from a small business owner and passing written notes about the bribe in his state representative office. The business owner had asked El-Amin for help dealing with St. Louis City inspectors who were impacting his business. The man subsequently sought help from federal authorities who launched an undercover investigation.
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Court Martial Defense Lawyer Defending Cases in Okinawa Japan, Yongsan Korea, Camp Casey, Camp Zama Japan, Military Attorney

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Yongsan Korea Court Martial Lawyer Tim Bilecki Defends Command sergeant major

CSM pleads guilty after sexual contact with subordinate

By Jon Rabiroff, Stars and Stripes
December 18, 2009

Command Sgt. Maj. Antonio Holder pleaded guilty to fraternization with a subordinate enlisted man Tuesday and was sentenced to a reduction in rank to an E-8 and a formal reprimand.
CAMP CASEY, South Korea — A brief moment of sexual contact between a senior noncommissioned officer and a subordinate sent both soldiers down different roads of guilt and despair.

Command Sgt. Maj. Antonio Holder found himself ostracized by his peers, and his impressive 29-year military career tarnished as he faced a court-martial. His former driver, a specialist, said the May incident left him unable to eat or sleep normally and with scars on his arms that he attributed to self-inflicted wounds resulting from depression. He said he has repeatedly attempted suicide.

Ultimately, Holder pleaded guilty to fraternizing with a subordinate enlisted man and was sentenced to a reduction in rank to E-8 and a formal reprimand, but not before a daylong sentencing hearing Tuesday at Camp Casey that featured dramatic testimony from the two men about how their lives spiraled downward after an incident that began with a graphic sexual discussion.

“It’s hard to respect … my leaders because I don’t know who I can trust,” the former driver testified. “I used to love the Army. Now I do it because I have to.”

Holder said, “I am truly sorry for the hurt, the shame and the embarrassment that I have brought to all. I am here today pleading guilty to take responsibility and be held accountable for my actions.”

The specialist was assigned to be Holder’s driver earlier this year when both were with the 2nd Infantry Division’s Special Troops Battalion based at Camp Red Cloud in Uijeongbu. On May 13, on a drive between Red Cloud and Yongsan Garrison, Holder said he and his driver got into a discussion “of a sexual nature.” Before Holder could go into greater detail, the judge, Lt. Col. Thomas Kulish, closed the courtroom to spectators, citing the nature of the testimony to come.

However, in his closing argument, defense attorney Capt. Tim Bilecki said that during the discussion in the vehicle between Holder and his driver, the specialist repeatedly bragged about the size of his penis.

The two men disagree about whether what happened next was invited, but Holder admitted in court that he then reached over, undid the driver’s pants, reached in and “brushed up against” the specialist’s crotch through his boxers.

“It was not done for any sexual gratification, but because I was tired of hearing about his penis,” Holder testified. “I should have just ordered him to stop talking about it. … I had a momentary lapse in judgment, and before it registered, the mistake was already made.

“This is no excuse, however,” he continued. “My actions were completely wrong. I was … the supervisor in that situation who knew better and should have never allowed the conversation to take the inappropriate turn that it did.”

Holder is married, and his wife of three years testified by telephone from her North Carolina home during the hearing in support of her husband.

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Court Martial Defense Lawyer Defending Cases in Okinawa Japan, Yongsan Korea, Camp Casey, Camp Zama Japan, Military Attorney

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Hearing held in Ellsworth Air Force Base court martial proceedings: Court Martial Lawyer

Associated Press - January 6, 2010 6:25 AM ET

ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. (AP) - A hearing at Ellsworth Air Force Base will determine if there's enough evidence to proceed with a military trial against airman Vinny Santana.

The Wednesday hearing is the military equivalent of grand jury proceedings in civilian court.

The 22-year-old Ellsworth airman allegedly wounded another airman in an off-base shooting in September.

The state dropped attempted murder charges against Santana and the case was turned over to the military.
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Court Martial Defense Lawyer Defending Cases in Okinawa Japan, Yongsan Korea, Camp Casey, Camp Zama Japan, Military Attorney

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Court Martial Defense Lawyer

State moves to remove officer by court martial
Says Guard aide misused funds

By Andrea Estes
Posted at the Boston.com
Written by the Globe Staff / January 9, 2010

A top official in the Massachusetts National Guard faces possible removal by court-martial after state and federal investigations uncovered a range of alleged improprieties, including misusing federal money, hiring a convicted felon to do legal work, and threatening a whistleblower.

Quartermaster Mark P. Murray, who oversees all state-owned National Guard property, has been on paid leave since April, when the head of the Guard, Adjutant General Joseph Carter, questioned Murray’s handling of federal funds and asked the state auditor and the US Army to investigate.

Though none of the investigations or audits by five federal and state agencies turned up criminal wrongdoing, Murray, who makes $145,000 a year and collects a federal military pension, is accused of violating a host of federal and state rules and regulations.

Yesterday, Murray received a hand-delivered letter accusing him of “waste, fraud, and abuse’’ and ordering him to resign by day’s end or face a court-martial convened by Governor Deval Patrick. State officials could not find a documented court-martial in recent Massachusetts history.

Murray informed the Guard that he would fight the charges, officials said.

Read the entire article at http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2010/01/09/mass_moves_to_court_martial_key_national_guard_quartermaster/
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Court Martial Defense Lawyer Defending Cases in Okinawa Japan, Yongsan Korea, Camp Casey, Camp Zama Japan, Military Attorney

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