Davenport Man Sentenced to 161 Months in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute Cocaine Base

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 25, 2013, Keevin J. Hanes, age 26, was sentenced by United States District Judge James E. Gritzner to 161 months imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute, and possession with intent to distribute, 280 grams or more of cocaine base, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.  Hanes was also ordered to serve five years of supervised release following the imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Beginning in approximately September 2011 and continuing until about December 26, 2012, Hanes conspired with others to distribute cocaine base in the Davenport, Iowa, area.  

Hanes purchased cocaine from various persons which was then converted to cocaine base and redistributed in the Davenport area.  As part of the investigation, law enforcement officers conducted searches of Hanes' Davenport residence on two occasions and seized cocaine base, cocaine, a digital scale, packaging material, drug paraphernalia, and a significant amount of U.S.

This case was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department; the United States Drug Enforcement Administration; the Muscatine County Drug Task Force; and the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement.  The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

Davenport Man Sentenced to 18 Months Imprisonment for Firearm Offense

DAVENPORT, IA - On July 25, 2013, Mark Timothy Hudson, age 19, of Davenport, Iowa, was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment by Chief United States District Judge James E. Gritzner for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt.  Judge Gritzner also sentenced Alvarado to three years of supervised release.

On September 3, 2012, police responded to Hudson's residence due to a domestic disturbance. Hudson fled from the residence and discarded a .357 magnum revolver in bushes nearby. Police recovered the firearm and arrested Hudson, who had previously been convicted of a felony offense.   

This case was investigated by the Davenport, Iowa, Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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Review intended to answer questions regarding claims of retaliation

(DES MOINES) - Gov. Terry E. Branstad today appointed former Iowa Supreme Court Chief Justice Louis A. Lavarato to conduct an independent review into the firing of DCI Agent Larry Hedlund.

In a letter to former Chief Justice Louis A. Lavarato, Branstad stated:

"You are known within the legal community for your integrity, legal acumen and impartial judgment. I believe the people of Iowa would benefit from your independent review of a matter of public interest."

[...]

"I am committed to transparency. Iowa law prevents all Iowans from having all of the facts and evidence surrounding Mr. Hedlund's termination; therefore, I ask you to fully review the Internal Affairs investigation and provide the public with your own independent conclusion as to whether Mr. Hedlund's termination was in any way related to retaliation for reporting my vehicle for speeding on April 26, 2013."

The governor is commissioning this review to put to rest any lingering questions or doubts as to whether or not retaliation was the cause of Larry Hedlund's termination from the Iowa Department of Public Safety.

The governor believes all Iowans deserve complete transparency, deserve the truth, and deserve the whole truth. The governor believes transparency will be achieved with this independent review.

"Iowans may continue to have questions and doubts about the allegations made until they know the whole story. I want Iowans to know the truth," said Gov. Branstad. "Former Chief Justice Louis A. Lavarato is a respected and impartial statesman, and will offer a fresh, independent review of this matter. He will share his findings with Iowans, and will bring to light the full truth."

The governor has asked for the review to be fully independent, allowing Iowans the opportunity to review former Chief Justice Louis A. Lavarato's findings as early as possible once the full review concludes.

As terrible as human trafficking is for each subjugated person throughout the world, Sharon Buchbinder says women and children are especially vulnerable.

"Forced labor, organ harvesting and the soul-destroying, commercial sex industry often feature men as vicitms; however, it is the commercial sex industry that accounts for approximately 75 to 80 percent of human trafficking, which predominately targets women and girls," says Buchbinder, an award-winning, multi-published novelist who recently published "Obsession," (www.sharonbuchbinder.com), which deals with international kidnapping.

"There are more than 27 million slaves worldwide, according to the United Nations, generating an estimated $32 billion in profits, most of which are earned on the backs of young women, yet more and more case findings are uncovering women as ringleaders and operators of trafficking syndicates," she says.

Buchbinder reviews some recent cases:

• A Saudi Arabian princess charged in Los Angeles: Meshael Alayban faces one felony count of human trafficking after being accused of holding a domestic servant against her will at her condominium in Irvine, Calif. Alayban is one of the wives of Saudi Prince Abdulrahman bin Nasser bin Abdulaziz al Saud. A female servant, originally from Kenya, escaped and flagged down a bus, after which she told her story to local police. The woman says she was promised weekends off and a good wage but was forced to work 16-hour days, seven days a week and was paid only $220 a month. Alayban faces a maximum sentence of 12 years if convicted. She is being held in the Orange County jail in lieu of $5 million bail.

• United Nations study shows females traffic more sex workers than men in developing countries: Using data from 155 countries, the UN's first international report attempting to calculate the scope, nature and patterns of human trafficking found a disproportionately high number of female perpetrators selling other women into slavery. The report uncovered an alarming trend: women who were once victims of the sex trade often develop into ringleaders of the illegal, underground sex industry. Researchers cite money, poverty and a skewed psychological perspective for possible reasons for this phenomenon.

• Woman recently sentenced to more than seven years in a federal prison for trafficking a 16-year-old in three different states: Jessica Loren Posey was sentenced earlier this year to serve time for transporting a juvenile girl to Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio for the purpose of prostitution. According to a U.S. attorney, Posey met the girl at a party and coerced her to engage in sex for money. Posey, 25, marketed the girl using uploaded pictures on various pornographic websites, and she arranged meetings at hotel rooms, driving the girl there.

"In America, we often think of slavery as a problem of the past; in reality, however, there are more human slaves in the world today than ever before in history, with roughly 27 million people are held as slaves worldwide," Buchbinder says. "Unfortunately, this is likely to be a persistent problem - a human trafficker can potentially earn 20 times the amount paid for a girl, which can be worth a quarter million dollars. Unlike drugs and guns, girls can be used over and over again."

About Sharon Buchbinder

Sharon Buchbinder is an award-winning author published in contemporary, erotic, paranormal and romantic-suspense genres. After working in health care delivery for years, Buchbinder became an executive, a health care researcher and an academic in higher education. Despite enjoying the good life with a good career, her supportive husband and an amazing son, the itch to write kept beckoning her. She credits much of her success to the kindness of family, friends, critique partners, Romance Writers of America and Maryland Romance Writers.

CARBONDALE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon will rededicate the historic Old Lincoln Courtroom and Museum in Beardstown before traveling to Galesburg where President Obama will speak to residents about the economy.

"The courthouse in Beardstown is an important historic site, and we need to continue to preserve it for future visitors to the Beardstown area," said Simon, a former prosecutor. "Tourism is just one tool we can use to help support local economies, and I look forward to hearing President Obama outline his plan for economic growth."

The Lincoln Courtroom and Museum is housed in the former Cass County Courthouse that was built in 1844, and it was the location of "Almanac Trial" in which Abraham Lincoln defended Duff Armstrong two years before being elected as president.

The Old Lincoln Courtroom & Museum Commission, which operates the courtroom, recently completed a major audio/video project funded entirely through private donations. As a result of the work, English and Spanish language videos playing on new monitors will teach visitors about exhibits and the building itself.

Later, Simon will join President Obama at Knox College where he will kick off a series of speeches that outline an economic plan focused on fighting for America's middle class.

Wednesday, July 24 

EVENT: Lincoln Courtroom and Museum rededication

TIME: 8:30 a.m.

PLACE: Beardstown Courthouse, corner of Third and State Streets, Beardstown, IL 62618

EVENT: President Obama: Fighting for America's Middle Class

TIME: 11:30 a.m.

PLACE: Knox College Memorial Gym, 2 East South Street, Galesburg, IL 61401

NOTE: Media credentials via the White House will be required.