In its Wednesday online edition, the San Jose Mercury News article headlined State Sen. Leland Yee indicted on arms trafficking, corruption reports that California State Senate colleagues were shocked at the indictment of Sen. Leland Yin Yee, one of the state’s strongest advocates for both gun control and good government. Yee was considered a strong contender to be California’s next Secretary of State. Yee’s district includes San Francisco and part of San Mateo County.
In addition to Yee, the 26 people indicted included Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow, the alleged leader of San Francisco’s Chee Kung Tong . FBI Special Agent Emmanuel V. Pascua’s 136-page affidavit in support of the complaint identifies a wide range of charges including firearms trafficking, money laundering, murder-for-hire, drug distribution, trafficking in contraband cigarettes, and honest services fraud. So far, however, the charges against Yee are for Wire Fraud of Honest Services, Conspiracy to Deal Firearms Without a License and Conspiracy to Illegally Import Firearms. (Note: The honest services fraud allegations against Yee are detailed in the affidavit and are an excellent tutorial in how campaign finance donations are used to bribe public officials.)
Here is a link to the March 26th press release issued by the US Department of Justice‘s United States Attorney for the Northern District of California Melinda Haag, FBI Special Agent in Charge David J. Johnson, and Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation, Special Agent in Charge José M. Martinez.
ADDENDUM on 03-28-2014 at 07:13 AM: Some but not all racketeers and gangsters shun publicity. Others like Raymond “Shrimp Boy” Chow seek to achieve an air of legitimacy by associating with prominent community leaders and appearing to “give back to their community.” As reported in this San Jose Mercury news story, this SFGate story, and this Los Angeles Times story, Chow was in the latter category.
If that story happened here, the CDA Press’ lede above the fold would be, “Local Church Holds Bake Sale.”
Comment by Dan Gookin — March 27, 2014 @ 4:51 pm
And there would be a half-dozen or more “check-passing” photos showing donations to favorite charities. Anything to avoid even a hint that this kind of thing is occurring in Idaho. Wouldn’t want the common folk (that’d be us) starting to think that corrupt public officials and those willing to pay them off just might be the reason why Idaho is near the bottom in stuff where we should be near the top and near the top in stuff where we should be near the bottom.
Comment by Bill — March 27, 2014 @ 6:46 pm
Yep, here is one out of Idaho, today. It appears that there are more headlines out there, recently concerning this state. Granted, it is about his release in prison of only 4 yrs, due to stealing about 45 million. I guess it worth the time to do the crime, here, if you get caught. Makes you want to gag … or more.
“Behrmann, who was prosecuting attorney in Gem County in the early 1980s and later was a part-time magistrate in Payette County, mentioned his background to potential investors. Prosecutors said he encouraged people to call him “judge.”
Read more here: http://www.idahostatesman.com/2014/03/28/3104859/emmett-man-getting-out-of-federal.html?sp=/99/1687/&ihp=1#storylink=cpy
Comment by Stebbijo — March 28, 2014 @ 7:39 am