Breaking: Alleged gun trafficker Senator Leland Yee pleads guilty in federal court

[usmarine0352_2005]

http://www.guns.com/2015/07/01/brea...er-leland-yee-pleads-guilty-in-federal-court/

Breaking: Alleged gun trafficker Leland Yee pleads guilty in federal court

7/01/15 | by Chris Eger

Former California State Sen. Leland Yee appeared in a U.S. District Court Wednesday and pleaded guilty to a single count of racketeering.

Yee, ironically known for his gun control legislation, was arrested last March on a host of charges including plotting to smuggle guns into the country via Islamic terror groups. This left may gun control advocates, who up until that time held the San Francisco-based politician as a champion in the crusade for tougher gun laws, dismayed.

Wednesday, Yee appeared before U.S. District Judge Charles Breyer along with three other defendants in the case, political consultant Keith Jackson, his son, Brandon Jackson, and former sports agent Marlon Sullivan, for the purpose of changing their former not guilty pleas.

Facing potentially the rest of his life in prison, Yee’s legal team entered a plea of guilty to one felony count of racketeering.

 

[usmarine0352_2005]

Wow.



From the article:

Just before his arrest, Yee facilitated a meeting with an arms dealer contact of his and undercover agents for buying up to $2.5 million worth weapons that ranged from small arms to missile launchers.

 

[Midwest]

Wow is right
.

 

[C0untZer0]

 

[danez71]

He shouldn't get anything less than life in prison.

 

[wally]

Way too sweat of a deal for this scum ...

So much for "justice".

 

[Lord Teapot]

so the goal was to first disarm the american people, then smuggle in guns from islamic terrorist groups, arm domestic islamic terrorists, and take over the united states? that's about the only way this adds up....

 

[CLP]

so the goal was to first disarm the american people, then smuggle in guns from islamic terrorist groups, arm domestic islamic terrorists, and take over the united states? that's about the only way this adds up....

Funny how that's the first thought I had as well.

 

[barnbwt]

ONE. CHARGE?!

Is California for real? This is the sweet cake deal of the century for Yee. Absolutely ridiculous the prosecutors decided to stoop to this. An international gun runner rubbing noses with every scumbag from the Triads to Arab terrorists, utilizing smuggling routes ranging from New Jersey to Los Angeles, gets off by pleading guilty to a single charge. This gangster should be spending the rest of his life in prison for his crimes, and yet the prosecution is opting to let him off with a single charge that will probably end up in a paltry sentence (maybe not even prison).

Can we at least assume that the deal was in return for Yee's testimony in the hopefully continuing investigation of Yee's associates and activities? Or does the rabbit hole end with this conviction? Freaking rocket launchers imported on behalf of terrorists, and he'll be out of jail in a handful of years, at most. Ridiculous.

And the pass this has been given by the press is nothing short of astonishing.

TCB

 

[barnbwt]

danez, that meme needs to read "arrested for trafficking rocket launchers"

The apt hyperbole in this whole case is incredible, and yet it's reported on as though he'd smuggled in machine tools from an embargoed nation, or something.

TCB

 

[barnbwt]

"so the goal was to first disarm the american people, then smuggle in guns from islamic terrorist groups, arm domestic islamic terrorists, and take over the united states? that's about the only way this adds up..."

or...

1) His public persona was a diversion to draw suspicion away from his activities (both legal and press)
2) His district of operation placed him in close proximity with organized crime, though his party line is publicly opposed to its goals (and don't think this isn't the case in every major metro area besides Chicago)
3) His public actions were intended to drive up the price of arms he was selling to organized crime and terrorists

Since #1 didn't work too good once non-local authorities started snooping around, and #3 would get him killed by his clients, I'm gonna go with door number two. Only instead of like most corrupt politicians that cater to money-laundering casinos and night clubs, his bag was smuggling (I'm sure it wasn't just guns, and I'm sure it had been going on for years, and is still ongoing despite his arrest)

TCB

 

[CLP]

Nothing "alleged" about his crimes

 

[Rock185]

Yes, one count is a very sweet deal. If he were not a once powerful politician, with still powerful friends, he would likely have been charged with one felony count for EACH gun he had a hand in illegally trafficking.......

 

[CajunBass]

No wonder he was such an expert in such things.

 

[Davek1977]

Wish they would have had the evidence to charge him with treason, because, at its base, thats what this is, IMO

 

[danez71]

I've read but not confirmed that 'Life' is a possibility for him and that he is cooperating to some degree in hopes of a lighter sentence.

Either way... Club Fed is where he's going.

I think his plan was similar to the glass shop owner breaking windows all over town.

"Look at all the gun crime by these horrible people.... the NRA supports terrorists....you need me to save you by banning guns".

Barf.

 

[Lord Teapot]

"so the goal was to first disarm the american people, then smuggle in guns from islamic terrorist groups, arm domestic islamic terrorists, and take over the united states? that's about the only way this adds up..."

or...

1) His public persona was a diversion to draw suspicion away from his activities (both legal and press)
2) His district of operation placed him in close proximity with organized crime, though his party line is publicly opposed to its goals (and don't think this isn't the case in every major metro area besides Chicago)
3) His public actions were intended to drive up the price of arms he was selling to organized crime and terrorists

Since #1 didn't work too good once non-local authorities started snooping around, and #3 would get him killed by his clients, I'm gonna go with door number two. Only instead of like most corrupt politicians that cater to money-laundering casinos and night clubs, his bag was smuggling (I'm sure it wasn't just guns, and I'm sure it had been going on for years, and is still ongoing despite his arrest)

TCB

i don't know about that, seems like most gun banny regimes have a bit more in store for their subjects than organized crime, historically speaking.

 

[Averageman]

Wonder if he is still going to collect his federal retirement after he is in prison?

 

[CoRoMo]

A lot of surprised members here

Some of you don't seem to understand what 'above the law' means.

 

[danez71]

Wonder if he is still going to collect his federal retirement after he is in prison?

He initially tried to use money from the democratic party for his defense.

The only good part about that would have been flushing their money down the toilet.

 

[Frank Ettin]

ONE. CHARGE?!

Is California for real? This is the sweet cake deal of the century for Yee. Absolutely ridiculous the prosecutors decided to stoop to this....

Are you for real? Do you have any clue what the prosecution's case is like? How strong or weak? Exactly what the evidence against Yee is? How it's likely to play to a jury? How good or poor the prosecution witnesses are? How much a trial would cost, in money, time, and possible disruption of other investigations/prosecutions? What information the prosecution is getting from Yee that could help other significant investigations/prosecution?

All sorts of things are considered by a prosecutor in deciding whether or not to go along with a plea deal. And you have absolutely no clue how or why the prosecution in this case decided to take a "bird-in-the-hand" on Yee.

 

[barnbwt]

For instance, how is he not being prosecuted for like a half dozen types of conspiracy, along with a raft of his associates and associates'-associates? Also, racketeering is a type of extortion, so I fail to understand how his attempts to import heavy weapons could have any bearing, even though that's the angle to this whole mess that finally caused the Feds to shut him down. That's because they don't, since this plea has to do with him extorting sports celebrities --pretty small potatoes from such a big fish when you have him dead to rights. He was caught dealing rocket launchers to FBI agents in a sting; this isn't some shrewd Al Capone they had no choice but to nail for tax evasion.

http://www.polygon.com/2015/7/2/8882359/former-sen-leland-yee-pleads-guilty-admits-to-gun-running-extortion

"During his bid for Mayor of San Francisco and later running for Secretary of State, former California, Senator Leland Yee admitted this week that he accepted bribes, extorted money and once offered to smuggle weapons from the Philippines for undercover FBI agents who he believed were connected to a New Jersey mob."
Yeah, what other charges could there possibly be in there, aside from racketeering?

"As part of the plea agreement, Yee pleaded guilty to the racketeering charge so the remaining charges would be dismissed."
Well, there you have it. He'll pay society for extorting two sports players, and in return, the good citizens of Kali will forgive him for...

<deep breath>

"In court Wednesday, Yee detailed seven different acts he committed as part of the racketeering charges. Yee says he:
Accepted $10,000 to give a California Department of Public Health grant to a specific business.
Accepted $6,800 to honor the San Francisco-based Chee Kung Tong organization and its leader, Dragonhead Raymond "Shrimpboy" Chow. Investigators said Chow exhibited a pattern of racketeering activity. He was arrested on money laundering, stolen property and contraband cigarette tracking charges.
Threatened to vote against legislation unless campaign support was forthcoming from an unnamed individual who wanted the legislation to pass.
Accepted $11,000 to arrange a meeting between another senator and someone interested in new statewide marijuana legislation.
Agreed to trade his vote on upcoming worker's compensation legislation for campaign contributions.
Talked to an undercover FBI agent about importing automatic weapons and ammo from the Philippines into the country and to New Jersey to distribute to others.
Gave cash to Jackson in exchange for a check made out to his campaign in an attempt to money launder the bribes he was receiving."

And that's just the stuff they had sufficient evidence to scare him into fessing up to on his own, or are willing to release publicly. I can't help but think he's probably been doing this for a while, but the investigation will of course end at Yee and at best his most direct associates, same as they always do.

I'm positive the 'bird in the hand' taken by the prosecutors is that this won't end up embroiling half his office and a good portion of their contacts in assorted corruption investigations. It's not like Yee or his buddies wouldn't be involved in bribing other state senators or mayors, after all. It takes a village to smuggle stuff from the Philippines Triads, through Newark Mafiosos, over to San Francisco gang bangers or middle eastern terrorists --but we're gonna punish 3 guys for at most 20 years.

That'll serve as a stern warning in the name of justice, all right. How many years does transport + possession of a single unlicensed assault weapon carry, again? 8+2 years, right?

TCB

 

[barnbwt]

"Are you for real? Do you have any clue what the prosecution's case is like? How strong or weak? Exactly what the evidence against Yee is? How it's likely to play to a jury? How good or poor the prosecution witnesses are? How much a trial would cost, in money, time, and possible disruption of other investigations/prosecutions? What information the prosecution is getting from Yee that could help other significant investigations/prosecution?"

If you're the state prosecutor responsible for the deal, I apologize for offending you

Am I for real? No, but apparently Yee is an international arms trafficker of James Bond-ian proportions.
Do I know what the case is like? Raft of charges (publicly known) laid out above.
How strong or weak? About as strong as the FBI guys that get some dumb kid to push the plunger on a 'fertilizer bomb' full of manure.
How it's likely to play to a jury? They case has been downplayed heavily it's so clearly scandalous.
How good or poor the prosecution witnesses are? While federal agents perhaps shouldn't be believed, they would be by any jury.
How much would a trial cost? Probably less than a terrorist attach with RPGs
...time (it's been nearly a year, already)
...and possible disruption of other investigations? No, they got all three guys responsible for this, so it's A-Okay.
What information from Yee that could help other significant investigations? Unless it goes all the way to Feinstein herself or the president, I'm not entirely sure how the chain-o-command could get much more significant. Besides, only three guys were involved.

 

[Frank Ettin]

...Am I for real? No,...

That is correct. You are not for real. You're playing Monday morning quarterback without ever having seen a football game in person.

You have never done anything remotely like this and literally have no clue what is involved and how these things are done. You are basing your opinions on the miniscule information that has appeared in the public press. On the other hand there there are probably 50 or more bankers' boxes of documents, interview transcripts, investigators' reports, exhibits, etc., stacked in a conference room in the U. S. Attorney's office.

You're entitled to your opinion, but having participated in a fair amount of major litigation I know it's hogwash.

 

[barnbwt]

And as for the miniscule facts that are available listed above..? Do they suggest two counts of racketeering, or something more significant?

"You're entitled to your opinion, but having participated in a fair amount of major litigation I know it's hogwash"
Well clearly, if Yee's crimes are equivalent to two ARs without a bullet button, this major litigation is pure hogwash.

TCB