Clarion Smuggler Pleads Guilty
- Thread starter danieldm
- Start date
Knowing Brenda, there probably wasn't anything in the wife's name. It also stated in several articles that they were seizing property (cars, boat, jewelry, etc.) but it didn't say anything about property.
But on the other hand, I know she had access to the accounts because she would cut checks for Brenda. Good point Gresham, she may very well have a one way to paradise.
But on the other hand, I know she had access to the accounts because she would cut checks for Brenda. Good point Gresham, she may very well have a one way to paradise.
Knowing C-Brenda, I want to have my brain disinfected...
Last word was the wife was still living in that million dollar house in PV that was bought with his ill gotten gains but he puts property in his fathers name and the father protects it for C-Brenda. Word from the keys is that the wife was a mail order so he may have some leverage to keep her controlled, but if she can access the hidden cash sacks from the drug proceeds, TJ guys may be looking for her too. Then again, the IRS has sure been quiet. Isn't there some sort of reward for pointing them to a big score?
Curiouser and curiouser....[/quote]
clarionreef
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- San Francisco
PV=Palos Verdes...
The Beverly Hills of the South Bay.
Steve
The Beverly Hills of the South Bay.
Steve
Thanks Steve-
I looked up PV on Mapquest, and that was the big Tudor style that he was buying around Feb of 2004. I'm pretty sure that it is in his name though, I was in town while he was purchasing it and just happened to be there when he & Sulma were siging paperwork with their realtor. I overheard a lot of the conversation, and nothing led me to believe that he wasn'tbuying it in his name.
I can't tell you how many big names in the industry called him while I was down there, and now act as if they never heard of him. I'm just glad that I saw him for what he was befoe he had a chance to burn me. I wonder if the law/IRS know about the multiple homes and Bar that he owns?
I looked up PV on Mapquest, and that was the big Tudor style that he was buying around Feb of 2004. I'm pretty sure that it is in his name though, I was in town while he was purchasing it and just happened to be there when he & Sulma were siging paperwork with their realtor. I overheard a lot of the conversation, and nothing led me to believe that he wasn'tbuying it in his name.
I can't tell you how many big names in the industry called him while I was down there, and now act as if they never heard of him. I'm just glad that I saw him for what he was befoe he had a chance to burn me. I wonder if the law/IRS know about the multiple homes and Bar that he owns?
You mean the El Zacatecas 12017 Venice Blvd, Los Angeles? Bordering on Mar Vista? That one is definitely in the wife's name to protect from prying eyes and judgements. The house is the Touder but it overlooks San Pedro and the Port of Los Angeles, Seems he ripped out a small pool to put in a bigger more expensive pool and jacuzzi. Seems he made all that money selling turbo snails and passer angels. I'm sure the IRS will be able to account for all those profits.
You are lucky you saw him for what he was early, a lot of people got burned and a few wound up doing time because of C-Brenda's antics. The leprechauns tell stories that most of his friends from his old neighborhood did some time because of his operations while he stayed out...seemed to be his MO, set someone else up to catch the indictment then claim to be "helping" them and they did this...
What?! You mean to tell there there's gambling going on in this establishment?! I'm shocked! Shocked, I say!
And still they kept/keep buying from him/her
Greed doesn't come with ethics, but it's interesting to watch them speak out of both sides of their mouths.
I couldn't remember the bar name or where it was located. Just that it was a dive.
Brenda tried to get me involved in stuff, claimed that he had been in Mexico long enough to get special permits. Problem is I wasn't born last night.
Man avoids jail in harbor smuggling case
For his role in the relocation of 50 illegal Mexican immigrants to L.A. Harbor, the Floridian gets probation.
By Matt Krasnowski
Copley News Service
A Florida man caught in Los Angeles Harbor aboard a luxury yacht packed with 50 illegal immigrants from Mexico last year was sentenced Monday to three years of probation, including four months of home detention.
Vernon Eugene Siegel Jr., 23, could have faced a year to 18 months in prison, but authorities have said that he played a minor role in the scheme and prosecutors have said he cooperated in the investigation.
U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer issued the sentence, following the recommendations of prosecutors.
Two other men who have pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme are expected to be sentenced next month.
Siegel and Gregory LaBono, 50, of Lomita, were taken into custody Aug. 30, 2004, after U.S. Coast Guard officers intercepted the 44-foot yacht dubbed C'est La Vie near the Angels Gate entrance of the harbor.
The immigrants, who included a 3-year-old boy and a woman in her final month of pregnancy, were found in the yacht's cabin, which was designed to sleep eight people.
Siegel and LaBono later pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States and acknowledged they traveled in the rented vessel to Ensenada, Mexico, where they met with smugglers and loaded the immigrants on board.
Some immigrants told authorities that they paid $3,000 each in smuggling fees. In their plea agreements, LaBono and Siegel said they were going to be paid $250 for each immigrant they transported. LaBono has said that he was never paid.
In September, San Pedro resident Craig Lightner, 41, pleaded guilty to encouraging an illegal immigrant to enter the United States in connection with the C'est La Vie case and admitted that he helped organize the scheme on both sides of the border.
Court papers state that Lightner admitted hauling at least four other loads of illegal immigrants from Mexico by boat. In at least one other instance, he said he worked with LaBono, who is an accomplished sailor.
For his role in the relocation of 50 illegal Mexican immigrants to L.A. Harbor, the Floridian gets probation.
By Matt Krasnowski
Copley News Service
A Florida man caught in Los Angeles Harbor aboard a luxury yacht packed with 50 illegal immigrants from Mexico last year was sentenced Monday to three years of probation, including four months of home detention.
Vernon Eugene Siegel Jr., 23, could have faced a year to 18 months in prison, but authorities have said that he played a minor role in the scheme and prosecutors have said he cooperated in the investigation.
U.S. District Court Judge Dale Fischer issued the sentence, following the recommendations of prosecutors.
Two other men who have pleaded guilty in connection with the scheme are expected to be sentenced next month.
Siegel and Gregory LaBono, 50, of Lomita, were taken into custody Aug. 30, 2004, after U.S. Coast Guard officers intercepted the 44-foot yacht dubbed C'est La Vie near the Angels Gate entrance of the harbor.
The immigrants, who included a 3-year-old boy and a woman in her final month of pregnancy, were found in the yacht's cabin, which was designed to sleep eight people.
Siegel and LaBono later pleaded guilty to a count of conspiracy to smuggle illegal immigrants into the United States and acknowledged they traveled in the rented vessel to Ensenada, Mexico, where they met with smugglers and loaded the immigrants on board.
Some immigrants told authorities that they paid $3,000 each in smuggling fees. In their plea agreements, LaBono and Siegel said they were going to be paid $250 for each immigrant they transported. LaBono has said that he was never paid.
In September, San Pedro resident Craig Lightner, 41, pleaded guilty to encouraging an illegal immigrant to enter the United States in connection with the C'est La Vie case and admitted that he helped organize the scheme on both sides of the border.
Court papers state that Lightner admitted hauling at least four other loads of illegal immigrants from Mexico by boat. In at least one other instance, he said he worked with LaBono, who is an accomplished sailor.
clarionreef
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Tons and tons of fish are taken from the CLARION ISLANDS monthly.
This has now gone on for 20 years....non stop.
Everything there is taken...groupers, tunas, sharks, wahoo, dorado, lobsters et. etc.....everything that is but a few kilos of clarions are allowed to be deleted at will.
Steve
This has now gone on for 20 years....non stop.
Everything there is taken...groupers, tunas, sharks, wahoo, dorado, lobsters et. etc.....everything that is but a few kilos of clarions are allowed to be deleted at will.
Steve
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clarionreef
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clarionreef
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- San Francisco
clarionreef
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- San Francisco
LONG RANGE COMMERCIAL AND SPORTFISHING BOATS TAKE MASSIVE TONNAGE OF BIOMASS OFF THE CLARION ISLANDS EVERY SINGLE YEAR....NON STOP.
They pay fees to plunder...marinelife with no prestense of sustainability research and intelligence.
It just makes the Lightner case seem so trite by comparison from a scientific point of view.
Steve
They pay fees to plunder...marinelife with no prestense of sustainability research and intelligence.
It just makes the Lightner case seem so trite by comparison from a scientific point of view.
Steve
Everything about lighter should seem trite except to those who are not large corporations who were injured by his criminal activities. As for the airborne ripoff, yeah, he was writing up 25 - 30 pound packages as weighing 1 or 2 pounds and they weren't checking very carefully. Would serve him right if they sue him but he probably has others to blame it on as is his MO.
Just another reason why he should spend the next 10 - 20 years in a cage like the dangerous animal he is. Regardless of whether he is a bucket of scum swirling around in a hurricane, he's pollution and needs to be treated as such. That others have done worse is no excuse for this one or why have regulations at all?
As for the destruction of the fisheries by the commercial fishing industry, it is definitely a global problem which will probably be solved only by serious science, development of acquaculture techinques, and international treaties and cooperation that can be given some teeth and enforced. Perhaps sanctioning the buyers? I dont' know of any of lightners customers being fined even though many of them knowingly accepted what they knew to be illegally obtained merchandise and many continue to do so from his new fronts. Plausible deniability? Or just plain crooked and greedy?
Mexico is Mexico, the system of payoffs is a historic part of the culture and the way the government has operated at all levels since the beginning. Not being a Mexican, I can only choose to participate or avoid it as an outsider, once again it comes down to markets, if people weren't so short sightned and eager to get cheap fish, it would be better for everyone especially the Mexicans. Idealism is a nice thing to be able to afford, how is that translated to practicality? Start by putting the weasel (Lightner) in a cage.
clarionreef
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- San Francisco
Agreed;
Which is why I put down the qualifier....from a scientific point of view.
As far as the rest...he saw the weaknesses in a system of bribery and corruption and willfully exploited it....teaching officials that corruption does in fact pay and that they should always hold out for dirty money rather then do their jobs for their own peoples benefit.
How can Mexicans get permits they they are entitled to pursue if some Gringos ruin the system by pushing cash on them?
Steve
[ poor things, how could they say no?]
Which is why I put down the qualifier....from a scientific point of view.
As far as the rest...he saw the weaknesses in a system of bribery and corruption and willfully exploited it....teaching officials that corruption does in fact pay and that they should always hold out for dirty money rather then do their jobs for their own peoples benefit.
How can Mexicans get permits they they are entitled to pursue if some Gringos ruin the system by pushing cash on them?
Steve
[ poor things, how could they say no?]
clarionreef
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- Location
- San Francisco
With all the hullaballoo...have a look at clarions from a collecting trip back in 1983-4.
Back then there was no national park to tresspass in and no species restrictions.
They're just a fish and an abundant one at that.
The law should allow for a proper and declared export by Mexicans and kill the smuggling trade as a result.
Steve
Back then there was no national park to tresspass in and no species restrictions.
They're just a fish and an abundant one at that.
The law should allow for a proper and declared export by Mexicans and kill the smuggling trade as a result.
Steve
Attachments
Looks like you spend too much time in the water that dive..........
Your arm is covered with sprouted algae! :wink:
Is that what made you so successful at collecting Clarions back then?
The fish would think your a hair algae covered boulder and swim right up to gorge themselves ?
Thats an evil way to trick poor little fishes!
Yuck! Bet it helped rid them of parasites though! :lol:
Your arm is covered with sprouted algae! :wink:
Is that what made you so successful at collecting Clarions back then?
The fish would think your a hair algae covered boulder and swim right up to gorge themselves ?
Thats an evil way to trick poor little fishes!
Yuck! Bet it helped rid them of parasites though! :lol:
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