net bangers get arrested
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MIAMI -- A reputed gang member who taunted police on an Internet video has pleaded guilty to federal weapons charges in Miami.
Anthony Logan, 22, faces up to 10 years behind bars after admitting Wednesday to providing weapons to a known felon. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke will sentence Logan on April 30.
The purported leader of the Bird Road Boys gang, 31-year-old Rudy Villanueva, was also scheduled to plead guilty. But his attorney Michael Spivack asked for a one-week delay so that Villanueva could make a final decision.
The two were arrested last month after a video was posted on Internet sites like YouTube.com showing them with an AK-47 assault rifle and handguns. They made threats against a police gang unit and taunted the officers to come an arrest them. Police did just that.
Anthony Logan, 22, faces up to 10 years behind bars after admitting Wednesday to providing weapons to a known felon. U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke will sentence Logan on April 30.
The purported leader of the Bird Road Boys gang, 31-year-old Rudy Villanueva, was also scheduled to plead guilty. But his attorney Michael Spivack asked for a one-week delay so that Villanueva could make a final decision.
The two were arrested last month after a video was posted on Internet sites like YouTube.com showing them with an AK-47 assault rifle and handguns. They made threats against a police gang unit and taunted the officers to come an arrest them. Police did just that.
UPDATE
MIAMI -- In a case only possible in the digital age, a reputed street gang leader was sentenced Wednesday to more than six years in prison after posting an Internet video threatening police with guns and taunting them to arrest him.
Rudy Villanueva, 31, denied that he was a co-founder of the "Bird Road Boys" and insisted that he was only kidding around with friends when the video was made late last year. It was posted Jan. 3 on YouTube and immediately got the attention of Miami police, who took Villanueva up on his offer to "come get some whenever you're ready."
U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke, noting that Villanueva had 15 prior arrests including a felony conviction for battery, said a defense of goofing off wasn't going to cut it for a grown man.
"He's old enough to know what he's doing," Cooke said. "It's time for him to pay the price."
Villanueva pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of firearms as seen on the YouTube video. The AK-47 assault rifle and shotgun he brandished were owned by 22-year-old Anthony Logan, who pleaded guilty to giving Villanueva the guns and got a sentence of just over a year.
Police found five weapons at the apartment where the video was recorded, along with two 30-round clips and 780 rounds of ammunition for the AK-47.
"We's out here, we fighting a cold war," Villanueva said on the video. "Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am baby."
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Koukios said Villanueva admitted after his arrest that he was a leader of the gang and that he posted Internet videos and pictures of himself as warnings to his enemies.
Villanueva, testifying on his own behalf, said it was all a misunderstanding and that he never sought to threaten the police or anyone else.
"I've never been involved in any violent gang attacks," he said. "It's not been my thing."
MIAMI -- In a case only possible in the digital age, a reputed street gang leader was sentenced Wednesday to more than six years in prison after posting an Internet video threatening police with guns and taunting them to arrest him.
Rudy Villanueva, 31, denied that he was a co-founder of the "Bird Road Boys" and insisted that he was only kidding around with friends when the video was made late last year. It was posted Jan. 3 on YouTube and immediately got the attention of Miami police, who took Villanueva up on his offer to "come get some whenever you're ready."
U.S. District Judge Marcia Cooke, noting that Villanueva had 15 prior arrests including a felony conviction for battery, said a defense of goofing off wasn't going to cut it for a grown man.
"He's old enough to know what he's doing," Cooke said. "It's time for him to pay the price."
Villanueva pleaded guilty in February to being a felon in possession of firearms as seen on the YouTube video. The AK-47 assault rifle and shotgun he brandished were owned by 22-year-old Anthony Logan, who pleaded guilty to giving Villanueva the guns and got a sentence of just over a year.
Police found five weapons at the apartment where the video was recorded, along with two 30-round clips and 780 rounds of ammunition for the AK-47.
"We's out here, we fighting a cold war," Villanueva said on the video. "Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am baby."
Assistant U.S. Attorney James Koukios said Villanueva admitted after his arrest that he was a leader of the gang and that he posted Internet videos and pictures of himself as warnings to his enemies.
Villanueva, testifying on his own behalf, said it was all a misunderstanding and that he never sought to threaten the police or anyone else.
"I've never been involved in any violent gang attacks," he said. "It's not been my thing."
