LAWFUEL – R. Alexander Acosta, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida, Anthony V. Mangione, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Robert Parker, Director, Miami-Dade Police Department, Julie Torres, Special Agent in Charge, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Amos Rojas, Jr., Special Agent in Charge, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, announced that defendants Rudy Villanueva and Tony Logan were arrested and charged with federal firearms violations.
Specifically, defendant Rudy Villanueva, a convicted felon, was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1). Defendant Tony Logan was charged with disposing of a firearm in and affecting interstate and foreign commerce to Villanueva, knowing that Villanueva was a convicted felon, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(d)(1).
These charges stem from a Miami Dade Police Department Special Investigations Division Gang Unit and Multi-Agency Gang Task Force (Task Force) investigation regarding a criminal street gang called the Bird Road Boys, whose members reside and operate along Bird Road in Midwest Miami-Dade County. Defendant Rudy Villanueva is the reputed leader of the gang and goes by the name “King Bird Road.” Defendant Tony Logan is a member of the gang.
According to the complaint affidavit, Task Force members discovered that a video of Villanueva and Logan was uploaded on January 3, 2008 onto the public video database YouTube for public viewing. In the video, entitled “Bird Road Getting in Trouble,” Villanueva and Logan brandish firearms. Specifically, Villanueva brandishes a shotgun and an assault rifle, and Logan brandishes handguns and pulls the trigger several times. During the video, Villanueva and Logan made threats to the Miami-Dade Police Department Gang Unit. Villanueva stated, “Metro Dade Gang Unit, here I am baby” and claimed that “we’s out here fighting a cold war” and that “they come at us if they want to.” Logan told the police to “come get it, . . . ” and flashed gang signs while pulling the triggers of the handguns.
Based on this information, on January 15, 2008, Task Force members executed a warrant to search Logan’s residence. During the search, investigators found and seized, among other things, a Mossburg shotgun, an AK-47 semi-automatic rifle, a Colt .45 caliber pistol, a Barreta .40 caliber pistol and a Smith and Wesson .357 pistol, 780 rounds of .762 rounds of ammunition, and a small amount of .45 caliber, .40 caliber and .375 caliber ammunition. The shotgun and AK-47 appear to be identical to the firearms displayed by Villanueva in the video.
According to the complaint affidavit, a criminal record check revealed that Villanueva has three prior felony convictions, in 1996, 2003 and 2004, respectively. Accordingly, he is prohibited by federal law from possessing firearms.
United States Attorney Alex Acosta stated, “Villanueva and Logan threatened law enforcement. They brandished weapons and told us, ‘here I am baby….. Come get us if you want.’ Villanueva said come get me, and we did. We will not tolerate gang threats to our police officers.”
“This case is a prime example of how law enforcement agencies come together to remove violent criminals from our neighborhoods,” said Anthony V. Mangione, Special Agent in Charge of ICE’s Office of Investigations in Miami. “These arrests are a testament to the great working relationship between ICE and the state and local governments to remove gang members from our communities.”
“The Miami-Dade Police Department acknowledges the necessity and is proud of the excellent working relationship we have established with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, ICE, ATF and other local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. Working together, law enforcement can and will continue to make a positive difference. The citizens of our community can rest assured that gang activity will not be tolerated in Miami-Dade County,” said Director Robert Parker, Miami-Dade Police Department.
Amos Rojas, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, stated, “The arrest of gang members Rudy Villanueva and Tony Logan goes to the heart of our law enforcement goal in South Florida – to identify and arrest those who try to intimidate our citizens and communities. We will not be bullied and taunted by felons, and we will continue to target and dismantle gangs operating in South Florida.”
“Threats of gun violence will not be tolerated. Whether verbal, in writing, or veiled behind a computer screen, these threats will be taken seriously and those who make them will be dealt with swiftly and severely,” said Julie Torres, Special Agent In-Charge of ATF’s Miami Field Division.
Mr. Acosta commended the efforts of the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the Miami-Dade Police Department, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their work on this the case. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys James M. Koukios and Benjamin Greenberg.
A copy of this press release may be found on the website of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida at www.usdoj.gov/usao/fls. Related court documents and information may be found on the website of the District Court for the Southern District of Florida at www.flsd.uscourts.gov or on http://pacer.flsd.uscourts.gov.
