Acting U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans announced the unsealing of an Indictment regarding the Dec. 18, 2013 murder of Loomis Armored US Guard Hector Trochez as he made a cash delivery to the Chase Bank at Carrollton and Claiborne Avenues in New Orleans.
The four-count Indictment charges LILBEAR GEORGE, age 28; JEREMY ESTEVES, age 31; CURTIS JOHNSON JR., age 25; CHUKWUDI OFOMATA, age 30; ROBERT BRUMFIELD III, age 24; and JASMINE THEOPHILE, age 24, all of New Orleans.
Count 1 charges GEORGE, ESTEVES, JOHNSON, OFOMATA, and BRUMFIELD with conspiracy to obstruct interstate commerce by robbery. This count carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and/or a $250,000 fine.
Count 2 charges GEORGE, ESTEVES, JOHNSON, OFOMATA, and BRUMFIELD with the substantive robbery of Mr. Trochez to obstruct interstate commerce. The penalties for this count are the same as those that apply to Count 1.
Count 3 names GEORGE, ESTEVES, JOHNSON, OFOMATA, and BRUMFIELD with using firearms in relation to the crimes of violence set out in Counts 1 and 2, causing Mr. Trochez’s death. This count carries the possibility of the death penalty for the five defendants.
Finally, Count 4 charges GEORGE and THEOPHILE with obstruction of a grand jury proceeding by destroying a cell phone, which carries a maximum prison term of 20 years and/or a $250,000 fine.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans reiterated that the Indictment is merely an allegation and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Evans praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Violent Crime Task Force, along with the New Orleans Police Department, and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Michael E. McMahon, Brittany Reed, and Jonathan Shih are in charge of the prosecution.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
