United States Attorney
Northern District of Texas

1100 Commerce St., 3rd Fl.
Dallas, Texas 75242-1699

Telephone (214) 659-8600
Fax (214) 767-0978

FEDERAL JURY CONVICTS
ARYAN BROTHERHOOD OF TEXAS MEMBER
- FACES 25 YEARS IMPRISONMENT -

CO-DEFENDANTS PLED GUILTY TO RELATED CHARGES


PROJECT SAFE NEIGHBORHOOD TARGETS
ARYAN BROTHERHOOD OF TEXAS

United States Attorney Richard B. Roper announced that a federal jury in Lubbock, Texas, convicted Midland, Texas, resident, Matthew C. Courtney, on all counts of a federal indictment charging various firearms offenses. Courtney’s two co-defendants pled guilty last month to related firearms charges. All three defendants are members of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, a violent prison gang.

“These important convictions exemplify the Department of Justice’s commitment to suppress gang violence that plagues our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney Roper. In crediting the excellent cooperative work of federal, state and local agencies, Roper continued, “Federal law ensures that when an armed criminal is arrested, he’ll face swift prosecution in the federal system. Thanks to Project Safe Neighborhoods, (PSN), our communities and neighborhoods are being made safer because we are ridding them of armed career criminals and gang members.”

The jury convicted Matthew C. Courtney, age 34, of conspiracy to possess and dispose of 26 stolen firearms, felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a stolen firearm. Courtney holds the rank of Major in the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Co-defendant Cory D. Daniel, a/k/a “Voodoo,” age 27, of Lubbock, pled guilty on June 29, 2006, to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. Co-defendant Aaron Thompson, a/k/a “Baby Huey,” age 27, also of Lubbock, pled guilty on June 15, 2006, to one count of conspiracy to possess and dispose of stolen firearms. Thompson holds the rank of “Lieutenant” in the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas. Courtney faces a maximum statutory sentence of twenty-five years imprisonment; Daniel faces a maximum statutory sentence of ten years imprisonment; Thompson faces a maximum statutory sentence of five years imprisonment. A sentencing date has not yet been set.

The government presented evidence at trial that on or about August 28, 2005, Courtney and Daniel burglarized a residence located at 2811 98th Street, in Lubbock and stole numerous items, including 26 various firearms. They stashed the weapons at Thompson’s residence and made plans to sell and dispose of the stolen firearms. Courtney conspired with Aaron Thompson to trade the stolen guns for methamphetamine and/or money.

Two days later, on August 30, 2005, at approximately 11:00 p.m., a motorcycle accident occurred in Lubbock on the eastbound frontage road of South Loop 289, near Slide Road. Courtney, who was found unconscious at the scene, was the lone rider in that accident. A Lubbock Police Department officer recovered several documents belonging to the owner of the burglarized residence and a Desert Eagle, Model Baby Eagle, 9mm caliber, semi-automatic pistol was found in Courtney’s jacket. This firearm was one of the many firearms stolen in the August 28, 2005, burglary of the residence on 98th Street. The government presented evidence that the motorcycle Courtney was riding was purchased with a check that he had stolen during the burglary and that Courtney had forged the signature.

An investigator with the Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office testified that he recovered a majority of the firearms from Nicole Chillous and Aaron Thompson. Chillous and Thompson were living together in her trailer at the Big Q trailer park and the firearms were recovered from the trailer and from the trunk of Thompson’s vehicle. The Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office investigator also testified that he also recovered some of the stolen firearms from Brandon Hogue and Sasha Mandikian, both associates of Courtney’s and Carla Courtney, Matthew Courtney’s ex-wife. Matthew Courtney had discussed trading the guns to Sasha Mandikian for drugs, and in fact, four firearms were recovered from Mandikian.

Court documents show that on March 17, 2006, Lubbock Police Department officers stopped Cory D. Daniel who was driving a green 2001 Kia with an expired registration. Daniel was accompanied by his girlfriend, Kristal Friar. During the traffic stop the officer asked for Daniel’s driver’s license and proof of insurance, to which Daniel responded that he didn’t have with him. The officer noticed that the steering column of the Kia was broken and several screwdrivers were taped to the steering column to start the vehicle. The officer also noticed that the vehicle registration sticker on the Kia was stolen. The officer discovered that Friar had an outstanding arrest warrant.

The officer then arrested both Daniel and Friar and during a search incident to those arrests, discovered under the passenger seat a .380 semi-automatic pistol, two plastic bags containing methamphetamine, four white pills identified as morphine sulfate and various drug paraphernalia. The officer also located .380 caliber ammunition and hypodermic needles in a bag in the back seat.

U.S. Attorney Roper praised the investigative efforts of the Texas Rangers, Texas Department of Public Safety, Lubbock Police Department, Lubbock County Sheriff’s Office, Lubbock County District Attorney’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeffrey R. Haag of the Lubbock, Texas, U.S. Attorney’s Office.

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