Liciardello Indictment

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA : DATE FILED:

v. : CRIMINAL NO. 14-

THOMAS LICIARDELLO : VIOLATIONS:
BRIAN REYNOLDS 18 U.S.C. 1962(d)(RICO
MICHAEL SPICER : conspiracy -- 1 count)
PERRY BETTS 18 U.S.C. 241 (conspiracy to deprive of
LINWOOD NORMAN : civil rights -- 1 count)
JOHN SPEISER 18 U.S.C. 242 (deprivation of civil
: rights -- 2 counts)
18 U.S.C. 1951(a), (b)(1) (robbery which
: interferes with interstate commerce --
4 counts)
: 18 U.S.C. 1951(a), (b)(2) (extortion which
interferes with interstate commerce -- 1
count)
: 18 U.S.C. 924(c)(1) (carrying a firearm
during and in relation to a crime of violence
: -- 4 counts)
21 U.S.C. 841 (possession with intent to
: distribute over 500 grams of cocaine --
1 count)
: 18 U.S.C. 1519 (falsification of records
in a federal investigation -- 12 counts)
: 18 U.S.C. 2(aiding and abetting)
Notice of Forfeiture

INDICTMENT

COUNT ONE

THE GRAND JURY CHARGES THAT:

At all times material to this indictment:

1. The Narcotics Field UnitSouth (NFU-South) was one of several narcotics field
units (NFUs) of the Narcotics Bureau of the Philadelphia Police Department (the Department).
The Narcotic Field Units (NFUs), including NFU-South, were created by the Department to
support its overall drug enforcement mission, that is, to identify, disrupt, deter and apprehend
2

persons and organizations involved in drug trafficking, drug-related violence, and illegal vice
activity throughout Philadelphia. According to the mission, the Narcotics Field Units were
designed to focus primarily on illegal narcotic sales and related drug activities that occurred inside
residences or other buildings located throughout the City of Philadelphia. The Department
intended the units to use various techniques, including undercover operations and the execution of
search warrants, to develop evidence of drug activity taking place inside buildings. The
Department initially formed NFU-South to concentrate on illegal drug activity occurring in the
south police divisions of the city, but eventually allowed NFU-South to operate city-wide.
2. Defendant Thomas Liciardello was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia.
He started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1995, and was assigned to the Narcotics
Field Unit (NFU) from September 25, 2000 until December 4, 2012.
3. Defendant Brian Reynolds was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia. He
started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1993, and was assigned to the NFU from March
29, 1999 until December 11, 2012.
4. Defendant Michael Spicer was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia. He
started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1995, and was assigned to the NFU from April
4, 2000 until December 10, 2012.
5. Defendant Perry Betts was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia. He
started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1995, and was assigned to the NFU from
November 15, 1999 until December 11, 2012.
6. Defendant Linwood Norman was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia. He
J anuary 22, 2004 until November 21, 2013.
3

7. Defendant J ohn Speiser was employed as a police officer in Philadelphia. He
September 7, 2007 until December 11, 2012.
8. J effrey Walker, known to the grand jury and charged elsewhere, was employed as a
police officer in Philadelphia. He started with the Philadelphia Police Department in 1989, and
was assigned to the NFU from March 1999 until May 22, 2013.
The Enterprise

9. At all times relevant to this indictment, defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
MICHAEL SPICER,
PERRY BETTS,
LINWOOD NORMAN, and
JOHN SPEISER
and others known and unknown to the grand jury, were members and associates of a criminal
organization whose members and associates engaged in criminal acts principally out of the
Philadelphia Police Departments Narcotics Field Unit South (NFU- South). The criminal
organization, including its leadership, membership and associates, constituted an enterprise as
defined in Title 18, United States Code, Section 1961(4), namely, a group of individuals associated in
fact. The enterprise constituted an ongoing organization whose members and associates functioned
as a continuing unit for a common purpose of achieving the objectives of the enterprise. The
enterprise was engaged in, and its activities affected, interstate and foreign commerce.
Purposes of the Enterprise
10. The purposes of the enterprise included, but were not limited to, the
following:
a. Generating money for the members and associates of the enterprise
4

through the commission of various criminal acts including robbery, extortion, kidnapping, and drug
dealing.
b. Concealing the activities of the members and associates of the
enterprise from law enforcement scrutiny.
The Racketeering Conspiracy
11. From in or about February 2006, to on or about November 7, 2012, in
Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
MICHAEL SPICER,
PERRY BETTS,
LINWOOD NORMAN, and
JOHN SPEISER

and J effrey Walker, and other persons known and unknown to the grand jury, being persons
employed by and associated with the enterprise, which was engaged in, and the activities of which
affected, interstate and foreign commerce, knowingly and intentionally combined, conspired,
confederated, and agreed together and with other co-conspirators known and unknown to the grand
jury, to violate Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(c), that is, to conduct and participate,
directly and indirectly, in the conduct of the affairs of the enterprise, through a pattern of
racketeering activity, as defined in Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1961(1) and 1961(5).
Pattern of Racketeering Activity
12. The pattern of racketeering activity through which the defendants and their
co-conspirators agreed to conduct and participate in the conduct of the affairs of the Enterprise,
consisted of:
a. multiple acts indictable under Title 18, United States Code, Section
1951 (relating to interference with commerce, robbery, or extortion);
5

b. multiple acts involving:
1. Robbery, chargeable under Title 18, Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes Annotated, Sections 3701 (State Robbery), 903 (Conspiracy), and
901(Attempt);
2. Kidnapping, chargeable under Title 18, Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes Annotated, Sections 2901 (State Kidnapping), 903 (Conspiracy), and 901
(Attempt); and
3. Extortion, chargeable under Title 18, Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes Annotated, Sections 3923 (State Extortion), 903 (Conspiracy), and 901
(Attempt)
4. Buying, selling, or otherwise dealing in a controlled
substance, chargeable under Title 21, United States Code, Sections 841 and 846.
13. It was part of the conspiracy that each defendant agreed that a conspirator
would commit at least two acts of racketeering activity in the conduct of the affairs of the Enterprise.
Manner and Means of the Defendants
14. The manner and means by which the defendants and their conspirators agreed
to conduct the affairs of the enterprise included the following, among others:
a. using and abusing their positions as police officers to stop vehicles
driven or occupied by persons suspected of drug trafficking and robbing those persons of money,
drugs, and personal property;
b. using and abusing their positions as police officers to enter premises
used or occupied by persons suspected of drug trafficking and robbing those persons and others and
extorting money and personal property from those persons and others;
6

c. using force or threatened force to extract information from suspected
drug traffickers and their associates about the location of money;
d. sharing money, drugs, and personal property illegally obtained from
persons suspected of drug trafficking and from their premises;
e. transporting persons suspected of drug trafficking to a police district
cellblock and keeping them there overnight, against their will, without being processed for arrest;
f. transporting a person suspected of drug trafficking activity to a hotel
and keeping him there, against his will, for days without being processed for arrest;
g. distributing stolen narcotics and sharing the proceeds;

h. using and falsifying Philadelphia Police Department paperwork,
including but not limited to, 75-49 reports and property receipts, to protect the operation of the
conspiracy and conceal its criminal purposes.
OVERT ACTS
In furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy and to affect the objects of the
conspiracy, the defendants committed the following overt acts, among others, in the Eastern District
of Pennsylvania:
Episode #1

1. On or about February 28, 2006, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO and J effrey Walker, in their capacity
as police officers, entered the residence of R.B., a person known to the grand jury, located on the
4600 block of Frankford Avenue, Philadelphia, at gunpoint, and demanded drugs and money.
2. On or about February 28, 2006, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO stole
$12,000 in cash from R.B., cash that R.B. had accumulated from the sale of a conversion van.
7

associates then removed R.B. from his residence and illegally confined him for several days in a
hotel, during which time they repeatedly threatened him and his family if he did not cooperate with
them.
4. Members of the enterprise and their associates subsequently released R.B.
from confinement without filing charges against him or returning his $12,000.
Episode #2
5. On or about October 13, 2006, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO and J effrey Walker, in their capacity
as police officers, at gun point, illegally entered the residence of H.W., a person known to the
grand jury, located on Nedro Avenue in Philadelphia and searched the house.
6. On or about October 13, 2006, J effrey Walker found approximately $38,000
cash in a basement clothes dryer, seized the money, showed it to defendant THOMAS
LICIARDELLO and took it.
7. On or about October 13, 2006, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
J effrey Walker divided the $38,000 cash between themselves.
8. On or about October 13, 2006, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
conceal the theft from authorities, did not report the $38,000 cash found in the clothes dryer on a
Philadelphia Police property receipt or otherwise prepare paperwork reporting the confiscation of
$38,000 in cash from H.W.
Episode #3
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and BRIAN REYNOLDS, and
8

J effrey Walker, in their capacity as police officers, conducted a traffic stop on Ridge Avenue, in
Philadelphia, of a car driven by R.K., a person known to the grand jury, whom they believed to be
a drug dealer.
10. On or about October 16, 2007, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS and J effrey Walker seized $30,000 cash from R.K.s car and divided up some
of the money among themselves.
11. On or about October 16, 2007, after seizing $30,000 in drug proceeds from
the car, members of the enterprise and their associates transported R.K. to the 5
th
Police District
where they held him in a cell overnight without processing him for arrest.
12. On or about October 16, 2007, while R.K. was detained at the 5
th
Police
District, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and BRIAN REYNOLDS and J effrey Walker drove
to R.K.s apartment on City Line Avenue in Philadelphia.
13. On or about October 16, 2007, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
J effrey Walker entered R.K.s apartment without a warrant and seized a safe, which they took out to
their car. Defendants LICIARDELLO and REYNOLDS and J effrey Walker stole approximately
$80,000 in cash from the safe.
14. On or about November 26, 2007, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
conceal the theft from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report which
stated that only $13,000 had been seized from R.K. and did not mention the seizure of a safe
containing approximately $80,000 from R.K.s apartment.
Episode #4
15. On or about November 26, 2007, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, PERRY BETTS, MICHAEL
9

SPICER, and LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker, in their capacity as police officers,
arrested M.C., a person known to the grand jury, in the hallway of his apartment building on City
Line Avenue in Philadelphia. Defendant BETTS dragged M.C back into his apartment and
threw M.C. into a wall.
associates searched M.C.s apartment before they had obtained a search warrant.
associates repeatedly assaulted and threatened M.C. during the search to obtain information about
the location of money, drugs, and drug suppliers.
18. On or about November 26, 2007, in attempting to get the password for
M.C.s palm pilot, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO told defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and
J effrey Walker to do whatever they had to do to get the password.
19. On or about November 26, 2007, defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and
J effrey Walker punched M.C. in the stomach.
20. On or about November 26, 2007, defendant LINWOOD NORMAN lifted
M.C. off his feet and leaned him over a balcony railing on the 18
th
floor of his apartment house.
associates took money from M.C.s nightstand and used it to purchase pizza for defendants PERRY
BETTS, MICHAEL SPICER, and LINWOOD NORMAN, and J effrey Walker without M.C.s
permission.
22. On or about November 26, 2007, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
PERRY BETTS, MICHAEL SPICER, and LINWOOD NORMAN stole personal items belonging to
M.C. valued at approximately $8,000 from M.C.s apartment.
10

23. On or about November 28, 2007, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
conceal the thefts and physical abuse of M.C. from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police
Department 75-49 report which did not state that there had been any physical abuse of M.C., did not
state that any personal items had been taken from M.C.s apartment, and did not state that M.C.s
money had been used to purchase food for the police.
Episode #5
associates, including defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, in their capacity as police officers,
broke into the residence of J .L., a person known to the grand jury, located on Mercer Street, in
Philadelphia.
25. On or about February 7, 2008, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO told
J .L. that he would shoot J .L. if J .L tried to move.
26. On or about February 7, 2008, members of the enterprise and their associates
confiscated $24,600 in drug proceeds and an iPhone from inside J .L.s residence.
27. Sometime after February 7, 2008, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO met
with J .L and offered to return J .L.s iPhone in return for drug information.
28. On or about February 25, 2008, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
stated that only $8,600 in cash had been seized from J .L.s apartment and did not state anything
about the seizure of J .L.s iPhone.
Episode #6
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, MICHAEL SPICER, and PERRY
11

BETTS, in their capacity as police officers, stopped R.N., a person known to the grand jury, on a
street in South Philadelphia.
30. On or about October 22, 2008, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO
transported R.N., whom the defendants suspected of being a drug dealer, to his parents residence
on South Darien Street in Philadelphia.
31. On or about October 22, 2008, after gaining entry to the home, defendant
THOMAS LICIARDELLO threatened to seize R.Ns parents home unless R.N. opened a safe.
When R.N. relented and opened the safe for LICIARDELLO, the defendants took approximately
$20,000 in drug proceeds from the safe.
32. On or about October 23, 2008, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
stated that defendant PERRY BETTS seized only $6,260 in cash from R.N.s safe and failed to
report that the defendants stole approximately $13,740 from R.N.
Episode #7
33. On or about December 17, 2008, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, MICHAEL SPICER, and BRIAN
REYNOLDS, in their capacity as police officers, stopped M.P., a person known to the grand jury,
on a street in Philadelphia. The defendants transported M.P., whom they suspected of being a
drug dealer, to his home on J essup Street in Philadelphia, where they conducted a search.
34. On or about December 17, 2008, while inside M.P.s house, members of the
enterprise and their associates ordered food and used money taken from M.P. by defendant
THOMAS LICIARDELLO to pay for the food.

12

35. On or about December 17, 2008, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS confiscated $18,000 and a Rolex watch from inside M.Ps house.
36. On or about J anuary 4, 2009, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
falsely stated that only $4,750 had been seized, and did not mention the seizure of a Rolex watch or
that M.P.s money had been used to purchase food for the police.
Episode #8
37. On or about J uly 21, 2009, members of the enterprise and their associates,
including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, and MICHAEL
SPICER, in their capacity as police officers, illegally entered the residence of T.C., a person known
to the grand jury, located on Kirkwood Road in Philadelphia. The defendants took T.C. to the
basement and ordered him to open a safe that contained approximately $10,000 that T.C. had
saved for his daughters tuition.
38. On or about J uly 21, 2009, defendant BRIAN REYNOLDS, in the presence
of defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and MICHAEL SPICER, opened the safe with the
combination given to him by T.C.
39. On or about J uly 21, 2009, the defendants stole cash and personal gun
accessories, such as holsters, magazines, and a night vision scope from inside T.C.s residence.
40. On or about September 7, 2009, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
stated that $8,000 was taken from a safe in T.C.s garage and did not state that the police had seized
the above-listed personal gun accessories.

13

Episode #9
41. On or about September 6, 2009, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker, in their capacity as
police officers, arrested O.R., a person known to the grand jury, in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania for
his role in a drug transaction involving four kilograms of cocaine.
42. On or about September 6, 2009, J effrey Walker took possession of three of
the four kilograms of cocaine that defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker had
seized from O.R.
43. On or about September 6, 2009, while defendant LINWOOD NORMAN
processed the arrest of O.R., J effrey Walker took the three kilograms of cocaine to his house.
44. On or about September 6, 2009, J effrey Walker, to conceal the theft from
authorities, prepared police paperwork on the arrest of O.R. that falsely reported that he and
NORMAN had arrested O.R. in possession of one kilogram of cocaine and failed to report that
defendant NORMAN and Walker had stolen three additional kilograms of cocaine from O.R.
45. On or about September 6, 2009, J effrey Walker subsequently gave the
three kilograms of cocaine to defendant LINWOOD NORMAN so that he could sell them. After
selling the cocaine, defendant NORMAN gave $17,000 to Walker, representing his share of the
proceeds from the sale of the three kilograms of cocaine.
Episode #10
46. On or about December 7, 2009, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY
BETTS, and MICHAEL SPICER, in their capacity as police officers, entered the residence of I.B.,
a person known to the grand jury, located on Warrington Avenue in Philadelphia.
14

47. On or about December 7, 2009, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS, and MICHAEL SPICER took a silver box from I.B.
containing $86,000, which was to be used by I.B. to purchase marijuana.
48. On or about December 7, 2009, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS and MICHAEL SPICER took an additional $42,000 in cash
from inside I.B.s home.
49. On or about J anuary 3, 2010, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
falsely stated that $65,000 in cash, taken from a silver box in I.B.s house, was the only cash seized
by the defendants and failed to report the additional $63,000 in cash that the defendants had stolen
from I.B.
Episode #11
50. On or about February 3, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS, in their capacity as police officers, arrested V.R., a person known to the grand
jury, near the 1600 block of North 52
nd
Street in Philadelphia, and took $5,000 in drug money from
his pocket, and approximately $8,700 from his car
51. On or about February 3, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS stole an iPod and jewelry, including a Rolex watch, from V.R.s house on
North St. Bernard Street in Philadelphia.
52. On or about February 8, 2010, defendant BRIAN REYNOLDS, to conceal
the theft from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report which falsely
stated that $1,858 in cash was taken from V.R. and failed to report the additional cash, the iPod and
the jewelry, including the Rolex watch, that REYNOLDS and LICIARDELLO had stolen from
15

V.R.
Episode #12
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY
BETTS, and MICHAEL SPICER, in their capacity as police officers, used a sledge hammer to
break into the third floor apartment of J .K., a person known to the grand jury, located on North
Front Street in Philadelphia.
54. On or about February 24, 2010, defendant MICHAEL SPICER punched J .K.,
whom the defendants suspected of being a drug dealer, in the mouth, knocking out some of his lower
teeth, and held J .K over a balcony from approximately thirty feet off the ground in an effort to learn
the location of drugs and money inside the apartment.
55. On or about February 24, 2010, one or more of the defendants asked J .K.
where the drugs and the money were, causing J .K to inform them that he had money in a piece of
luggage and a dresser drawer.
56. On or about February 24, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS, and MICHAEL SPICER seized $210,000 in cash from
inside J .K.s apartment and one or more of the defendants stole a Calvin Klein suit.
57. On or about February 25, 2010, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
conceal the theft and physical abuse from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department
75-49 report which did not state that there had been any physical abuse to J .K., falsely stated that
only $130,970 in cash was found in J .K.s apartment, and failed to state that they had stolen an
additional $79,030 in cash and a Calvin Klein suit from J .K.

16

Episode #13

58. On or about March 7, 2010, members of the enterprise and their associates,
including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS, J OHN
SPEISER, and MICHAEL SPICER, and J effrey Walker, in their capacity as police officers,
entered the residence of C.C., a person known to the grand jury, located on Porter Street in
Philadelphia, by kicking in the front door.
59. On or about March 7, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN
REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS, MICHAEL SPICER, and J OHN SPEISER, and J effrey Walker
seized approximately $3,200 cash from C.C.s house.
60. On or about April 18, 2010, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to conceal
stated that only $196 in cash was seized from C.C. and failed to report the additional approximate
$3,000 in cash that they had stolen from C.C.
Episode #14
61. On or about March 23, 2010, members of the enterprise and their associates,
including defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker, in their capacity as police officers,
went to the house of C.T., a person known to the grand jury, on Annin Street in Philadelphia and
conducted a search.
62. Inside the house, defendant LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker found
and split between themselves approximately $20,000 that they found in a second floor bedroom.
63. On or about May 4, 2010, defendant LINWOOD NORMAN, to conceal the
theft from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-52 falsely stating that only
$1,000 cash had been seized from the Annin Street property.
17

Episode #15

64. On or about J une 7, 2010, members of the enterprise and their associates,
including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, PERRY BETTS, and
MICHAEL SPICER, in their capacity as police officers, arrested M.L., a person known to the
grand jury, on the street for participating in a drug trafficking offense.
65. On or about J une 7, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN
REYNOLDS, and MICHAEL SPICER and J effrey Walker and other persons known to the grand
jury then went to M.L.s house on Spring Street in Philadelphia.
jury told M.L.s mother that they had arrested M.L. and threatened her with eviction from her house
if she did not give them permission to search M.L.s room.
jury discovered and seized approximately $35,000 in cash drug proceeds from M.L.s room and split
the money among themselves.
68. On or about September 6, 2010, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to
falsely stated that no cash was found during the search of M.L.s room.
Episode #16
including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, PERRY BETTS, LINWOOD NORMAN, and
MICHAEL SPICER, and J effrey Walker, in their capacity as police officers, entered the residence
18

of K.W., a person known to the grand jury, located on North 51
st
Street in Philadelphia by kicking
in the front door.
70. On or about J une 30, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
MICHAEL SPICER, PERRY BETTS, and LINWOOD NORMAN and J effrey Walker discovered
and seized approximately $16,200 cash from an upstairs closet in K.W.s house.
71. On or about September 19, 2010, J effrey Walker, to conceal the theft from
authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report which falsely stated that only
$2,413 in cash was found during the search of K.W.s house and failed to report the additional
$13,787 in cash that they had stolen from K.W.
Episode #17
72. On or about August 14, 2010, members of the enterprise and their
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, and J OHN
SPEISER, in their capacity as police officers, stopped L.S., a person known to the grand jury, near
38
th
Street in Philadelphia.
73. On or about August 14, 2010, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, and J OHN SPEISER, confiscated a total of $1,100 in cash from L.S.
74. On March 10, 2011, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to conceal the
theft from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report, which falsely stated
that only $507 in cash had been seized from L.S. To conceal the theft of the additional $593 from
L.S., defendant LICIARDELLO falsely stated in the report that J effrey Walker had made an
undercover purchase of Endocets from L.S., when LICIARDELLO knew that was not true.

19

Episode #18
75. On or about February 1, 2011, members of the enterprise and their associates,
including defendants MICHAEL SPICER and PERRY BETTS, in their capacity as police officers,
stopped R.S., a person known to the grand jury, near his apartment on Horrocks Street in
Philadelphia, took R.S.s keys, and arrested him.
76. On or about February 1, 2011, defendants MICHAEL SPICER and PERRY
BETTS and others known and unknown to the grand jury went to R.S.s apartment and stole
approximately $7,000 cash from a cigar box.
77. On March 6, 2011, defendant PERRY BETTS, to conceal the theft from
authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report in which he did not record the
seizure of $7,000 from the cigar box.
Episode #19
including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and MICHAEL SPICER, in their capacity as
police officers, stopped J .M., a person known to the grand jury, on Henry Avenue in Philadelphia.
79. On or about J une 23, 2011, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
MICHAEL SPICER searched J .M.s truck, and seized $32,000.
80. On or about J une 24, 2011, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to conceal
stated that only $24,000 in cash was found during the search of J .M.s truck and failed to report the
additional $8,000 in cash that they had stolen from J .M.

20

Episode #20

including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, and LINWOOD
NORMAN, forced their way into W.Ls machine shop on Sedgwick Street in Philadelphia and
began to search the shop.
82. On or about J une 23, 2011, during the search of W.L.s shop, defendant
THOMAS LICIARDELLO kicked W.L. in the teeth, breaking off a portion of his teeth in the upper
half of his mouth. One or more of the defendants kicked W.C. in the groin and hit him with a steel
bar in the back of the head.
REYNOLDS, and LINWOOD NORMAN and others known and unknown to the grand jury
discovered and seized approximately $41,158 in cash from inside W.C.s shop.
84. On or about J une 24, 2011, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, to conceal
the theft and physical abuse of W.L. from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department
75-49 report which did not state that there had been any physical abuse of W.L., falsely stated that
only $6,650 in cash was found during the search of W.L. and his shop, and failed to report the
additional $34,400 in cash that they had stolen from W.L.
Episode #21
associates, including defendants BRIAN REYNOLDS and PERRY BETTS, in their capacity as
police officers, searched the residence of T.A., a person known to the grand jury, located on Cedar
Avenue in Philadelphia.

21

86. On or about November 3, 2011, defendants BRIAN REYNOLDS and
PERRY BETTS and other persons known and unknown to the grand jury confiscated from a dresser
drawer $6,000 in federal government flood relief funds that had been provided to T.A. to
compensate her for damage caused by flooding. Defendants REYNOLDS and BETTS also
confiscated a gold ring and a handgun registered to T.A.
87. On November 10, 2011, S.D., a police officer known to the grand jury, to
falsely stated that defendant PERRY BETTS found only $1,950 in a dresser drawer and failed to
report the additional $4,050 in cash and the gold ring that BETTS and REYNOLDS had stolen
from T.A. S.D. also prepared the report so as to charge K.M., a person known to the grand jury,
with the possession of T.A.s handgun. S.D. failed to state in the report that T.A. had the paperwork
for the handgun or that T.A. had acknowledged possession of the gun.
Episode #22
associates, including defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO, BRIAN REYNOLDS, and J OHN
SPEISER, in their capacity as police officers, conducted a traffic stop in the area of J essup Street in
Philadelphia of a car driven by M.P, a person known to the grand jury.
89. On or about November 7, 2012, defendants THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, and J OHN SPEISER, took $3,900 from MP.
90. On or about November 7, 2012, defendant J OHN SPEISER, to conceal the
theft from authorities, authored a Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report which falsely stated
that no cash had been seized from M.P. and failed to report the $3,900 that they stole from M.P.
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962(d)
22

COUNT TWO
THE GRAND JURY FURTHER CHARGES THAT:
1. Paragraphs 1-6, 8, 10, and 12 through 14 of Count One are incorporated
herein.
2. Between on or about April, 2006 and in or about J une 2011, in the Eastern
District of Pennsylvania, defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
MICHAEL SPICER,
PERRY BETTS, and
LINWOOD NORMAN

and others known and unknown to the grand jury, while acting under color of the laws of the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, did conspire, combine, confederate, and agree to injure, oppress,
threaten, and intimidate the below listed victims in the exercise or enjoyment of a right, secured and
protected by the Constitution of the United States, that is, to be free from excessive force being used
during a search and seizure by those acting under color of law, by agreeing to use excessive force
against the below listed victims during their arrest.
Date Victim
04/20/06 D.M.
11/26/07 M.C.
02/24/10 J .K.
06/23/11 W.L.
OVERT ACTS
3. Paragraphs 15 through 23, 53 through 57, and 81 through 84 of the Overt
Acts Section of Count One are incorporated herein.

23

4. On or about April 20, 2006, defendant THOMAS LICIARDELLO, while
participating in a game with two other persons known to the grand jury, in which the participants
would receive points for different types of physical abuse that they could inflict on subjects, struck
D.M. in the head with the back of his gun, despite D.M. being on his knees with his hands on the top
of his head. LICIARDELLO later turned in a false police report claiming that D.M. raised his hand
to LICIARDELLO and that LICIARDELLO responded by striking D.M. in the head with his fist
causing D.M. to fall against a cinder block wall, causing a laceration to D.M.s head.
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 241.

24

COUNT THREE
1. Paragraphs 1-6, 8, 10, and 12 through 14 of Count One and Paragraphs 53
through 57 of the Overt Acts Section of Count One are incorporated herein.
2. On or about February 24, 2010, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
defendant
MICHAEL SPICER,

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, did willfully deprive J .K. of a right secured or protected by the
Constitution or laws of the United States, that is, to be free from excessive force being used, resulting
in bodily injury, during a search and seizure by those acting under color of law.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 242.

25

COUNT FOUR
1. Paragraphs 1-6, 8, 10, and 12 through 14 of Count One and Paragraphs 81
through 84 of the Overt Acts Section of Count One are incorporated herein.
2. On or about J une 23, 2011, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, defendant
THOMAS LICIARDELLO

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, did willfully deprive W.L. of a right secured or protected by the
Constitution or laws of the United States, that is, to be free from excessive force being used, resulting
in bodily injury, during a search and seizure by those acting under color of law.

26

COUNT FIVE
1. Paragraphs 46 through 49 of the Overt Acts Section of Count One are
incorporated herein.
2. On or about December 7, 2009, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
PERRY BETTS, and
MICHAEL SPICER

obstructed, delayed and affected commerce and the movement of articles and commodities in
commerce by robbery, in that defendants LICIARDELLO, REYNOLDS, BETTS, and SPICER and
others known and unknown to the grand jury unlawfully took and obtained, and aided and abetted the
unlawful taking and obtaining of United States currency belonging to I.B., against his will, by means
of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, immediate and future, to his person and
property, that is, by taking his drug money after entering his house at gunpoint.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951(a), (b)(1) and 2.

27

COUNT SIX
On or about December 7, 2009, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
PERRY BETTS, and
MICHAEL SPICER
knowingly used and carried, and aided and abetted the use and carrying of, a firearm, during and in
relation to a crime of violence for which they may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that
is, robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,
Sections 1951 and 2.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 924(c)(1) and 2.

28

COUNT SEVEN
2. On or about February 3, 2010, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, defendant
THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS

commerce by robbery, in that defendants LICIARDELLO and REYNOLDS and others known and
unknown to the grand jury unlawfully took and obtained, and aided and abetted the unlawful taking
and obtaining of United States currency belonging to V.R., against his will, by means of actual and
threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, immediate and future, to his person and property, that
is, by taking his drug money at gunpoint.

29

COUNT EIGHT
On or about February 3, 2010, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO and
BRIAN REYNOLDS


30

COUNT NINE
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
PERRY BETTS, and
MICHAEL SPICER

commerce by robbery, in that defendants LICIARDELLO, REYNOLDS, BETTS, and SPICER and
others known and unknown to the grand jury unlawfully took and obtained, and aided and abetted the
unlawful taking and obtaining of United States currency belonging to J .K., against his will, by means
of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of injury, immediate and future, to his person and
property, that is, by taking his drug money after punching him in the mouth, knocking out some of
his lower teeth, holding him over a balcony approximately thirty feet from the ground, and displaying
their firearms.

COUNT TEN
On or about February 24, 2010, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
defendants
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
PERRY BETTS, and
MICHAEL SPICER

32

COUNT ELEVEN
2. On or about September 6, 2009, in Upper Darby, in the Eastern District of
LINWOOD NORMAN

commerce by robbery, in that defendant NORMAN and others known and unknown to the grand jury
unlawfully took and obtained, and aided and abetted the unlawful taking and obtaining of cocaine in
the possession of O.R., against his will, by means of actual and threatened force, violence, and fear of
injury, immediate and future, to his person and property, that is, by taking the cocaine at gunpoint.

33

COUNT TWELVE
On or about September 6, 2009, in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania,
defendant
LINWOOD NORMAN
relation to a crime of violence for which he may be prosecuted in a court of the United States, that is,
robbery which interferes with interstate commerce, in violation of Title 18, United States Code,

34

COUNT THIRTEEN


On or about September 6, 2009, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania, and elsewhere, defendant
LINWOOD NORMAN
knowingly and intentionally possessed with intent to distribute 500 grams or more, that is,
approximately 3,000 grams, of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine, a
Schedule II controlled substance.
In violation of Title 21, United States Code, Section 841(a)(1), (b)(1)(B).

35

COUNT FOURTEEN
1. Paragraphs 64 through 68 of the Overt Acts section of Count One are
2. On or about J une 7, 2010, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS, and
MICHAEL SPICER
commerce by extortion, in that defendants LICIARDELLO, REYNOLDS, and SPICER and others
known and unknown to the grand jury unlawfully took and obtained, and aided and abetted the
unlawful taking and obtaining of cash that was drug proceeds belonging to M.L. by the wrongful use
of actual or threatened force, violence or fear and under color of official right.
In violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 1951a), (b)(2) and 2.

36

COUNTS FIFTEEN THROUGH TWENTY-TWO
1. Paragraphs 37 through 40; 46 through 49; 53 through 57; 58 through 60; 64
through 68; 72 through 74; 78 through 80; and 81 through 84 of the Overt Acts Section of Count One
are incorporated herein.
2. On or about the below listed dates, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
THOMAS LICIARDELLO
knowingly made a false entry in an official Philadelphia Police Department 75-49 report with the intent
to impede, obstruct, and influence the investigation and proper administration of a matter within the
jurisdiction of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Count Date of Entry
15. September 7, 2009
16. J anuary 3, 2010
17. February 25, 2010
18. April 18, 2010
19. September 6, 2010
20. March 10, 2011
21. J une 24, 2011
22. J une 24, 2011
All in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1519.

37

COUNT TWENTY-THREE
2. On or about May 4, 2010, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
LINWOOD NORMAN

38

COUNT TWENTY-FOUR
BRIAN REYNOLDS

39

COUNT TWENTY-FIVE
2. On or about March 6, 2011, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
PERRY BETTS

40

COUNT TWENTY-SIX
2. On or about November 7, 2012, in Philadelphia, in the Eastern District of
JOHN SPEISER

41

NOTICE OF FORFEITURE
1. The allegations of Count One of this indictment are incorporated here for the
purpose of alleging forfeiture pursuant to the provisions of Title 18, United States Code, Section
1963, and Title 28, United States Code, Section 2461(c). Pursuant to Rule 32.2, Federal Rules of
Criminal Procedure, notice is hereby given to the defendants that the United States will seek
forfeiture as part of any sentence in accordance with Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963 in
the event of any defendants conviction under Count One of this indictment.
2. Pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963, upon conviction of an
offense in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962, set forth in Count One of this
indictment, the defendants:
THOMAS LICIARDELLO,
BRIAN REYNOLDS,
MICHAEL SPICER,
PERRY BETTS,
LINWOOD NORMAN, and
JOHN SPEISER
shall forfeit to the United States:
a. any interest acquired or maintained in violation of Title 18, United States
Code, Section 1962:
b. any interest in, security of, claim against, or property or contractual right of
any kind affording a source of influence over any enterprise which the defendants established,
operated, controlled, conducted, or participated in the conduct of, in violation of Title 18, United
States Code, Section 1962; and

42

c. any property constituting, or derived from proceeds obtained, directly or
indirectly from racketeering activity, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1962.
3. The property to be forfeited to the United States pursuant to Title 18, United States
Code, Section 1962(a)(1)-(3), includes but is not limited to a money judgment of at least $500,000.
4. If any of the property described in paragraphs 2 and 3 above, as a result of any act
or omission of a defendant:
A. cannot be located upon the exercise of due diligence;
B. has been transferred or sold to, or deposited with, a third person;
C. has been placed beyond the jurisdiction of the Court;
D. has been substantially diminished in value; or
E. has been commingled with other property which cannot be subdivided
without difficulty;
it is the intent of the United States, pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963(m), to
seek forfeiture of any other property of said defendants up to the value of the above forfeitable
property.
5. The above-named defendants, and each of them, are jointly and severally liable for
the forfeiture obligations as alleged above.
All pursuant to Title 18, United States Code, Section 1963.
A TRUE BILL:
_____________________________
GRAND JURY FOREPERSON

_______________________________
ZANE DAVID MEMEGER
United States Attorney

Liciardello Indictment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Liciardello Indictment

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Liciardello Indictment

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

You might also like