District of Arizona
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Camp Verde Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day for Assault on a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX –This week, Kelton Treyvon Prentiss, 23, of Camp Verde, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior United States District Judge David G. Campbell to 12 months and one day in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Prentiss had previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer.
On March 26, 2018, Prentiss, an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, assaulted a Yavapai-Apache Nation police officer. As a result of the assault, the officer suffered serious bodily injury.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yavapai-Apache Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina Covault, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8216-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-170_Prentiss
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Kingman Man Sentenced to Prison for Threatening the President and OthersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Dec. 17, 2018, Jerrod Hunter Schmidt, 39, of Kingman, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 37 months in the Bureau of Prisons followed by three years of supervised release. On Sept. 28, 2018, Schmidt was found guilty by a federal jury of two counts of threatening the President of the United States and two counts of making interstate threatening communications.
After learning that his conviction for a prior felony was affirmed by the Nebraska Court of Appeals, Schmidt made a series of calls to the court clerk’s office. The calls took place on April 10 and April 11, 2018. Schmidt left voice messages wherein he threatened to shoot and kill President Donald Trump, one of the clerks of the Nebraska Court of Appeals, and other political figures.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Secret Service with the assistance of the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Nebraska State Patrol. The prosecution was handled by David Pimsner, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8131-PCT-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-169_Schmidt
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Tonalea Man Sentenced to Prison for Assaulting Navajo Nation OfficerRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Randell William Lane, 30, of Tonalea, Ariz. was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi to 26 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Lane, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to assault on a federal officer.
On March 12, 2018, a Navajo Nation police officer was dispatched to try to locate Lane. After locating him, the officer attempted to place Lane under arrest for violations of tribal law. Lane resisted arrest, ran to his nearby vehicle, and grabbed a machete. After the officer persuaded Lane to drop the machete, Lane nonetheless lunged at the officer, began wrestling with him, and attempted to take the officer’s firearm. Lane was successfully arrested after a second officer arrived on scene.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08128-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-168_Lane
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 10 Years for Transporting over 13,000 Pounds of Marijuana into the United StatesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Dec. 11, 2018, Enrique Valencia-Lopez was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to ten years in prison. A jury previously found Valencia-Lopez guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 1,000 kilograms or more of marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, conspiracy to import marijuana, and importation of marijuana.
In May 2017, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers at the Mariposa Port of Entry in Nogales, Ariz. discovered and seized hundreds of wrapped bundles containing marijuana from the commercial tractor-trailer Valencia-Lopez drove into the United States. The bundles in total weighed over 13,000 pounds.
Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. The prosecution was handled by Corey J. Mantei and David P. Savel, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-00894-TUC-JGZ
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-167_ Valencia-Lopez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Drug Trafficker Sentenced to 30 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Dec. 3, 2018, Jose Ramon Cebreros-Sanchez, a legal permanent resident from Mexico, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 360 months in prison. On July 17, 2018, Cebreros-Sanchez was found guilty at trial of conspiring to distribute methamphetamine and marijuana.
In 2016, Cebreros-Sanchez obtained methamphetamine and marijuana from Mexican cartel members and, with Taiwan Huckaby, then sold the drugs in South Phoenix. Huckaby grew up in South Phoenix and was familiar with people in the area looking for drugs. On Aug. 25, 2016, Huckaby and another person were murdered during an attempted “drug rip” at a South Phoenix residence. Homicide charges were filed by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
In addition to Cebreros-Sanchez, 12 others were charged with drug and firearm-related crimes as part of this investigation: Dondre Peart, Christopher Gray, Shanique Blair, Markie Manning, Anthony Harrison, John Harris, Jr., Jeffrey Moore, Ray Box, Jr., Jerry Cockhearn, Sr., Daniel Fulton, Benjamin Littles, and Dedrick Woods. With the exception of Blair, all have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial and sentenced. Blair remains a fugitive at this time.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to protecting our communities from violent crimes arising from illegally-owned guns and drugs,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “We will continue to work closely with our law enforcement partners to combat these dangers to public safety. I would like to thank ATF, DEA, and the Phoenix Police Department for their invaluable work on this case.”
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department. This case was prosecuted by Lacy Cooper, Maria Gutierrez, Keith Vercauteren, and Mark Wenker, Assistant United States Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-01202-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-166_ Cebreros-Sanchez etal
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
Prominent Scottsdale Attorney Sentenced to Prison for Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Nov. 13, 2018, Scott Allan Maasen, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge David Campbell to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Maasen also was ordered to pay nearly $1.4 million in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration. Maasen had previously pleaded guilty to one count of concealment of assets in bankruptcy.
Maasen filed for bankruptcy in late 2009 after he stopped making payments on a $1.5 million loan guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. As part of his plea, Maasen admitted that, while his bankruptcy proceedings were still pending, Maasen purchased a $90,000 engagement ring for his fiancé. Maasen admitted he did not disclose the ring or his payments to purchase the ring in his bankruptcy proceedings, although he was obligated to do so. Maasen used credit card and bank accounts in his father’s name to make the payments to give the false appearance that Maasen’s father had purchased the ring.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service—Criminal Investigation and Small Business Administration—Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution was handled by Frank Galati, Bridget Minder, and Peter Sexton, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix, with assistance from the Office of the U.S. Trustee, United States Bankruptcy Court, District of Arizona, and Jennifer Giaimo, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-01357-001-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-165_Maasen
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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U.S. Attorney’s Office Statement on the Death of Deputy Marshal in TucsonRead the Press Release
“Today, we mourn the loss of a member of the federal law enforcement family,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “This death is a tragic reminder of the dangers our dedicated law enforcement partners willingly face daily in the line of duty. Our hearts go out to the Deputy Marshal’s family and friends, as well as the entire United States Marshals Service community.”
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-164_ USMS
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Pharmacist and Pharmacy Technician Sentenced to Prison for Diverting Hundreds of Thousands ff OpioidsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Nov. 28, 2018, Pharmacist Vilawoe Aku Boadu, 39, of Peoria, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 120 months in prison. Zinka Sisic, 30, of Phoenix, Ariz., who worked as a Pharmacy Technician for Boadu, was previously sentenced to 48 months in prison. Boadu and Sisic were both convicted of conspiring to distribute controlled substances and conspiring to launder money involved in a drug trafficking offense.
From September 2014 until their arrest in July 2017, Boadu and Sisic used two pharmacies owned by Boadu - Scottsdale Health Pharmacy and V-Estrella Pharmacy - to process fraudulent prescriptions and distribute more than 200,000 oxycodone and hydrocodone tablets into the community. Boadu and Sisic also illegally diverted thousands of alprazolam tablets, and more than 13 gallons of promethazine with codeine. Boadu and Sisic regularly provided their coconspirators with 100-count bottles of high-dosage prescription opioids directly from the pharmaceutical companies.
Michael Karron Holley, 32, and Julian Thomas Petty, 27, local musicians who used the stage names “Swerve Baller” and “Bouji,” were also convicted as part of this case. Holley was sentenced to eight years in prison, and Petty was sentenced to five years in prison. The investigation showed that Petty created fraudulent prescriptions in an attempt to legitimize the prescription drug diversion from Boadu’s pharmacies, and that Holley was primarily responsible for distributing the controlled substances to other street-level drug dealers. During the conspiracy, Holley and Petty both recorded songs and music videos promoting drug trafficking with lyrics such as, “don’t talk dope on cell phones” and “at the pharmacy pimping.”
As part of the investigation, law enforcement seized 25 firearms, other weapon components, numerous pistols, rifles, a shotgun, an AK-47, and a high-capacity 100-round magazine. Officials also seized several bank accounts and vehicles, including a Mercedes-Benz. As part of the judgment, the defendants were ordered to forfeit more than $100,000 worth of jewelry and more than 650 pairs of designer shoes.
“These licensed healthcare professionals violated the law and their position of trust by distributing dangerously addictive prescription drugs to the community,“ stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Opioid addiction is a serious problem throughout the country due, in part, to unscrupulous healthcare professionals -- such as these defendants -- who place profit above the law and public safety. We will continue to prosecute the illegal distribution of prescription drugs to the fullest extent of the law, and we applaud our law enforcement partners for their part in bringing these defendants to justice.”
“The DEA is committed to aggressively pursuing those healthcare professionals who violate our trust, and illegally peddle the controlled prescription drugs they are specifically entrusted to safeguard from diversion,” said Doug Coleman, Special Agent in Charge of DEA in Arizona. “Seeking these violators who contribute to the continuing opioid epidemic in our nation remains a top priority for the DEA, and the successful outcomes of these investigations demonstrate the steadfast commitment by federal, state and local law enforcement officials to protect our communities.”
“This case clearly demonstrates our collaborative efforts with law enforcement agencies at every level in apprehending anyone, especially those in a trusted medical position, who seeks to bring dangerous drugs into our communities,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge for HSI Phoenix. “HSI will continue to prioritize resources to combat the serious opioid addiction affecting the thousands of people across the nation.”
"By creating fraudulent prescriptions with fake names, exclusively making cash payments, and using cell phones registered under false names, there is no doubt the defendants attempted to conceal their illegal activities. Special Agents with IRS Criminal Investigation are fully committed to working with their law enforcement partners in combatting the opioid epidemic sweeping our nation" stated IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge Ismael Nevarez Jr.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Homeland Security Investigations, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with assistance from the Phoenix Police Department, the Glendale Police Department, and the Surprise Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Matthew Binford, Assistant United States Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-889-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-162_ Boadu
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Former Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Agent Pleads Guilty to PerjuryRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. - Yesterday, former United States Bureau of Prisons (BOP) Special Investigative Agent (SIA) Alfonso Jose Mendez Jr., 54, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to perjury. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Feb. 20, 2019 before U.S. District Judge James A. Soto.
The SIA for a BOP facility is the individual responsible for supervising internal investigations into staff and inmate misconduct, intelligence gathering, and security threat analyses.
In his plea agreement, Mendez, admitted that while employed as the BOP SIA, he perjured himself during sworn oral testimony before an investigator for the Equal Opportunity Commission.
Under his plea agreement, Mendez faces up to 21 months in prison.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Justice-Office of Inspector General. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys, Rosaleen O’Gara and Gordon E. Davenport III.
CASE NUMBER: CR-0260-JAS-DTF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-163_ Mendez
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Phoenix Couple Sentenced to Prison for Credit Card FraudRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Antoinette Suzanne Arangua, 34, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 30 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Arangua’s co-defendant, Dewayne Frederick Johnson, 37, of Phoenix, Ariz., was sentenced in September to 46 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Arangua and Johnson had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess 15 or more stolen credit card numbers.
Arangua and Johnson admitted to using stolen credit card numbers to buy gift cards, get cash, and make other purchases throughout the Phoenix area between February 2017 and October 2017. Arangua and Johnson encoded stolen credit card numbers onto other credit cards, tested the stolen numbers at various stores and gas stations, and then used them to make larger purchases. During a search in October 2017, Arangua and Johnson were found with more than 1,700 stolen credit card numbers, more than 100 fabricated credit cards, two credit card embossers, a credit card reader/encoder, and approximately 74 gift cards and prepaid debit cards they had purchased using stolen credit card numbers.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Secret Service. The prosecution was handled by Bridget Minder, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00346-001-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-161_ Arangua etal
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Shiprock Man Sentenced to Prison for Shooting Firearm into Occupied ResidenceRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Brandon Lee Curley, 26, of Shiprock, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 33 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. Curley had previously pleaded guilty to one count of assault with a dangerous weapon.
Curley admitted to firing a shotgun into a residence on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. The victim, who was inside the residence at the time, was not injured. Both Curley and the victim were members of the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08132-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-160_Curley
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Felon Sentenced to 37 Months for Possessing 21 Firearms and 22,000 Rounds of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Last week, Timothy Jason Wells, 31, of Kingman, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 37 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Wells had previously pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
From June through December 2016, Wells posted photographs of himself with a firearm on Facebook and wrote posts about possessing and shooting firearms. Agents executed a search warrant at Wells’ home on July 18, 2017, and found a loaded firearm in his bedroom, twenty additional firearms inside a gun safe, and approximately 22,000 rounds of ammunition and high-capacity magazines in the garage. Wells had a previous felony conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR 17-01114-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-158_Wells
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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PHOENIX – Last week, Timothy Jason Wells, 31, of Kingman, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 37 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Wells had previously pleaded guilty to one count of felon in possession of a firearm.
From June through December 2016, Wells posted photographs of himself with a firearm on Facebook and wrote posts about possessing and shooting firearms. Agents executed a search warrant at Wells’ home on July 18, 2017, and found a loaded firearm in his bedroom, twenty additional firearms inside a gun safe, and approximately 22,000 rounds of ammunition and high-capacity magazines in the garage. Wells had a previous felony conviction for unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR 17-01114-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-158_Wells
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Department of Justice Releases Annual Report to Congress on Indian Country Investigations and ProsecutionsRead the Press Release
NOTE: The entire report can be found here.
WASHINGTON - The Department of Justice released today its annual report to Congress, Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions, which provides a range of enforcement statistics required under the Tribal Law and Order Act, as well as information about the progress of the Department’s initiatives to reduce violent crime and strengthen tribal justice systems.
The report reveals that in 2017, U.S. Attorney Offices prosecuted a majority of Indian country cases presented to them. U.S. Attorney Offices declined prosecution of a minority of cases presented to them primarily due to insufficient evidence or referral to another prosecuting authority, such as a tribal prosecutor. The report also shows that the FBI closed 12.5 percent more investigations in 2017 than in 2016 (see detailed findings below).
“The Department of Justice is committed to public safety in Indian country,” said Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein. “We have demonstrated this commitment over the past two years by investing substantial resources and supporting innovative programs that empower federal and tribal prosecutors and build the capacity of tribal justice systems. Today’s report demonstrates that our work makes a difference. Lasting public safety improvements in Indian country are best achieved when federal, state, and tribal law enforcement agencies work together.”
“The Justice Department’s Indian Country Investigations and Prosecutions Report reflects that the many coordinated efforts among United States Attorneys and tribal justice officials are making a difference,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma, and Chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues. “Our work continues, and we must be resolute, in order to meet the challenges prevalent in American Indian and Alaska Native communities. In August, the Attorney General's Native American Issues Subcommittee met and renewed our commitment to finding meaningful and practical tools to help put an end to the disproportionate rates of violence afflicting Native Americans. Among these, the department is expanding the use of cross-deputization agreements, access to criminal databases, funding for juvenile programs serving at-risk native youth, and services to victims and their families. We must continue to work together and find solutions to violent crime and drug trafficking in Indian Country. United States Attorneys are committed to upholding the federal trust responsibility and the rule of law in Indian Country.”
The Trump Administration has strengthened the Department’s commitment to Indian Country by prioritizing the reduction of violent crime throughout the United States—including in Indian Country. This reflects a recognition that Native Americans suffer from persistently high rates of violent crime, particularly domestic and sexual abuse of women and children, and like many communities in the United States, have been hit hard by both opioid and methamphetamine abuse.
In April 2017, as part of the Department’s efforts under the Task Force on Crime Reduction and Public Safety, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a series of actions the Department would take to support law enforcement and maintain public safety in Indian Country.
The Justice Department recognizes that investigating crime and prosecuting those responsible is critical to public safety in Indian Country. To that end, the Justice Department’s partnerships with tribes, as well as all federal, state and local law enforcement, are crucial to success. The Department deploys innovative programs such as the Tribal Access Program, Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, and numerous grant programs that enhance partnerships, increase information sharing, build capacity for local criminal justice systems, and provide services to victims of crime.
According to the report, in 2017 implementation of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act of 2013 (VAWA 2013) remained an important priority for the Department. Federal prosecutors continued to utilize the federal assault charges created by VAWA 2013. In Calendar Year (CY) 2017, federal prosecutors filed cases against 139 defendants under VAWA 2013’s enhanced federal assault statutes, which include enhanced sentences for certain crimes of domestic violence such as strangulation and stalking. They obtained 134 convictions (an increase of 30% from CY 2016 (103)). Also in CY 2017, prosecutors filed cases against 43 defendants in Indian country cases using the domestic assault by a habitual offender statute, 18 U.S.C. § 117, and obtained 29 convictions.
Cooperation among federal and tribal law enforcement and victim advocates is key to successfully prosecuting sexual assault crimes in Indian country. As of 2017, every U.S. Attorney Office with Indian country responsibilities has developed federal sexual violence guidelines designed to improve the federal response to sexual abuse in tribal communities.
The report also notes that the Tribal Liaison Program remains one of the most important components of the Department’s efforts in Indian country. TLOA requires that the U.S. Attorney for each district with Indian country appoint at least one Assistant United States Attorney to serve as a Tribal Liaison for that district. They foster and facilitate relationships between federal and tribal partners that are vital to reducing violent crime. As part of their duties, Tribal Liaisons assist in developing multi-disciplinary teams to combat child abuse, work with SART teams on sexual abuse response, conduct community outreach, and coordinate the prosecution of federal crimes.
The information contained in the report shows the following:
- FBI’s CY 2017 statistics show a 12.5 percent increase in total closed investigations (2,210 total) compared to FBI’s CY 2016 statistics (1,960 total). The FBI has investigative responsibility for federal crimes committed on approximately 200 Indian Reservations. This responsibility is shared concurrently with BIA-OJS and other federal agencies with a law enforcement mission in Indian country
- Approximately 79.5 percent (1,511 out of 1,900) of Indian country criminal investigations opened by the FBI were referred for prosecution.
- Of the 699 Indian country investigations that the FBI closed administratively without referral for prosecution, the primary reason for closing (approximately 21 percent) was that the case did not meet statutory definitions of a crime or U.S. Attorney’s Office (USAO) prosecution guidelines. In addition, analysis of CY 2017 data indicates that 15 percent of investigations closed administratively were closed due to unsupported allegations, meaning no evidence of criminal activity was uncovered during the investigations. Another reason for non-referral (20 percent) was that the deaths under investigations were determined to be the result of accident, suicide, or natural causes.
- 84 percent (141 out of 167) of the death investigations that were closed administratively by the FBI in CY 2017 were closed because the death was due to causes other than homicide (i.e., accidents, suicide, or natural causes).
- In CY 2017, the USAOs resolved 2,390 Indian country matters.
- The majority of Indian country criminal matters resolved by the USAOs in CY 2017 (1,499 out of 2,390) were prosecuted (charges filed in either District or Magistrate Court).
- The USAO declination rate remained relatively steady. USAO data shows that in CY 2017, 37% (891) of all (2,390) Indian country matters resolved were declined. USAOs declined cases at a similar rate in prior years: 34% (903) of all Indian country matters resolved (2,666) in CY 2016; 39% (1,043) of all Indian country matters resolved (2,655) in CY 2015; 34% (989) of all Indian country matters resolved (2,886) in CY 2014; 34% (853) of all Indian country matters resolved (2,514) in CY 2013; 31% (965) of all Indian country matters resolved (3,097) in CY 2012; and 38% (1,042) of all Indian country matters resolved (2,767) in CY 2011.
- The most common reason for declination by USAOs was insufficient evidence (70.9% in CY 2017, 68.0% in CY 2016, 71.7% in CY 2015, 59.6% in CY 2014, 55.6% in CY 2013, and 52% in CY 2012). The next most common reason for declination by USAOs was referral to another prosecuting authority (13.2% in CY 2017, 16.4% in CY 2016, 13.8% in CY 2015, 16.3% in CY 2014, 20.8% in CY 2013, and 24% in CY 2012).
The data presented in this report covers only those offenses reported to the FBI and federal prosecutors. The majority of criminal offenses committed, investigated, and prosecuted in Indian Country are adjudicated in tribal justice systems. In much of Indian Country, tribal law enforcement and tribal justice systems hold criminals accountable, protect victims, provide youth prevention and intervention programs, and confront precursors to crime such as alcohol and substance abuse. These efforts are often in partnership with federal agencies or accomplished with support from federal programs and federal funding opportunities.
Read the entire report at www.justice.gov/tribal/tloa.html
Read about the Justice Department’s efforts to increase public safety in Indian County at www.justice.gov/tribal/accomplishments.html
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Tucson Resident Sentenced to Prison for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Clariece Burden-Stelly, 33, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to a term of 21 months’ imprisonment and a 36-month term of supervised release following her incarceration, for her role in a tax fraud scheme. As part of her sentence, she was also ordered to pay over $19,000 in restitution to the U.S. Treasury. Burden-Stelly had previously pleaded guilty to false claims and wire fraud.
Under the scheme, Burden-Stelly filed false federal income tax returns for tax years 2012 through 2014. Burden-Stelly caused the filing of false federal tax returns under her name and the names and social security numbers of others to obtain fraudulent federal income tax refunds. Burden-Stelly fraudulently used the IRS Employer Identification Numbers (EIN’s) of her former employers to report false wage and withholding information. The fraudulent tax refunds were disbursed on pre-paid cards or by check.
The investigation in this case was conducted by IRS-Criminal Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Jane L. Westby, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00129
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-153_Burden-Stelly
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Former Tucson School Director Sentenced to Prison for Embezzling from School, StudentsRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Nov. 15, 2018, Robert Alan Knapp, 71, a former director of HDS Truck Driving Institute (HDS) in Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 48 months in prison by U.S. District Court Judge Rosemary Màrquez. Knapp had previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud and federal student aid fraud.
In his plea agreement, Knapp admitted that while employed by HDS between 2008 and 2015, he stole over $905,000 by intercepting or fraudulently generating more than 400 checks payable to third parties that he deposited to a bank account he owned after adding forged indorsements. Most of the stolen checks were payable to HDS’s students, and represented either federal student aid received from the Department of Education that should have been forwarded to the students, or funds taken from HDS to pay fictitious obligations that Knapp had created in HDS’s books and records. The Court also ordered Knapp to pay restitution to all identified victims, and to make monthly restitution payments during a 5-year term of supervision to follow his release from prison.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General and the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR 17-1275-TUC-RM (JR)
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-156_Knapp
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Teacher Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Molesting Kindergarten StudentsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Tadashi Mitchell Harvey, 30, of Gilbert, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell to 21 years in prison followed by lifetime supervised release for molesting two six-year-olds in the Gila River Indian Community. Harvey had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of abusive sexual contact of a minor. Upon release from prison, Harvey will be required to register as a sex offender.
Harvey’s crimes came to light earlier this year, when a kindergarten student disclosed the molestation. The investigation ultimately identified a total of six alleged victims, all of whom were current or former students of Harvey. Harvey admitted to sexually touching two minor victims, both of whom were members of the Gila River Indian Community. At the time of the crimes, Harvey was an enrolled member of the White Mountain Apache Tribe.
“Our society places immense trust in teachers, and yesterday’s 21-year sentence appropriately punishes Harvey’s breach of that trust,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Protecting school children from predators is one of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s most important responsibilities, and we will continue to prosecute such crimes to the fullest extent of the law.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Gila River Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christine D. Keller and Dimitra H. Sampson, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-00594-PHX-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-154_Harvey
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Jury Convicts Teesto Man for First Degree Murder, Assaulting Tribal Police Officers, and Other Violent CrimesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Giordano Jackson, 39, of Teesto, Ariz., was convicted by a jury on all charges, including first degree murder, two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, assault resulting in serious bodily injury, and kidnapping. Jackson will be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa in February 2019.
Jackson had a history of repeated acts of domestic violence against the victim, his girlfriend. In July 2017, Jackson beat the victim and dragged her by her hair with enough force to pull out chunks of hair. Then, in September 2017, Jackson brutally beat the victim to death outside his house in Teesto. Jackson was lying in wait when Navajo Nation Police Officers arrived to investigate the murder, and assaulted two officers with a machete. Both Jackson and the victim are members of the Navajo Nation, as are the responding Navajo Nation Police Officers that Jackson assaulted, and the crimes all occurred on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys William G. Voit and Sharon K. Sexton, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08242-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018_155_ Jackson
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Round Rock Man Sentenced to 131 Months in Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Rodrick D. Begay, 64, of Round Rock, Ariz., was sentenced by United States District Judge John J. Tuchi to 131 months in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release. The sentence reflects a downward adjustment of approximately four months to account for the time Begay served in tribal custody for the same incident. Begay had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact with a minor.
On April 13, 2017, Begay, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, knowingly engaged in sexual contact with the minor victim, who is also an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Christina Covault, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-8164-PCT-JJT
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-153_Begay
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Tucson Resident Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for His Role in an Auto Loan Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Yesterday, Andrew May, 46, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 36 months’ imprisonment by U.S. District Judge Rosemary Marquez. May had previously pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and bank fraud.
The evidence established that May, through his shell companies, engaged in an extensive auto-loan fraud scheme. As part of the scheme, May and his co-conspirators fraudulently represented to the lenders that they were engaged in the legitimate purchase and sale of vehicles in order to obtain financing from numerous financial institutions. The co-conspirators further fraudulently represented that the lenders would receive a lien on the vehicles as collateral for the loans. However, no legitimate vehicle sales occurred. The lenders funded approximately $1.2 million dollars traced to numerous bank accounts controlled by May.
In addition to personally using over $500,000, May distributed portions of the fraudulent proceeds to the co-conspirators. Most of the fraudulent loans went into default, resulting in significant losses to the lenders. As part of the sentence, the court ordered that May forfeit a vehicle and trailer that he obtained using the loan fraud proceeds. The court also scheduled a restitution hearing for Nov. 19, 2018.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Secret Service, United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Marana Police Department. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-1429-TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-150_May
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5 Defendants Sentenced to Prison for Involvement in Murder of Ft. Defiance ManRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, U.S. District Judge David G. Campbell sentenced Loren Wauneka, 37, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., to 137 months’ imprisonment followed by five years of supervised release for voluntary manslaughter, and Lisa Benally, 39 of Fort Defiance, Ariz., to 97 months’ imprisonment followed by three years of supervised release for accessory-after-the-fact. Judge Campbell also sentenced three additional co-defendants; Cameron Jones, 34, of Wide Ruins, Ariz., Eric Cornfield, 27 of Fort Defiance, Ariz., and Mick Hubbard, 27, of Ganado, Ariz. to terms of imprisonment ranging from 27 months to 60 months for their involvement in the murder.
On Jan. 19, 2016, during an argument and physical fight with the victim, Wauneka assaulted and killed the victim by striking him with a bat. After the murder, Benally, Jones, and Cornfield helped clean up the victim’s blood and assisted with rolling the victim’s body in a rug to conceal the murder. Knowing that Wauneka killed the victim, Hubbard, Jones, Benally, and Cornfield failed to notify law enforcement.
The victim died of blunt force injuries. The victim and all defendants are enrolled members of the Navajo Nation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Navajo Nation Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigations. The prosecution was handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-8093-PCT-DGC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-152_Wauneka et. al.
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Syrian Man Sentenced for Terrorism-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah, aka Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Ahmad, 41, of Syria, was sentenced today to life plus 30 years in prison. Alahmedalabdaloklah was found guilty by a federal jury on March 16, of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiring to maliciously damage or destroy U.S. Property by weans of an explosive, aiding and abetting other persons to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, and conspiracy to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
The announcement was made by Assistant Attorney General for National Security John C. Demers, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange for the District of Arizona and Special Agent in Charge Michael DeLeon of the FBI’s Phoenix field office. The sentence was issued by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver.
“Alahmedalabdaloklah sought to harm American soldiers by conspiring with others to construct and supply improvised explosive device (IED) parts for bombs that were used in Iraq. He will now serve the rest of his life in prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “The National Security Division will continue to bring to justice those who seek to harm American servicemen and women who bravely risk their lives in defense of our nation.”
“We owe a debt of gratitude to all American military personnel serving overseas. Protecting and ensuring justice for them is a priority that cannot be overstated,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange. “Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah used his specialized engineering expertise to target our service members using IEDs, and his life sentence reflects the gravity of that choice. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to prosecuting terrorist offenses, wherever they may occur.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force in pursuing and disrupting anyone who plans to harm U.S. persons or interests,” said Special Agent in Charge DeLeon. “We want to thank the Department of Justice and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office, along with both local and foreign partners for their essential contributions to this case. The FBI sends our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims, their families, and friends. The FBI's highest priority remains preventing terrorist attacks and combating terrorism here in the U.S. and around the world."
Between January 2005 and July 2010, Alahmedalabdaloklah designed, made and supplied components parts for IEDs for members and associates of the 1920 Revolution Brigades, an armed Iraqi insurgent group that opposed the U.S. military presence in Iraq. The component parts were intended to be used in IEDs against U.S. military personnel and property in Iraq.
On Aug. 30, 2006, U.S. military personnel discovered what, at that time, was one of the largest IED caches in Iraq at 50 Omar Street, Baghdad, Iraq (Omar Cache). The Omar Cache included numerous IED-related materials, including a completed IED triggering device that had three of Alahmedalabdaloklah’s fingerprints on the tape wrapped around the device. The U.S. military also seized raw material, tools, test equipment, schematics, and other items related to IED construction, including components for various types of IEDs and bomb making training aids. One document, which had numerous latent prints belonging to Alahmedalabdaloklah, described how to employ remote technology to command a mobile phone, wireless device and landline phone to detonate explosives.
Alahmedalabdaloklah subsequently moved to China and continued to support the 1920 Revolution Brigades by providing component parts for IEDs. In May 2011, Alahmedalabdaloklah was detained in the Republic of Turkey while transiting from China. He was extradited to the United States in August 2014.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the FBI. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pimsner, Melissa Karlen and Bill Solomon for the District of Arizona, and Trial Attorney Joseph Kaster of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Syrian Man Sentenced for Terrorism-Related CrimesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Nov. 7, 2018, Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah, aka Ahmad Ibrahim Al-Ahmad, 41, of Syria, was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to Life plus 30 years. Alahmedalabdaloklah was found guilty by a federal jury on March 16, 2018 of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass destruction, conspiring to maliciously damage or destroy United States property by means of an explosive, aiding and abetting other persons to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence, and conspiracy to possess a destructive device in furtherance of a crime of violence.
“Alahmedalabdaloklah sought to harm American soldiers by conspiring with others to construct and supply improvised explosive device (IED) parts for bombs that were used in Iraq. He will now serve the rest of his life in prison,” said Assistant Attorney General Demers. “The National Security Division will continue to bring to justice those who seek to harm American servicemen and women who bravely risk their lives in defense of our nation.”
“We owe a huge debt of gratitude to all American military personnel everywhere and particularly those serving overseas. Protecting and ensuring justice for them is a priority for our office that cannot be overstated,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Ahmed Alahmedalabdaloklah used his engineering expertise to specifically target our service members, and the Court’s sentence reflects the atrocity of his terrorist crimes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to prosecuting terrorist offenses wherever they may occur.”
“Today’s sentencing underscores the dedication of the FBI and our partners within the Joint Terrorism Task Force in pursuing and disrupting anyone who plans to harm U.S. persons or interests,” said Phoenix FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael DeLeon. “We want to thank the Department of Justice and the Arizona U.S. Attorney's Office, along with both local and foreign partners for their essential contributions to this case. The FBI sends our deepest sympathy and condolences to the victims, their families, and friends. The FBI's highest priority remains preventing terrorist attacks and combating terrorism here in the U.S. and around the world."
Between January 2005 and July 2010, Alahmedalabdaloklah designed, made and supplied component parts for improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for members and associates of the 1920 Revolution Brigades, an armed Iraqi insurgent group that opposed the U.S. military presence in Iraq. The component parts were intended to be used in IEDs against United States military personnel and property in Iraq.
On Aug. 30, 2006, U.S. military personnel discovered what, at that time, was one of the largest IED caches in Iraq at 50 Omar Street, Baghdad, Iraq. The Omar Cache included numerous IED-related materials, including a completed IED triggering device that had three of Alahmedalabdaloklah’s fingerprints on tape wrapped around the device. The U.S. military also seized raw material, tools, test equipment, schematics, and other items related to IED construction, including components for various types of IEDs and bomb-making training aids. One document, which had numerous latent prints belonging to Alahmedalabdaloklah, described how to employ remote technology to command a mobile phone, wireless device, and landline phone to detonate explosives.
Alahmedalabdaloklah subsequently moved to China and continued to support the 1920 Revolution Brigades by providing component parts for IEDs. In May 2011, Alahmedalabdaloklah was detained in the Republic of Turkey while transiting from China. He was extradited to the United States in August 2014.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by David Pimsner, Melissa Karlen and Bill Solomon, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix and Joseph Kaster, Trial Attorney-National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section of the U.S. Department of Justice.
CASE NUMBER: CR-12-1263-PHX-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-151_ Alahmedalabdaloklah
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Pinon Man Sentenced to Prison for Aggravated AssaultRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Paitric Small, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 32 months’ imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for aggravated assault on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. On March 19, 2018, Small assaulted the victim with a machete; they are both members of the Navajo Nation. Small had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Dimitra Sampson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8102-PCT-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-149_Small
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Former Correctional Officer Guilty of Abusive Sexual Contact with InmateRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Darrell E. McCoy, 51, formerly of Scottsdale, Ariz., was found guilty by a federal jury in Phoenix of two counts of abusive sexual contact with an inmate under his supervision. The case was tried before U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes last week. Sentencing is set for Feb. 25, 2019.
The evidence at trial showed that in late 2016, while acting as the foreman of a crew of female inmates, Correctional Officer McCoy began a relationship with an inmate under his supervision. Between September and December 2016, McCoy had sexual contact with the inmate in different locations on the prison grounds. McCoy also gave “love notes” to the inmate prior to her release from the facility, and they continued the relationship and exchanged many text messages over four months following her release.
“McCoy abused his position of authority when he engaged in sexual conduct with an inmate under his supervision,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to prosecuting all illegal abuses of power wherever they occur.”
“Darrell McCoy’s duty was to protect the inmates at the prison where he worked, but instead he abused his power by engaging in sexual conduct with one of those inmates. Today’s verdict sends a clear message: such abuse will not be tolerated,” stated Special Agent In Charge Sandra D. Barnes of the U.S. Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General’s Denver Field Office.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Department of Justice-Office of the Inspector General. The prosecution was handled by Gayle Helart and Monica N. Edelstein, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-01410-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-146_McCoy
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Elder Home Caregivers Charged with Defrauding 91-Year-Old Homebound VictimRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Oct. 31, 2018, a federal grand jury returned a 72-count indictment charging Margaret Arlene Gastelum, 59, of San Manuel, Ariz. and Mona Lisa Rodriguez, 36, of Tucson, Ariz., with an eldercare fraud scheme. The indictment charged both defendants with conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. The arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 16, 2018.
The indictment alleges that Gastelum and Rodriguez provided home care assistance for a 91-year-old victim from 2015 through 2017. The defendants gained access to the victim’s banking information and fraudulently transferred/and or used funds from the victim’s bank accounts. Additionally, the defendants fraudulently used the victim’s credit cards and obtained credit cards without the victim’s full knowledge and consent. The indictment also alleges that the defendants overcharged the victim for the services without the victim’s knowledge. As a result of the defendants’ scheme to defraud, the victim suffered a loss of approximately $184,000.
A conviction for the charged conspiracy carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison, a $250,000 fine, or both. A conviction for bank fraud carries a maximum penalty of thirty years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, or both. A conviction for wire fraud carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine or both. A conviction for aggravated identity theft carries a minimum mandatory sentence of two years in prison that must be served consecutively to the ultimate sentence imposed relating to the other charges in this case.
An indictment is simply the method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Tucson Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Wallace Kleindienst for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-02219-RM-LAB
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-148_Gastellum et al
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Camp Verde Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Burglary of Tribal EntityRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Earlier this week, Francisco Joseph Doungeva, 44, of Camp Verde, Ariz., was sentenced by United States District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 27 months in federal prison, followed by one year of supervised release. On Aug. 6, 2018, Doungeva had previously pleaded guilty to one count of burglary.
On Jan. 6, 2018, Doungeva, an enrolled member of the Yavapai-Apache Nation, burglarized Cloverleaf Ranch, a property owned and operated by the Yavapai-Apache Nation Department of Agriculture. Doungeva, who stole farming equipment and a vehicle, is a former employee of the ranch.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Yavapai-Apache Nation Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Christina Covault, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8158-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-147_ Doungeva
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Twenty-One Year Old Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Conspiring to Smuggle 12,000 Rounds of Ammunition into MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Nov. 1, 2018, Francisco Guerra-Franco, 21, of Los Lunas, NM, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge James A. Soto to 33 months’ prison followed by three years’ supervision. Guerra-Franco had previously pleaded guilty to two charges: facilitation to smuggle goods from the United States and false statements to a federal agent.
On Dec. 26, 2016, Guerra-Franco, who was 19 years old at the time, was pulled over in Nogales, Ariz. for a routine traffic stop. Law enforcement located 12,000 rounds of ammunition in Guerra-Franco’s truck. Further investigation revealed that Guerra-Franco had purchased the ammunition using money wired to his Wells Fargo Bank Account by a co-conspirator living in Mexico. Guerra-Franco intended to meet the co-conspirator in Nogales, Ariz., and the co-conspirator would then smuggle the ammunition into Mexico. Guerra-Franco also made multiple false statements to agents when confronted about three Colt M4 Carbine semi-automatic rifles he had previously acquired.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and the Nogales Police Department. The prosecution was handled by Micah Schmit, and Nathaniel Walters, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-01585-JAS-EJM
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-145_ Guerra-Franco
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Tucson Resident Sentenced to 94 Months in Prison for Role in Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Nov. 1, 2018, Adam Sheafe, 44, of Tucson, Ariz., was sentenced to 94 months’ prison by United States District Court Judge Raner C. Collins. Sheafe was previously found guilty of conspiracy to commit bank fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft by a federal jury.
The evidence at trial established that Sheafe used stolen credit card numbers obtained from co-conspirators to process hundreds of transactions through separate merchant accounts at Bank of America and Compass Bank. Sheafe conducted these fraudulent transactions in a short time-frame, and without the knowledge or consent of the actual cardholders. Sheafe rapidly moved the proceeds out of the merchant accounts before the banks discovered the scheme. As a result of the scheme, the financial institutions suffered over $500,000 in losses.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the United States Postal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR16-00438 -TUC-RCC
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-143_Sheafe
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Pinon Brothers Sentenced to 108 Months for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PHOENIX– On Oct. 29, 2018, brothers Corwin Haskan, 21 and Corey Irving Haskan, 22 of Pinon, Ariz., were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to108 months’ imprisonment. Both had previously pleaded guilty to possession with the intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine.
In July 2017, the Navajo Nation Police searched the home of Corwin and Corey Haskan and seized approximately 4 pounds of methamphetamine, numerous firearms and over $50,000. The Haskan brothers each admitted their intent to distribute methamphetamine to another person. Corwin and Corey Haskan are members of the Navajo Nation.
Navajo Nation Criminal Investigations and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. The prosecution was handled by Kiyoko Patterson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-8026-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-144_Haskan
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Whippoorwill Man Sentenced to 108 Months’ Prison for Abusive Sexual ContactRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Romondo Begay, 23, of Whippoorwill, Ariz., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge G. Murray Snow to 108 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a twelve-year term of supervised release with sex offender registration, treatment, and testing. Begay had previously pleaded guilty to abusive sexual contact of a child.
In December of 2017, the victim reported that Begay had sexually abused her outside a relative’s house. Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation promptly began an investigation, which led to Begay’s arrest and prosecution. Begay and the victim are both members of the Navajo Nation, and the abuse occurred within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08062-GMS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-141_Begay
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Glendale Woman Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Oct. 29, 2018, Jenniffer Torner Lopez, 40, of Glendale, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to fifteen months incarceration. Torner had previously pleaded guilty to one count of fraud in connection with identification documents and a separate count of illegal reentry after deportation.
In her plea agreement, Torner admitted to engaging in a false tax preparation scheme out of, and storing foreign identification cards in, her home. She used the identification cards to obtain taxpayer identification numbers and file returns for foreign nationals, many of whom neither lived nor worked in the United States. The Internal Revenue Service paid out over $246,000 in tax refunds as a result of Torner’s scheme, and she put some of her share of this money towards the purchase of her residence. As part of the plea agreement, the Court ordered Torner to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, which will be satisfied in part by the forfeiture of Torner’s home.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, with assistance from Homeland Security Investigations. The prosecution was handled by Gary M. Restaino and Mark J. Wenker, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-139-PHX-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-142_Torner
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U.S. Attorney's Office Announces Efforts to Protect Voters and Prevent Fraud in November 2018 ElectionsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange announced today that Assistant U.S. Attorney (AUSA) Todd M. Allison will lead the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in conjunction with the Department of Justice’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming general elections on Nov. 6, 2018. AUSA Allison has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer for Arizona. In that capacity, he is responsible for overseeing the District of Arizona’s handling of complaints of election fraud and voting rights abuses in consultation with DOJ in Washington, D.C.
“Our democracy relies upon free and fair elections, and we are asking for community support to help us ensure that every eligible voter can freely exercise his or her right to vote,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “It is imperative that anyone who has knowledge of suspected voter intimidation, discrimination, or election fraud report that information immediately to our Office, the FBI, or DOJ’s Civil Rights Division.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring election fraud, voter intimidation, and discrimination at the polls, and combating these violations whenever and wherever they occur. The Department’s long-standing Election Day Program furthers these goals, and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting rights violations while the polls are open on election day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters and provides that they can vote free from acts that intimidate or harass them. For example, persons attempting to interrupt or intimidate voters by questioning, challenging, photographing or videotaping them at polling places – especially under the guise of uncovering illegal voting – may be violating federal voting rights law. Further, federal law protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice.
The right to vote is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the electoral franchise exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of election fraud or voting rights abuses on Nov. 6, 2018, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Allison will be on duty in this District the entire time that the polls are open. He can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: (602) 595-2866.
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and any other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at (623) 466-1999.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section in Washington, D.C. by phone at 1-800-253-3931 or (202) 307-2767, by fax at (202) 307-3961, by email to [email protected] or by complaint format at http://www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake/index.php.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-141_ Gen Elections
Telemarketers Arrested on Charges of Defrauding Elderly VictimsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – On Oct. 23, 2018 a federal grand jury in Phoenix returned a 24-count indictment for violations of the federal mail fraud statute, and for conspiracy to violate the mail and wire fraud statutes, against: Brandon Trevor Ball, 46, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Trevor Wesley Gabler, 28, of Phoenix, Ariz.; Gordon Lynn Hardy, 55, of Chandler, Ariz.; Jackie Nikiel Whitley, 37, of Phoenix, Ariz.; and Brian Lee Gibson, 36, of Tempe, Ariz.
The indictment alleges that the five defendants worked together in a telemarketing operation to defraud elderly consumers of over $1 million. In particular, the indictment alleges that when speaking via telephone with the victims, the defendants and their employees used false names and misrepresented the nature of a purported investment opportunity and the location of the business. All defendants were arrested and arraigned yesterday. Defendants Gabler, Ball, Hardy and Gibson have been temporarily detained pending a detention hearing.
“The Secret Service is committed to aggressively investigating financial crimes cases,” said Special Agent in Charge Cristina Beloud of the Secret Service Phoenix Field Office. “This case highlights our outstanding relationship with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Phoenix Police Department. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt organized criminal groups in the state of Arizona who attempt to defraud our most vulnerable citizens.”
A conviction for mail fraud in which the defendants target elderly victims through telemarketing carries an enhanced maximum penalty of 30 years, a $250,000 fine (or twice the value of the loss), or both imprisonment and a fine.
An indictment is simply a method by which a person is charged with criminal activity and raises no inference of guilt. An individual is presumed innocent until competent evidence is presented to a jury that establishes guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The investigation preceding the indictment was conducted by the United States Secret Service and the Phoenix Police Department, with assistance from the United States Postal Inspection Service and the Special Investigations Section of the Arizona Attorney General’s Office. The prosecution is being handled by Gary M. Restaino, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-1420-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-139_Gabler et al
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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Fugitive from Justice in Possession of Firearms Sentenced to 10 MonthsRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Ryan Smith Hagel, 31, of San Luis Obispo, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 10 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Hagel had previously pleaded guilty to one count of fugitive from justice in possession of a firearm.
On Nov. 18, 2017, Hagel was a passenger in a vehicle that was pulled over for speeding in La Paz County. Hagel initially denied possessing any firearms, despite being armed. Six additional firearms were located inside the vehicle, along with 2,889 rounds of ammunition, bulletproof vests, and other tactical gear. Hagel had an outstanding felony warrant from 2008 in a Maricopa County case involving theft of a vehicle.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive, and the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Lisa E. Jennis, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR 18-00273-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-140_ Hagel
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Department of Justice Honors National Domestic Violence Awareness MonthRead the Press Release
ARIZONA – In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein met with the Acting Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) Katherine Sullivan and other senior Justice officials today to discuss the Violence Against Women Act’s (VAWA) essential focus on criminal justice responses to domestic violence. Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein also announced new OVW funding for the department’s Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorney (SAUSA) program.
“There is no place in our society for domestic violence, and holding perpetrators accountable and providing services to victims is a critical part of the Department’s response,” said Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein. “During this National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, I encourage law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other criminal justice professionals to speak out about domestic violence and redouble efforts to bring perpetrators to justice. I am especially pleased to announce new funding to support four new Tribal Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, whose collaboration across the tribal and federal jurisdictional landscape is a model for effective prosecution of violence against women.”
OVW’s Tribal SAUSA Program is another Department initiative supporting innovative prosecutorial collaborations. Tribal SAUSAs bring cases in both tribal and federal courts, and help ensure that tribal and federal authorities provide a seamless response in cases prosecuted under their jurisdiction. In OVW’s pilot project, Tribal SAUSAs reported a wide range of successes, including prosecution of cases that otherwise may not have been brought.
Today, OVW announced a new Tribal SAUSA Program award of $437,500 to the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
“We applaud Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community for the well-deserved recognition and funding for its new Special Assistant U.S. Attorney program,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Tribal SAUSAs play a crucial role in our office’s efforts to combat and prosecute violent crime. Unfortunately, domestic violence is a prevalent problem, and this new position funded by DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women will allow us to expand our efforts to protect victims and bring their offenders to justice. We look forward to strengthening our criminal justice response to domestic violence in the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community through its new SAUSA program.”
Commemorated in the United States since 1987, National Domestic Violence Awareness Month educates the public, commemorates and honors victims and survivors, and connects service providers across the country. President Trump has continued the tradition of issuing a presidential proclamation to recognize October as National Domestic Violence Awareness Month.
Strengthening criminal justice is the core component of VAWA, and Acting Director Sullivan pointed to the ICJR Program as the “backbone of VAWA.” ICJR helps communities investigate and prosecute these crimes and keep violent criminals off the street. Since 1997, OVW has made 1,655 ICJR grant awards totaling over $847 million. In fiscal year 2018, OVW made 54 ICJR awards totaling $32.6 million.
This funding has supported justice responses including dedicated police and prosecution units, specialized courts, and offender monitoring in 538 communities. ICJR also funds unique collaborative approaches, such as Family Justice Centers – “one stop shops” housing police, prosecution, and victim services in one place – and multidisciplinary teams that decrease domestic violence homicides. Since 2012, OVW has awarded over $24 million in ICJR funding to reduce domestic violence homicide, including pilot sites, nationwide training, and research, including $3,299,977 for fiscal year 2018.
Many victims also face substance abuse issues and struggle to access the justice system to receive the protection they need. Today, OVW also announced an award of $450,000 to the Alliance for HOPE International to provide training to Family Justice Centers to address this complex challenge. The Alliance for HOPE International will partner with the National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health.
VAWA was first authorized in 1994 and focused on strengthening the criminal justice response to domestic violence. VAWA was reauthorized in 2000, 2005, and 2013, and each reauthorization included expansions such as addressing elder abuse, combatting stalking, and serving victims of sex trafficking in Indian Country. More information about VAWA is available at www.justice.gov/ovw/legislation.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-136_ Tribal_SAUSA18
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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21 Individuals Convicted for Smuggling Weapons into MexicoRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – This week, the last of a total of 21 defendants was convicted in federal court of smuggling weapons into Mexico and related offenses. The convictions were the result of a joint investigation between the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), that began in 2015. Nineteen adults and two juveniles received sentences that ranged from probation to five years’ prison for their roles in this large criminal organization.
In October 2015, ATF received information that several assault rifles and large-capacity magazines were seized in Mexico, and determined that the weapons were purchased by individuals in Arizona. Over the next five months, agents identified a total of 24 participants in a weapons-smuggling conspiracy that was responsible for the acquisition of at least 70 firearms and 75,000 rounds of ammunition intended to be unlawfully exported into Mexico. Several of the conspirators purchased the weapons, while others provided money and vehicles, and others transported the weapons within Arizona and across the International Border into Mexico. The leader of the organization, Edgar Vega-Barreras, 30, a Mexican citizen, was convicted by a jury of conspiracy to smuggle goods from the United States, and was sentenced by United States District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to five years’ prison. Judge Zipps, United States Senior District Judge Cindy K. Jorgenson, and United States District Judge Steven P. Logan also sentenced other members of the conspiracy.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the ATF and HSI, with assistance from the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBERS: CR-16-0478-TUC-JGZ; CR-16-0482-TUC-JGZ; CR-16-0483-TUC-CKJ; CR-17-1155-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-138_Vega-Barreras, et al
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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Mesa Man Sentenced to 7 Years for Distribution of HeroinRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Daniel George Luntraru, 33, of Mesa, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Steven P. Logan to 84 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Luntraru had previously pleaded guilty to four counts of distribution of heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. Luntraru was sentenced to 84 months imprisonment on each of the five counts, with the sentences to be served concurrently.
On March 8, 2015, Luntraru sold heroin to a heroin user who resided at a men’s sober living home in Mesa, Ariz. That user had purchased the heroin for himself and another resident of the home. The other resident was found dead in his room the next morning, and an autopsy by the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s office found the cause of death to be acute heroin intoxication. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) began an investigation after being made aware of the circumstances of the death in early 2017, and observed Luntraru conduct hand-to-hand sales of heroin near his apartment. In June 2017, agents executed a federal search warrant at Luntraru’s apartment and found additional sale quantities of heroin.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the DEA, Mesa Police Department, and the Maricopa County Medical Examiner’s Office. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn McCormick and Don Pashayan, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: 17-0807-PHX-SPL
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-137_ Luntraru
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Tuba City Man Sentenced to over 8 Years for Armed Robbery and Assaulting OfficersRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Warren Adam Blake, 37, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 102 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Blake, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to assault with a dangerous weapon and armed robbery. Blake also received a concurrent 13-month sentence for violations of supervised release in a prior federal case.
In the summer of 2017, Blake was on supervised release for a prior federal felony conviction and had an active arrest warrant for violating his conditions of release. On Aug. 2, 2017, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and criminal investigators with the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety attempted to arrest Blake on the warrant. When law enforcement officers approached Blake in their vehicle, Blake hurried into a vehicle that had previously been reported stolen. Blake then rammed the stolen vehicle into the officers’ vehicle and fled the scene.
Blake evaded capture by law enforcement until Nov. 27, 2017. That day, he entered a home in Tuba City without permission, pointed a gun at the homeowner, and demanded the keys to a vehicle. Blake fled the scene in the stolen vehicle, leading police on a lengthy chase. He was eventually captured on foot in a remote area of the Navajo Nation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety, and Bureau of Indian Affairs – Office of Justice Services (Hopi Agency). The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08239-PCT-DLR; CR-14-08096-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-135_Blake
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Department of Justice and Department of Interior Team up for Major Expansion of Tribal Access to National Crime Information DatabasesRead the Press Release
ARIZONA – First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice and the Department of the Interior in announcing a dramatic expansion of the federal government’s key program that provides tribes with access to national crime information databases, the Justice Department’s Tribal Access Program for National Crime Information (TAP). The expansion includes the following tribes in Arizona:
- Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation
- Hopi Tribe
- Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation
By the end of 2019, the Justice Department will expand the number of tribes participating in TAP by more than 50 percent, from 47 tribes to 72. Further, by 2021, the Interior Department’s Bureau of Indian Affairs Office of Justice Services (BIA-OJS) will expand TAP to all 28 tribes where it delivers direct law enforcement services. The BIA Division of Human Services will also add two tribal social service locations in New Mexico and Oklahoma in 2019.
TAP provides federally-recognized tribes the ability to access and exchange data with national crime information databases for both civil and criminal purposes. This allows tribes to more effectively serve and protect their communities by ensuring the exchange of critical data. TAP is currently deployed to 47 tribes nationwide with over 220 tribal criminal justice and civil agencies participating. The program provides integrated workstations and/or software as well as enhanced training and assistance to enable tribes to access and contribute to national crime information databases.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is deeply committed to strengthening public safety in Indian Country,” stated First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Through the expansion of the TAP program, participating tribes can use the shared database information to make their communities safer by protecting victims of domestic violence, registering sex offenders, keeping guns out of the hands of known criminals, and helping to locate missing persons. In addition, law enforcement officers beyond the tribes’ borders -- throughout Arizona -- will benefit from the ability to access information entered by our tribal partners. We hope that all of our federally-recognized tribes will be able to participate in TAP in the near future as the program continues to expand.”
“The Fort McDowell Nation is pleased to be a part of the Tribal Access Program (TAP),” said Fort McDowell Nation Vice President Paul Russell. “TAP will allow Fort McDowell to protect and to better serve the public safety needs of our Nation. It will provide the Nation’s Police Department, Prosecutor’s Office, Tribal Courts (Pretrial Services and Probation) and Family Services (CPS and Foster Families) the ability to retrieve appropriate criminal justice information in a timely manner. For instance, with TAP, our Nation’s Police Department will be able to directly enter sex offender information into the National Sex Offender Registry (NSOR). In addition, the Nation’s Tribal Court can now enter its own orders of protection and dispositions into the national database which furthers public safety for victims, the Nation and the general population off the Nation.”
"The Hopi Tribe is grateful for the opportunity to connect with law enforcement resources through the 2019 Tribal Access Program," said Hopi Tribe Chairman Timothy Nuvangyaoma. "TAP will enhance safety for our Hopi People and will increase necessary coordination and communication among law enforcement jurisdictions."
“We are pleased to be selected as a recipient for the 2019 Tribal Access Program (TAP),” said Salt River President Delbert W. Ray, Sr. “The TAP program will allow the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community to effectively serve and protect our Community by allowing the exchange of critical data across Criminal Justice Information systems and other national crime information systems. This will be a great resource that will enhance the Salt River Law Enforcement agency.”
“Access to information is vital to effective law enforcement,” said Trent Shores, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Oklahoma and the Chairman of the Attorney General’s Advisory Subcommittee on Native American Issues. “The Tribal Access Program will enhance and improve the ability of tribal law enforcement officers to serve their communities. The Native American Issues Subcommittee is proud to support the continued expansion of this tool throughout Indian Country.”
The Native American Issues Subcommittee (NAIS) is comprised of United States Attorneys with Indian Country in their federal districts; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Strange is an active member of the NAIS. They advise the Attorney General regarding the development and implementation of policies pertaining to justice in Indian Country. The NAIS identified ‘increased law enforcement resources’ as one of four priority areas to improve justice services in Indian Country. Support for and increased dissemination of the TAP was unanimously supported by the U.S. Attorneys at a recent NAIS meeting in Indian Country in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
TAP enhances tribal efforts to register sex offenders pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA); have orders of protection enforced nationwide; protect children; keep firearms away from persons who are disqualified from receiving them; improve the safety of public housing, and allow tribes to enter their arrests and convictions into national databases.
TAP supports tribes in analyzing their needs for national crime information and includes appropriate solutions, including a-state-of-the-art biometric/biographic kiosk workstation with capabilities to process finger and palm prints, take mugshots and submit records to national databases. This includes the ability to access several national databases through the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Systems (CJIS) network, including the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), Next Generation Identification (NGI), National Data Exchange (N-DEx), National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), Law Enforcement Enterprise Portal (LEEP) as well as other national systems such as the International Justice and Public Safety Network (Nlets).
TAP, which is managed by the Justice Department’s Chief Information Officer with assistance from the Office of Tribal Justice, provides specialized training and assistance for participating tribes, including computer-based training and on-site instruction, as well as a 24x7 Help Desk. Participating tribes in TAP-FULL receive a kiosk workstation that provide access to national systems as well as training to support whole-of-government needs. Participating tribes in TAP-LIGHT receive software for criminal agencies that include police departments, prosecutors, criminal courts, jails, and probation departments.
The following tribes have been selected for the next phase of TAP FULL:
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma
Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana
Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation (Washington)
Cheyenne and Arapahoe Tribes, Oklahoma
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe of the Cheyenne River Reservation, South Dakota
Eastern Shoshone Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming
Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation, Arizona
Hopi Tribe of Arizona
Lower Elwha Tribal Community (Washington)
Northern Arapahoe Tribe of the Wind River Reservation, Wyoming
Penobscot Nation (Maine)
Quinault Indian Nation (Washington)
Rosebud Sioux Tribe of the Rosebud Indian Reservation, South Dakota
Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community of the Salt River Reservation, Arizona
Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Michigan
The Seminole Nation of Oklahoma
Swinomish Indian Tribal Community (Washington)
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians of North Dakota
The following tribes have been selected for the next phase of TAP LIGHT:
Bishop Paiute Tribe (California)
La Jolla Band of Luiseno Indians, California
Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians of Michigan
Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe (Massachusetts)
Morongo Band of Mission Indians, California
Port Gamble S'Klallam Tribe (Washington)
San Pasqual Band of the Diegueno Mission Indians of California
For the tribes selected by the Department of Justice, TAP is funded by the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering, and Tracking (SMART), the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). For the tribes selected by the Department of Interior, TAP is funded by BIA-OJS and BIA Division of Human Services.
For more information on TAP, visit www.justice.gov/tribal/tribal-access-program-tap
For more information about the Justice Department’s work on tribal justice and public safety issues, visit: www.justice.gov/tribal
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-132_ Tribal Access Program (TAP)
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Cottonwood Woman Sentenced to over 21 Years in Prison for Child Pornography Related ChargesRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Yesterday, Sarah Melissa Cox, 41, of Cottonwood, Ariz., was sentenced by Senior U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 262 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime supervised release. Cox had been convicted of three counts of receipt of child pornography, one count of noticing or advertising child pornography, and one count of distribution of child pornography at a jury trial in May.
Evidence at trial showed that Cox engaged in a conversation with Richard Hennis of Colorado from August 2015 until January 2016, using the Kik social media application. Cox and Hennis described in detail kidnapping, molesting, and assaulting children. Hennis sent numerous images of child pornography to Cox, including three images of an infant being sexually assaulted that Hennis had conspired to produce with a different woman. Cox provided Hennis with a link to additional child pornography.
“Cox not only viewed, described, and exchanged pictures and videos of horrendous acts against infants and young children, she also suggested kidnapping and sexually assaulting other children,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Cox’s conduct is shocking and deserving of the lengthy prison sentence.”
“The lengthy sentence handed down in this case is instrumental in pursuing justice for the victims of this child predator’s heinous crimes,” said Scott Brown, special agent in charge of HSI Phoenix. “HSI will continue to aggressively pursue those who seek to abuse our most vulnerable population and continue our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s office to ensure sexual predators are apprehended and prosecuted.”
The investigation in this case was conducted by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI). The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert Brooks and Christina Covault, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-08202-PCT-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-134_Cox
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Whippoorwill Man Sentenced to Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Calvert Baker, 36, of Whippoorwill, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Roslyn O. Silver to 30 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release. Baker, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.
In 2014, when Baker was 31 years old, he engaged in multiple sexual acts with a juvenile female victim.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-08186-PCT-ROS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-133_Baker
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Kayenta Man Sentenced to 6 Years in Prison for Sexual Abuse of a MinorRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Ronnie Haycock, 42, of Kayenta, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to six years’ imprisonment, to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release. Haycock, an enrolled member of the Navajo Nation, had previously pleaded guilty to sexual abuse of a minor.
During the summer of 2017, Haycock worked as a tour guide in the Monument Valley area of the Navajo Nation. On the night of July 5, 2017, Haycock led an overnight camping tour in the area. While camped out that night, Haycock sexually abused a juvenile female who was on the tour.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander Samuels, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-17-08238-PCT-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-131_Haycock
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Cottonwood Man Sentenced to over 145 Years for Shooting at Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Jack Witt Voris, 47, of Cottonwood, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jennifer G. Zipps to 1,750 months’ imprisonment. Voris was found guilty of six counts of assault on a federal officer and weapons offenses by a federal jury in Tucson on Feb. 15, 2018.
“As a society governed by laws, we cannot tolerate assaults on our law enforcement officers,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “Our office is committed to prosecuting these cases, and we thank all of the agencies that assisted in this important investigation.”
The evidence at trial showed that on Oct. 28, 2016, law enforcement agents arrived at a Tucson hotel to serve an arrest warrant on Voris, who was armed with a handgun. Voris shot at the officers, but missed. After a five-hour standoff with the Pima County Sheriff’s Department, Voris eventually surrendered to law enforcement.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Pima County Sheriff’s Department, with assistance provided by the Tucson Police Department and the Arizona Department of Public Safety. The prosecution was handled by Matthew C. Cassell, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-16-2267-TUC-JGZ-DTF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-130_ Voris
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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Peoria Woman Sentenced for Distribution of Fentanyl Resulting in DeathRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Fany Madrigal-Lopez, 46, of Peoria, Ariz., was sentenced by the Honorable Douglas L. Rayes, United States District Judge for the District of Arizona, to concurrent 12-year terms of imprisonment. Madrigal-Lopez had previously pleaded guilty to distributing fentanyl that resulted in death, and conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. As part of her sentence, Madrigal-Lopez’s residence in Peoria, Ariz., was forfeited to the United States.
Madrigal-Lopez’s sentencing followed other hearings in which Judge Rayes imposed sentences of probation and supervised release for three of Madrigal-Lopez’s adult children who participated in some of her crimes. Previously, Paulina Madrigal-Macias, 26, of Hawaii, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances. Adolfo Macias-Madrigal, 27, of Peoria, Ariz., and Luis Angel Macias, 21, of Phoenix, Ariz., both pleaded guilty to unlawful use of a communications facility as part of a drug conspiracy.
According to publicly-filed court documents, between the fall of 2015 and August 2017, Madrigal-Lopez obtained quantities of oxycodone and blue “M-30” pills that looked like oxycodone but contained fentanyl, cocaine, and alprazolam from others in Arizona. The four defendants then sold these substances to customers. On Nov. 16, 2016, Fany Madrigal-Lopez sold blue “M-30” pills to a customer who later died after consuming them. Despite learning of this death, Madrigal-Lopez continued to distribute various controlled substances to customers in the Phoenix area
Despite learning of this death, Madrigal-Lopez continued to distribute various controlled substances to customers in the Phoenix area. On Aug. 18, 2017, the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at her residence in Peoria, Ariz., and recovered quantities of oxycodone; cocaine; blue “M-30” pills that contained fentanyl; and alprazolam.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, who were assisted by the Peoria Police Department and the Arizona National Guard. The prosecution was handled by Carolina Escalante Konti, D.J. Pashayan, and Jeffrey Borup, Assistant U.S. Attorneys, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-2:17-1110-PHX-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-128_Madrigal-Lopez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Fort Defiance Man Sentenced to 6 Years’ Prison and Lifetime Probation for Voyeurism at Tséhootsooí Medical CenterRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – This week, Garrison Sloan, 44, of Fort Defiance, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Douglas L. Rayes to 6 years’ imprisonment, to be followed by lifetime probation with sex offender conditions and registration. Sloan had previously pleaded guilty to ten counts of Voyeurism, an Arizona state law assimilated for federal prosecution.
During parts of 2016 and 2017, Sloan, then an IT specialist at the Tséhootsooí Medical Center in Fort Defiance, Ariz., placed hidden cameras in several bathrooms at the medical center, which he used to surreptitiously view many of his coworkers. The matter was ultimately referred to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which promptly began an investigation, seized all of Sloan’s computer equipment, and was able to identify dozens of his victims. Sloan and many of his victims are members of the Navajo Nation, and his crimes occurred within the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney William G. Voit, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR 18-08057-DLR
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-129_Sloan
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Department of Justice Announces More Than $70 Million to Support School Safety and $64 Million to Improve State Criminal Record SystemsRead the Press Release
ARIZONA – First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange joined the Department of Justice today in announcing more than $70 million in grant funding to bolster school security. These grants will help to educate and train students and faculty, as well as support law enforcement officers and first responders on the scene of a school violence incident. The recipients of these grants in Arizona are:
1. Humbolt Unified School District - $250,000
2. Salt River Pima-Maricopa Community Schools - $95,000
3. Gilbert Unified School District 41- $96,614
4. Kyrene Elementary School District 28 - $230,000
5. Pinal County School Office Education Service Agency - $159,738
These grants are in addition to the funding to the National Association of School Resource Officers (NASRO), announced by Attorney General Sessions last week, to expand and update school curriculums to better support training programs. Together, these grants will help protect students, teachers, faculty, and first responders across the United States. Additionally, the Department is awarding more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems which, in turn, will help law enforcement and increase the effectiveness of background checks.
“President Trump and his administration will ensure the safety of every American school," Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. "Earlier this year he signed into law the STOP School Violence Act, which provides grant funding to develop anonymous school threat reporting systems, to implement school building security measures, and to train students, school personnel, and law enforcement on how to prevent school violence. Today I am announcing $70 million in these grants to hundreds of cities and states across America. These grants will go a long way toward giving young people and their families both safety and peace of mind.”
“Every child in Arizona should be able to attend school without the threat or fear of violence,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “We want our students and educators to feel safe in their schools every day, and these recent grants will further support and enhance our mission of protecting our communities, and particularly our schools, against targeted violent attacks.”
The Office of Justice Program’s (OJP) Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office) together are making more than 220 awards to jurisdictions across the country to help make schools more secure. The awards, granted through three funding streams, will provide new technology for reporting systems and other threat deterrent measures and create school safety training and education programs for school administrators, staff, students, and first responders. This includes the support for existing crisis intervention teams and the creation of new ones.
- BJA’s STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program will provide 68 awards valued at more than $19 million. This funding supports training to create and operate threat assessment and crisis intervention teams and to develop technology for local or regional anonymous reporting systems. This technology may be in the form of a mobile phone application, hotline, or website.
- The STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, also managed by BJA, will provide training and education on preventing violence and effectively responding to related mental health crises. This program will fund 85 awards at nearly $28 million.
- The COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) will provide nearly $25 million to 91 jurisdictions for school safety measures including coordination with law enforcement, training for law enforcement to prevent student violence against others and self, target hardening measures, and technology for expedited notification of law enforcement during an emergency.
The grants are authorized by the STOP School Violence Act, which are intended to improve school security by helping students and teachers reduce exposure to risks, prevent acts of violence, and quickly recognize and respond to violent attacks.
The Department also announced that it has awarded more than $64 million to state agencies to improve the thoroughness, quality, and accessibility of the nation’s criminal record systems. These grants are administered by the Bureau of Justice Statistics, part of OJP. Approximately $43 million in funding will be administered through the National Criminal History Improvement Program (NCHIP), and nearly $21 million will be awarded under the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) Act Record Improvement Program. These grant programs help states automate and upgrade records accessed by the firearms background check system. This year, at the direction of the Attorney General, the Department prioritized funding for projects that improve accessibility of criminal history records, domestic violence convictions, and information on persons who are prohibited from possessing firearms for mental-health related reasons.
The Department is also investing over $1 million in research to better understand the factors behind mass shooting incidents. The grant awards, made by the Department’s National Institute of Justice (NIJ), part of OJP, support scientific investigations that will examine factors that contribute to mass violence, identify any patterns in mass shootings, analyze psychological and social life histories of mass shooters and community-level predictors of mass violence, and will examine firearm purchasing patterns of known mass shooters in order to create a risk prediction tool.
For addition information on today’s grant announcements, visit www.bja.gov or www.cops.usdoj.gov.
NOTE: The breakdown of the STOP School Violence Grants can be found here: STOP School Violence Threat Assessment and Technology Reporting Program, STOP School Violence Prevention and Mental Health Training Program, and COPS Office School Violence Prevention Program
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-127_ STOP School Violence
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Tuba City Woman Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Stabbing on Navajo ReservationRead the Press Release
PHOENIX – Today, Tomacita Nez, 41, of Tuba City, Ariz., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa to 72 months’ prison followed by three years’ supervised release. Nez had previously pleaded guilty to one count of voluntary manslaughter.
Nez admitted to stabbing the victim during a domestic disagreement outside her home on the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation. The victim died as a result of his injuries. Judge Humetewa denied the defense attorney’s request for a lower sentence, describing the offense as “incredibly violent” and finding Nez was a danger to the community. Both Nez and the victim were members of the Navajo Nation Indian Reservation.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was handled by Christine Ducat Keller, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Phoenix.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-08314-PCT-DJH
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-126_Nez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange Announces Progress in Making Our Communities Safer Through Project Safe NeighborhoodsRead the Press Release
ARIZONA - One year ago, the Department of Justice announced the revitalization and enhancement of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which Attorney General Sessions has made the centerpiece of the Department’s violent crime reduction strategy. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Throughout the past year, we have partnered with all levels of law enforcement, local organizations, and members of the community to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone.
“Project Safe Neighborhoods is a proven program with demonstrated results,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said. “We know that the most effective strategy to reduce violent crime is based on sound policing policies that have proven effective over many years, which includes being targeted and responsive to community needs. I have empowered our United States Attorneys to focus enforcement efforts against the most violent criminals in their districts, and directed that they work together with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and community partners to develop tailored solutions to the unique violent crime problems they face. Each United States Attorney has prioritized the PSN program, and I am confident that it will continue to reduce crime, save lives, and restore safety to our communities.”
“Our goal is to make every community in Arizona a safer place to live and work,” stated First Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth A. Strange. “From experience, we have learned that sustained success in combatting violent crime requires a comprehensive approach. Our Project Safe Neighborhoods program is a collaborative partnership with federal, tribal, and local law enforcement focused on reducing gun violence and committed to sustaining the success we have seen over the past year.”
As we celebrate the one-year anniversary of the revitalized PSN program, here are some of the highlights of our PSN actions over the past year:
Enforcement Actions
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona (USAAZ) has developed partnerships with Federal, State, Local, and Tribal law enforcement, and State prosecutors, to ensure our efforts are focused against the most violent offenders.
- A partnership of Federal and local law enforcement agencies in the Phoenix metropolitan area reduced gun violence during the past year through the formation of the Crime Gun Intelligence Center (CGIC) and expanded reach of the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). The CGIC was created through a partnership between the Phoenix Police Department (PPD) and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). USAAZ also partnered with ATF to expand the reach of NIBIN. The CGIC helps gather ballistic evidence from firearms crime scenes and enter shell casings into NIBIN within 72 hours of obtaining the evidence. The CGIC then provides investigative leads to detectives to help reduce violent crimes based on NIBIN matches.
- The CGIC program’s value in coordinating seemingly unrelated investigations by multiple agencies was dramatically demonstrated in the Dwight Jones serial shooter investigation, which involved extensive cooperation between local police and their Federal partners. Between May 31, 2018 and June 3, 2018, Dwight Jones killed six people in the greater Phoenix area. As soon as law enforcement realized the shootings were related, PPD, ATF, Scottsdale Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) worked together round-the-clock to determine the identity of the shooter. Through the collaborative use of CGIC, NIBIN, and DNA evidence, law enforcement officers were able to identify Jones as the primary suspect. On June 4, 2018, as police moved in to arrest Jones, he shot and killed himself. CGIC was instrumental in connecting and solving six murders, and prevented Dwight Jones from inflicting more violence on the community.
Community Partnerships
- USAAZ is part of the Governor’s Recidivism Reduction coalition, which is responsible for creating a statewide recidivism reduction plan. The Arizona Department of Corrections (ADC) received over $1 million in Department of Justice grants to implement a statewide recidivism reduction plan, and USAAZ is working with several ADC representatives to support the implementation of this statewide plan.
- USAAZ has partnered with various local, state, tribal, federal and non-government agencies to support statewide prevention, outreach, and reentry initiatives. USAAZ has facilitated several reentry simulations, which provide an opportunity for participants to assume the role of an ex-offender recently released from prison. The simulation suggests that, ultimately, the ability to navigate "the system" may be a primary factor in the relationship between resiliency and recidivism.
- USAAZ has worked with federal law enforcement to coordinate panels for local high schools and coordinated federal courthouse tours for the local law enforcement Explorers Program. The panels and tours educate students about federal law enforcement careers and the federal court system.
Improvements to Community Safety
- The FBI’s official crime data for 2017 reflects that after two consecutive years of historic increases in violent crime, the nationwide violent crime rate began to decline in the first year of the Trump Administration. The nationwide violent crime rate decreased by approximately one percent in 2017, while the nationwide homicide rate decreased by nearly one and a half percent.
- The preliminary information we have for 2018 gives us reason for optimism that our efforts are continuing to pay off. Public data from 60 major cities show that violent crime was down by nearly five percent in those cities in the first six months of 2018 compared to the same period a year ago.
These enforcement actions and partnerships are part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. Learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods.
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-125_PSN
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az/
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Off-Duty Border Patrol Agent Pleads Guilty to Starting 2017 Sawmill Fire and Agrees to Pay More Than $8 Million in RestitutionRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – Today, Dennis Dickey, 37, of Tucson, Ariz., pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor violation of U.S. Forest Service regulations for igniting the Sawmill Fire, which caused more than $8 million worth of damage in April 2017. The Court scheduled a sentencing hearing for October 9, 2018.
On April 23, 2017, near Green Valley, Ariz., U.S. Border Patrol Agent Dickey, who was off-duty at the time, ignited a fire that spread to Coronado National Forest, federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service. This fire was referred to as the “Sawmill Fire.” Dickey started the fire by shooting a rifle at a target. Dickey had placed Tannerite, a highly explosive substance, inside the target, intending for it to detonate when shot by a high-velocity firearm bullet. Dickey fired shots at the Tannerite target, ultimately causing an explosion that started a fire that spread and resulted in damage to more than 45,000 acres of land managed by the State of Arizona, the U.S. Forest Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and various private landholders. Dickey immediately reported the fire to law enforcement, cooperated, and admitted that he started the fire. The total losses attributable to the fire, including suppression costs and damage to land and landholdings, totaled more than $8 million.
In his plea agreement, Dickey agreed to a sentence of five years’ probation, and to make a public service announcement with the U.S. Forest Service concerning the cause of the Sawmill fire. Dickey agreed to pay restitution totaling $8,188,069. Dickey also agreed to make an initial payment of $100,000 toward the restitution judgment and monthly payments thereafter.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the U.S. Forest Service. The prosecution was handled by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: 18-MJ-03295-DTF
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-123_Dickey
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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Border Patrol Agent Arrested for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
TUCSON, Ariz. – On Sept. 25, 2018, Ramon Antonio Monreal-Rodriguez, 37, of Vail, Ariz., a U.S. Border Patrol agent assigned to the Three Points, Ariz. station, was arrested for conspiracy to make false statements in connection with the acquisition of firearms and aiding and abetting the commission of such offenses.
The indictment alleges that Monreal conspired to unlawfully acquire firearms on behalf of other individuals. As part of the conspiracy, Monreal and another co-defendant provided cash and instructions to a third co-defendant to buy firearms from licensed firearms dealers. The purchasing defendant would then make false statements and representations to the firearms dealers. Monreal has been employed as a U.S. Border Patrol agent for approximately ten years, and resigned upon his arrest.
The investigation in this case is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. The prosecution is being handled by Angela W. Woolridge, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson.
CASE NUMBER: CR-18-01905-001-TUC-JAS
RELEASE NUMBER: 2018-124_Monreal-Rodriguez
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For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Arizona, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/az
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