District of Connecticut
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Farmington Woman Admits Stealing $103K from Bank CustomerRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that LEE BLANCHETTE, 58, of Farmington, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of bank fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Blanchette was employed by Bank of America as a relationship manager. As a relationship manager, Blanchette had the authority to cause temporary ATM cards to be activated and assigned to a customer’s account. Between August 2014 and March 2016, Blanchette caused multiple temporary ATM cards to be activated for bank accounts of a customer who Blanchette knew was experiencing cognitive decline. Without the customer’s authorization, Blanchette used the temporary ATM cards to withdraw significant funds from the customer’s accounts, keeping a significant portion for her own benefit, and causing a loss of $103,080.
Bank fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 30 years. Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for August 26, 2021.
Blanchette has agreed to pay restitution to Bank of America, which covered the victim’s losses.
Blanchette is released pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer R. Laraia.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
East Hartford Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing Gun in HartfordRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GREGORY CRAWFORD, 37, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 29, 2020, Crawford, while operating an unregistered and uninsured vehicle, drove through downtown Hartford at a high rate of speed, weaved in and out of traffic and then struck a car, which then struck another car. He then turned and drove in the other direction before his damaged vehicle came to a stop in front of the Old State House. Hartford Police arrested Crawford and seized from him a loaded Haskell Hi-Point .45 pistol and quantities of crack cocaine and PCP.
Crawford’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony assault, robbery and narcotics offenses. Crawford was on state special parole at the time of his arrest.
Crawford has been detained in state custody since his arrest on June 29, 2020. On March 1, 2021, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Judge Meyer ordered Crawford to begin serving his federal sentence today, and that the sentence does not include credit for the approximately 11 months Crawford has served in state custody.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Connecticut Violent Crime Task Force and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Bridgeport Felon Sentenced to 3 Years in Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SHANNON CALHOUN, 49, of Bridgeport, was sentenced via videoconference by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to 36 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a firearm.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 22, 2019, Calhoun was subject to a state parole compliance check at his Bridgeport residence. After a parole officer found a plastic bag containing marijuana in Calhoun’s bedroom, the parole officer contacted the Bridgeport Police Department to assist with the compliance check. The continued search of Calhoun’s bedroom revealed a loaded .40 caliber handgun and a coffee bean grinder containing heroin residue.
Calhoun’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for sale of narcotics, assault in the first degree, larceny in the second degree, weapon in a motor vehicle; burglary in the third degree, carrying a dangerous weapon, possession of narcotics, criminal possession of a weapon, and failure to appear.
It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Calhoun has been detained since his arrest on May 22, 2019. On November 3, 2020, he pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Bridgeport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathaniel J. Gentile.
This prosecution has been brought though Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
New York Men Charged with Mortgage Fraud Offenses Related to Loan for Hartford Apartment BuildingsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JACOB DEUTSCH, 56, of Brooklyn, New York, and ARON DEUTSCH, 60, of Monsey, New York, were arrested today on federal conspiracy, fraud and false statement offenses related to a mortgage fraud scheme involving a loan for two Hartford properties.
As alleged in court documents, Jacob and Aron Deutsch work at B H Property Management, LLC (“BHPM”), a property management company that manages several multifamily housing properties in Hartford. Jacob Deutsch has been responsible for the day-to-day operations of BHPM, and Aron Deutsch has coordinated maintenance and construction activities for the housing properties managed by BHPM. In April 2017, the Deutsches and others, through an entity known as 16 53 Evergreen Avenue LLC (“Evergreen LLC”), purchased two Hartford properties, 16 Evergreen Avenue, a 24-unit housing property, and 53 Evergreen Avenue, a 12-unit housing property, for a total of approximately $1.8 million.
It is alleged that the Deutsches defrauded CBRE Capital Markets, Inc. (“CBRE”), a mortgage origination and servicing company, and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”), when applying for, and ultimately acquiring, a mortgage loan for Evergreen LLC to refinance the purchase of the two Hartford properties. The loan application documents contained numerous misrepresentations about 16 Evergreen Avenue’s occupancy rate and net operating income. For instance, a rent roll and income and expense summary submitted by Jacob Deutsch in June 2018 falsely represented that 16 Evergreen Avenue was 100 percent occupied when, in fact, not a single tenant resided there at the time. Based on these misrepresentations, in August 2018, CBRE underwrote a Freddie Mac Small Balance Loan for $2,178,000 secured by 16 Evergreen Avenue and 53 Evergreen Avenue, and then immediately sold that loan to Freddie Mac at closing.
Jacob and Aron Deutsch are each charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, wire fraud, mail fraud, and making false statements. After they appeared today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish, Jacob Deutsch was released on a $50,000 bond and Aron Deutsch was released on a $100,000 bond.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Sarah Gruber.
Accountant for Pizza Restaurants Sentenced for Federal Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMES G. GUERRA, 59, of Dix Hills, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first two months of which Guerra must spend in home confinement, for a felony tax offense. Judge Bolden also ordered Guerra to perform 100 hours of community service.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Guerra worked as an accountant for Bruno DeFabio, an owner of several pizza restaurants in Connecticut and New York, including Pinocchio Pizza LLC, doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in New Canaan, Connecticut; Top Oven Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Wilton, Connecticut; DiFabio Brothers Pizza Corp., doing business as Amore Pizza in Scarsdale, New York; Odell Pizza, Inc., doing business as Amore Cucina and Bar in Stamford, Connecticut; Nepperhan Restaurants Group, Inc., doing business as ReNapoli Pizza, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and Homefield Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, New York.
DiFabio and his businesses engaged in a practice whereby cash was removed from the cash registers and not deposited into the restaurants’ operating bank accounts, and Guerra knew that DiFabio had a practice of paying his employees in cash. Although Guerra was aware that DiFabio was failing to collect required withholding taxes from his employees and, in turn, not paying over these taxes to the IRS, Guerra reviewed and approved DiFabio’s quarterly tax returns that DiFabio subsequently signed and filed with the IRS.
On January 25, 2021, Guerra pleaded guilty to one count of assisting the willful failure to collect and pay over withholding taxes.
On October 25, 2018, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns. On May 6, 2021, he was sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment and ordered to pay $816,954 in restitution.
On September 24, 2018, DiFabio’s business partner in some of his restaurants, Steven Cioffi, pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. On April 27, 2021, Cioffi was sentenced to 30 days of imprisonment and ordered to pay $122,177.59 in restitution.
On June 4, 2019, Idalecia Lopes Santos, the businesses’ bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. On March 30, 2021, she was sentenced to three years of probation.
This investigation was conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Four Charged with Trafficking Oxycodone and Counterfeit Pills Containing FentanylRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that four men were arrested today on federal charges related to the distribution of oxycodone pills, counterfeit pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs in the Hartford area.
Each of the following individuals is charged by criminal complaint with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, controlled substances:
REY URENA, also known as “Rueben,” 21, of Waterbury
YAN REYES, 34, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in Hartford
RAMON VARGAS, 20, of Hartford
JOSE LORA, 27, of HartfordReyes, Vargas and Lora are also charged with possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, controlled substances. The four defendants are in custody and detention hearings are scheduled, beginning May 21.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the DEA Tactical Diversion Squad and the FBI Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force have been investigating the distribution of oxycodone pills, counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl, and other drugs from neighborhood grocery stores in New Britain and Hartford. Between January 2020 and March 2021, investigators made several controlled purchases of illegal pills at the Washington Market, formerly located at 453 Washington Street in Hartford; JZ Tobacco, located at 25 New Britain Avenue in Hartford, and Prestige Market, located at 23 New Britain Avenue in Hartford. Urena supervised the illegal enterprise, Reyes and Vargas sold pills from JZ Tobacco and Prestige Market, and Lora served as a runner and lookout for the organization.
It is further alleged that, on December 20, 2020, investigators stopped a vehicle registered to Urena and found approximately 4,000 oxycodone pills and $51,000 in cash in a hidden “trap” beneath the front passenger seat of the car.
In connection with today’s arrests, investigators executed multiple search warrants. It is alleged that a search of an apartment on Colonial Street in Hartford that was used by the drug trafficking organization revealed approximately one kilogram of suspected cocaine, approximately one kilogram of suspected fentanyl or heroin, more than 5,000 real and counterfeit oxycodone pills, approximately 2,000 xanax pills, items used to process and package narcotics, and two handguns. A search of Urena’s residence in Waterbury revealed approximately $54,000.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The DEA’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad includes officers from the Bristol, East Windsor, Hamden, Meriden, New Britain, West Haven and Watertown Police Departments. The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Statement of Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle in Recognition of National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial DayRead the Press Release
This is National Police Week, a time our nation sets aside each year to recognize the significant contributions and extraordinary work of local, state, federal and Tribal law enforcement in keeping our communities and those in them safe.
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.
According to national statistics, 285 law enforcement officers were killed in the line-of-duty in 2020. Approximately 60 percent of these officers lost their lives to COVID-19, which was contracted during their on-duty service in their communities. Additionally, the Law Enforcement Officer Killed and Assaulted (LEOKA) Program reports that 46 law enforcement officers died as a result of felonious acts and 47 died in accidents.
Although Connecticut is fortunate to have avoided a law enforcement line-of-duty death this past year, throughout our history 152 officers have died while on duty and serving those living in Connecticut.
Each one of these deaths is a stark reminder of the level of dedication and good work members of law enforcement selflessly perform every day. The dangers of this important profession are present in our state and remain constant to our law enforcement officers. They see it in a variety of ways when responding to situations involving domestic violence, shootings, assaults, homicides, drug related violence, robberies and other calls for help. This deserves our gratitude and support.
National Police Week and Peace Officers Memorial Day also remind us about the need for officer wellness. Law enforcement is a deeply stressful profession, a stress that is compounded when their many good works become overshadowed by reports of those officers who unlawfully choose to abuse their authority and betray their peacekeeper oath. Constant, multiple pressures can take a toll and have a cumulating effect over time. As a result, officers suffer increased heart disease, stress disorders, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), depression, and alcohol abuse, to name a few. Stigma and job loss can create barriers and cause officers to avoid seeking help. In 2020, 172 officers across our nation died by suicide. In 2021, 56 officers have already taken their own life. We support and encourage officers to seek the help they need and have earned.
Please join me in honoring these officers who have sacrificed their lives for our safety, and remembering their families and loved ones who continue to endure their loss.
Leonard C Boyle
Acting United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
May 14, 2021Woman Charged with Bringing More Than 5 Kilo of Cocaine on Flight from Puerto Rico to ConnecticutRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, today announced that HECMARIELIZ CRUZ-ACEVEDO, 22, of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, has been charged in a federal criminal complaint with possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
As alleged in court documents, on May 9, 2021, HSI received information from U.S. Department of Agriculture inspectors at San Juan International Airport that Cruz-Acevedo had boarded a flight to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, with a final destination of Bradley International Airport, and had checked a piece of luggage that contained five rectangular-shaped objects consistent with narcotics packages. After the flight landed at Bradley Airport, a Connecticut State Police canine detected the presence of narcotics in the checked bag. Investigators stopped Cruz-Acevedo when she retrieved the bag at baggage claim. A search of the bag revealed five individual parcels, each containing slightly more than one kilogram of cocaine, located between articles of clothing.
Cruz-Acevedo, who has been detained since her arrest on May 9. She appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas O. Farrish in Hartford and was released on a $100,000 bond.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
New Britain Resident Charged with Fentanyl and Cocaine OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that on May 4, 2021, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a four-count indictment charging JOSE MIGUEL VEGA-RIVERA, 49, a citizen of the Dominican Republic recently residing in New Britain, with fentanyl and cocaine offenses.
As alleged in court documents, on April 27, 2021, DEA Task Force investigators stopped a car Vega-Rivera was traveling in after he sold cocaine to an occupant of another vehicle. A subsequent search of a New Britain apartment connected to Vega-Rivera revealed approximately one kilogram of fentanyl, more than 500 grams of cocaine, two firearms, and approximately $55,000 in cash.
The indictment charges Vega-Rivera with one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; and one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Vega, who has been detained since his arrest on April 27, appeared today via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti and entered a plea of not guilty to the charges.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the DEA’s Hartford Task Force, which includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Cocaine Trafficker Sentenced to More Than 7 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that OMRYS DELGADO, 33, of Windsor, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking cocaine.
According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service into Delgado and others, who were receiving shipments of cocaine from Puerto Rico and California, and distributing the drug in and around Hartford. The investigation revealed that a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was facilitating the shipment of parcels containing kilograms of cocaine through the USPS to addresses that were on his delivery route in Hartford. The letter carrier distributed cocaine to his own drug customers, and also delivered parcels to Delgado and other cocaine traffickers in the Hartford area.
Delgado was arrested on May 21, 2019. On June 4, 2019, a grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment Delgado and 18 co-defendants with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and related offenses. On January 12, 2021, Delgado pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Delgado, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 18, 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
New Haven Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Gun and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KEVIN McFARLANE, also known as “Jabari McBurn” and “Dexter Creque,” 43, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 120 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for firearm possession and crack cocaine distribution offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 8, 2018, in New Haven, McFarlane possessed a loaded Glock model 43 9mm semiautomatic handgun and approximately 97 grams of crack cocaine. The firearm had been reported stolen in Florida in 2017.
McFarlane’s criminal history includes a 2004 conviction in Connecticut for sale of a hallucinogen/narcotic, and a 2007 conviction in Florida for murder in the second degree. He was released from Florida state prison in July 2017.
McFarlane has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on July 11, 2018. On September 5, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”), and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Haven Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Oxycodone from New Britain Grocery StoreRead the Press Release
Leonard C. Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ELIEZER PEREZ, also known as “Ka-King,” 42, of Hartford, pleaded guilty yesterday via videoconference before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, oxycodone.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in the summer of 2019, the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department began investigating individuals who were selling oxycodone pills from Elzier Grocery, located at 1485 Corbin Avenue in New Britain. Between July and December 2019, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of oxycodone pills from Perez and others at the store.
On February 26, 2020, court authorized searches of the Elzier Grocery and a nearby residence revealed more than 1000 oxycodone pills, drug packaging materials, drug ledgers, and approximately $10,000 in cash.
Perez has been detained since his arrest on December 12, 2020.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2021, at which time Perez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Tactical Diversion Squad and the New Britain Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.
Cheshire Investment Advisor Admits Stealing More Than $600K from Elderly ClientRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MATTHEW O. CLASON, 39, of Cheshire, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of wire fraud related to his misappropriation of more than $600,000 from an investment client.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Clason was an investment advisor and a registered representative of Lincoln Financial Advisors Corporation, and then LPL Financial LLC. Beginning in approximately 2015, Clason provided investment services to a 73-year-old Connecticut resident (“the victim”). The victim had at least five investments accounts with Clason and, in January 2018, Clason and the victim opened a joint bank account. From 2018 to August 2020, Clason transferred more than $668,000 from the victim’s investment accounts into the joint bank account and, without the victim’s knowledge or authorization, withdrew more than $621,000 in cash from the bank account for his personal use. Clason also transferred $5,000 directly from the joint bank account to his personal bank account, and made two transfers from the joint bank account to pay his personal credit card.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for August 5, 2021, at which time Clason faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Clason is released on bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll-free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
Bristol Man Admits Illegally Possessing Loaded HandgunRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that XAVIER CRUZ, 26, of Bristol, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Janet B. Arterton in New Haven to possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 5, 2020, law enforcement found a backpack containing a loaded Smith and Wesson semiautomatic handgun in a parking lot in a residential area of Bristol. The handgun’s serial number had been removed. Investigators subsequently determined that Cruz had possessed the firearm before discarding it.
Prior to September 2020, Cruz sustained felony convictions in state court for controlled substance offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2021, at which time Cruz faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Cruz is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bristol Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara Levens and Margaret Donovan.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Government Property and Fentanyl Distribution OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOSE NUNEZ-TORRES, also known as “Jose Nunez” and “J-Money,” 21, of Hartford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sarah A. L. Merriam in New Haven to one count of theft of government property and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2019, Nunez-Torres and Dominque Perry stole a 2016 Honda Accord from a residence in Newington. The vehicle was the property of a federal law enforcement agency, and contained fully loaded firearm magazines for multiple weapons, ammunition, handcuffs and other restraints, a ballistic vest and its component parts, and raid jackets. After stealing the vehicle, Perry drove the Accord to a location in Bloomfield where he Nunez-Torres removed the vehicle’s tires and rims. Nunez-Torres and Perry subsequently sold the tires and rims, and advertised the sale of loaded firearm magazines, ammunition, ballistic vest and other items.
The vehicle and its tires and rims have been recovered, but some of the law enforcement equipment that was in the car has not been located.
Nunez-Torres was arrested on March 1, 2019, and he was subsequently released on bond.
In the afternoon of November 14, 2020, Nunez-Torres was arrested on state charges after law enforcement officers encountered him sleeping in a stolen car that was parked on an I-91 off ramp in Hartford. A search of the car revealed two stun guns, a black metal collapsible baton, and distribution quantities of fentanyl and marijuana. He has been detained since his arrest.
Theft of government property carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Nunez-Torres is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny on August 3, 2021, in Hartford.
Nunez-Torres’ federal plea agreement also indicates that he will plead guilty in state court to risk of injury of a minor related to his intending to impair the morals of a minor under the age of 16, and to larceny offenses related to his earlier theft of two additional vehicles, a 2016 Nissan Maxima valued at $17,000 and a 2012 BMW 528 valued at $22,000.
Perry pleaded guilty to one count of theft of government property and, on February 3, 2020, was sentenced to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by four months of home confinement. Judge Chatigny also ordered Perry to pay $1,560 in restitution for the missing equipment.
This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, with the assistance of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Newington Police Department, the Hartford Police Department and the Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
Former Danbury Resident Pleads Guilty to Fraud and Identity Theft OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DOMINGO ST. HILAIRE ROSARIO, 57, formerly of Danbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez in Hartford to fraud and identity theft offenses stemming from his involvement in a scheme to use stolen identities to lease and purchase vehicles and motorcycles.
According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in late 2017, Rosario, Jamie Pinto and another individual conspired to use stolen identities to obtain vehicles and motorcycles at dealerships in Connecticut, Massachusetts and New Jersey. As part of the scheme, Rosario arranged for a car or motorcycle to be purchased or leased from a dealership in the name of an identity theft victim, and Pinto or another co-conspirator impersonated the identity theft victim at the dealership to complete the paperwork. Rosario supplied his co-conspirators with fraudulent identification documents bearing the victim’s personal identifying information, and with a fraudulent photo identification that contained the identifying information of the victim and a photograph of a co-conspirator. Rosario intended to sell or export the vehicles.
Through this scheme, Rosario and his co-conspirators acquired at least 13 vehicles and attempted to acquire at least two more. Some of the vehicles were recovered by law enforcement and returned to the dealers.
In July 2018, Rosario was stopped by the New Jersey State Police driving a Chevrolet Silverado that had been obtained through the fraud from dealership in Vernon, Connecticut. After that encounter, he fled to the Dominican Republic. On February 28, 2019, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Rosario. He was extradited from the Dominican Republic in May 2020, and is detained.
Rosario pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of aggravated identity theft, which carries a mandatory consecutive term of imprisonment of two years. Rosario is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 8, 2021.
Rosario has agreed to pay $220,589.19 in restitution.
On March 20, 2019. Pinto, 44, last residing in Manchester, pleaded guilty to conspiracy, fraud and identity theft offenses. He is detained while awaiting sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), with substantial assistance from the Vernon Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
East Haven Man Pleads Guilty to Theft of Social Security BenefitsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JOVON GAMBLE, 40, of East Haven, pleaded guilty today in Harford federal court to theft of public funds related to his illegal receipt of Social Security benefits.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Gamble’s mother lawfully received Social Security Administration (“SSA”) monthly benefit payments. Gamble’s mother died in June 2007. The SSA was never informed her death and Gamble continued to access the SSA funds that were deposited into his mother’s account. Between 2007 and 2017, the SSA deposited more than $88,000 into Gamble’s mother’s account.
Gamble is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on August 6, 2021, at which time he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Gamble also has agreed to pay $88,150.78 in restitution.
Gamble is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena Coronado and Brendan Keefe.
Stamford Man Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining Nearly $2.9 Million in COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
Moustapha Diakhate, 45, of Stamford, was arrested today on a federal criminal complaint charging him with bank fraud and wire fraud offenses related to his receipt of nearly $2.9 million in COVID-19 relief funds guaranteed by the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.
Today’s announcement was made by Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle, Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General’s Eastern Region, Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England.
Diakhate appeared this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti in Bridgeport and was ordered detained.
In March 2020, the CARES Act provided emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). In April 2020, Congress authorized more than $300 billion in additional PPP funding. The PPP allowed qualifying small businesses and other organizations to receive unsecured loans at an interest rate of 1%. PPP loan proceeds must be used by businesses on payroll costs, interest on mortgages, rent and utilities. The PPP allowed the interest and principal to be forgiven if businesses spent the proceeds on these expenses within a certain period of time of receipt and used at least a certain percentage of the amount to be forgiven for payroll.
The PPP was overseen by the Small Business Administration, which has authority over all PPP loans. Individual PPP loans, however, were issued by private approved lenders, such as Citibank, which received and processed PPP applications and supporting documentation, and then made loans using the lenders’ own funds, which were guaranteed by the SBA.
As alleged in the criminal complaint, Diakhate maintained an ownership or management interest in certain small business entities, including Ansonia Developers LLC, Winsbay Inc., Buyers Association Group LLC, Washington Management LLC and Diakhate Capital, Inc. Beginning in May 2020, Diakhate provided Citibank with false and fraudulent information during the PPP loan application process in order to obtain PPP loans for each of his five entities totaling $2,897,100. Diakhate then used a portion of the funds for various personal expenses, including to pay off a loan he had been provided to purchase of a 2010 Porsche Panamera Turbo, and to purchase both a Mercedes and BMW. He also purchased a $50,000 certificate of deposit with PPP funds, and disbursed funds to various and individuals unrelated to his business entities.
“Congress authorized the Paycheck Protection Program to help small businesses and their employees withstand a devastating pandemic, not so individual recipients can illegally reap a financial windfall,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Leonard C Boyle. “The Justice Department and our federal law enforcement partners are actively working to identify those who are taking advantage of COVID relief programs to line their pockets in violation of the law, and we will ensure that wrongdoers are prosecuted in federal court.”
“Making false statements to fraudulently obtain PPP funds is unacceptable,” said SBA OIG’s Eastern Region Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite. “SBA OIG will relentlessly pursue evidence of fraud against SBA’s programs aimed at assisting the nation’s small businesses struggling with the pandemic challenges. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its leadership and dedication to pursuing justice.”
“I commend the diligent efforts by all involved in this significant investigation of COVID-19 relief fraud,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg. “This level of deceit must face the full gravity of the judicial system.”
“These charges demonstrate our continued commitment to hold accountable those who attempt to defraud pandemic-related assistance allegedly to fund their luxurious lifestyles,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Ramsey E. Covington of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation. “We will continue to collaborate across agency lines to combat this self-serving type of fraud to ensure that these funds are used for their stated purposes and not to enrich the greedy.”
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that a complaint is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Individuals with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 are encouraged to report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline at 866-720-5721, or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Superseding Indictment Charges 8 Bridgeport Gang Members with Drug Trafficking, Committing 6 MurdersRead the Press Release
As part of an ongoing investigation into gang-related drug trafficking and related violence in Bridgeport, a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned a superseding indictment charging an additional four Bridgeport men with conspiring to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity, including drug trafficking, murder and attempted murder.
Today’s announcement was made by Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut; Joseph T. Corradino, State’s Attorney for the Fairfield Judicial District; Bridgeport Acting Police Chief Rebeca Garcia; David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England.
The superseding indictment, which was returned on May 3 and unsealed yesterday, charges
KEISHAWN DONALD, 20
TREVON WRIGHT, also known as “Tre,” 19
KYRAN DANGERFIELD, 24,
ERIC HAYES, also known as “Heavyweight Champ,” 24
TRAVON JONES, also known as “Budda,” 19
TYRONE MOORE, also known as “Ty Ralph Lauren,” 19
CHARLES ANTHONY BONILLA, also known as “30 Cal” and “Ant,” 22
HARRY BATCHELOR, also known as “Bookie,” 24Donald, Wright, Dangerfield and Hayes were originally charged by indictment in January 2021, and the original indictment included overt acts related to four murders. The superseding indictment adds Jones, Moore, Bonilla and Batchelor as defendants, and includes overt acts related to an additional two murders.
Batchelor was arrested this morning. He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector via videoconference and is detained. The other defendants are detained in federal or state custody.
As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, in an effort to address escalating violence in Bridgeport, the FBI, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals, and Bridgeport Police are actively investigating multiple Bridgeport-based groups whose members are involved in narcotics trafficking, murder and other acts of violence. The eight defendants are members or associates of the “East End gang,” which began as a local street gang based in the East End of Bridgeport, but currently has members and associates who are either incarcerated or living throughout Bridgeport and surrounding towns. The East End gang has been aligned with other groups, including the PT Barnum Gang, the East Side gang and 150, which is a geographic gang based on the West Side of Bridgeport. These groups were aligned against rival organizations in Bridgeport, including the “Original North End” (“O.N.E.”) and the “Greene Homes Boyz,” (“GHB/Hotz”), based in the Charles F. Greene Homes Housing Complex in Bridgeport’s North End.
The indictment alleges that the East End gang distributed heroin, crack cocaine, marijuana and Percocet pills; used and shared firearms; and committed murder and other acts of violence against rival gang members and other individuals. East End members celebrated their criminal conduct on social media websites such as Facebook and YouTube, and committed acts of intimidation and made threats to deter potential witnesses to their crimes and to protect gang members and associates from detection and prosecution by law enforcement authorities.
Among the violent acts committed by the gang, the indictment alleges that:
- On January 30, 2018, Donald shot and killed Eric Heard, a.k.a. “Fetti,” a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang;
- On March 5, 2019, Hayes shot and killed Jerrell Gatewood;
- On July 4, 2019, Bonilla shot and killed Richard McDonald, a member and associate of the GHB/Hotz gang;
- On July 12, 2019, Jones and Moore shot and killed Sean Warren, also known as “Kujoe,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On September 15, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Marquis Isreal, a.k.a. “Garf” or “Gbaby,” a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On October 17, 2019, Jones shot and attempted to kill Joshua Gilbert, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On December 8, 2019, Wright shot and attempted to kill Arvan Smith, a.k.a. “Arv Barkley,” an associate of the O.N.E. gang;
- On January 26, 2020, Wright shot and killed Myreke Kenion and shot and attempted to kill D’Andre Brown, both members and associates of the GHB/Hotz gang;
- On June 25, 2020, Dangerfield and “JW,” an East End associate who is now deceased, and another individual, shot and killed Tyler Ballew, a member and associate of the O.N.E. gang;
If convicted, Donald, Wright, Dangerfield, Hayes, Jones, Moore and Bonilla face a maximum term of imprisonment of life, and Batchelor faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle noted that, in the past year, 24 members of the East End, O.N.E. and GHB/Hotz gangs have been charged with federal offenses as a result of this ongoing investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and each defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the FBI’s Safe Streets and Violent Crimes Task Forces, ATF, DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, Bridgeport Police Department, Connecticut State Police and the Bridgeport State’s Attorney’s Office, with the assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Connecticut Forensic Science Laboratory and the Waterbury Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rahul Kale, Jocelyn C. Kaoutzanis, Peter D. Markle and Karen L. Peck.
This prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), Project Longevity and Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) programs.
PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Owner of Several Connecticut and New York Pizza Restaurants Sentenced to Prison for Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRUNO DiFABIO, 51, of Ridgefield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden to 30 days of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for a federal tax offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, DiFabio has had various ownership interests in several pizza restaurants in Connecticut and New York, including Pinocchio Pizza LLC, doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in New Canaan, Connecticut; Top Oven Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Wilton, Connecticut; DiFabio Brothers Pizza Corp., doing business as Amore Pizza in Scarsdale, New York; Odell Pizza, Inc., doing business as Amore Cucina and Bar in Stamford, Connecticut; Nepperhan Restaurants Group, Inc., doing business as ReNapoli Pizza, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut; and Homefield Restaurant Corp., doing business as Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, New York.
DiFabio and his business partner in some restaurants, Steven Cioffi, engaged in a practice whereby cash was removed from the cash register and not deposited into the restaurant’s operating bank account. The businesses’ outside bookkeeper and accountant used the bank records to determine business gross receipts. When cash was removed from the register and not deposited into the business bank account, the cash would not be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. DiFabio and Cioffi also knew that certain employees had their wages paid in cash, and that a certain number of the employees were paid either a portion or the entirety of their wages “off the books.” By paying various expenses in cash and “off the books,” DiFabio, Cioffi and others facilitated the manipulation of net income reported to the IRS and the underpayment of withholding taxes to the IRS.
As a result of the scheme, the loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years was $816,954. DiFabio has paid approximately $125,000 in restitution to date, and he has agreed to provide additional assets, including interests in his home and businesses, to make full restitution.
On October 25, 2018, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns.
DiFabio, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 12, 2021.
On September 24, 2018, Cioffi pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. The loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years attributable to Cioffi’s conduct in this scheme was $122,177.59. On April 27, 2021, Judge Bolden sentenced him to 30 days of imprisonment and ordered him to make full restitution.
On June 4, 2019, Idalecia Lopes Santos, the businesses’ bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. On March 30, 2021, she was sentenced to three years of probation.
On January 25, 2021, James Guerra, the businesses’ accountant, pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to collect and pay over withholding taxes. He awaits sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Former Waterbury Resident Pleads Guilty to Distributing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that JESSICA PICKERING, 27, formerly of Waterbury, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to distributing child pornography through the Kik social media application.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2020, Pickering joined a Kik group geared toward those with a sexual interest in children and then corresponded with an FBI Online Covert Employee (“OCE”) who was monitoring the group. Pickering stated that she had access to three minors, aged 7 and younger. On October 20, 2020, Pickering posted two live videos to the Kik group that depicted child pornography of a male toddler. Pickering later sent the OCE two additional videos that depicted child pornography of the same child. The next day, Pickering withdrew from the Kik group, stating that she “felt an immense amount of disgust for [her]self after what [she] did the other night.”
Pickering was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 27, 2020.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2021, at which time Pickering faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
Pickering is released on a $100,000 bond and residing with family in Queens, New York, pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Wolcott Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
East Haven Resident Who Stole from Town's Board of Education Child Care Program is SentencedRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CATHERINE FINKLE, 58, of East Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to three years of probation, the first six months of which Finkle must spend in home confinement, for stealing more than $38,000 from East Haven’s Board of Education child care program. Judge Underhill also ordered Finkle to pay a $20,000 fine, and to perform 50 hours of community of service while on supervised release.
According to court documents and statements made in court, from January 2000 to November 2018, Finkle was the East Haven Board of Education Program Director for the School Age Child Care Program, commonly called the Little Jackets Program. As the program director, Finkle had access to the Little Jacket Program’s bank accounts and received tuition payments on behalf of the program. From January 2011 to November 2018, Finkle defrauded the East Haven Board of Education by taking more than $38,000 in tuition payments, in the form of money orders and cash, that had been made for students in the Little Jackets Program. She then diverted the payments for her own benefit.
Judge Underhill ordered Finkle to pay restitution of $38,554.50.
On February 11, 2021, Finkle pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
Stratford Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Car Theft OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER MULKERN, also known as “Chucky,” 21, of Stratford, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to a federal car theft offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, the FBI, Connecticut State Police and local police have been investigating multiple car theft rings in Connecticut, and violent crimes that are being committed using stolen vehicles.
The investigation revealed that Mulkern and others have stolen numerous motor vehicles, and used the stolen vehicles to travel throughout Connecticut and to neighboring states to steal other vehicles and the valuables inside, including credit cards, cellular telephones, and firearms. Mulkern typically frequented upper middleclass neighborhoods to go “car-checking” or “jigging,” which involves an attempt to open the door of a motor vehicle and, if successful, steal the vehicle and/or valuables inside.
On December 1, 2020, Mulkern and an associate stole a Porsche Panamera from a residence in Westport, Connecticut. Shortly after midnight on December 2, law enforcement in Westerly, Rhode Island, identified the stolen Porsche and attempted to stop the car. The Porsche drove recklessly, at speeds of at least 86 mph, between Rhode Island and Connecticut, and evaded police who, for safety reasons, were forced to terminate pursuit.
At approximately 4 a.m. on December 2, Mulkern and others used the stolen Porsche to steal a Dodge Challenger from a residence in Milford, Connecticut. In the evening of December 2, Stratford Police spotted and attempted to stop the Porsche, which was being driven by Mulkern. During the pursuit, Mulkern rammed a car stopped at a red light at an intersection, drove up on the sidewalk and through the red light, and then struck a second vehicle, causing the second vehicle to flip onto its roof. Mulkern continued to drive the damaged Porsche onto I-95 into Bridgeport, where Mulkern and an associate were eventually apprehended as they attempted to enter another stolen Audi A4 that was parked on Gregory Street. A search of the stolen Audi revealed approximately 13 key fobs for other vehicles, and a search of the Porsche revealed five cellphones. In addition, Mulkern possessed two stolen credit cards, and his associate possessed a key fob for a stolen Dodge, which was subsequently located parked on Main Street in Bridgeport.
Mulkern has been detained since his arrest.
Mulkern pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of a stolen vehicle, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 2, 2021. Mulkern has also agreed to pay restitution to at least seven owners of vehicles he stole and/or damaged.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut State Police and the Stratford, Milford, Stonington, Westport, Bridgeport, New Haven, Meriden, and Westerly (R.I.) Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah P. Karwan.
Newington Man on Supervised Release Sentenced to 8 Years in Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that LIONEL GARDNER, also known as “Bleek,” 36, of Newington, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 96 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for narcotics distribution and gun possession offenses, and for violating the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2015, Gardner was released from federal prison after serving a 60-month sentence for distributing crack cocaine in Hartford. On November 21, 2018, while Gardner was on federal supervised release, he was arrested on state charges by Newington Police after he sold heroin/fentanyl to a customer, and a search of his residence revealed a large quantity of fentanyl and cocaine, a stolen Glock 10mm pistol, a Smith & Wesson .357 revolver, loaded magazines, and more than $55,000 in cash.
In August 2019, investigators made controlled purchases of fentanyl and crack from Gardner while he was released on bond in his state case. Gardner was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on August 14, 2019. On that date, a search of Gardner’s Newington residence revealed approximately 105 grams of powder cocaine, 3.4 grams of crack cocaine, 667 bags of fentanyl, 8.7 grams of loose fentanyl, and $4,000 in cash.
Gardner has been detained since his federal arrest. On December 17, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon.
Gardner forfeited the seized firearms and cash.
This investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force and the Newington Police Department. The task force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.
This prosecution has been brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Former CEO of Connecticut Non-Profit Admits Embezzling $683KRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, announced that MICHAEL MEAKEM, 59, of Norwich, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of wire fraud stemming from an embezzlement scheme.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Meakem was the president and chief executive officer of the Center for Financial Training (“CFT”), a Farmington-based non-profit organization that provided continuing education to employees in the financial services industry. Between approximately 2013 and 2020, Meakem embezzled at least $683,202 from CFT’s credit card accounts and bank accounts and used the funds on personal expenses, including alimony payments, meals, cruises, other vacations, and gambling at Connecticut’s casinos.
Wire fraud carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years. Meakem is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea on August 3, 2021.
Meakem was ordered released by Magistrate Judge Sarah A.L. Merriam on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Norwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis, and the government was represented at today's hearing by Law Student Intern Clio Koller.
Felon Admits Possessing Handgun in GrotonRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JONATHAN COLON, 29, formerly of Meriden, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 5, 2018, Colon was arrested at a hotel in Groton where he possessed a Springfield Armory .45 caliber semiautomatic handgun.
Colon’s criminal history includes a state felony conviction for a robbery offense. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 10, 2021, at which time Colon faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Colon is released pending sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Town of Groton Police Department and New London Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren C. Clark.
This case is 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 neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Connecticut Business Owner, Poker Player, Sentenced to Prison for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that GUY SMITH, 63, of Shelton, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 14 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for tax evasion.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Smith owns and operates Centerline Interiors LLC, a business that specializes in commercial interior construction. Smith is also a professional poker player and has participated in poker tournaments at casinos in Connecticut and other locations around the U.S. and The Bahamas. Smith withdrew funds from both his business and personal bank accounts for his gambling business.
For the 2012 through 2016 tax years, Smith furnished his tax preparer with a summary of Centerline’s income and expenses, which the tax preparer used to prepare Smith’s federal income tax returns. Smith did not provide his tax preparer with any bank statements. During these five years, Smith intentionally failed to report to his tax preparer, and to the IRS, approximately $1.1 million in income he received from Centerline Interiors. In addition, even though the IRS notified Smith on multiple occasions that he was required to report all of his gambling income on his federal tax returns, Smith concealed his gambling income from his tax preparer and paid no income taxes on more than $1 million in gambling winnings.
For the 2012 through 2016 tax years, Smith failed to pay a total of $821,415 in federal income taxes. Judge Shea ordered Smith to pay all outstanding taxes, interest and penalties.
Smith pleaded guilty to the offense on December 10, 2020.
Smith, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 30, 2021.
This case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Violent RobberiesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ISAIAH HALLIDAY, 21, of Hartford, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to 108 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for committing violent robberies that victimized several individuals who sought to purchase items over mobile classifieds web apps.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between September and November 2017, Halliday and others committed several robberies in Hartford during they lured would-be customers with real or nonexistent items posted to mobile classifieds web apps, such as Offer Up, Letgo and Craigslist, through the use of a fake account. Upon arrival, the customers were robbed of money and cell phones. On each occasion, Halliday threatened the victims with a handgun or what appeared to be a handgun.
On November 11, 2017, Hartford Police officers responded to a location on Blue Hills Avenue in response to a report of a male suffering from a gunshot wound. Upon arrival, the victim stated that he had traveled to Mansfield Street in Hartford to meet with an individual he contacted on Offer Up to purchase an iPhone. When he arrived, Halliday approached the front passenger door of his vehicle and pointed a black handgun at him. After the victim attempted to drive away, Halliday fired one round at him, striking him in the right forearm.
Also, in September 2017, three victims were shot at as they fled the scene of a robbery. During a robbery in October 2017, Halliday put a gun, or what appeared to be a gun, to a victim’s chest and demanded the victim’s money and cell phone.
Halliday has been detained since his arrest on November 17, 2017. On February 16, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery.
This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Geoffrey M. Stone.
Hartford Man Pleads Guilty to Drug Distribution and Gun Possession OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KENDALL JONES, also known as “Wolf,” 32, of Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in September and October 2020, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force, along with state and local law enforcement officers, conducted an operation in response to a recent spike in drug-related violence in Hartford’s North End. Jones was identified during the operation as an active drug seller.
On October 7, 2020, investigators sought to arrest Jones on a state arrest warrant and observed him at a gas station on Albany Avenue in Hartford engaging in what appeared to be drug transactions. As task force officers approached Jones, Jones ran and discarded a black leather shoulder bag. Jones was apprehended after a short chase. A search of Jones’ person revealed approximately eight grams of crack cocaine and a quantity of marijuana, and the discarded shoulder bag contained a loaded .22 caliber Ruger semiautomatic handgun.
The handgun has been reported stolen in North Carolina in July 2020.
Jones’ criminal history includes state convictions for drug, firearm, robbery and larceny offenses.
Jones pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base (“crack”), which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, which carries a mandatory consecutive sentence of at least five years.
Judge Thompson scheduled sentencing for July 22, 2021.
Jones, who was released on bond in this federal case, was arrested on state narcotics charges on April 9, 2021, after he was again observed making drug sales in Hartford. He has been detained since his arrest.
The DEA’s Hartford Task Force includes personnel from the DEA Hartford Resident Office and the Bristol, Hartford, East Hartford, Manchester, New Britain, Rocky Hill, Wethersfield, Windsor Locks and Willimantic Police Departments.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan Keefe.
Owner of Child Autism Services Agency Pleads Guilty to Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that NICOLE M. BALKAS, 31, of Bridgeport, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of health care fraud.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Balkas owned and operated Helping Hands Academy, LLC, in Bridgeport, which provided applied behavior analysis services to children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Helping Hands Academy enrolled as a participating provider in the Connecticut Medicaid Program (“Medicaid”) in approximately September 2018.
From December 2018 to October 2020, Balkas submitted and caused to be submitted fraudulent claims to Medicaid for applied behavior analysis services that were purportedly provided to Medicaid clients. Balkas submitted claims for dates of service when no applied behavior analysis services of any kind had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims, and she inflated the number of hours for certain claims even when applied behavior analysis had been provided to the Medicaid clients identified in the claims.
In addition, in September and October 2020, Balkas submitted, and was subsequently paid for, Medicaid claims in which she falsely claimed that a former Helping Hands Academy provider, who was a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (“Individual 1”), performed Medicaid-approved services when, in fact, Individual 1 was not employed by Helping Hands Academy on those dates of service, provided no such services to the clients identified on the claims, and was not aware that Helping Hands Academy or Balkas was billing Medicaid using Individual 1’s name and performing provider number. Individual 1 had resigned from Helping Hands Academy in July 2019.
In August 2020, the Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS), which administers the Medicaid program in Connecticut, terminated Helping Hands Academy as a provider. In an effort to rescind the termination and to receive payment for previously submitted claims, Balkas made several false statements and submitted an altered document to DSS.
Medicaid suffered a loss of $551,311.85 as a result of Balkas’ conduct.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for July 21, 2021, at which time Balkas faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Balkas also will be ordered to make full restitution.
Balkas is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.
This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle acknowledged the valuable cooperation of the Connecticut Department of Social Services in the investigation.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David T. Huang.
People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.
New York Man Pleads Guilty to Hate Crime OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and David Sundberg, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, today announced that CHRISTOPHER RASCOLL, 49, of Blauvelt, New York, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to federal hate crime offenses related to his making anti-Semitic death threats to a resident of Stratford, Connecticut.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2019, Rascoll began making numerous threats to an individual, who is of Jewish faith, through text messages, voicemails and Facebook posts. In several text messages, which continued into June 2020, Rascoll threatened to murder or seriously injure the victim. He also threatened to blow up the victim’s house and car. Some of Rascoll’s threatening text messages contained anti-Semitic references to the Holocaust. On December 23, 2019, Rascoll sent a message that included the words “Suns about to go down. It would be a shame if your house were used to light the menorah. Or turned in a gas chamber.” On April 8, 2020, Rascoll wrote “I’m going to kill you. You better be gone because if you’re in [the victim’s housing community] Easter weekend I’m going to stick you in an oven. Or I’m going to shoot you.”
Rascoll pleaded guilty to one count of interference with the right to fair housing, a hate crime, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of sending threatening communications, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.
Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for July 27, 2021.
Rascoll has been detained since his arrest on June 26, 2020.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with assistance from the Stratford Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Amanda S. Oakes.
Bristol Man Sentenced to 7 Years in Federal Prison for Soliciting Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JEFFREY L. BACON, 61, of Bristol, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for soliciting child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in October 2018, Bacon began communicating with a 15-year-old girl through the Kik messaging application after he had met the girl in a Kik chat group for teens. Knowing that he was communicating with a minor, Bacon sent the girl sexually explicit pictures of himself and described various sexual acts that he wanted to engage in with the girl. The girl told her mother who reported the communications to the police.
On October 30, 2018, a law enforcement officer assumed the girl’s Kik identity to continue to correspond with Bacon. Bacon asked the undercover officer, who was posing as the girl, to remind Bacon of her age. The officer responded with “15.” From October 30 to November 1, Bacon repeatedly sent sexually explicit pictures and videos of himself to the undercover officer. Bacon also requested sexually explicit pictures in return. During their conversations, Bacon asked the undercover officer if he could pick her up from school so he could see her. Bacon suggested they could go to the mall where the girl could try on clothes while Bacon watched and engaged in a sexual act. Bacon also discussed going to a motel with the girl to engage in sexual acts with her.
On November 19, 2018, Bacon was arrested on related state charges. During a subsequent forensic examination of Bacon’s laptop computer, investigators found images of child pornography, including images depicting prepubescent females engaged in sexual acts with adults.
Bacon was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on July 26, 2019. On November 24, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of soliciting child pornography.
At the conclusion of today’s sentencing, Bacon, who was released bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service to being serving his sentence.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Connecticut Child Exploitation Task Force and the Enfield Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Neeraj N. Patel.
This prosecution is part of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Owner of Connecticut and New York Pizza Restaurants Sentenced to Prison for Tax OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that STEVEN CIOFFI, 35, of Trumbull, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 30 days of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for a federal tax offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Cioffi owned 50 percent of Nepperhan Restaurants Group, Inc., doing business as ReNapoli Pizza, in Old Greenwich, Connecticut, and Pinocchio Pizza in Pound Ridge, New York. He also owned 25 percent of Odell Pizza, Inc., doing business as Amore Cucina and Bar in Stamford, Connecticut. Cioffi’s business partner, Bruno DiFabio, owned the other interests in these entities, as well as other pizza restaurants.
Cioffi and DiFabio engaged in a practice whereby cash was removed from the cash register and not deposited into the restaurant’s operating bank account. The businesses’ outside bookkeeper and accountant used the bank records to determine business gross receipts. When cash was removed from the register and not deposited into the business bank account, the cash would not be reported to the Internal Revenue Service. Cioffi and DiFabio also knew that certain employees had their wages paid in cash, and that a certain number of the employees were paid either a portion or the entirety of their wages “off the books.” By paying various expenses in cash and “off the books,” Cioffi, DiFabio and others facilitated the manipulation of net income reported to the IRS and the underpayment of withholding taxes to the IRS.
The loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years attributable to Cioffi’s conduct in this scheme was $122,177.59. Judge Bolden ordered Cioffi to make full restitution.
On September 24, 2018, Cioffi pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return.
Cioffi, who is released on a $40,000 bond, is required to report to prison on August 2, 2021.
On October 25, 2018, DiFabio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to file false income tax returns and payroll tax returns. When he pleaded guilty, he agreed that the tax loss attributable to his conduct in the scheme was $816,954.
On June 4, 2019, Idalecia Lopes Santos, the businesses’ bookkeeper, pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, and on January 25, 2021, James Guerra, the businesses’ accountant, pleaded guilty to one count of willful failure to collect and pay over withholding taxes.
DiFabio and Guerra await sentencing. On March 30, 2021, Lopes Santos was sentenced to three years of probation.
This investigation has been conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Former Supervisor at Fairfield Post Office Sentenced for Stealing Cash from MailRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JESSICA GILES, 38, of West Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Robert N. Chatigny to two years of probation, the first three months of which Giles must spend in home confinement, for stealing cash from the mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service. Judge Chatigny also ordered Giles to pay a $2,400 fine.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, between October 2019 and May 2020, while she was employed as a supervisor at the U.S. Post Office in Fairfield, Giles used the flashlight feature on her phone to examine the content of various envelopes that had been placed in the mail. When she believed that an envelope contained U.S. currency, she opened the envelope, stole the cash that was found inside and, on multiple occasions, tore up and disposed of the envelope. Recorded surveillance video also revealed that Giles stuffed approximately 19 envelopes into her pants to remove them to a more private location for further examination.
On November 3, 2020, Giles pleaded guilty to theft of mail by a postal employee.
This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Konstantin Lantsman.
Individuals who believe they are a victim of mail theft may file a complaint by calling 888-USPS-OIG, or by visiting https://www.uspsoig.gov/form/file-online-complaint.
Bridgeport Man on Federal Supervised Release Pleads Guilty to Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRANDEN HUERTAS, 39, last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton in New Haven to narcotics distribution and firearm possession offenses.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in January 2020, law enforcement made two controlled purchases of cocaine from Huertas. Huertas was arrested on February 26, 2020, after a search of his vehicle revealed quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and ecstasy, and a subsequent search of his residence revealed additional quantities of crack and heroin, items used to process and package narcotics for street sale, a loaded 9mm Taurus PT-92C semi-automatic handgun, and additional rounds of ammunition.
Huertas has a criminal history that dates to 1998 and includes state convictions for drug, weapon, robbery, burglary and larceny offenses, and federal convictions in 2015 for possession of firearm by a felon, and in 2019 for escape from custody.
Huertas was on federal supervised release at the time of his arrest.
Huertas pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of possession a firearm by a felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years. Huertas also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for July 19, 2021. Huertas has been detained since his arrest.
This matter has been investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Clark.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to Prison for Bankruptcy Fraud OffenseRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY FAUSTINI, 58, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to three months of imprisonment, followed by three months of home confinement and three years of supervised release, for a bankruptcy fraud offense.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on March 12, 2018, Faustini filed a personal Chapter 7 bankruptcy petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Connecticut. In the petition, Faustini noted that his unpaid debts were approximately $86,862. However, Faustini failed to disclose to the court that he knew that he was the beneficiary of a $100,000 life insurance policy held against the life of his mother. Nine days later, on March 21, 2018, Faustini’s mother passed away.
On April 18, 2018, Faustini testified under oath regarding his bankruptcy petition. In response to questioning from the Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee, Faustini falsely indicated that he had listed all items of value in his petition, and he failed to mention his vested interest in the $100,000 life insurance policy. In response to a specific question as to whether “anybody died and left you any money,” Faustini responded “No.”
On June 20, 2018, the bankruptcy court entered an order granting Faustini a discharge of his debts. The next day, Faustini contacted the life insurance company to determine the status of the claim payment and to confirm that the company had his correct address. On June 26, 2018, the insurance company issued a check for $100,246 to Faustini.
The Office of the U.S. Trustee for the District of Connecticut subsequently received information about the life insurance payment made to Faustini and conducted a “Rule 2004” deposition examination of Faustini on June 5, 2019. During the examination, Faustini made several false statements, including that he had not known about the life insurance policy when he filed his bankruptcy petition, that did not find out about the policy until he received the check, and that he did not know how the insurance company knew to send the check to his address.
Judge Hall ordered Faustini to pay restitution of $61,062, which comprises the debts and fees that would have been paid had Faustini previously disclosed the insurance recovery, and gives Faustini credit for monies the bankruptcy court was able to recoup from others regarding the insurance policy after the fraud was identified.
On December 3, 2020, Faustini pleaded guilty to making a false statement under oath in a bankruptcy matter.
Faustini, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on June 9, 2021.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.
Waterbury Man Sentenced to 29 Months in Federal Prison for Role in Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ERIK RAFAEL POLANCO, also known as “Chino,” 24, of Waterbury, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 29 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for his role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking ring.
According to court documents and statements made in court, an investigation by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department revealed that Nestor Sosa-Ortiz operated a Waterbury-based drug trafficking organization that received large quantities of heroin and fentanyl from suppliers in Connecticut and New York and distributed the narcotics throughout New Haven County. The organization used an apartment located at 330 Bishop Street in Waterbury to store kilogram-quantities of heroin and fentanyl, and to process and package the drugs for street sale.
On May 18, 2019, Sosa-Ortiz was arrested in New York City on a separate federal heroin and fentanyl trafficking charge. On that date, law enforcement intercepted a planned drug transaction and seized approximately two kilograms of fentanyl and two kilograms of heroin. Sosa-Ortiz continued to control his drug network while incarcerated by using smuggled cell phones to communicate with various co-conspirators.
The investigation revealed that Francis Aybar-Peguero received narcotics from members of the Sosa-Ortiz organization and sold them out of his business, the Corner Mini market located on East Farm Road in Waterbury. Polanco worked with Aybar-Peguero to distribute fentanyl and heroin to other drug distributors and customers.
Polanco, Aybar-Peguero and several co-defendants were arrested on October 29, 2019. On that date, investigators executed five search warrants and seized approximately six kilograms of suspected heroin/fentanyl, approximately 100,000 bags of suspected heroin/fentanyl packaged for street distribution, approximately 1,000 fentanyl pills disguised as Percocet pills, one firearm and approximately $50,000 in cash.
On June 2, 2020, Polanco pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin and fentanyl.
Polanco, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 30, 2021.
Sixteen individuals were charged as a result of this investigation. Sosa-Ortiz and Aybar-Peguero pleaded guilty and await sentencing.
This investigation has been conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Waterbury Police Department. The DEA New Haven Task Force includes participants from the U.S. Marshals Service, Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and the New Haven, Hamden, West Haven, North Haven, Branford, Ansonia, Meriden, Derby, Middletown, Naugatuck and Waterbury Police Departments.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis, Lauren Clark and Brendan Keefe through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Program. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs and transnational criminal organizations through a prosecutor-led and intelligence-driven approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Meriden Man Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Heroin Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAVIER MARTINEZ, 40, of Meriden, pleaded guilty today to fentanyl and heroin trafficking offenses.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding before U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna F. Martinez occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2020, law enforcement conducted a traffic stop of Martinez’s vehicle in West Haven and found Martinez in possession of approximately 100 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin. A subsequent search of Martinez’s residence in Meriden revealed nearly a kilogram of heroin, approximately 180 grams of a mixture of fentanyl and heroin, more than 300 fentanyl pills, and items used to process and package narcotics for street sale.
Martinez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin. He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on July 28, 2021.
Martinez is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force and West Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Natasha M. Freismuth.
Bridgeport Tax Return Preparer IndictedRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford has returned a 14-count indictment charging TORISE BAKER, 37, of Bridgeport, with tax fraud offenses.
The indictment was returned on April 6, 2021. Baker appeared yesterday via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge S. Dave Vatti, entered a plea of not guilty, and was released on bond.
As alleged in the indictment, Baker prepared tax returns for clients through 101 Things 2 Do, LLC, a multi-service business she operated in Bridgeport. For the 2014 through 2016 tax years, Baker prepared numerous federal tax returns for taxpayers that claimed false deductions, including unreimbursed business expenses, charitable contributions and tax preparation fees. In addition, Baker failed to file her own federal tax return for the 2015 tax year.
The indictment charges Baker with 13 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation and presentation of false and fraudulent income tax returns, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years on each count, and one count of failure to file an income tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of one year.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter S. Jongbloed.
The Justice Department issued a statement today that warns taxpayers to avoid fraudulent tax preparers, notes recent criminal and civil enforcement actions against fraudulent tax preparers, and provides resources for taxpayers and tax preparers.
Woodbridge Man Sentenced to More Than 11 Years in Federal Prison for Drug-Related RobberyRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RONALD CHRISTOPHER SPEAR-ZULETA, also known as “Chris,” 47, of Woodbridge, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 135 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for his role in a drug-related robbery.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Spear-Zuleta, his wife, Aninha Spear-Zuleta, and Maritza Torres robbed an associate of Chris Spear-Zuleta, who Chris Spear-Zuleta claimed owed him money in relation to narcotics transactions. On November 28, 2017, Aninha Spear-Zuleta invited the associate’s girlfriend to the Spear-Zuleta’s Woodbridge residence, where Chris Spear-Zuleta physically assaulted the girlfriend. At Chris Spear-Zuleta’s instruction, Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Torres then transported the girlfriend to a residence she shared with the associate in Milford, where Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Torres stole several items, including cash, a firearm and several items of expensive clothing.
On April 4, 2018, Chris Spear-Zuleta’s associate was shot to death in front of Spear-Zuleta’s residence. The homicide investigation is ongoing.
Spear-Zuleta was arrested in San Francisco on December 22, 2018, where he had been living and travelling under a variety of false identities. He has been detained since his arrest.
Spear-Zuleta’s criminal history includes convictions for drug offenses and multiple assault offenses, including assaults involving a firearm, an assault on a law enforcement officer, and an assault on state personnel while he was incarcerated for a prior offense.
On September 11, 2019, Chris Spear-Zuleta pleaded guilty to one count of Hobbs Act robbery. Aninha Spear-Zuleta and Maritza Torres pleaded guilty to related charges and are scheduled to be sentenced on April 22 and 23, respectively.
This matter has been investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and Woodbridge Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle and Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Vizcarrondo.
New Haven Man Admits Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that DEMETRIUS DREW, 26, of New Haven, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to possession of a firearm by a felon.
According to court documents and statements made in court, New Haven Police arrested Drew on August 18, 2020, after a court-authorized search of his residence revealed a loaded Glock model 26, 9mm pistol and a box containing 50 rounds of .38 Special ammunition.
Drew’s criminal history includes state convictions for felony narcotics and larceny offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for July 13, 2021, at which time Drew faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.
Drew is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.
This matter is being investigated by the New Haven Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and Anthony E. Kaplan.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle noted that this prosecution is a part of the Justice’s Department’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program and Project Longevity. PSN is a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Longevity is a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to commit violence and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Connecticut Nursing Home Operator Sentenced to Prison for Embezzlement and Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHAIM STERN, 72, of Flushing, New York, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 30 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzlement and tax offenses related to his operation of nursing homes in Bridgeport and Waterbury.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Stern was the principal operator of the Bridgeport Health Care Center (“BHCC”), Bridgeport Manor, and the Rosegarden Health and Rehabilitation Center LLC (“Rosegarden”) in Waterbury, which were privately owned nursing and rehabilitation facilities. Between approximately 2011 and 2018, Stern stole approximately $4.1 million from the BHCC Pension Plan, over which he was the trustee, principally by diverting the money to a purported charity, called Em Kol Chai, which Stern controlled, as well as to himself and other entities. Also, in approximately February 2015, Stern misapplied $305,608.06 from BHCC Health Plan by diverting the money from a stop-loss insurance plan that was intended to pay for an employee health claim, and instead used it for other purposes, including Em Kol Chai, the operation of the BHCC, and for Stern’s personal use.
Stern also failed to pay millions of dollars in other health insurance claims that he was obliged to pay on behalf of his employees, resulting in many cases in debt collection action against employees by the health care providers.
In addition, from at least January 2017 through March 2018, Stern failed to, and caused BHCC and Rosegarden to fail to, pay over employment taxes it collected from BHCC and Rosegarden employees. Also, from January 2017 through June 2018, Stern failed to, and caused BHCC and Rosegarden to fail to, pay BHCC and Rosegarden’s share of employment taxes. The total tax loss resulting from Stern’s conduct is $4,356,409.85.
On January 15, 2020, Stern pleaded guilty to one count of theft or embezzlement from an employee benefit plan, one count of theft or embezzlement in connection with healthcare, and one count of willful failure to pay tax.
Stern has already made approximately $4.1 million in criminal restitution to Pension Plan, along with some lost interest as agreed upon in a related civil case. Judge Hall ordered Stern to pay restitution to participants in the Health Plan with unpaid claims, to the extent that the $2.5 million already paid by Stern and his insurance company in the related civil action do not cover all of those claims. A third-party claims administrator is currently attempting to settle all of those outstanding health claims.
Finally, Stern also has agreed to pay approximately $2.4 million in restitution to the IRS, representing the tax withholdings Stern took from employees but did not pay over to the IRS.
Stern, who is released on a $500,000 bond, is required to report to prison on May 26, 2021.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor – Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Labor – Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office, and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David E. Novick and Neeraj N. Patel.
Ohio Man Admits Posing as Teen, Receiving Explicit Videos from Minor and Posting Them on TikTokRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that BRIAN GRINNELL, 36, of Lakewood, Ohio, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to distribution of child pornography.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in March 2020, Grinnell posed as a 15-year-old girl and met a female, who at the time was under the age of 12, on Omegle, an online chat website and mobile application that allows users to interact with strangers. Shortly thereafter, he began communicating with the minor victim on Snapchat. Grinnell told the minor victim to take sexually explicit photos and videos of herself and send them to Grinnell over Snapchat. After the minor victim began to feel threatened by Grinnell, she unfriended and blocked Grinnell’s account.
Grinnell subsequently contacted a friend of the minor victim on TikTok and stated that unless the minor victim got in touch with him, he would post a video of the minor victim naked on TikTok. Grinnell then posted sexually explicit videos of the minor victim on TikTok. When a friend of the minor victim, who is also a minor, begged Grinnell not to post additional videos of the minor victim, Grinnell stated “I want a video of you begging me to not put them up. And you have to be topless in the video. If you don’t want any more of your friend stuff going out.” After the friend told Grinnell that they would call the police, Grinnell responded “How are they gonna find me?” Grinnell then proceeded to post another video of the minor victim on TikTok.
Grinnell has been detained since his arrest on September 23, 2020.
Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for July 19 at which time Grinnell faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Canaan Police Department, with assistance from the Cuyahoga County (Ohio) Prosecutor’s Office and Cuyahoga County Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tara E. Levens and Sarala V. Nagala through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Norwalk Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Tax ChargeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that ROBERT T. COLGAN, 60, of Norwalk, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden to a federal tax offense.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the court proceeding occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, Colgan controlled a business known as Colgan Financial Group, Inc. (“CFG”), and he employed a bookkeeper to maintain CFG’s books and a return preparer to assist him in the preparation of both CFG’s corporate tax returns and his personal income tax returns. Colgan used CFG funds to pay for personal expenditures, but directed his bookkeeper to record the payments as a loan in CFG’s books. As a result, Colgan’s personal income tax returns for the 2013 through 2017 tax years underreported his income and resulted in a tax loss of more than $250,000.
Colgan pleaded guilty to one count of filing of a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years. He is released pending sentencing, which is not scheduled.
This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.
East Hartford Man Sentenced to 33 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DIONTE WILSON, 25, of East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 33 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
According to court documents and statements made in court, after a review of videos on social media websites identified Wilson as being in possession of several different firearms, members of the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force conducted multiple controlled purchases of marijuana from Wilson. On August 10, 2020, Wilson was arrested on state charges after he displayed a Taurus .380 caliber handgun following a controlled marijuana purchase. A subsequent search of Wilson’s residence revealed a loaded .380 caliber Taurus gun magazine and approximately 100 rounds of .22 caliber long rifle hollow point bullets. After he was released on bond in his state case, Wilson posted videos on social media of himself brandishing a firearm.
Wilson’s criminal history includes state convictions for narcotics and firearm offenses. It is a violation of federal law for a person previously convicted of a felony offense to possess a firearm or ammunition that has moved in interstate or foreign commerce.
Wilson has been detained since his federal arrest on September 9, 2020. On January 19, 2021, he pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
This prosecution was brought through Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone, and through Project Longevity, a comprehensive initiative to reduce gun violence in Connecticut’s major cities. Through Project Longevity, community members and law enforcement directly engage with members of groups that are prone to violence. A critical component of the Project Longevity strategy is the “call-in,” a face-to-face meeting where Project Longevity partners engage group members and deliver a community message against violence, a law enforcement message about the consequences of further violence and an offer of help for those who want it.
Wilson attended a call-in in December 2019 and did not pursue Project Longevity services that were offered to him.
The FBI’s Northern Connecticut Gang Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, New Britain Police Department, West Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth L. Gresham and Michael J. Gustafson.
Southington Man Charged with Possessing Millions of Child Sex Abuse ImagesRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and William S. Walker, Acting Special Agent in Charge, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging RICHARD E. SMITH, 65, of Southington, with receipt and possession of child pornography.
The indictment was returned on March 29. Smith appeared yesterday via videoconference before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert A. Richardson and pleaded not guilty to the charge. Smith has been detained since his arrest on a criminal complaint on October 1, 2020.
As alleged in court documents, on October 1, 2020, HSI conducted a court-authorized search of Smith’s Southington residence. At the time of the search, Smith’s computer was running and connected to a website dedicated to child pornography, and one of Smith’s four computer monitors displayed a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet containing numerous child pornography filenames and internet hyperlinks. Investigators seized Smith’s computer and electronic devices. Forensic analysis of the seized devices revealed millions of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children.
If convicted of the charges, Smith faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years.
Acting U.S. Attorney Boyle stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Charges are only allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations with the assistance of the Southington Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick J. Doherty through the U.S. Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood Initiative, which is aimed at protecting children from sexual abuse and exploitation.
For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
To report cases of child exploitation, please visit www.cybertipline.com.
Hartford Man Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Assaulting USPS EmployeeRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEMORSE KELLEY, 39, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 27 months of imprisonment, followed by three months in a halfway house and three years of supervised release, for assaulting a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier.
According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 7, 2019, a U.S. Postal Service letter carrier was sorting mail inside her postal delivery van that was parked on Sigourney Street in Hartford. Kelley approached the van from the sidewalk, slid the side door of the van so that it was fully open and then spoke to the letter carrier. Kelley commented the letter carrier on her appearance and asked her for a hug and for her phone number. Kelley then climbed into the postal van and allowed the door to close behind him. During the incident, Kelley touched the letter carrier’s leg below her shorts, made sexual advances and obstructed the letter carrier’s ability to exit. After a few minutes, the letter carrier was able to exit the van and called Hartford Police, who arrested Kelley later that day.
Kelley has been detained since his arrest. He pleaded guilty to the offense on January 21, 2021.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Hartford Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.
Citizen of Guatemala Pleads Guilty to Illegally Reentering U.S.Read the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUAN LUIS MONZON MONTEROSO, also known as Edwin Galvez Lemus, 36, a citizen of Guatemala last residing in Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to illegal reentry of a removed alien.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in November 2010, approximately two weeks after Monzon Monteroso was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol (USBP) in Jacksonville, Florida, he voluntarily departed the U.S. In January 2011 and again in April 2011, Monzon Monteroso was encountered by the USBP in Texas and was subsequently removed to Guatemala. He illegally reentered the U.S. and, in May 2017, was encountered by ICE in Hartford. He was removed to Guatemala a third time in July 2017.
On December 19, 2019, Monzon Monteroso, using the alias Edwin Galvez Lemus, was arrested by Monroe Police and charged with assault on personnel, breach of peace, reckless endangerment, criminal trespass and running from police. He has been detained since his arrest.
At sentencing, which is not yet scheduled, Monzon Monteroso faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.
Ansonia Man Sentenced to Prison for Serving as "Money Mule" in Online Lottery and Romance ScamsRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MONTRELL DOBBS, JR., 28, of Ansonia, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for serving as a “money mule” in lottery and romance scams that defrauded primarily elderly victims across the country of millions of dollars.
Pursuant to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), the sentencing occurred via videoconference.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in a lottery scam, scammers notify victims by telephone, through online communications, or by mail, that they have won the lottery. The victims are then told that in order to collect the prize they must pay fees for things like taxes, shipping and processing. Often, once a victim sends a small amount of money, a scammer will ask for larger sums of money with a promise of more winnings. The victims never receive winnings. In a romance scam, scammers take advantage of people looking for companionship by pretending to be prospective companions. Scammers typically create fake online profiles on dating websites that include false personal details such as the death of a spouse, or military service, to lure victims to trust them. Once they have gained the trust of victims, scammers will ask victims for money, falsely claiming to need money for medical or business emergencies, for travel to see the victim, or other purposes.
Dobbs was recruited to be a “money mule” for individuals who were operating lottery and romance scams between approximately August 2015 and March 2020. Dobbs retrieved fraudulently obtained cash, checks and money orders that were sent through the mail to various addresses in New Haven, Hamden and Ansonia, and he retrieved funds that were wired through electronic money transfers. Also, using the alias “Derek Williams,” Dobbs retrieved from the Ansonia Post Office packages containing fraudulently obtained cash and checks. Dobbs deposited checks and money orders into his own bank account, kept a portion of the funds, and passed along the remaining money to other co-conspirators, either by mailing cash or depositing money into other bank accounts.
The investigation revealed that these scams defrauded more than 200 victims across the U.S. of more than $5 million. Many of the victims were elderly and vulnerable, and some victims lost their life savings. One Connecticut victim lost more than $1 million.
Dobbs’ involvement in the scheme involved at least 25 victims who lost more a total of more than $85,000. Judge Underhill ordered Dobbs to pay full restitution.
Dobbs was arrested on March 12, 2020. On December 21, 2020, he pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering.
Dobbs, who is released on a $100,000 bond, is required to report to prison on June 2.
Four of Dobbs’ alleged co-conspirators are awaiting trial.
This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Army-CID, and New Haven Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heather L. Cherry.
The Justice Department has established a National Elder Fraud Hotline to provide services to seniors who may be victims of financial fraud. The Hotline is staffed by experienced case managers who can provide personalized support to callers. Case managers assist callers with reporting the suspected fraud to relevant agencies and by providing resources and referrals to other appropriate services as needed. When applicable, case managers will complete a complaint form with the Federal Bureau of Investigation Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for Internet-facilitated crimes and submit a consumer complaint to the Federal Trade Commission on behalf of the caller. The Hotline’s toll free number is 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
Montville Man Admits Robbing Norwich Bank While on Supervised Release for Prior Bank Robbery ConvictionRead the Press Release
Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that ANTHONY HALL, 60, of Montville, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of bank robbery.
According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2011, Anthony Hall was sentenced in Hartford federal court to 87 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for robbing four Connecticut banks in 2008 and 2009. He was released from federal custody in January 2016.
On September 13, 2019, while on federal supervised release, Hall robbed the Eastern Savings Bank, located at 666 West Main Street in Norwich, of approximately $2,400.
Hall has been detained since his arrest on related state charges in October 2019.
Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for July 6, 2021, at which time Anthony Hall faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years for the bank robbery offense, and additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release.
This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Norwich Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.