District of Connecticut

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Connecticut hosted its annual United States Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Awards Ceremony on Friday, June 14, in New Haven.  The ceremony at the City of New Haven’s aldermanic chambers recognized 126 individuals for their investigative efforts and other contributions to 24 significant federal criminal prosecutions and civil cases in Connecticut.  More than 40 of the award recipients are members of local police departments from across Connecticut.

“We in the U.S. Attorney’s Office are forever mindful that our work and success are dependent on the dedicated efforts of our federal, state and local law enforcement partners,” said U.S. Attorney John H. Durham.  “On behalf of everyone in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, my sincere congratulations to all of our award recipients, many of whom put themselves at risk every day for the safety of our communities.”

In addition to the criminal and civil case awards, U.S. Attorney Durham presented several special awards during the ceremony.

The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Investigator was presented to Special Agent Daniel Prather of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for his outstanding and tireless work to reduce drug trafficking and associated gun violence across Connecticut during his 15-year career in federal law enforcement.

The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Partnership was presented to State’s Attorney Patrick Griffin and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office.  State’s Attorney Griffin and the New Haven State’s Attorney’s Office have worked closely with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to prosecute some of New Haven’s most persistent and violent offenders, and on innovative efforts to reduce violent crime in the region.

The Financial Fraud and Public Corruption Unit Award was presented to a team of investigators who exposed a greater New Haven “fencing” operation that was responsible for nearly $10 million in losses to major retailers over the last decade.  Five individuals involved in the scheme were charged and convicted due to the work of the members of the FBI, U.S. Marshals Service and Connecticut State Police who conducted this investigation.

The Major Crimes Unit Award was given to Special Agent Ryan Mahar of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), who was honored for expertly investigating complex child exploitation, fraud and identity theft offenses, and serves as a valuable resource to other investigators as a computer forensic specialist.

The National Security and Cyber Crimes Unit Award honored three Internal Revenue Service agents for their diligent investigation of a former police officer turned “Sovereign Citizen” who, for years, made numerous frivolous court filings and used other obstructive tactics while continuing to live in a home on which he never made a mortgage payment.

The Violent Crimes and Narcotics Unit Award was presented to Detective Frank Bellizzi, who recently retired after a 20-year career with the New Britain Police Department.  For 12 years, Detective Bellizzi served as a task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Task Force and played a critical role in investigating large-scale drug trafficking organizations, which resulted in the successful prosecution of dozens of federal defendants.

The Civil Division’s Affirmative Enforcement and Civil Rights Unit Award was given to

Professor Jon Bauer of the UConn School of Law for providing critical support to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in resolving an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) complaint related to the alleged discrimination against individuals with mental health disabilities in the admission process for the Connecticut Bar.

The Civil Division’s Financial Litigation Unit recognized both Trial Attorney Ann D’Arpino of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and John Carroll, an Advisor with the Internal Revenue Service, for providing valuable assistance to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for many years.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office is charged with enforcing federal criminal laws in Connecticut and representing the federal government in civil litigation.  The Office is composed of approximately 68 Assistant U.S. Attorneys and 57 staff members at offices in New Haven, Bridgeport and Hartford.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that RAMON HERNANDEZ, 60, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, and admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According court documents and statements made in court, on February 13, 2019, Hernandez possessed and intended to distribute more than 250 grams of cocaine.

In March 2006, Hernandez was sentenced in Bridgeport federal court to 84 months of imprisonment and 10 years of supervised release for his role in a cocaine trafficking ring.  He was released from federal prison in August 2011.

Judge Meyer scheduled sentencing for September 26, 2019, at which time Hernandez faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on the new narcotics charge, and an additional term of imprisonment of up to five years for violating the conditions of his supervised release.

Hernandez has been detained since February 13, 2019.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force and Bridgeport Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Maria del Pilar Gonzalez.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that a federal jury in Bridgeport has found AMAURY VLADIMIR REYES-BATISTA, 43, a citizen of the Dominican Republic residing in New Britain, guilty of multiple charges related to his involvement in a stolen identity tax refund fraud scheme.  The trial before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill began on June 10 and the jury returned its verdict late yesterday.

According to court documents, statements made in court and the evidence introduced during the trial, this matter stems from an investigation into individuals who, through various means, obtained fraudulent U.S. Treasury tax refund checks using stolen identities.  The investigation revealed that Reyes-Batista and an associate obtained, on the black market, federal tax refund checks that were fraudulently obtained in the names of other persons.  Reyes-Batista then deposited the checks into a bank account controlled by his associate.  In January 2012, Reyes-Batista deposited 21 refund checks totaling approximately $124,000 at TD Bank branches in New Britain, Berlin and Southington. 

Reyes-Batista was arrested on February 3, 2015.  At the time of his arrest, he provided a false name, date and place of birth, and Social Security Number to law enforcement.  The identifying information Reyes-Batista provided belonged to an individual living in Puerto Rico.

The jury found Reyes-Batista guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit theft of public money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years; eight counts of theft of public money, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count, and one count of making false statements to law enforcement, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  Reyes-Batista was found not guilty of 13 additional counts of theft of public money.

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for September 4, 2019.

Reyes-Batista was detained from the date of his arrest until April 19, 2018, when he was released on a $100,000 bond.

The investigation revealed that Reyes-Batista was removed to the Dominican Republic in 1996 after sustaining a conviction in New York state court for attempted heroin distribution.  He illegally returned to the U.S. in 1999.

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ANTHONY HUNT, 20, of Winsted, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 12 months of imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release, for selling heroin to a teen overdose victim. 

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on June 2, 2017, at approximately 5:41 p.m., members of the Connecticut State Police responded to a family-owned boat in Washington, Connecticut, on the report of a 17-year-old male in cardiac arrest.  Attempts to revive the victim were not successful and he was pronounced deceased.  Law enforcement officers seized various drug and non-drug evidence from the boat, including suspected heroin, miscellaneous pharmaceutical pills and an iPhone.

The State of Connecticut Medical Examiner determined that the victim died from toxicity associated with a number of controlled substances, including heroin and alprazolam (Xanax).

The investigation, which has included witness interviews and analysis of the seized iPhone, revealed that Hunt sold heroin and Xanax to the victim between May 17 and June 1, 2017, and that the victim traveled to Winsted to purchase drugs from Hunt the day before the victim died.

Hunt was arrested on a criminal complaint on March 22, 2018.  On September 13, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and the Connecticut State Police.   The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that QUADELL DANIELS, 32, of New London, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 46 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for trafficking guns from Georgia to Connecticut. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 20, 2017, members of the Connecticut Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and New London Police Department conducted a court-authorized search of a New London residence and seized a Beretta, Model BU9 Nano, 9mm pistol, and a Jimenez Arms, Model J.A. Nine, 9mm pistol.  Subsequent investigation revealed that, in April 2017, Daniels and his former girlfriend entered a pawn shop in Hinesville, Georgia.  Daniels, who had provided cash to his girlfriend before entering the shop, selected two firearms for his girlfriend to purchase on his behalf.  After his girlfriend completed the purchase, she provided the firearms to Daniels.  Daniels transported the firearms to Connecticut and sold them for profit.

In July 2017, Daniels and his former girlfriend similarly purchased another five firearms at the same pawn shop and transported the guns to Connecticut, where Daniels sold them for profit.

Two of the seven firearms purchased by Daniels were seized during the search of the New London residence on July 20, 2017.  On February 28, 2019, New London Police recovered a Taurus, Model PT 111, 9mm handgun, which was one of the firearms Daniels had purchased in Georgia in April 2017.  The investigation into the recovered Taurus handgun, and the whereabouts of the four other firearms Daniels purchased, is ongoing.

In 2012, Daniels was convicted in Connecticut state court of attempted assault in the second degree, and possession of a firearm without a permit.  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.

Daniels was arrested on December 1, 2017.  On March 11, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Connecticut State Police Statewide Narcotics Task Force East and New London Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alina P. Reynolds.

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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that KAKRA GYAMBIBI, 38, of Darnestown, Maryland, formerly of Connecticut, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to three months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for health care fraud.

According to court documents, statements made in court and the evidence presented during the trial of her husband, Kwasi Gyambibi, Advantage Pharmacy was a compounding pharmacy located in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.  As a compounding pharmacy, Advantage created compound prescription drugs specifically tailored for individual patients who had a medical need for a compound drug, by mixing together individual ingredients in the exact strength and dosage prescribed by the health care provider to meet the unique needs of a patient.  One tube of a compound drug cream prepared and dispensed by Advantage Pharmacy typically cost health care benefit programs thousands of dollars, and some individual tubes of cream cost more than $11,000 for a one-month supply.  Kakra Gyambibi is a physician who worked as a hospitalist at Stamford Hospital, and Kwasi Gyambibi acted as, and eventually became, a sales representative for Advantage Pharmacy.

On January 9, 2019, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 19-count indictment alleging that, in 2014 and 2015, Kwasi and Kakra Gyambibi engaged in a scheme to defraud the State of Connecticut Pharmacy Benefit Plan, TRICARE and other health care programs by submitting prescriptions for compound pharmacy medications prepared and dispensed by Advantage Pharmacy.  Although the prescriptions sent to Advantage Pharmacy contained Kakra Gyambibi’s signature, Kakra Gyambibi did not treat, examine, or even meet with the patients for whom the prescriptions were written.  Based on these false and misleading claims, the victim health care programs paid Advantage Pharmacy for the compound prescription drugs.  Advantage Pharmacy, in tum, paid commissions of between 15 percent to 35 percent to sales representatives, including Kwasi Gyambibi’s close cousin, whom Kwasi Gyambibi considered his brother.

It is alleged that Kwasi and Kakra Gyambibi also induced the victim health care programs to pay Advantage Pharmacy more than $292,000 for their own compound prescription drugs.

The investigation has revealed that this scheme resulted in more than $1.6 million in losses to the victim health care programs.

On January 18, 2019, Kakra Gyambibi pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud. 

On February 22, 2019, a jury found Kwasi Gyambibi guilty of two counts of health care fraud related to fraudulent prescriptions for compound drugs that were submitted to Advantage Pharmacy in March 2015, and found him not guilty of seven counts of health care fraud.  The jury could not reach a verdict on the other 10 counts in the indictment.  Kwasi Gyambibi awaits sentencing.

Judge Meyer will set a hearing to determine restitution at a later date.  The government is seeking $1,650,332.35 in restitution.

Kakra Gyambibi, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 15, 2019.

This investigation has been conducted by New Haven Division of the FBI.  U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Office of the Attorney General of the State of Connecticut, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Mississippi, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, and the Jackson, Mississippi Division of the FBI for their assistance with the investigation.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Sheldon and Christopher W. Schmeisser.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DANIEL JIMENEZ DE LA CRUZ, 33, a citizen of the Dominican Republic last residing in Waterbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to fentanyl distribution and firearm possession offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Jimenez was arrested on September 20, 2018, after special agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant at his Waterbury residence.  Outside of Jimenez’s bedroom window, agents found a trash bag that contained a powdery substance that that later tested positive for fentanyl.  The trash bag also contained a loaded Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver. 

Jimenez pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years; 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, and one count of possession of a firearm by an alien illegally or unlawfully in the U.S., which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.  Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for September 4, 2019.

Jiminez has been detained since his arrest.

This case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.

This prosecution 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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEX BORRERO, also known as “Red,” 51, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by six years of supervised release, for distributing heroin and fentanyl.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on February 28, 2017, the Wallingford Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a report of an untimely death of a 25-year-old male at a residence in Wallingford.  At the scene, officers seized drug and non-drug evidence, including the victim’s cellphone and six empty wax folds bags that contained a white powder residue.

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined that the victim’s death was caused by a combination of fentanyl and alprazolam (Xanax).

The investigation revealed that Borrero, who had been selling heroin and fentanyl in the New Haven area, was the source of the fentanyl involved in the overdose death of the victim.  The investigation also revealed that another of Borrero’s drug customers, a 31-year-old male, died of an overdose in Branford on May 18, 2017.

Borrero was arrested on a federal criminal complaint on October 23, 2017.  At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 30 grams of heroin and approximately $1,900 in cash.

On May 15, 2018, Borrero pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, heroin and fentanyl.

Borrero, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on August 14.

Borrero’s criminal history dates to 1988 and includes 11 felony convictions, including a federal conviction for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin.  In 1998, he was sentenced in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, in Orlando, to 188 months of imprisonment.  He was released from federal prison in 2011.

This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and the Wallingford and Branford Police Departments.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Pierpont, Jr. and Michael S. McGarry.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Boston, and East Hartford Police Chief Scott M. Sansom announced that JOSE ANTONIO QUIROZ-MARTINEZ, 27, a citizen of Mexico last residing in East Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 270 months of imprisonment, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for enticing a minor to engage in sexual activity.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April and May 2017, Quiroz-Martinez used a cell phone to send sexually explicit texts and pictures of himself to an 11-year-old girl, and enticed the minor victim to send him sexually explicit pictures of herself.  Quiroz-Martinez also attempted to meet the minor victim to engage in sexual activity.

Analysis of Quiroz-Martinez’s cell phone also revealed more than 4,000 images of child pornography, including numerous images of toddlers or infants, images depicting sadistic or masochistic conduct and/or violence, and images of bestiality.

In sentencing Quiroz-Martinez, Judge Thompson also considered evidence that Quiroz-Martinez sexually assaulted a 13-year-old girl and a 17-year-old girl in 2015.

Quiroz-Martinez has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on May 4, 2017.  On January 4, 2019, he pleaded guilty to using an interstate facility to entice a minor to engage in sexual activity.

Quiroz-Martinez faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.

This matter was investigated by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the East Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Nancy V. Gifford.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, and Interim Police Chief Otoniel Reyes of the New Haven Police Department today announced that a grand jury in New Haven has returned a nine-count superseding indictment charging the following 14 individuals with heroin, cocaine and fentanyl trafficking offenses:

MALBIN RUBIERA-HERRERA, a.k.a. “Chaca,” 28, of New Haven
JUAN LANTIGUA-CID, a.k.a. “Manager,” 46, of Linden, New Jersey
EDUARDO RAMOS, 33, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
BRIAN ABREU, a.k.a. “Braga,” 26, of New Haven
WILLIAM CLAUDIO-SUAREZ, a.k.a. “Willy,” 33, of New Haven
PEDRO ORTA-RIVAS a.k.a. “Cuba” and “El Brujo,” 50, of East Haven
OSVALDO HODGE, a.k.a. “Mono,” 43, of New Haven
STEVEN SANTOS, 38, of Bridgeport
JOSE ANGEL SUAREZ, 36, of Veja Baja, Puerto Rico
MARIO LLANOS-AYALA, 44, of Deltona, Florida
ROBERTO ANTHONY TORRES, a.k.a. “Toni,” 52, of New Haven
MICHAEL MILLER, 38, of New Haven
TAKAI QUNTAY BELLAMY, 25, of New Haven
CHRISTIAN RIVERA-TORRES, a.k.a. “Pantera,” 40, of New Haven

The indictment stems from an investigation headed by the Drug Enforcement Administration New Haven Task Force and New Haven Police Department.  As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, the investigation revealed that Malbin Rubiera-Herrera acquired heroin and cocaine from sources in Connecticut and New Jersey and distributed the drugs through a network of associates in the greater New Haven.  Between October and December 2018, investigators made controlled purchases of heroin and cocaine from Rubiera-Herrera.  Subsequent court-authorized wiretaps revealed a widespread narcotics trafficking conspiracy that involved the trafficking of kilogram-quantities of heroin into Connecticut.

On April 30, 2019, Rubiera-Herrera, Juan Lantigua-Cid, Eduardo Ramos and Brian Abreu were arrested on federal criminal complaints.  On that date, a search of Rubiera-Herrera’s residence on Augustine Street revealed approximately 700 gross grams of fentanyl.

On May 8, 2019, the grand jury returned an indictment charging the four defendants arrested on April 30, as well as William Claudio-Suarez, Pedro Orta-Rivas and Osvaldo Hodge, who were subsequently arrested.  The superseding indictment, which was returned on June 5, was unsealed yesterday after the arrests of Steven Santos, Roberto Anthony Torres and Takai Quantay Bellamy.  Michael Miller and Christian Rivera-Torres are being transferred from state to federal custody today, and Llanos-Ayala is currently in state custody in New Jersey.  Suarez is being sought by law enforcement.

All of the defendants are charged with conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.  If convicted of this charge, based on their conduct and the quantity of controlled substances attributable to them as a result of their involvement in the conspiracy, Rubiera-Herrera, Lantigua-Cid, Ramos and Abreu face a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; Claudio-Suarez, Orta-Rivas, Santos, Suarez, Llanos-Ayala and Torres face a minimum term of imprisonment of five years and a maximum term of imprisonment of 40 years, and Hodge, Miller, Bellamy and Rivera-Torres face a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

The indictment also charges Rubiera-Herrera, Abreu, Orta-Rivas and Hodge with one or more counts of possession with intent to distribute various narcotics.

U.S. Attorney Durham 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 matter is being investigated by the DEA New Haven Task Force and the New Haven Police Department, with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Marshals Service, Connecticut State Police, Connecticut Department of Correction, East Haven Police Department, Easton Police Department, Orange Police Department, and the Cape May County (N.J.) Prosecutor’s Office, Gangs, Guns and Narcotics Task Force.

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.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis and S. Dave Vatti.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TERRANCE CLARK, also known as “T-Time,” 24, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer in New Haven to firearm offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 3, 2019, officers with the Bridgeport Police Department’s Tactical Narcotics Team arrested Clark after they found him in possession of crack cocaine, which was packaged for street level distribution, as well as a Glock 22 .40 caliber firearm loaded with a high capacity magazine.

Clark’s criminal history includes felony convictions in state court for possession of a firearm without a permit, stealing a firearm, and possession of narcotics.

Clark pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 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 Meyer scheduled sentencing for September 17, 2019.

Clark is detained pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Bridgeport Police Department.  This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution 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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Hannibal “Mike” Ware, Inspector General, Small Business Administration, announced that SCOTT SUNDHOLM, 39, of Old Saybrook, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to one count of making false statements for the purpose of obtaining a Small Business Administration loan.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Sundholm owns and operates S&S Marine, LLC, a marina located in Old Saybrook.  In 2016, Sundholm applied for and received a disaster loan from the Small Business Administration after claiming that Hurricane Sandy, which struck Connecticut in late October 2012, caused a tidal surge at the marina and damaged floating boat docks, a boat ramp, a bath house, a metal shop building and other structures.  Sundholm also claimed that the bath house he had replaced after the hurricane was of the same size and quality as to what was in place prior to the storm.

An investigation revealed that certain claims made by Sundholm about damage that Hurricane Sandy caused his marina were not true.  Sundholm had demolished the marina’s pre-existing bath house in September 2012, more than a month before Hurricane Sandy, and the bath house was dilapidated and not similar in size and quality to the new bath house that Sundholm subsequently built.  In addition, no floating boat docks or boat ramps existed at the marina prior to the hurricane.

Judge Shea scheduled sentencing for September 6, 2019, at which time Sundholm faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years and a fine.  Sundholm has paid full restitution of $1,653,257.10 to the Small Business Administration.

Sundholm is released pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the Small Business Administration Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Pierpont, Jr.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a settlement agreement with Danbury Sports Dome in Danbury to resolve allegations that the sports facility was not operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”).

The settlement agreement resolves an ADA complaint filed by the parents of a child with severe food allergies alleging that Danbury Sports Dome refused to admit the child to its summer camp program because of the child’s food allergies.  Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Danbury Sports Dome will implement new nondiscriminatory policies, practices and procedures regarding the admission of and programming for children with disabilities who wish to attend their camps, programs, services and activities.  Danbury Sports Dome will designate an employee to serve as its ADA coordinator and will train its employees on compliance with Title III of the ADA.  Additionally, Danbury Sports Dome will revise its registration materials to inform parents of children with disabilities of their right to request reasonable modifications of the facility’s programs and will post to its website the nondiscrimination policy approved by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Under federal law, private entities that own or operate places of “public accommodation,” including gymnasiums and other places of exercise and recreation, are prohibited from discriminating on the basis of disability.  The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate complaints and undertake periodic reviews of compliance of covered entities.  The Justice Department is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or that raises issues of general public importance, and to seek injunctive relief, monetary damages, and civil penalties.

U.S. Attorney Durham noted that the management of Danbury Sports Dome was cooperative with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is committed to addressing the issues raised by the ADA investigation without litigation.

“The U.S. Attorney’s Office enforces the Americans with Disabilities Act, which ensures that individuals are able to access and enjoy places of public accommodation in Connecticut, including the state’s gymnasiums and other places of exercise and recreation,” stated U.S. Attorney Durham.  “Throughout our investigation, the management of Danbury Sports Dome showed its commitment to complying with the ADA and making all changes necessary to accommodate children with disabilities at its facility.”

Any member of the public who wishes to file a complaint alleging that any place of public accommodation or public entity in Connecticut is not accessible to persons with disabilities may contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 203-821-3700.

Additional information about the ADA can be found at www.ada.gov, or by calling the Justice Department’s toll-free information line at (800) 514-0301 and (800) 514-0383 (TTY).  More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.

This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica H. Soufer of the District of Connecticut in coordination with the Disability Rights Section of the U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUAN SILVA, 38, of Stratford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to seven months of imprisonment, followed by one year of supervised release, for preparing numerous false federal income tax returns.  Judge Shea also ordered Silva to serve 45 days in home confinement and perform 80 hours of community service while on supervised release

According to court documents and statements made in court, Silva operated Oficina Hispana, a multi-service business that included tax return preparation.  Between approximately 2011 and 2017, Silva falsified itemized deductions and unreimbursed employee business expenses on numerous returns that he prepared for clients.  In addition, for the 2011, 2012 and 2013 tax years, Silva made substantial deposits of business receipts from his tax preparation business into his personal bank accounts, and failed to report to the IRS a total of more than $306,000 in income.

On December 21, 2017, Silva pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. 

Judge Shea ordered Silva to pay restitution of $143,693.

The IRS, with Silva’s assistance, has been taking action to recover unpaid taxes from Silva’s clients.  Silva’s restitution obligation will be reduced if monies are recovered from his clients.

Silva, who is released on bond, is required to report to prison on August 30.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division and was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that IDALECIA LOPES SANTOS, 59, of Queens Village, New York, waived her right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of tax evasion.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Santos worked as an outside bookkeeper 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.  During the times at issue, Santos was employed by two different New York-based accounting firms.

As a bookkeeper, Santos worked directly with DiFabio and his employees to determine relevant revenue, payroll and other operating figures for DiFabio’s businesses, and to assist in the preparation of corporate tax returns for the businesses, quarterly tax reporting regarding employee payroll, and the personal income tax returns for the owners.

In pleading guilty, Santos admitted that she and others at the accounting firms knew that 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.  Despite this knowledge, the accounting firms used the bank records to determine gross receipts of the businesses, and the cash that was removed from the registers was not reported to the IRS.  This resulted in the understatement of income and taxes owed on DiFabio’s personal income tax returns.

Santos and others at her accounting firms, who assisted in the preparation of work papers and other documents used for tax return preparation, were also aware that DiFabio and his businesses used cash removed from the registers to pay certain wages for DiFabio and employees without reporting those amounts to the IRS.  Certain employees had their entire wages paid “off the books,” while a portion of other employees’ wages was not reported.  This resulted in the manipulation of net income reported to the IRS and the underpayment of withholding taxes to the IRS.

The charge of tax evasion carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.  Santos is released pending sentencing.

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 loss to the IRS in income taxes and employment taxes for the 2013 through 2015 tax years was $816,954.  DiFabio awaits sentencing.

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.  He also awaits sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that a federal grand jury in Hartford returned a three-count indictment today charging JERMAINE GILBERT, 21, of Waterbury, with firearm possession and drug trafficking offenses.

The indictment alleges that on May 17, 2019, Gilbert possessed a .22 caliber Beretta pistol and a 9mm Taurus pistol, as well as heroin that he intended to distribute.

The indictment charges Gilbert with one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin, 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 prison term of at least five years.

Gilbert has been detained since his arrest by Waterbury Police on May 17, 2019.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of investigation and Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Natasha Freismuth, Patrick Caruso and Michael Gustafson.

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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JUAN HAZARD, also known as “Money,” 42, of Cranston, Rhode Island, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 60 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for trafficking fentanyl. 

According to court documents and statements made in court, in April 2017, Hazard agreed to meet an individual at a location in Ledyard to conduct a narcotics transaction.  On April 26, 2017, investigators stopped Hazard’s vehicle in Ledyard.  Hazard was arrested after investigators located a wooden box containing three shrink-wrapped packages containing a total of approximately 338 grams of fentanyl in the rear of the vehicle.  Hazard’s young child was in the back seat of the car at the time of the offense.

Hazard has been detained since his federal arrest on May 4, 2018.  On September 17, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.

This investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Waterford, Ledyard, Town of Groton and City of Groton Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia Stolfi Collins.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TIMOTHY STATON, 24, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 37 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal gun possession.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on September 13, 2018, Staton fled from Bridgeport Police officers outside of his Bridgeport residence.  During the pursuit, Staton removed a loaded Glock 43 9mm handgun from his waistband and threw it to the ground.  Officers apprehended Staton and retrieved the firearm.

In 2010, Staton was convicted in state court of a felony robbery offense.  In 2014, he was convicted in state court of narcotics, firearm and racketeering 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.

Staton has been detained since his arrest.  On February 25, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted 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 Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.

This prosecution 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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that MICHAEL YOUNG, 48, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in August 2018, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service identified a suspicious package destined for Young’s Bridgeport residence.  The package had been shipped from a California business that purportedly marketed and sold herbal products for smoking.  A court-authorized search of the package revealed a leafy plant-like substance commonly used as a base to absorb synthetic drugs dissolved in liquid form.  Investigators learned that Young has a state criminal conviction from 2014 related to the distribution of synthetic drugs, and that two international shipments containing synthetic drugs destined for Young’s residence had been seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection in November 2016 and July 2018.

On August 21, 2018, a court-authorized search of Young’s residence revealed more than a kilogram of synthetic cannabinoids and cathinones, approximately 21 grams of Phencyclidine (PCP) in liquid form, drug packaging materials and $1,700 in cash.

Young has been detained since August 21.

Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 23, 2019, at which time Young faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Connecticut State Police.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TOSHIREA JACKSON, 50, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for her role in a health care fraud scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, beginning in January 2012, Jackson and Juliet Jacob operated two businesses, Transitional Development And Training (TDAT), and It Takes A Promise (ITAP), both located at 360 Fairfield Avenue in Bridgeport, which provided social and psychotherapy services.  The investigation revealed that Jackson and Jacob used ITAP and TDAT to bill Medicaid for psychotherapy services that were never provided.  As part of their scheme, Jackson and Jacob used the Medicaid provider numbers of two licensed health care providers who had neither rendered nor supervised any of the psychotherapy services that Jackson and Jacob billed to Medicaid.  Jackson, and the two licensed providers, were employees of the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS).  The two providers did not authorize Jackson or Jacob to obtain provider numbers for them at TDAT or ITAP, and were not aware that TDAT or ITAP were billing Medicaid as if the providers had personally rendered the psychotherapy services. 

The investigation further revealed that, in March 2012, Nikkita Chesney, who was employed by a health care provider that provided substance abuse treatment, including a detoxification program in Bridgeport, began to steal the personal identification information of Medicaid clients who were patients of her employer.  The personal identifying information included the patients’ Medicaid identification number, Social Security Numbers and dates of birth.  Jackson, Jacob, and Chesney then used the stolen identity information to bill Medicaid for psychotherapy services purportedly provided by TDAT and ITAP, when the Medicaid clients had never received any such services from TDAT or ITAP.

Jackson has admitted that the scheme involved stealing the identity of more than 150 Medicaid clients, and that she and her co-conspirators successfully billed Medicaid for approximately half of those clients.  Jackson further admitted that she and her co-conspirators also billed Medicaid for services to other clients that were never provided to those clients.

Judge Bolden ordered Jackson to pay $2,496,618 in restitution.

On December 13, 2018, Jackson pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud.

Jackson, who is released on a $25,000 bond, is required to report to prison on July 12, 2019.

On October 18, 2018, Jacob pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud for her role in this scheme and a separate Medicaid fraud scheme.  On October 23, 2018, Chesney pleaded guilty to one count of health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  Both await sentencing.

Five other individuals have been charged and convicted of health care fraud offenses as a result of this and related investigations.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Sheldon and Auditor Susan Spiegel.

This case is being jointly investigated by the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Chief State’s Attorney’s Office and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, with assistance from the Connecticut Attorney General’s Office.  U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Connecticut Department of Social Services for their role in identifying the fraudulent scheme and supporting the investigation and prosecution of the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office, Chief State’s Attorney’s Office and Attorney General’s Office meet regularly as part of The Medicaid Fraud Working Group.  The Working Group also includes representatives from the Connecticut Department of Social Services; the Connecticut Department of Public Health; the Drug Control Division of the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection; the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the FBI.  The Working Group reviews pending issues and cases, identifies trends that might indicate fraudulent activity, and coordinates efforts for maximum results.

People who suspect health care fraud are encouraged to report it by calling 1-800-HHS-TIPS.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration for New England, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven returned a three-count indictment yesterday charging MIGUEL ANGEL MENDEZ-URENA, 34, of Bridgeport, with cocaine trafficking offenses.

As alleged in court documents and statements made in court, Mendez-Urena coordinated the shipment of cocaine through the U.S. Mail from Puerto Rico to various locations in Bridgeport, and the shipment of drug proceeds to individuals in Puerto Rico.

On May 15, 2019, Mendez-Urena was arrested on a federal criminal complaint after he accepted delivery of a parcel containing approximately 500 grams of cocaine that had been mailed from Puerto Rico.

The indictment charges Mendez-Urena with one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, which carries a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of imprisonment of life; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, and one count of using the U.S. Mail to distribute the proceeds of unlawful activity, which carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

Mendez-Urena has been detained since his arrest.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment 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 U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Drug Enforcement Administration.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rahul Kale.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Brian C. Turner, Special Agent in Charge of the New Haven Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the Boston Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, today announced that LEON C. VACCARELLI, 42, of Waterbury, has been found guilty of numerous fraud and money laundering offenses stemming from an investment scheme that defrauded individuals of approximately $1.5 million.  A trial before U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton began on May 13 in New Haven, and the jury returned guilty verdicts on all counts of a 21-count superseding indictment this morning.

According to court documents and the evidence presented during the trial, Vaccarelli was a registered representative of The Investment Center (“TIC”), a brokerage company, and was an investment adviser associated with IC Advisory Services, Inc. (“IC Advisory”).  He also was the owner and only member of LWLVACC, LLC, and conducted business through an entity named Lux Financial Services (“Lux Financial”).  Using these various entities, Vaccarelli operated a financial advisory and brokerage service through which he offered investment advice and sold investments and securities to individuals and families in the Waterbury area.

Between approximately 2011 and 2017, Vaccarelli defrauded approximately 15 victim investors of approximately $1.5 million by falsely representing that he would invest his clients’ money in IRA rollover accounts, money market accounts, certificates of deposit (“CDs”), or other types of interest-earning investments.  However, instead of investing customers’ funds as he had represented, Vaccarelli deposited customer funds into his own personal account and business bank accounts, commingled those funds with his own money, and used the funds to pay both business and personal expenses, including tuition and mortgage payments.  In some instances, he also used customer funds to make bogus “interest payments” to other victim-investors.

Vaccarelli’s victims include an elderly woman who Vaccarelli coerced into transferring approximately $300,000 in funds from a safe investment portfolio into a bank account that Vaccarelli controlled.  Vaccarelli subsequently spent the money on personal expenses and to pay off another investor who threatened to sue him.  Vaccarelli also stole nearly $500,000 from a trust, which was established in 1991 to care for a woman with diminished capacity.  Other victims include a retired schoolteacher, a retired construction worker, and medical professionals. 

On May 2, 2018, a grand jury returned an indictment charging Vaccarelli with three counts of mail fraud, six counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.  On March 5, 2019, a superseding indictment against Vaccarelli added three counts of wire fraud and six counts of securities fraud.

Mail fraud, wire fraud and securities fraud carry a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years on each count.  Money laundering carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years on each count.

Judge Arterton scheduled sentencing for August 22, 2019.  Vaccarelli is released on a $100,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter has been investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael S. McGarry and Jennifer R. Laraia.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation in New England, announced that MICHAEL CALLAN, 70, of Middlefield, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today in Hartford federal court to a federal tax charge related to his filing false tax returns that substantially underreported his income.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Callan is an emergency response consultant who operates Callan & Company, based in Middlefield, and the website MikeCallan.com.  Callan was audited by the IRS in May 2015.  At the time of the audit, Callan had not filed federal income tax returns for the 2010 through 2015 tax years.  Callan subsequently signed and filed individual federal income tax returns for the 2010 through 2012 tax years that significantly underreported the income he received from his business.  The returns were then filed by his tax preparer.

For 2010, Callan reported $151,533 in total income from Callan & Company, but actually earned $217,925; in 2011, Callan reported $146,071 in total income from Callan & Company, but actually earned $219,094, and in 2012, Callan reported $160,558 in total income from Callan & Company but actually earned $257,745.

Callan also received more than $276,000 in total income from Callan & Company for the 2013 through 2015 tax years, but failed to file a return for each of those years.

Callan has agreed to cooperate with the IRS to pay $153,636 in taxes owed, plus interest and penalties.

Callan pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false tax return, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of three years.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant on September 11, 2019.

Callan is released on bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Clark.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that JAMAL WEIR, 30, of Bridgeport, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally purchasing and possessing a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in August and September 2017, Jamal Weir and Tymon Peterson texted one another about purchasing firearms.  Peterson possessed a valid pistol permit and was able to purchase firearms legally, but Weir, as a convicted felon, is prohibited from possessing firearms.  On September 22, 2017, Weir and Peterson travelled together to Hoffman’s Gun Center in Newington.  At the store, Weir provided Peterson with cash to purchase at least one firearm on his behalf.  On that date, Peterson filled out an ATF Form 4473 in which he falsely represented that he was the actual purchaser of a SCCY Model CPX-2, 9mm semi-automatic pistol, and that he was not acquiring the firearm for another person.  Peterson gave the pistol to Weir after they exited the store.

Weir’s criminal history includes state convictions for illegal possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle, possession of narcotics with intent to sell, and carrying a pistol without a permit.

Weir has been detained since his arrest on September 17, 2018.  On December 6, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

On December 14, 2018, Peterson, of Stratford, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm.  He awaits sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), with the assistance of the Connecticut State Police, the Newington Police Department and Hoffman’s Gun Center.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Anthony E. Kaplan and Margaret E. Maigret.

This prosecution 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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CHRISTOPHER FELICIANO, 29, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to 24 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for selling heroin and fentanyl to an Enfield overdose victim.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, at approximately 8:55 a.m., on October 8, 2017, Enfield Police and emergency medical personnel responded to a residence in Enfield and found an unresponsive 24-year-old male in the home.  The victim was pronounced deceased.  Officers searched the immediate area and located narcotics paraphernalia.  Officers also seized the victim’s phone.  An analysis of Facebook messages and telephone contacts revealed that the victim had purchased heroin/fentanyl from Feliciano beginning in at least February 2017, and that the victim ordered heroin/fentanyl from Feliciano a few hours before the victim was found deceased.

On February 19, 2019, Feliciano pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution, of heroin and fentanyl.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Enfield Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jocelyn Courtney Kaoutzanis.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that TYRUS PRUDE, 29, of Enfield, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 21 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of ammunition.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 19, 2018, law enforcement conducted a court-authorized search of Prude’s Enfield residence and seized six live rounds of 9mm ammunition.

Prude’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for burglary in the third degree and possession of a weapon in a motor vehicle.

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.

On February 20, 2019, Prude pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

This matter was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Enfield Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

This prosecution 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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CANDACE RISPOLI, 32, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for embezzling more than $1 million from her employer.  Rispoli must also serve the first six months of her supervised release in home confinement.

According to court documents and statements made in court, from approximately January 2012 until June 2016, Rispoli was employed by Lodestone Management Consultants, later known as Infosys Consulting (the “company”).  Beginning in approximately 2013, Rispoli worked for the company from her former home in East Haven, which she shared with her then-boyfriend, Michael Miano.  In her capacity as a company employee, Rispoli had an American Express credit card to use to pay for travel, entertainment and other business expenses incurred by the company’s employees and potential employees.

From approximately 2013 until July 2016, Rispoli charged more than $250,000 of her own and Miano’s personal expenses to the company’s American Express card.  Rispoli also fraudulently transferred more than $800,000 in funds from the company’s American Express card to PayPal and Venmo accounts controlled by Rispoli and Miano.  To conceal her scheme, Rispoli altered the company’s American Express account statements and created false billing summaries, which she emailed to the company’s accounting firm.

Judge Bolden ordered Rispoli to pay $1,098,176 in restitution.

On June 24, 2018, Rispoli pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.  She has been detained since May 13, 2019, after her bond was revoked.

On September 1, 2017, Miano, of Branford, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud related to this scheme.  He awaits sentencing.

This investigation has been conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Heather Cherry and Jonathan Francis.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DEVELL CONLEY, also known as “DL,” 32, of New Haven, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 78 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for distributing narcotics.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 5, 2017, the East Haven Police Department responded to a report of an untimely death of a 27-year-old female at a residence in East Haven.  At the scene, officers seized drug and non-drug evidence, including three small bags that contained a substance that tested positive for the presence of fentanyl. Investigators also seized the victim’s cellphone.

The investigation revealed that Conley had provided drugs to the victim shortly before her death.  He also had distributed heroin and crack cocaine to several drug users between July 2016 and May 2017.

Conley has been detained since his arrest on May 18, 2017.  On October 17, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of heroin and cocaine base (“crack”).

Conley’s criminal history includes 14 prior convictions, including convictions for drug distribution, assault, threatening, criminal possession of a firearm, and resisting arrest.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force and the East Haven and New Haven Police Departments.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick F. Caruso.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that Luis Cosme, also known as “Lou Rock,” 35, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 72 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a loaded handgun.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 10, 2017, Hartford Police stopped a vehicle in which Cosme was a passenger and found Cosme in possession of a loaded .40 caliber handgun.  Cosme was arrested on state charges at that time.

In May 2017, while Cosme was released on bond in his state case, investigators made multiple controlled purchases of heroin from Cosme.  On June 21, 2017, a federal grand jury in Hartford returned an indictment charging Cosme with firearm and narcotics offenses.

Cosme’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for drug distribution, assault and domestic violence 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.

On September 10, 2018, Cosme pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.  He has been detained since March 27, 2019, when his bond was revoked.

This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Gustafson.

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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that on May 22, 2019, MALCOLM NEWTON, also known as “Biggie,” 25, of New Haven, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 66 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing crack cocaine in New Haven.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in June 2017, the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force initiated an investigation into a New Haven drug trafficking organization.  The investigation, which included physical surveillance, 13 controlled purchases of narcotics, and court-authorized wiretaps on multiple phones, revealed that members of the organization were distributing crack cocaine and oxycodone in the New Haven area.

Newton distributed crack cocaine on behalf of the organization numerous times between November 2017 and February 2018.

Newton and several other members of the organization were arrested on federal criminal complaints on February 6, 2018.  At the time of his arrest, Newton was on state probation.  A search of his residence on that date revealed five firearms, and small quantities of crack cocaine and oxycodone packaged for street sale.

On February 8, 2018, a grand jury in New Haven returned a 30-count indictment charging Newtown and 18 other individuals with various offenses.

Newton has been detained since his arrest.  On February 22, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, 28 grams or more of cocaine base (“crack”).

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s New Haven Safe Streets/Gang Task Force, which includes members from the New Haven Police Department, Milford Police Department, West Haven Police Department and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick F. Caruso and David C. Nelson.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ISIAH DUNCAN, 36, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to violating the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act.

The Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”), which was passed by Congress in 2006 as part of the Adam Walsh Act, provides a comprehensive set of minimum standards for sex offender registration and notification in the U.S. and seeks to strengthen the nationwide network of sex offender registration and notification programs.  In part, SORNA requires registered sex offenders to register and keep their registration current in each jurisdiction in which they reside, work, or go to school.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Duncan has two convictions, in 2013 and 2014, for New York Class A misdemeanor sex offenses that required him to register as a sexual offender.  In September 2014, Duncan registered with the New York Sex Offender Registry (“NYSOR”).  In December 2015, after an address verification letter that NYSOR sent to Duncan was returned as undeliverable, Duncan was convicted in New York state court of failing as a sex offender to report a change in address/status.  On December 17, 2015, Duncan completed a NYSOR change of address form for his new address in New York.

On August 24, 2018, Duncan was arrested at his girlfriend’s apartment in Stamford on an unrelated Connecticut warrant.  At the time of his arrest, Duncan possessed a Connecticut Department of Social Services card in his name that was issued in August 2017, and a “Park City Resident” card from the City of Bridgeport with his name, photo, date of birth, and a Bridgeport address.  Duncan had failed to notify NYSOR of his change of residence and never contacted the Connecticut Sex Offender Registry.

The investigation further revealed that Duncan received Connecticut medical and food assistance while residing in Stamford and Bridgeport.

Judge Underhill scheduled sentencing for August 16, 2019, at which time Duncan faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

Duncan is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

This matter is being investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Hal Chen.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Tyler C. Amon, Special Agent in Charge of EPA’s Criminal Investigation Division in New England, today announced that ALEKS RAKAJ, 46, of Trumbull, pleaded guilty yesterday in New Haven federal court to one count of illegal asbestos removal in violation of the Clean Air Act.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Aleks Rakaj and his two cousins purchased a commercial property located at 206-220 Wallace Street in New Haven.  Prior to purchasing the property, the realtor informed Rakaj and his cousins that the property contained asbestos.  Shortly after the purchase was completed, Rakaj and his cousins failed to abide by laws and regulations concerning asbestos removal, resulting in exposure of those who were at the site to the negative health effects of asbestos.

On November 20, 2015, inspectors from the City of New Haven Health Department, conducting an unannounced inspection, discovered the illegal asbestos removal project at 206-220 Wallace Street.  The inspection revealed multiple instances of illegal removal of asbestos-containing “air cell” pipe wrap and asbestos-containing “mag block” tank and boiler insulation.  The workers failed to abide by legally required safety measures, failed to perform necessary wetting and failed to dispose of the asbestos-containing waste material at appropriate disposal sites.  Inspectors also observed and photographed 100-150 standard garbage bags filled with unlabeled, unwetted asbestos-containing material.

Rakaj is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Janet Bond Arterton on August 14, 2019, at which time Rakaj faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, as well as various fines.

Rakaj’s cousins, Rezart Rakaj, of Ansonia, and Kliton Rakaj, of Monroe, previously pleaded guilty to the same offense.  On April 1, 2019, they were each sentenced to one year of probation, a fine of $9,500, and 50 hours of community service.

“The illegal removal of asbestos insulation and the associated removal of scrap pipe and boilers from old buildings continues to be a problem throughout the Northeast,” said EPA-CID Special Agent in Charge Amon.  “Inhalation of asbestos fibers can result in lung cancer and it therefore poses significant health risks to all exposed.  EPA will continue to hold accountable those who commit such offenses.”

This investigation is being conducted by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Criminal Investigation Division, with the assistance of the City of New Haven Health Department and U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarala V. Nagala and Elena L. Coronado.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that QIYON REED, also known as “Quiyon Reed” and “Gutter,” 35, of New Haven, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to firearm and drug offenses, and also admitted that he violated the conditions of his supervised release from a prior federal conviction.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on January 29, 2013, Reed was sentenced in New Haven federal court to 70 months of imprisonment, followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing heroin.  He was released from federal prison on October 27, 2017.

On September 12, 2018, New Haven police officers executed a state search warrant at Reed’s New Haven residence and seized a loaded Heritage Manufacturing Stealth C-2000 nine-millimeter, semi-automatic handgun; a loaded Smith & Wesson MP9 Shield nine-millimeter, semi-automatic handgun; a box of .45 caliber ammunition; approximately one gram of cocaine packaged for distribution, and items used to process and package narcotics for distribution.

In addition to his prior federal conviction, Reed’s criminal history includes state convictions for possession and sale of narcotics and for carrying a dangerous weapon.

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.

Reed pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, cocaine, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  He also faces additional penalties for violating the conditions of his supervised release from his 2013 federal conviction.

Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 20, 2019.

Reed has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on September 12, 2018.

This matter has been investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elena L. Coronado and Marc H. Silverman.

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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that EDGARDO RIVERA, also known as “Eggy,” 27, of Hartford, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to fentanyl distribution and firearm possession offenses.

This matter stems from an ongoing statewide initiative targeting narcotics dealers who distribute heroin, fentanyl or opioids that cause death or serious injury to users.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on July 17, 2017, the Southington Police Department and emergency medical personnel responded to a Southington residence on a report of an unresponsive male.  At the residence, medical personnel pronounced a male victim deceased of a suspected drug overdose.  Investigators collected bags, which were later found to contain fentanyl, from the scene.

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner subsequently determined the victim’s cause of death to be “acute fentanyl toxicity.”

The investigation revealed that the victim purchased fentanyl from Rivera the day before the victim died from ingesting the drug.

In May and June 2018, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of fentanyl and heroin from Rivera.

Rivera was arrested on federal criminal complaint on October 5, 2018.  At the time of his arrest, he was found in possession of approximately 300 grams of controlled substances containing heroin and fentanyl, a loaded 9mm pistol, and more than $14,000 in cash.

Rivera pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute, and distribution of, 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a narcotics trafficking offense.  Judge Dooley scheduled sentencing for August 21, 2019, at which time Rivera faces a prison term of at least 10 years.

Rivera is detained pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service and Southington Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that WAYNE MARGARUM, SR., 72, of Stamford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 18 months of imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release, for failing to file tax returns.

According to court documents and statements made in court, for more than 40 years, Margarum has owned and operated Margarum Refuse, providing garbage removal services for customers in the Stamford area and parts of Westchester County, New York.  The business services approximately 600 to 700 clients with fees ranging from $25 to $60 per month.  Neither Margarum nor his business has filed tax returns for the tax years 2004 until the present. 

Prior to sentencing, Margarum paid $25,000 in taxes owed.  He still owes approximately $330,000 in back taxes, plus interest and penalties.

On May 24, 2018, Margarum pleaded guilty to two counts of willful failure to file an income tax return.

Margarum, who was released on bond, was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at the conclusion of today’s court proceeding.

This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher W. Schmeisser.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that DANIEL LION, 64, of Hamden, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to one count of wire fraud stemming from a long-running embezzlement scheme.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Lion was employed by the City of New Haven for approximately 40 years, most recently in the city’s accounting department.  New Haven has a policy where employees can be paid in advance if they are about to take approved vacation leave.  As part of his employment, Lion had access to the city’s payroll system.

From approximately 2002 to June 2018, Lion periodically accessed the city’s financial accounting software to issue vacation paychecks to himself.  He then deleted the computer entries for the checks, which caused the payroll system to issue his regular paycheck, as well.  Through this scheme, Lion stole $102,947.44 from the City of New Haven.

Judge Hall scheduled sentencing for September 4, 2019, at which time Lion faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years, a fine of up to $250,000, and an order of restitution.  Lion is released pending sentencing.

Lion retired from the City of New Haven in March 2019.

This ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Connecticut Financial Crimes Task Force, U.S. Secret Service and New Haven Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge, ATF Boston Field Division, today announced that RAY QUAN SANTOS, 21, of Hartford, has been charged by federal criminal complaint with conspiracy and firearms offenses.

As alleged in the criminal complaint, this matter stems from an investigation of motor vehicle thefts and motor vehicle break-ins in and around Hartford County.  The property stolen from vehicles includes firearms, ammunition and firearm-related items.  The investigation revealed that Santos and others stole firearms and other items from vehicles, including vehicles that were parked outside of residences in Newington and Ellington, and then sold the firearms to other individuals.

Santos, who has been incarcerated in state custody on related charges, appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Robert A. Richardson in Hartford and remains detained.

The complaint charges Santos with conspiring to a commit a federal felony, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, and possession of a stolen firearm, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Durham 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), the Connecticut State Police, and the Hartford, Newington and Windsor Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that CONSTANCE MOERLAND, 33, of Hudsonville, Michigan, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to conspiring to defraud the Federal Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”).  The offense stems her role in a scheme to qualify prospective and current federal inmates who do not require substance abuse treatment for admission into a Federal Bureau of Prisons program that, if completed successfully, will result in a shortened prison term.

According to court documents and statements made in court, the Residential Drug Abuse Program (“RDAP”) is a 500-hour substance abuse treatment program that is administered by the BOP.  In order to gain admission to the RDAP, a federal inmate must meet certain criteria, including having a diagnosable and verifiable drug or alcohol abuse disorder.  By successfully completing the RDAP, an inmate can qualify for up to 12 months in early release from custody.

Moerland was employed by Michigan-based RDAP Law Consultants, LLC, where she solicited and engaged prospective clients of the company.  In that capacity, Moerland regularly contacted federal defendants and inmates with offers to assist, for a fee, those defendants and inmates in applying and qualifying for admission to the RDAP.  Although Moerland knew that many of the company’s clients did not abuse alcohol or drugs and were ineligible for the RDAP, she coached them how to feign or exaggerate a drug or alcohol disorder, and to make false statements to the BOP so they could gain admission to the RDAP.

Moerland was arrested on January 23, 2019. 

Moerland is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on August 21, 2019, at which time Moerland faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.  She is released pending sentencing.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Avi Perry of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, who has been designated as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for this matter, and by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jonathan N. Francis of the District of Connecticut.

U.S. Attorney Durham thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith George Thomas of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of West Virginia, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond E. Beckering III of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan, for their assistance in this matter.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALVIN ROBERTSON, 56, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in Bridgeport to one count of bank robbery and admitted that he committed a total of three bank robberies and two Subway store robberies in Connecticut last year.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on May 20, 2018, Robertson robbed a Subway store located at 9 Ethan Allen Highway in Ridgefield.  During the robbery Robertson brandished a knife, pointed it at the store clerk and stated, “Give me all your money or I will kill you.”

On July 22, 2018, Robertson robbed a Subway store located at 447 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe.  During the robbery, Robertson indicated that he had a gun.

Robertson also robbed a People’s United Bank branch at 470 Monroe Turnpike in Monroe on August 29, 2018; a People’s United Bank branch at 763 Straits Turnpike in Watertown on September 21, 2018, and a People’s United Bank branch at 1135 Farmington Avenue in Berlin on September 25, 2018.

Robertson has been detained since his arrest on related state charges on September 27, 2018.  At sentencing, he faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.  A sentencing date is not scheduled.

Robertson has prior federal and state bank robbery convictions.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Watertown, Ridgefield, Monroe and Berlin Police Departments.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that HECTOR OVIDIO DIAZ GARRIDO, 41, a citizen of Guatemala last residing in Norwalk, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Kari A. Dooley in Bridgeport to 21 months of imprisonment for illegally reentering the U.S. after being deported.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Diaz Garrido, who has never held legal status in the U.S., was deported from the U.S. to Guatemala in June 2011 following his March 2010 conviction in Connecticut Superior Court in Norwalk for felony assault on a police officer.

In April 2012, Diaz Garrido was encountered by U.S. Border Patrol in Weslaco, Texas.  His prior order of removal was reinstated and he was again deported to Guatemala.

On November 6, 2014, Diaz Garrido, using the name “Jimy Diaz,” was arrested by the Norwalk Police Department and charged with operating under the influence of alcohol.  On March 20, 2015, Diaz Garrido, again using the name “Jimy Diaz,” was arrested by Norwalk Police on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while under suspension.  Diaz Garrido’s true identity was confirmed through fingerprint analysis in November 2018 after he was convicted of operating while under the influence, operating a motor vehicle while under suspension, and three separate counts of failure to appear, and after he had served his state sentence.

On February 22, 2019, Diaz Garrido pleaded guilty in federal court to reentry of a removed alien.

This investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Deborah R. Slater.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in New England, today announced that on May 17, 2019, RAYMOND GEORGE, 52, of Hamden, waived his right to be indicted and pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stefan R. Underhill in Bridgeport to one count of tax evasion.

According to court documents and statements made in court, George owns and operates a Ray & Mike’s, LLC, a delicatessen located at 3030 Whitney Avenue in Hamden.  For the 2012 and 2013 tax years, George evaded payment of his federal income taxes in multiple ways.  First, George failed to deposit all of the cash receipts of the business into his business bank account.  He used a portion of the cash to fill an in-store ATM and failed to report the cash as income.

In addition, George used the Ray & Mike business account to pay personal expenses.  He also deposited three large checks totaling nearly $300,000 from the Ray & Mike’s business account into his personal investment account, without reporting the funds as income in any capacity, and then withdrew funds from the investment account to purchase personal investment properties.  He also deposited a $25,800 check from the Ray & Mike’s lottery account into his personal investment account without reporting the funds as income.

On his federal tax returns, George underreported his income by approximately $365,065 for the 2012 tax year and by $273,108 for the 2013 tax year, and failed to pay a total of approximately $220,000 in taxes.

At sentencing, George faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years and a fine of up to approximately $440,000.  He also has agreed to pay back taxes of $220,663, plus interest and penalties.

This case has been investigated by the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation Division, and is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael S. McGarry.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAN GIACOMI, 46, of Watertown, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Michael P. Shea in Hartford to 41 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for stealing more than $400,000 from clients of his law practice, including family members, and a friend.

According to court documents and statements made in court, Giacomi was a Waterbury-based attorney who practiced real estate and family law.  In August 2014, Giacomi represented an elderly woman in connection with the disbursement of assets from her late brother’s estate.  Giacomi stole nearly $18,000 from the estate instead of distributing the assets as required.

In approximately December 2014, Giacomi stole more than $26,000 in proceeds from his great aunt’s life insurance annuity instead of using the funds to pay her nursing home bill.

In April 2016, Giacomi convinced a friend to loan Giacomi $45,000 for a real estate opportunity.  His friend withdrew $45,000 from his retirement savings and provided the funds to Giacomi.  Giacomi used the money to pay off another real estate transaction and never paid his friend back.

In the fall of 2016, Giacomi represented his aunt and uncle in the sale of their home.  Giacomi kept nearly $177,000 of the proceeds of the sale and used much of the money on other client matters.

Finally, in February 2017, Giacomi represented two clients in the sale of their home.  Giacomi stole approximately $154,000 in proceeds of the sale, nearly $146,000 of which was owed to Giacomi’s clients, spending almost all of the money within a month.

Judge Shea ordered Giacomi to pay restitution in the total amount of $411,715.69.  Most, but not all, of the victims have been reimbursed by Connecticut’s Client Security Fund.

On January 8, 2019, Giacomi pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.

Judge Shea ordered Giacomi, who is released on a $100,000 bond, to report to prison on July 26.

In April 2017, a Connecticut Superior Court judge suspended Giacomi from the practice of law.

This matter was investigated by the U.S. Secret Service with the assistance of the Statewide Bar Grievance Committee.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarala V. Nagala.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that OMAR VILLARREAL, 27, of La Puente, California, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Alvin W. Thompson in Hartford to 84 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for fentanyl trafficking offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on December 21, 2016, law enforcement officers stopped a tractor-trailer on Route 34 in Derby.  A search of the cab of the tractor-trailer revealed a box that contained 25 kilograms of fentanyl.  The driver of the vehicle, Erick Crespo-Escalante, was placed under arrest.  Investigators learned that Crespo-Escalante was delivering the shipment of fentanyl to a location in Waterbury.

The investigation revealed that, in October 2016, Villarreal traveled from California to Connecticut to oversee the shipment of the narcotics to Connecticut.  Villarreal took up residence in Waterbury for approximately one month to coordinate the delivery and established a “stash” location in Waterbury to which the shipment could be delivered.  After returning to California, Villarreal engaged in multiple phone calls with Crespo-Escalante to arrange the delivery via tractor-trailer to Connecticut.

Villarreal has been detained since his arrest on May 15, 2017.  On August 30, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of aiding and abetting the possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, and one count of traveling in interstate commerce to promote an unlawful activity.

On April 4, 2017, Crespo-Escalante pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute, and to distribute, fentanyl.  On April 3, 2019, he was sentenced to 30 months of imprisonment.  Crespo-Escalante, a citizen of Mexico and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., faces immigration proceedings when he is released from prison.

This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New Haven Task Force, which 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 was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Dave Vatti.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that JEFFREY FERRY, also known as “30,” 32, of Manchester, was sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for drug and gun offenses.

According to court documents and statements made in court, this matter stems from an investigation conducted by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division into the trafficking of narcotics and associated violence in Hartford’s South End by members and associates of the Almighty Latin Kings Nation (“Latin Kings”).  The investigation, which included court-authorized wiretaps, physical surveillance and controlled purchases of narcotics, revealed that two alleged members of the Latin Kings operated separate drug trafficking organizations that distributed fentanyl, heroin, cocaine, and crack cocaine.  The organizations used multiple locations to process, package, store and distribute narcotics, and possessed firearms in furtherance of their drug trafficking activities.

Ferry was a member of a drug trafficking organization that operated a “trap house” at 149 Wethersfield Avenue in Hartford as a distribution point for drug customers.  Ferry delivered drugs to the trap house, and also sold fentanyl to his own customers.  On May 22, 2018, an individual was shot and seriously wounded in an apparent robbery of the trap house.

On June 3, 2018, Ferry and a co-defendant were arrested on state charges after intercepted communications revealed that Ferry had a gun and planned to meet someone to settle a dispute.  Hartford Police officers stopped a car Ferry was driving on Redding Street and located a loaded 9mm pistol in the car’s glove box.

Ferry’s criminal history includes convictions in 2004 for possessing a weapon in a motor vehicle, and in 2006 for criminal possession of a firearm.

Ferry has been detained since his arrest.  On February 20, 2019, he pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

This matter is being investigated by the FBI’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force and the Hartford Police Department.  The Task Force includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The Hartford Police Department’s Vice and Narcotics Division and Shooting Task Force have provided valuable assistance to the investigation.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALVIN CRAWFORD, also known as “Nardy,” 34, of Hartford, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Janet C. Hall in New Haven to 42 months of imprisonment, followed by three years of supervised release, for illegally possessing a firearm.

According to court documents and statements made in court, on April 2, 2018, Crawford, holding a yellow plastic bag, exited a car and ran from Hartford Police in the area of Rockville Street in Hartford.  Crawford ignored verbal commands to stop running, tossed the yellow bag over the fence, scaled the fence, picked up the bag and continued to run.  Officers apprehended Crawford on Westland Street shortly after he had dropped the bag.  A search of the bag revealed a Taurus .38 Special revolver and five rounds of ammunition.

Crawford’s criminal history includes state felony convictions for criminal possession of a firearm, carrying a pistol without a permit, violation of a protective order, and assault in the second degree.  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.

Crawford has been detained since his arrest.  On December 11, 2018, he pleaded guilty to one count of possession of firearm by a convicted felon.

This matter was investigated by the Hartford Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Northern Connecticut Violent Crimes Task Force, which includes members of the Hartford Police Department, East Hartford Police Department, Connecticut State Police and Connecticut Department of Correction.  The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian P. Leaming.

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.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that five individuals have pleaded guilty in Hartford federal court to charges related to their participation in fraudulent marriages so that non-U.S. citizens would receive U.S. immigration benefits.  The fifth defendant pleaded guilty this afternoon.

According to court documents and statements made in court, four of the defendants are U.S. citizens who entered into one or more fraudulent marriages with non-citizens, and sponsored each non-citizen’s fraudulent application for lawful permanent resident (“LPR”) status, also known as a “green card.”  A fifth defendant is a non-citizen who entered into a fraudulent marriage with a U.S. citizen to obtain green card status.

On February 4, 2019, MARVIN WILLIAMS, 60, of New York, New York, pleaded guilty and admitted that he entered into four fraudulent marriages with non-citizens, and sponsored all four of their fraudulent LPR/green card applications.

On March 6, 2019, RICKY OWEN, 39, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty and admitted that he entered into two fraudulent marriages with non-citizens, and sponsored both of their fraudulent LPR/green card applications.

On April 1, 2019, KENOL NOEL, 35, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty and admitted that he entered into two fraudulent marriages with non-citizens, and sponsored both of their fraudulent LPR/green card applications.

On April 24, 2019, DWIGHT HENRY, 44, a citizen of Jamaica residing in Queens, New York, pleaded guilty and admitted that he entered into a fraudulent marriage with a U.S. citizen, and submitted a fraudulent application for LPR/green card status.

Today, CARL JARRETT, 36, of Bridgeport, pleaded guilty and admitted that he entered into a fraudulent marriage with a non-citizen, and sponsored her fraudulent LPR/green card application.

Each of the five defendants, who were arrested in November 2018 after they were charged by indictment, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit marriage/immigration fraud.  At sentencing, each faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years. 

This investigation is being conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service’s Office of Fraud Detection and National Security.  The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Henry K. Kopel.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALAA HASAN QALB ALLOUZ, 34, a citizen of Syria last residing in New Haven, pleaded guilty today in New Haven federal court to one count of stalking in violation of a protective order.

According to court documents and statements made in court, in July 2016, Allouz, his wife and their children emigrated from Syria and settled in New Haven.  In April 2017, Allouz’s wife filed a petition for dissolution of marriage, after incidents of domestic violence and Allouz’s state arrests for risk of injury, assault, breach of peace, and violation of a protective order offenses.  In July 2017, Allouz’s wife obtained a Standing Criminal Protective Order ordering Allouz not to contact his wife.  In August 2017, after Allouz threatened his wife, Allouz’s wife withdrew her petition for dissolution of marriage.

On February 2, 2018, Allouz was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on a federal arrest warrant and order of deportation, and he was transferred from a Connecticut state prison to a detention center in Massachusetts.  While he was detained in ICE custody, Allouz made multiple phone calls to his wife during which he repeatedly harassed, threatened and intimidated her.  He also made calls to other individuals during which he threatened to harm his wife and her family members. Allouz also threatened his wife and her family members in letters and e-mails.

Allouz has been detained, first in state and then federal custody, since January 10, 2017.  On February 5, 2019, a federal grand jury in New Haven returned an indictment charging him with the offense.

Allouz is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey A. Meyer on August 20, 2019, at which time he faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of one year and a maximum term of imprisonment of five years.

This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

This is National Police Week, a time when our nation celebrates the contributions of local, state, federal and tribal law enforcement officers from around the country for their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment in keeping our communities safe.

In 1962, President Kennedy signed a proclamation designating today, May 15, as Peace Officers Memorial Day, and the week surrounding this date as National Police Week, to honor federal, state and municipal officers killed in the line of duty.

According to statistics reported to the FBI, 106 law enforcement officers were killed in line-of-duty incidents in 2018, including two officers here in Connecticut.

The men and women of law enforcement often face uncertain and dangerous situations without question and without expectation of thanks.  Increasingly, there are many citizens who not only expect perfection from our police officers, they demand it.  Officers face this pressure every day and, combined with the everyday pressure of the job and the important responsibility they have to keep us all safe from harm, it takes an undeniable toll.

So far this year, 41 brave men and women of law enforcement have lost their lives in service to the citizens of the United States.  In addition, 78 law enforcement officers in the U.S., including one in Connecticut, have taken their own lives.

I ask that you please take a moment today to remember our fallen officers, and their families and loved ones who live with their loss.

In my long career as a state and federal prosecutor, I have had the honor of working closely with hundreds of law enforcement officers in the cause of justice.  I have the greatest respect and admiration for these men and women, and all officers, troopers and agents who, at any moment, are prepared to put their lives at risk for our safety.

John H. Durham
United States Attorney
District of Connecticut
May 15, 2019

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that ALEXANDRU LUCIAN NICOLESCU, 41, a citizen of Romania, was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Vanessa L. Bryant in Hartford to 121 months of imprisonment for his participation in a 2007 Connecticut home invasion.

According to court documents and statements made in court, shortly before midnight on April 15, 2007, Alexandru Nicolescu and Emanuel Nicolescu, who are not related, and another individual, wearing masks and brandishing knives and firearms, entered a home in South Kent, Connecticut.  The intruders bound and blindfolded two adult victims and injected each with a substance the intruders claimed was a deadly virus.  The intruders ordered the victims to pay $8.5 million or else they would be left to die from the lethal injection.  When it became clear that the victims were not in position to meet the intruders’ demands, the intruders drugged the two residents with a sleeping aid and fled in the homeowner’s Jeep Cherokee.

The stolen Jeep Cherokee was abandoned the next morning at a Home Depot in New Rochelle, New York.  A few days later, on April 21, 2007, an accordion case washed ashore in Jamaica Bay.  The content of the case included a stun gun, a 12-inch knife, a black plastic Airsoft gun, a crowbar, syringes, sleeping pills, latex gloves, and a laminated telephone card with the South Kent address of the victims.

In 2010, a newly assigned investigator from the Connecticut State Police made the connection that matched a partial Pennsylvania license plate, seen by a witness near the victims’ estate on the night of the crime, to a car owned by Michael N. Kennedy, and made a further connection that Kennedy had formerly shared an address with Emmanuel Nicolescu, who had been employed by the victim.  The investigator then discovered that the data for the cell tower nearby the New Rochelle Home Depot contained a call by a phone number registered to Emmanuel Nicolescu, minutes after the Jeep was abandoned.  Shortly after that, investigators from the State Police and FBI gathered Emanuel Nicolescu’s DNA and found that it partially matched a sample from the Jeep’s steering wheel.

As to the accordion case, investigators learned that Kennedy’s father was a professional accordion player, and witnesses later identified the knife in the accordion case as a gift given to Emanuel Nicolescu by his father-in-law.

The investigation revealed that Emanuel Nicolescu and Kennedy worked with Alexandru Nicolescu and, as alleged, Stefan Alexandru Barabas, to commit the crime.  The four men planned the home invasion, which included the research and purchase of implements necessary for the crime, such as two-way radios, stun guns and imitation pistols.  On the night of April 15, 2007, Kennedy drove Emanuel Nicolescu, Alexandru Nicolescu and Barabas to a location in the vicinity of the South Kent home, and then picked them up the following morning in New Rochelle at the location where the intruders abandoned the stolen Jeep.

Alexandru Nicolescu fled the U.S. on April 16, 2007.  He has been detained since November 14, 2013, when he was arrested in the United Kingdom where he was residing.  He unsuccessfully contested his extradition and, on November 25, 2014, was transported to the U.S.  On January 8, 2016, he pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.

Emanuel Nicolescu was arrested in Illinois on January 23, 2011.  On March 22, 2012, a jury in New Haven found him guilty of attempted extortion, conspiracy to commit extortion, and possession of a stolen vehicle.  On August 17, 2012, he was sentenced to 240 months of imprisonment.

Kennedy, also known as Nicolae Helerea, a citizen of Romania, voluntarily returned to the U.S. from Romania and, on November 5, 2012, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted extortion and one count of conspiracy to commit extortion.  On May 4, 2016, he was sentenced to 48 months of imprisonment.

Stefan Barabas has been charged in connection with this case and is currently being sought.  The FBI is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to his arrest.

As to Barabas, U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment is not evidence of guilt.  Charges are only allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.

This investigation is being conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Connecticut State Police and New York City Police Department.  U.S. Attorney Durham thanked the Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs and the United Kingdom’s Metropolitan Police for their assistance in this case.

This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Novick.

John H. Durham, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, today announced that a federal grand jury in New Haven has returned an indictment charging ANTHONY MORALES, 29, of Waterbury, with possession of a firearm a by a convicted felon.

The indictment was returned on May 7, 2019, and Morales was arrested today.  He appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert M. Spector in New Haven and entered a plea of not guilty to the offense.  He is detained pending a detention hearing that is scheduled for May 17 at 10:30 a.m.

As alleged in the indictment, on January 19, 2019, Morales possessed a Taurus, Model 85, .38 caliber revolver loaded with five rounds of ammunition, and an additional 13 rounds of loose ammunition.  Prior to that date, Morales had been convicted of state robbery, larceny, assault and narcotics 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.

If convicted of the charge, Morales faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years.

U.S. Attorney Durham stressed that an indictment 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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives and the Waterbury Police Department.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas P. Morabito.

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.