District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former D.C. Police Union Vice Chairman Pleads Guilty to Time and Attendance Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Defendant Billed MPD While Working Outside Employment
WASHINGTON – Medgar Webster Sr., 52, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty yesterday, in Superior Court, to one count of first degree felony fraud for committing time and attendance fraud on the Metropolitan Police Department. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, D.C. Attorney General Brian L. Schwalb, and Chief Robert Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
The Honorable Errol Arthur accepted Webster’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for July 25, 2023. As part of his plea, Webster must pay full restitution.
According to court documents, Webster, a former MPD officer and Vice Chairman of the D.C. Police Union, engaged in unauthorized outside employment at three Whole Foods Market locations in Washington, D.C. between January 2021 and April 2022, while concurrently employed by MPD. Although employment outside of MPD may be permitted in certain circumstances, Webster never submitted the necessary administrative forms or received the proper authorizations, which are required by MPD, in part, to maintain records of an MPD member’s hours worked throughout the year.
Acting unchecked during this period, Webster stole more than $33,845 from MPD after billing MPD for regular, overtime and holiday hours that he never worked. In total, Webster worked more than 1,400 hours of outside employment at Whole Foods, of which 514 hours were worked simultaneously with time he fraudulently reported working for MPD. This double-billed time included submissions by Webster for 246.5 hours in overtime pay, at an adjustable hourly rate of $79.67 per hour.
This fraud prosecution is the result of a partnership between the Office of the Attorney General and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, D.C. Attorney General Schwalb, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the matter, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg, and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Bayly Leighton, on detail from the Office of the Attorney General to prosecute local fraud and public corruption cases.
Maryland Man Found Guilty in Scheme that Bilked Benevolent Donors of Charitable ContributionsRead the Press Release
Defendant Pretended to Collect for Charities But Only Paid Himself
WASHINGTON – James Trankle, 55, previously of Churchton, Maryland, was convicted today of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and five additional counts of bank fraud all stemming from a scheme in which he created fake charities, solicited donations, and then stole the identities of the donors he tricked into giving funds.
The verdict was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector-in-Charge Damon Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service – Washington Division. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 29, 2023.
The offenses of conspiracy to commit mail and bank fraud, and the five further counts of bank fraud, each carry a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison and financial penalties.
According to evidence presented in court, from 2013 to 2018, Trankle and his co-defendant, Stephen Sibert, were charged with creating fake charities and registering those entities with the D.C. Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (“DCRA”) and then presenting them as legitimate charities. Examples included the “Disabled and Paralyzed Veterans Fund,” the “National Breast Cancer Awareness Fund,” and the “Children’s Leukemia of America Fund.”
Trankle used a post office box address in Washington, D.C., as the claimed official mailing address for the fraudulent charities. He opened numerous bank accounts in the names of the fraudulent charities. And he sent solicitations via U.S. mail to thousands of potential donors—i.e., victims—nationwide asking the recipients to send personal checks as donations. Through the scheme, Trankle obtained over 1,600 personal checks from victims making charitable donations, which he then deposited into bank accounts that the conspirators Trankle and Sibert controlled.
In addition, Trankle and his conspirator purchased check making supplies such as stock paper and printing equipment. Using the bank account and routing information from the victims’ checks, the conspirators printed additional unauthorized counterfeit checks payable to their fraudulent charities that were drawn against the victims’ personal checking accounts. The conspirators deposited those unauthorized counterfeit checks into the bank accounts they controlled. They later withdrew and spent the funds for various personal expenses.
The fraudulent charities did not perform any of the charitable work described in their solicitations, nor did the fraudulent charities provide any significant funds to other charities that did so.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service Washington Division. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Borchert and Brian Kelly, and Paralegal Specialist Gina Torres Trujillo.
Four Men Sentenced to Life for June 2018 SlayingRead the Press Release
Defendants Abducted Maryland Man and Held Him for Ransom
WASHINGTON – Four Washington, D.C. men were sentenced today in U.S. District Court to life in prison for murder and other charges in the kidnapping of a Maryland man, whose body was found in June 2018 in an alley in Southeast Washington. The victim had been shot numerous times and his hands were still bound with zip-ties.
Defendants Darin Moore, Jr. 29, of Bowie, Md., Gabriel Brown, 33, and John Sweeney, 29, both of Washington, D.C., were each sentenced to life in prison on the charge of kidnapping resulting in death, and 45 years in prison on counts of conspiracy to commit kidnapping, first degree premeditated murder and felony murder, all to run concurrent to each other. Defendant James Taylor, 33, also of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to life in prison for kidnapping resulting in death and 45 years in prison for felony murder, to run concurrently. All four were found guilty, on November 1, 2022, following a trial in U.S. District Court.
The sentences were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office's Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
According to the government’s evidence, on June 19, 2018, the victim, Andre Simmons, Jr., 28, from Bowie, Maryland, was abducted at gunpoint in Maryland, bound with zip ties, and forced into a vehicle by Moore and Sweeney. During the following few hours, several ransom calls were made from Taylor’s phone to Mr. Simmons’ family, who delivered $7,000 in cash to a drop location as instructed by the kidnappers. The money was subsequently picked up by Brown.
Just over an hour after the ransom payment, at about 6:25 a.m. on June 20, 2018, the defendants shot Mr. Simmons 19 times and left his zip-tied body in an alley off the 600 block of Atlantic Street SE. The four men then met up in Capitol Heights, Maryland, to divide up the proceeds of the ransom demand.
Moore was arrested on June 20, 2018; Brown was arrested on June 27, 2018; Taylor was arrested on Aug. 17, 2018; and Sweeney was arrested on Jan. 14, 2019. All have been in custody since their arrests.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office Violent Crimes Task Force and MPD’s Homicide Division. Valuable assistance was provided by Prince George’s County, Maryland, Police Department, and the U.S. Marshal Service.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Will Hart, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Former Assistant U.S. Attorney Laura Crane and former Paralegal Specialist Genevieve De Guzman also assisted in the prosecution.
Former Mental Health and Community Residence Facility Director Sentenced for Financial Exploitation of a Vulnerable Adult and Elderly PersonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Latonja Dashawn Carrera, also known as Latonja Dashawn Martin, 48, of Camp Springs, Maryland, was sentenced today to twelve months incarceration, ten months suspended, and three years of probation for a felony charge of financial exploitation of a vulnerable or elderly adult in violation of D.C. Code §§ 22-933.01(a)(3) and 22-936.01(a)(1).
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Inspector General for the District of Columbia Daniel W. Lucas.
According to facts admitted in her guilty plea, Carrera was the owner and administrator of M&M Residential Services, Inc., a Mental Health Community Residence Facility licensed by the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). Carrera admitted that within a 16-day period in January 2019, she made five separate transactions totaling $3,090.14 from the bank accounts of a 73-year-old vulnerable adult under her care, which she in turn used to pay for her own personal utility and credit card bills.
Carrera was arrested in December 2020, and pleaded guilty on December 6, 2022. In addition to the prison term and probation, D.C. Superior Court Judge Michael O’Keefe, ordered Carrera to undergo a mental health evaluation and pay $1,565.78 in restitution to the victim, in addition to a $100 fine paid to the victims compensation fund As a condition of probation, Carrera is also prohibited from serving in any fiduciary role for any individual other than her immediate family members.
This prosecution is part of the Office’s wider efforts to combat crimes against seniors and vulnerable adults. In 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia launched an initiative to address the abuse and exploitation of older adults. The Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative at the U.S. Attorney’s Office expanded its response to criminal and civil violations targeting older adults. The initiative has enabled the U.S. Attorney’s Office to develop and coordinate further its prosecution of these cases and enhance its overall support of older or vulnerable victims. The team consists of experienced prosecutors and victim advocates from across the Office, to include the Superior Court, Criminal, and Civil Divisions, as well as the Victim Witness Assistance Unit.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative partners with the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), which is statutorily responsible for investigating and prosecuting District Medicaid provider fraud as well as abuse or neglect of residents in health care facilities and board and care facilities and of District Medicaid beneficiaries in noninstitutional or other settings.
This prosecution is indicative of the continued collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General to investigate and prosecute cases of this kind. The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at 202-724-TIPS [202-724-8477].
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of Inspector General’s MFCU. They also acknowledged the efforts of Special Assistant United States Attorney Jason Facci, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who prosecuted the case, and MFCU Special Agent Jonathan Rich, who investigated the matter. They also recognized the work of the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia, which initiated this case, and the D.C. Adult Protective Services, which referred this matter for investigation.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Assault with a Dangerous Weapon and Gun-Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Defendant Threatened Victim With a Gun at a Metro Station
WASHINGTON – Kalil Ameer Xavier Pitts, 31, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to one count of attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, one count of simple assault, and one count of criminally negligent storage of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Michael Anzallo, of the Metro Transit Police Department.
Kalil Pitts pleaded guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia before the Honorable Erik P. Christian. Pitts will be sentenced on July 28, 2023. He faces up to five years’ imprisonment for attempted assault with a dangerous weapon, up to 10 years’ imprisonment for unlawful possession of firearms, up to 180 days’ imprisonment for simple assault, and up to 180 days’ imprisonment for criminally negligent storage of a firearm.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 9, 2022, Kalil Pitts followed a former friend to the train platform at Brookland-CUA Metro Station in Washington, D.C., and threatened him with a handgun. The victim fled, but Pitts chased him through the station and started a fistfight. Pitts punched the victim multiple times, cutting the victim near his eye. The assaults were recorded by WMATA’s surveillance system. A week later, members of the Metro Transit Police Department executed a search warrant at the D.C. apartment of Kalil Pitts. Inside, police found a loaded handgun and a “ghost” rifle—both of which were accessible to two young children under the age of 10 years. Pitts was not permitted to possess the firearms due to a prior conviction and he did not store the firearms securely.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Anzallo commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metro Transit Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Carlos A. Valdivia and Omeed Assefi, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
Maryland Man Sentenced for Defrauding the D.C. Medicaid ProgramRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Melchiades Amin, 45, of Glenn Dale, Maryland, was sentenced today, May 11, 2023, to serve 36 months of incarceration, suspended, and five years of probation. Additionally, the Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld ordered Amin to pay $178,150.24 in restitution to the D.C. Medicaid program. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Amin was indicted on October 26, 2022, and he was arrested on November 2, 2022. On March 10, 2023, Amin pleaded guilty in D.C. Superior Court to one count of First-Degree Felony Fraud and two counts of First-Degree Felony theft.
According to the government’s evidence, between May 2018 and on or about October 2021, Amin was employed by two District Mental Health Rehabilitation Service (MHRS) providers as a community support worker (CSW). MHRS provides for diagnostic and assessment services, counseling, medication, intensive day treatment, and crisis or emergency services. A CSW provides community support services by helping consumers learn and improve basic life skills, such as medication management, increasing social skills, and learning how to use public transportation to travel when necessary.
While employed by the two District MHRS providers, Amin engaged in a scheme to defraud the District’s Medicaid program. Employment records and records maintained by the District of Columbia’s Department of Behavioral Health show that Amin billed for overlapping encounter visits with MHRS patients, submitted patient notes indicating community support services had been provided in person while he was traveling out of state, submitted encounter notes for community support services while a patient was admitted in a hospital, and submitted encounter notes indicating community support services were provided at consumers’ homes while Amin may not have been at those physical locations. Through these schemes, Amin caused the D.C. Medicaid program to pay over $178,000 for CSW services that were not provided, of which he personally received more than $54,000.
This prosecution is indicative of the continued collaboration between the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the D.C. Office of the Inspector General to investigate and prosecute cases of this kind. The government urges the public to provide tips and assistance to stop health care fraud. If you have information about individuals committing health care fraud, please call the D.C. Office of the Inspector General at (800) 724-TIPS [(800) 274-8477].
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Inspector General Lucas commended the work of those who investigated and prosecuted the case from the Major Crimes Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia and the Office of the Inspector General’s (OIG) Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU). They commended the work of Special Assistant United States Attorney Emmanuela Charles, on detail from the Office of the Inspector General, who prosecuted the case, and also acknowledged the efforts of the OIG MFCU of those who investigated the case, including Auditor Pednika White, Special Agent Eduardo Torre, and Supervisory Investigator Robert Bornstein.
Former Officers of DC Trust, Sentenced for Using Organization’s Funds for Personal GainRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The former Executive Director and the Director of Operations and Finance, of the now-defunct non-profit organization DC Children and Youth Investment Trust Corporation (“DC Trust”), were sentenced today for a felony charge relating to their personal use of the non-profit’s funds, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Inspector General Daniel W. Lucas, District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Special Agent in Charge Terry Harris, of the US Department of Education Office of Inspector General for the Eastern Region.
Edward Davies, 52, of Owings Mills, Maryland, was sentenced to 60 days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release; Earl Hamilton, 53, of Riviera Beach, Florida, was sentenced to 30 days in prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Both defendants pleaded guilty, on November 30, 2022, to a charge of credit card fraud for using the non-profit’s monies, intended for youth scholarship programs, for personal expenses. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton ordered Davies to pay $111,332.46 in restitution and ordered Hamilton to pay $44,049.79 in restitution.
According to court documents, Davies, the former executive director, and Hamilton, the former director of operations and finance, used DC Trust credit cards and a check card to make hundreds of personal purchases for expenses such as: meals, automobile repairs, exercise equipment, and personal travel for themselves, their family members, and their friends. In total, Davies stole at least $111,000 and Hamilton stole at least $44,000.
The DC Trust was a non-profit organization, created in 1999, to serve as an intermediary to connect philanthropists, government leaders, youth advocates, and representatives from the business community in order to support programs to benefit the children of the District of Columbia. The organization was dissolved in late 2016, reportedly to cover debts from exorbitant spending on and by staff, including the misuse of organization credit cards. The trust’s funding came from the U.S. Department of Education and consisted of federal grant funding under the U.S. Department of Education Opportunity Scholarship Program (“OSP”), which was designed to provide low-income parents, residing in Washington, D.C., with expanded options for the education of their children.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Inspector General Lucas, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Special Agent in Charge Harris, commended the work of those who investigated the case from the D.C. Office of the Inspector General, the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and the U.S. Department of Education Office of the Inspector General. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia in the Fraud, Public Corruption, and Civil Rights Section, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathryn Rakoczy and Diane Lucas have been litigating the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Amanda Rohde and Lisa Abbe.
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Importation of a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Jonathan Montiethe Perry 39, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty this week to one count of importation of a controlled substance (Gamma Butyrolactone), announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Derek W. Gordon, of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Washington, D.C. Field Office, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Perry entered the plea on May 9, 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled a sentencing hearing for August 18, 2023.
According to the Government’s evidence, on or about December 26, 2022, United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers assigned to the John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport, New York, NY Mail Branch conducted an inspection of an international package that was addressed to the defendant in Washington D.C. The package was found to contain five unmarked plastic bottles filled with clear liquid, weighing approximately 6.07 kilograms (gross weight including the plastic bottles). CBP officers used a Gemini Thermo Scientific system to analyze the clear liquid and returned a presumptive positive match for Gamma Butyrolactone (GBL). The package contained approximately 5,000 milliliters of GBL which weighed approximately 5 kilograms. A subsequent laboratory analysis of samples taken from the five bottles further confirmed that the clear liquid contained GBL.
On January 5, 2023, at approximately 10:15 a.m., an undercover law enforcement officer conducted a controlled delivery of a package to an apartment complex where it was eventually retrieved by the defendant. Shortly thereafter, the defendant was followed and observed entering another apartment complex, then into a specific apartment with the target package in his hand. Law enforcement waited several minutes, knocked on the apartment door, announced their presence, and subsequently executed a search warrant. The defendant was present and detained without incident. Upon entering the residence, law enforcement observed the target package on the kitchen table next to a pair of scissors. On a separate nearby table, there was an open laptop computer with the USPS package tracking website open and the target package’s tracking number displayed. In addition, law enforcement officers recovered hundreds of empty, unfilled plastic pill capsules, a plastic bag containing several dozen empty plastic vials, a box containing six small empty, blue-colored vials and several glass droppers. Law enforcement also recovered one plastic bag that contained at least several dozen empty plastic vials and had a maximum capacity of 400 vials.
In announcing today’s plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Gordon, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from Homeland Security Investigations and the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledge the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney Shehzad Akhtar who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Virginia Man Sentenced to 97 Months in Prison for Distributing Child Sexual Abuse MaterialRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Joseph Arnold, 43, of Chesapeake, Virginia, was sentenced today to 97 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release and ordered to pay $67,500 restitution, for distributing child pornography. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Arnold pleaded guilty on July 19, 2022, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. According to the government’s evidence, on October 26, 2020, Arnold began communicating with an undercover officer based in the District of Columbia using an online messaging application. Over the next two weeks, Arnold sent the undercover officer multiple videos of child pornography, boasting that he had “hundreds more” such videos, and arranged with the undercover officer to travel to the District of Columbia for the purpose sexually abusing a child. On November 5, 2020, Arnold traveled from Virginia to Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested by law enforcement.
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County, Maryland Police Department.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI's Child Exploitation and Human Trafficking Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and the Metropolitan Police Department’s (MPD) Youth Investigations Division. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caroline Burrell and Jocelyn Bond, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenya Davis, who prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative. In February 2006, the Attorney General created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from online exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorney's Offices, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
D.C. Executive Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars from Former Client, a Nonprofit AssociationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Graham Hauck, 50, of Chevy Chase, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to stealing more than $330,000 from a nonprofit trade organization. The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
Hauck pleaded guilty to wire fraud, which carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. As part of his plea agreement, Hauck must pay full restitution. He also will be liable for a forfeiture money judgment. U.S. District Court Judge Rudolph Contreras, who accepted Hauck’s guilty plea, scheduled sentencing for September 14, 2023.
According to court documents, Hauck served as president and CEO of Hauck & Associates, Inc. (“H&A”), a trade association management firm based in Washington, D.C. The victim organization, a nonprofit professional trade organization, retained H&A to serve as its management company. For the period covering January 1, 2019, through December 31, 2019, the victim organization agreed to pay H&A an annual management and headquarters fee of $148,475, with one-twelfth of the fee (approximately $12,372) being billed on the first day of each month. From March 2019 through approximately October 2019, Hauck stole roughly $336,222 from the victim organization. Although H&A was authorized to pay itself the monthly management fee from one of the organization’s bank accounts, Hauck wrote checks and initiated ACH payments from that account to H&A in amounts far exceeding what the organization owed. Hauck also stole from one of the organization’s other accounts by writing a $100,000 to H&A and initiating three ACH transfers from the account.
Hauck concealed his scheme both by lying to one of his employees who noticed the victim organization’s unusual activity and by creating inaccurate balance sheets that were presented monthly to the victim organization’s board of directors. The false balance sheets showed more money than the organization actually had in its accounts.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kondi Kleinman and Anne McNamara, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, with assistance from Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart and former Paralegal Specialists Angeline Thekkumthala and Stephanie Frijas.
District Man Sentenced to 18 Months’ Imprisonment for Assault on a Member of the LGBTQ+ CommunityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Anthony Duncan, 42, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 18 months’ imprisonment and 3 years of supervised release today for assaulting a pedestrian in May 2022, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
On February 27, 2023, Duncan was found guilty of Assault with Significant Bodily Injury at a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Lynn Leibovitz presided over the trial.
According to the government’s evidence presented at trial, on May 21, 2022, the victim was walking home on 15th Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C. from a Bocce Ball game when he was confronted by Duncan. Duncan, who was a stranger to the victim, accused the victim of directing a sexually suggestive act towards him and took offense. The victim vehemently denied making any such advance. As Duncan confronted the victim for this perceived advanced, he pulled out his cell phone, and recorded himself physically attacking the victim. Duncan broke the victim’s nose and teeth, and the victim required numerous stitches to stop the bleeding. Duncan called the victim a derogatory gay slur numerous times as he attacked the victim.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also expressed appreciation for the work of those who handled the cases at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jared English and Randle Wilson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Illegally Possessing Firearms and Operating an Unlicensed Marijuana DispensaryRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Terron Demise Barnes, also known as “Ali Vegaz,” 41, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 102 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and possession with the intent to distribute marijuana. The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Weddel, of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”).
Barnes pleaded guilty on January 27, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Barnes admitted to operating “Pak Religious, LLC” from his apartment in Northeast Washington, D.C., from approximately June 2019 through his arrest on July 2, 2020. Barnes advertised “Pak Religious” on the Instagram social media application, where he recruited buyers, in part, by falsely advertising himself as a “licensed D.C. marijuana dispensary.”
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Timothy J. Kelly ordered 48 months of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, federal agents and MPD officers executed a search warrant at Barnes’ apartment on July 2, 2020. During the search, agents found and seized the following items, which Barnes agreed to forfeit as part of his plea agreement:
- A Spikes Tactical AR-Style Pistol with an extended magazine;
- A Glock, Model 23, .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun fitted with an extended magazine and laser sight;
- 100 total rounds of ammunition, including ammunition for 9mm and .45 caliber firearms;
- Approximately twenty-four pounds, or 11.328.5 grams, of marijuana and THC-infused products;
- 52 Oxycodone pills not prescribed to Barnes;
- Six bottles of Promethazine with Codeine syrup not prescribed to Barnes;
- Three ledger books;
- $18,377 in United States Currency; and
- A Range Rover Sports Utility Vehicle which had been reported stolen in Prince George’s County, Maryland in May 2020.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI, ATF, and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Armed Carjacking and Other Charges Filed Against D.C. Man for String of Armed Robberies at Convenience Stores and Gas StationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shamell Joyner, 35, of the District of Columbia, has been charged by superseding criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for an April 13, 2023, armed carjacking and a series of armed robberies committed between April 12 and May 2, 2023.
U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department announced the charges.
The superseding criminal complaint describes an armed carjacking from April 13, and eight robberies of commercial establishments from April 12 through May 2, at locations in Northeast and Northwest Washington, as well as in Alexandria, Virginia, and Hanover, Maryland. As alleged in the complaint, Joyner brandished a firearm during all of the robberies. He discharged a firearm during the April 12 armed robbery of a Northwest Washington gas station and the April 17 armed robbery of an Alexandria, Virginia convenience store. A store employee working at the time of the Alexandria robbery sustained a non–life threatening gunshot wound to his leg.
Joyner is also alleged to have carjacked a man at gunpoint in the Mount Vernon Triangle neighborhood on April 13, and to have used that car to commit subsequent armed robbery offenses. In addition, Joyner is alleged to have robbed a Hanover, Maryland gas station at gunpoint on May 2, during which he also stole a station employee’s vehicle. The Metropolitan Police Department found Joyner in the stolen vehicle’s driver’s seat later that day and arrested him. At the time of his arrest, Joyner was in possession of a firearm used in several of the robberies, as well as clothing and other evidence that tied him to numerous offenses.
Joyner has been detained since his May 2, 2023, arrest pending further court proceedings.
Joyner is charged with 16 counts under the United States and District of Columbia Codes. Under the U.S. Code, Joyner is charged with six counts of Interference with Interstate Commerce by Robbery (also known as “Hobbs Act” robbery), which carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison; six counts of Using, Carrying, and Possessing a Firearm During a Crime of Violence, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison; two counts of Interstate Transportation of Stolen Vehicles, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison; and one count of Unlawful Possession of a Firearm and Ammunition by a Person Convicted of a Crime Punishable by Imprisonment for a Term Exceeding One Year, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. Under the D.C. Code, Joyner is charged with one count of Armed Carjacking, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in prison and a maximum sentence of 40 years in prison. The maximum potential sentences in this case are prescribed by Congress and the Council of the District of Columbia and are provided here for informational purposes only, as any sentence imposed in this case will be determined by a federal district court judge after considering applicable sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Violent Crime Task Force and the Metropolitan Police Department’s Carjacking Task Force. Valuable assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Alexandria City, Anne Arundel County, Fairfax County, and Prince George’s County Police Departments. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul V. Courtney and Special Assistant United States Attorney Lauren E. Renaud of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The investigation into these offenses and potentially related armed robberies of commercial establishments located in the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia remains ongoing. Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Man Sentenced to Almost Six Years in Prison for Illegally Distributing FentanylRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Vaughn, 55, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 70 months in prison for Unlawful Distribution of Fentanyl, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Trevor N. McFadden ordered 36 months of supervised release.
According to court documents, on six different occasions between December 2021 and February 2022, an undercover officer (“UC”) with the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”) met with Vaughn at various locations in SE Washington, DC – including a park and Vaughn’s home – to purchase narcotics. On each of the six occasions, Vaughn sold the UC multiple Ziplock baggies that each contained a white powdery substance containing fentanyl. In total, Vaughn sold 415 Ziploc bags containing fentanyl. Vaughn was arrested on August 31, 2022, with an additional 139 Ziploc baggies that contained fentanyl.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of the detectives and patrol officers of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Narcotics Enforcement Unit. They expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Mid-Atlantic Laboratory. They also commended those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andy Wang and Nihar Mohanty from the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO).
Long-Term Drug Trafficking Investigation Secures Fifteenth Guilty PleaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A 15th defendant has entered a guilty plea in United States District Court in connection with a wide-ranging investigation centered on the area of 7th and O Streets, in Northwest, Washington, D.C. These guilty pleas stem from a series of arrests and indictments filed in May and June of 2022, following a long-term investigation led by the FBI and MPD.
Elliot Johnson, 43, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty May 5, 2023 to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and conspiracy to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton scheduled sentencing for August 3, 2023.
According to court documents, in or around late 2021, members of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”), in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (“FBI”), began investigating violent crime and drug trafficking activities occurring in or around the corner of 7th Street and O Street in Northwest, Washington, D.C. Investigation revealed that the individuals charged gathered in this area on a regular basis to sell controlled substances.
Law enforcement identified several residences that the group used for storing drugs and for processing and packaging drugs for resale. Further investigation revealed the defendants were engaged in hand-to-hand drug sales on the sidewalk. Undercover officers began purchasing crack cocaine and fentanyl from members of the drug trafficking group. The quantities of crack cocaine purchased by law enforcement ranged from one gram to over 28 grams at a time. The charged members of this group, in total, sold law enforcement approximately 158 grams of cocaine base. The quantities of fentanyl purchased by law enforcement from members of this drug trafficking group ranged from less than one gram up to 65 grams at a time. The charged members of this group, in total, sold law enforcement approximately 470 grams of fentanyl. Through the executed searches, four firearms were also seized.
The following defendants have entered guilty pleas in connection with this series of indictments:
Defendant
Case Number
Guilty Plea
Plea Date
Sentencing Date
Elliot Johnson, 43,
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
May 5, 2023
TBD
Jeremy Young, 37,
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
March 1, 2023
Scheduled for June 7, 2023
William Proctor, 55
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine
November 7, 2022
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on February 27, 2023
Andre Williams, 33
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl and Crack Cocaine
March 22, 2023
Scheduled for July 7, 2023
Ako Handy, 50
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine and possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
April 11, 2023
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison on April 11, 2023
Keith Gliss, 37
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime and Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
May 4, 2023
TBD
Stanley Hood, 27
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
January 12, 2023
Scheduled for May 24, 2023
Thomas Shelton, 26
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine and Fentanyl
January 10, 2023
Sentenced to Two Years in Prison on April 10, 2023
Tyrone Wade, 30
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Fentanyl
April 10, 2023
Scheduled for July 26, 2023
Christion Cooper, 22
22-CR-164
Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime
February 23, 2023
Sentenced to Five Years in Prison n February 23, 2023
Kenneth Watts, 25
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 22, 2022
Sentenced to Two Years in Prison on April 6, 2023
Brandon Benson, 24
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
January 11, 2023
Scheduled for May 16, 2023
Burnell Smith, 33
22-CR-164
Conspiracy to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 2, 2022
Sentenced to Probation on March 21, 2023
Kelfa Kamara, 39
22-CR-196
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Crack Cocaine
December 9, 2022
Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison on March 29, 2023
Samuel Hall, 41
22-cr-195
Possession with the Intent to Distribute Fentanyl
February 1, 2023
Scheduled for May 30, 2023
Jonathan Brown
22-cr-114
Possession of a Firearm by a Prohibited Person
October 7, 2022
Pending
This investigation additionally led to an indictment being filed against Jonathan Brown in Case Number 23-CR-79, related to the July 31, 2021 homicide of Kervin Sanchez at the corner of 7th and O street, NW.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the Violence Reduction Unit (VRU) of MPD’s Violent Crime Suppression Division, the FBI Washington Field Office’s Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force, and the Washington Division of the DEA. The Cross Border Safe Streets Task Force targets the most egregious and violent street crews operating in the District of Columbia.
This investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Solomon Eppel of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, with valuable assistance provided by Assistant United States Attorney Steven Wasserman and former Special Assistant United States Attorney Shaunik Panse.
D.C. Area Man Pleads Guilty to Brandishing a Firearm in Connection with 2020 RobberyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Christopher Hairston, 23, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to a felony count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, ATF Assistant Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel, of the Washington Field Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. The plea was entered before the Honorable Randolph D. Moss, who scheduled sentencing for September 13, 2023.
Hairston admitted that on November 13, 2020, he arranged to buy marijuana from the victim. They met at a location in Northeast Washington, D.C. at which time Hairston stated he did not have enough money and had to get more. The victim agreed to go with Hairston to another location in Northeast. At this new location, Hairston entered the backseat of a vehicle where the victim was sitting. The two discussed a potential deal to purchase narcotics. Hairston then pulled out a handgun and demanded that the victim give him the bag of marijuana. After Hairston took the bag, he shot the victim in the torso and exited the vehicle. The victim was taken to the hospital and received surgery following the incident.
Hairston was arrested in October 2021 and has been detained ever since. He faces a statutory minimum of seven years of incarceration. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Solomon Eppel and Sitara Witanachchi of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Martin and Kristin Sourbeer and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian W. Lynch. The case is being investigated by the ATF’s Washington Field Division and the Metropolitan Police Department
Colombian Nationals Sentenced for International Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Mauricio Mazabel-Soto, 45, and Alfredo Molina-Cutiva, 53, both citizens of Colombia, were sentenced to 73 months and 70 months in prison, respectively, for conspiring to distribute large quantities of cocaine for importation into the United States, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Acting Regional Director Omar Arellano.
In 2018, DEA agents began investigating large-scale drug traffickers with ties to the terrorist group known as the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). During a long-term investigation, defendant Mazabel-Soto represented himself as someone authorized to enter into large cocaine production agreements on behalf of the FARC and portrayed co-defendant Molina-Cutiva as being responsible for FARC drug trafficking logistics in southwestern Colombia. Additionally, the defendants represented that defendant Molina-Cutiva was responsible for all FARC cocaine laboratories in Huila and Caqueta, Colombia as well as transferring cocaine across the border with Ecuador for exportation north by way of the Pacific Ocean.
During a series of recorded meetings, defendants Mazabel-Soto and Molina-Cutiva offered to produce large quantities of cocaine for an individual they believed was representing a major Mexican drug cartel. In one particular meeting, the defendants proposed a business agreement wherein the Mexican cartel would invest $2 million (USD) in their business and the FARC would construct a cocaine laboratory for the cartel, where they would have exclusive rights to the production. The defendants stated that the first 1,000 kilograms produced would be free and the FARC would then produce an additional 1,000 kilograms of cocaine for the cartel every few weeks, at a cost of $1,600 (USD) per kilogram. The defendants agreed to place designer stamps on each kilogram of cocaine, including the logo for the Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball team.
In April 2019, in Bogota, Colombia, defendant Mazabel-Soto provided another individual with a five-kilogram “sample” of cocaine to demonstrate the quality. Mazabel-Soto accepted $11,000 (USD) for this sample delivery. DEA lab results show that the cocaine was 96% pure.
On June 25, 2019, defendant Mazabel-Soto was arrested in Colombia and, on April 16, 2021, was extradited to the United States; co-defendant Cutiva was arrested in Colombia on August 8, 2019 and, on January 25, 2021, was extradited to the United States. An additional co-defendant (Aldemar Soto-Charry) was arrested in Colombia on August 8, 2019, and is pending extradition.
Molina-Cutiva pleaded guilty in November 2022; Mazabel-Soto pleaded guilty in December 2022. As part of their plea agreements, the defendants agreed that they were accountable for conspiring to distribute at least 1,000 kilograms of cocaine, which quantity represented the total amount involved in their relevant criminal conduct
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and DEA Acting Regional Director Arellano commended the work of those who investigated the case, including the DEA’s Bogota Country office, the FBI LEGAT Bogota, and the FBI Miami Field Office. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kevin Rosenberg and Anthony Scarpelli, and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Goddard, of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section, who prosecuted the case.
Virginia Woman Sentenced to Prison for Fraudulently Ordering Cell Phones on Behalf of Her Non-Profit Employer and Reselling Them for CashRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Celeste Santifer, 56, of Alexandria, Virginia, was sentenced today in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to 41 months in prison for committing wire fraud, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division.
Santifer was a former employee of the YMCA of Metropolitan Washington (“YMCA-DC”), which is a non-profit organization with 16 branches and program centers in the District of Columbia and greater Washington, D.C. area. Santifer worked as an office manager at YMCA-DC from approximately 2007 until her termination in May of 2019. While working at the YMCA-DC, Santifer devised a scheme to defraud by taking advantage of an arrangement with Verizon Wireless (“Verizon”) to sell YMCA-DC, as a non-profit organization, cell phones for its employees at a discounted price. From at least January 2016 through April 2019, Santifer placed online orders for discounted cell phones from Verizon that she personally received, disconnected from service, and sold to companies that buy and sell new or slightly used phones. Santifer ultimately ordered over 1,000 phones purportedly for YMCA-DC employees that she sold to third-party companies for money. The value of the phones to Verizon was $618,090.
Santifer pleaded guilty on October 3, 2022 before U.S. District Court Judge Royce C. Lamberth. In addition to the prison term, Judge Lamberth ordered restitution of $618,090, and three years of supervised release.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Special Agent in Charge Jacobs commended the work of those from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who investigated the case. They also expressed appreciation to Paralegal Specialist Michon Tart. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Macey, who prosecuted the case, and Kathryn Rakoczy, who investigated the case.
Two Lawyers and Two Others Charged in Conspiracy that Defrauded Distressed Homeowners Looking for HelpRead the Press Release
Fraud Scheme Involved Multiple Law Firms
WASHINGTON – An indictment was unsealed today charging four people, including two lawyers, with conspiring to defraud thousands of distressed homeowners who thought they were hiring a legal firm to help them avoid foreclosure. The defendants, some of whom were licensed to practice law in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Florida, allegedly reaped millions of dollars in ill-gotten gains.
The indictment charges: David Maresca, 48, of Manassas, Virginia, Scott Marinelli, 51, of Mountainside, New Jersey, Sam Babbs, III, 41, of Orlando, Florida, and Terrylle Blackstone, 35, of Woodbridge, Virginia, with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud for charging clients on the false and fraudulent promise to help them avoid foreclosure but never providing any of those legal services. The indictment further charges Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone with five counts of mail fraud; Maresca, Babbs, and Blackstone with three counts of wire fraud and two counts of mail fraud; and Maresca with five counts of monetary transactions in criminally-derived property, and two counts of falsification of bankruptcy records. Maresca was arrested today and made an initial appearance in Washington, D.C.; Marinelli was arrested today and made an initial appearance in New Jersey.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation (“IRS-CI”) Washington, D.C. Field Office.
Maresca formed Synergy Law LLC (“Synergy”), in Washington DC, in 2016, and Themis Law PLLC (“Themis”) in 2019. Marinelli, who was licensed in New Jersey, owned 10 percent of Synergy; Babbs, who was licensed in Florida and D.C., owned his own firm – Babbs Law Firm P.L. (“Babbs”) - and 10 percent of Themis. Blackstone worked for all three firms.
According to the indictment, the scheme involved marketing Synergy Law and Themis Law through telephone, television, and Internet advertising which told homeowners that attorneys could help them avoid foreclosure. The defendants, through the law firms, operated call centers, where workers used scripts during calls with homeowners falsely promising that an attorney would review the homeowner's case file; that this attorney knew their lender's “internal guidelines,” for a “mortgage resolution”; and that an assigned “legal team” would contact the homeowner’s lender to negotiate a resolution.
The conspirators knew these representations were false and fraudulent. Synergy Law and Themis Law never operated a “national law firm,” and never provided legal services to homeowners. Neither Synergy Law nor Themis Law had attorneys review homeowner files, and neither Synergy Law nor Themis Law had attorneys contact a client’s lender to discuss a mortgage resolution. The homeowners signed agreements in which the law firms promised to provide “legal representation,” “attorney services” and “legal services” to the homeowner-client. Synergy Law required homeowner-clients to pay an initial retainer amount (often between $995 and $1,750), followed by a monthly recurring amount (often between $595 and $1,200), for as long as Synergy Law represented the homeowner. Once victim funds were in that account, Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone used the funds for their personal benefit, and continued to collect monthly payments from the clients. When the clients faced imminent foreclosure, Synergy Law provided non-legal bankruptcy petition preparation services and directed clients to file pro se bankruptcy petitions to stop foreclosure. Synergy Law directed clients not to disclose that the clients had worked with Synergy Law to prepare their bankruptcy petition. Themis Law clients, who were considering filing for bankruptcy to save their homes, were referred to Babbs Law where they signed a new retainer agreement and paid additional fees.
When bankruptcy judges, Synergy Law clients, and the U.S. Trustee's Program raised concerns about Synergy Law's practices in bankruptcy matters, Blackstone attended court hearings on behalf of Synergy Law and made false statements to the court about Synergy Law's operations. When Marinelli's law license was suspended in New Jersey in 2017, and the District of Columbia in 2018, Maresca, Marinelli, and Blackstone continued to operate Synergy Law and collect monthly payments purportedly for legal services.
Maresca is also charged with falsely filing for bankruptcy on behalf of Synergy Law. According to the indictment, in answering a question on the bankruptcy forms about financial affairs, which required Synergy Law LLC to list transfers of money or other property that was not in the ordinary course of business, Maresca falsely stated “None,” when he knew he had withdrawn S315,083.42 from Synergy Law accounts to purchase his personal residence.
The indictment includes a notice of forfeiture for all illegally derived proceeds from the fraud scheme.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the FBI urge anyone who did business with these law firms, and who think they were defrauded, to visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-dc/mortgage-fraud and/or contact the Mega Victim Case Assistance Program (MCAP) at 1-844-527-5299. You can also send an email to [email protected].
This case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office and the Washington, D.C. Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigations.
It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John Borchert.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Two Counts of Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Defendant and Associates Committed Two Gunpoint Robberies of Strangers Affiliated with Howard University on the Same Day
WASHINGTON – Marquis Funderburk, 20, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury of two counts of robbery while armed for two separate gunpoint robberies that took place within 30 minutes of each other, in January of 2022, in the neighborhood surrounding Howard University, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves and Chief Robert Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict was returned on May 1, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Sean Staples scheduled sentencing for August 25, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 18, 2022, at approximately 11:35 a.m., the defendant and two associates grabbed victim 1, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. A gun was brandished and pointed at victim 1’s stomach by one of the men while the other two associates went through victim 1’s pockets, taking his airpods, iPhone, wallet, and keys.
At approximately noon on the same day, approximately two blocks from the first robbery, the defendant and three associates grabbed Victim 2, a stranger, as they walked past him on the sidewalk. The defendant’s associate pressed a gun, concealed inside a fanny pack, into victim 2’s chin while demanding Victim 2 give them his property. The defendant punched victim 2 in the face, after which the defendant and his associates proceeded to punch and kick victim 2 repeatedly until he fell to the ground bleeding, ultimately resulting in a concussion. As they demanded victim 2’s account passwords, the defendant commanded his associate with the gun to shoot victim 2.
Immediately after the second robbery, an MPD police cruiser, canvassing for the suspects of the first robbery, inadvertently approached the scene of the second robbery. The defendant and his associates fled from the cruiser, taking with them victim 2’s laptop, charger, iPhone, and wallet. The defendant was defendant stopped by police two blocks from the second robbery at approximately 12:30pm. He was positively identified by each of the victims independently.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard Carlton, Luca Winer, and Dan Lenerz, Paralegal Specialist Richard Cheatham, Victim/Witness Advocate Christie Bloodworth, and IT Specialist William Henderson.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shauna Payyappilly and Katie Sessa, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
Two DC-Area Men Plead Guilty to Drug Charges Connected to an Open-Air Drug Market in SE DCRead the Press Release
All Six Charged Defendants Have Now Entered Guilty Pleas
WASHINGTON – Douglas Campbell, 27, of District Heights, Maryland, and his brother Delonte Campbell, 27, of Southeast Washington D.C., pleaded guilty today, in U.S. District Court, to felony charges in connection with their roles in an open-air drug market.
Douglas Campbell pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Delonte Campbell pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance, and possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school. Sentencing for both defendants is set for August 3, 2023.
The brothers are among six defendants charged with operating an open-air drug market at the Shell Gas Station located at 4700 South Capitol Street SE. According to court documents, law enforcement had observed individuals, including the six defendants charged, operating an open-air drug market at the Shell Gas Station. The gas station drew individuals who conducted daily drug transactions in the parking lot and surrounding area of the gas station, often while armed with firearms. The Shell Gas Station was the scene of increased violence suspected to be connected to drug trafficking in the months leading up to the defendants’ arrests.
The Campbells and their co-defendants trafficked narcotics at the Shell Gas Station through hand gestures and social media advertisements. Once a potential customer was procured, these individuals often measured and distributed controlled substances to their customers in plain view. The defendants sold alongside each other, coordinated sales with each other, and were in frequent communication through telephone and social media messaging, coordinating their activities with the goal of selling marijuana to customers at the Shell while securing their narcotics and drug trafficking proceeds with firearms, often carrying weapons in plain view.
Each of the six defendants charged for their role in the conspiracy have now pleaded guilty. Lavon Alphonso Blakeney, 28, of Southeast Washington D.C., and David Ashton, 24, of Hyattsville, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Keonte Obatunde Lorenzo Lewis, 20, of Southeast Washington D.C., pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school and carrying a pistol without a license. Finally, Tyrell Davon Jones, 28, of Temple Hills, Maryland, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess and distribute a controlled substance and carrying a pistol without a license. All are awaiting sentencing.
The charge of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime carries a statutory maximum sentence of life imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of five years imprisonment to be imposed. The possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school carries a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, with a mandatory minimum sentence of one year imprisonment to be imposed. The charge of conspiring to possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. The charge of carrying a pistol without a license carries a statutory maximum sentence of five years’ imprisonment. A federal district court judge will determine the appropriate sentence after considering the guideline ranges and other factors.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew W. Kinskey and former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Stewart of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses Section (VRTO) of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office’s Safe Streets Cross Border Task Force, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Group, the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Washington Field Division, and the Metropolitan Police Department.
California Man Sentenced for Assaulting Police Officers with Pepper SprayRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A California man was sentenced today for felony and misdemeanor charges – including assaulting police officers – for his actions during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach. His actions and the actions of others disrupted a joint session of the U.S. Congress convened to ascertain and count the electoral votes related to the presidential election.
Jeffrey Scott Brown, 56, of Santa Ana, California, was sentenced today to 54 months in prison for assaulting, resisting, or impeding law enforcements officers using a dangerous weapon, interfering with a law enforcement officer during a civil disorder, both felonies, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, engaging in physical violence in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds or buildings , and act of physical violence in the Capitol grounds or buildings. Brown and two co-defendants – Peter J. Schwartz and Markus Maly - were found guilty at trial on December 7, 2022.
According to the government’s evidence, on Jan. 6, 2021, Brown was with Schwartz and Maly at the area of the Lower West Terrace of the Capitol Building. Brown was handed an O.C. spray canister by Schwarts who had stolen it from an MPD duffle bags. As the crowd heaved against the makeshift police line, Brown tried to use the O.C. spray but couldn’t figure out the nozzle. He passed it back to Schwartz, who appears to have shown Brown how to use it and passed it back. Brown then dove towards the front of the police line, spraying them with yet more OC spray.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia. Valuable assistance was provided by U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.
The case was investigated by the FBI’s Washington and Los Angeles Field Offices. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police Department.
In the 27 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI Washington Field Office. Valuable assistance was provided by the FBI’s Jacksonville Field Office – Daytona Beach Resident Agency, the Metropolitan Police Department and the U.S. Capitol Police.
In the 27 months since Jan. 6, 2021, more than 1,000 individuals have been arrested in nearly all 50 states for crimes related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol, including more than 320 individuals charged with assaulting or impeding law enforcement. The investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with tips can call 1-800-CALL-FBI (800-225-5324) or visit tips.fbi.gov.
Additional Arrests Made in Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy Spanning from California to D.C.Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Federal law enforcement arrested an additional two members of a fentanyl distribution conspiracy responsible for bringing thousands of fake blue Oxycodone (M30) pills, containing fentanyl, from California to Washington D.C., announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, and DEA Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget, of the Washington Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Max Alexander Carias Torres, 25, and Raymond Nava, Jr., 19, each of Los Angeles, California, are charged in an indictment with conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Carias Torres is separately charged with international money laundering. Both men were arrested in Los Angeles, California, on April 26, 2023, and were ordered detained pending trial by United States District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly on April 28, 2023. Three additional members of the conspiracy who were previously arrested, Hector David Valdez, Craig Eastman, and Charles Jeffrey Taylor, also remain detained without bond pending trial.
According to the indictment, from on or about January 2021 to April 2023, Carias Torres, Nava, Valdez, Taylor, and Eastman conspired together to distribute 400 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing fentanyl. Carias Torres is also alleged to have conspired to commit international promotional money laundering in connection with proceeds derived from the drug trafficking conspiracy.
Carias Torres was arrested inside his residence in Los Angeles, California on April 26, 2023. During a search of his residence, law enforcement recovered approximately a half-kilogram of suspected methamphetamine, numerous fake blue Oxycodone (M30) pills, and drug ledgers. Valdez was arrested on February 24, 2023, in the Central District of California. During a search of his residence, law enforcement recovered over 4.4 kilograms of blue M30 pills and a half-kilogram brick of powder, which tested positive for fentanyl. Valdez was ordered detained pending trial and is currently being transferred to the District of Columbia for prosecution. On March 22, 2023, law enforcement arrested Taylor and Eastman inside Taylor’s residence and seized seven firearms while executing a search warrant.
The drug trafficking conspiracy charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in prison up to life; the money laundering conspiracy charge carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The investigation of this case had the sponsorship and support of the federal Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF specializes in the investigation and prosecution of drug trafficking and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises.
The prosecutions followed a joint investigation by the DEA Washington Division in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and the U.S. Postal Inspector, with additional support from the DEA Los Angeles and Riverside Field Offices. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys David T. Henek, Matthew W. Kinskey, and Andy Wang of the Violence Reduction and Trafficking Offenses (VRTO) Section.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ohio Man Sentenced for Stealing over 712 Bitcoin Subjected to ForfeitureRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for stealing over 712 bitcoin that were the proceeds of the darknet bitcoin mixer Helix and subject to forfeiture in a then-pending criminal case.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, FBI Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs of the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division, and IRS Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI).
In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell ordered 36 months of supervised release and ordered a forfeiture money judgment of $4,881,532.40, and forfeiture of specific properties including cryptocurrencies that are now valued in excess of $20 million due to the increase in market prices.
According to court documents, Gary James Harmon, 31, of Cleveland, Ohio, perpetrated a scheme to steal cryptocurrency that was the subject of pending criminal forfeiture proceedings in the case of Larry Dean Harmon, Gary Harmon’s brother. In February 2020, Larry Harmon was arrested for his operation of Helix, a darknet-based cryptocurrency money laundering service, known as a “mixer” or “tumbler.” Helix laundered over 350,000 bitcoin – valued at over $300 million at the time of the transactions – on behalf of customers, with the largest volume coming from Darknet markets. Law enforcement seized various assets, including a cryptocurrency storage device containing Larry Harmon’s illegal proceeds generated through the operation of Helix, which were subject to forfeiture in the criminal case. However, law enforcement was initially unable to recover bitcoin stored on the device due to the device’s additional security features.
Knowing that the government was seeking to recover the bitcoin stored on the seized device for forfeiture in Larry Harmon’s criminal case, Gary Harmon used his brother’s credentials to recreate the bitcoin wallets stored on the device and covertly transfer more than 712 bitcoin, valued at approximately $4.8 million at the time, to his own wallets – stealing those funds and obstructing the pending criminal forfeiture proceeding. Gary Harmon further laundered the proceeds through two online bitcoin mixer services before using the laundered bitcoins to finance large purchases and other expenditures.
Gary Harmon agreed to the forfeiture of cryptocurrencies and other properties derived from the fraudulently taken proceeds, including more than 647.41 Bitcoin (BTC), 2.14 Ethereum (ETH), and 17,404,400.64 Dogecoin (DOGE). Due to the increase in market prices, the total value of these forfeitable properties exceeds $12 million.
In August 2021, Larry Harmon pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with his case.
The FBI and the IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), both now also members of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, prosecuted the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Angela De Falco, and Brian Rickers, and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron. Additional assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Segev Phillips and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio and CCIPS Trial Attorney S. Riane Harper.
Man Sentenced for Stealing over 712 Bitcoin Subject to ForfeitureRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Ohio man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for stealing over 712 bitcoin that were the proceeds of the darknet bitcoin mixer Helix and subject to forfeiture in a then-pending criminal case.
According to court documents, Gary James Harmon, 31, of Cleveland, perpetrated a scheme to steal cryptocurrency that was the subject of pending criminal forfeiture proceedings in the case of Larry Dean Harmon, Gary Harmon’s brother. In February 2020, Larry Harmon was arrested for his operation of Helix, a darknet-based cryptocurrency money laundering service, known as a “mixer” or “tumbler.” Helix laundered over 350,000 bitcoin – valued at over $300 million at the time of the transactions – on behalf of customers, with the largest volume coming from darknet markets. Law enforcement seized various assets, including a cryptocurrency storage device containing Larry
Harmon’s illegal proceeds generated through the operation of Helix, which were subject to forfeiture in the criminal case. However, law enforcement was initially unable to recover bitcoin stored on the device due to the device’s additional security features.Knowing that the government was seeking to recover the bitcoin stored on the seized device for forfeiture in Larry Harmon’s criminal case, Gary Harmon used his brother’s credentials to recreate the bitcoin wallets stored on the device and covertly transfer more than 712 bitcoin, valued at approximately $4.8 million at the time, to his own wallets – stealing those funds and obstructing the pending criminal forfeiture proceeding. Gary Harmon further laundered the proceeds through two online bitcoin mixer services before using the laundered bitcoins to finance large purchases and other expenditures.
Gary Harmon agreed to the forfeiture of cryptocurrencies and other properties derived from the fraudulently taken proceeds, including more than 647.41 Bitcoin (BTC), 2.14 Ethereum (ETH), and 17,404,400.64 Dogecoin (DOGE). Due to the increase in market prices, the total value of these forfeitable properties exceeds $20 million.
In August 2021, Larry Harmon pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with his case.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), both now also members of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, prosecuted the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Angela De Falco, and Brian Rickers, and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron. Additional assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Segev Phillips and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio and CCIPS Trial Attorney S. Riane Harper.
Man Sentenced for Stealing over 712 Bitcoin Subject to ForfeitureRead the Press Release
An Ohio man was sentenced today to four years and three months in prison for stealing over 712 bitcoin that were the proceeds of the darknet bitcoin mixer Helix and subject to forfeiture in a then-pending criminal case.
According to court documents, Gary James Harmon, 31, of Cleveland, perpetrated a scheme to steal cryptocurrency that was the subject of pending criminal forfeiture proceedings in the case of Larry Dean Harmon, Gary Harmon’s brother. In February 2020, Larry Harmon was arrested for his operation of Helix, a darknet-based cryptocurrency money laundering service, known as a “mixer” or “tumbler.” Helix laundered over 350,000 bitcoin – valued at over $300 million at the time of the transactions – on behalf of customers, with the largest volume coming from darknet markets. Law enforcement seized various assets, including a cryptocurrency storage device containing Larry Harmon’s illegal proceeds generated through the operation of Helix, which were subject to forfeiture in the criminal case. However, law enforcement was initially unable to recover bitcoin stored on the device due to the device’s additional security features.
Knowing that the government was seeking to recover the bitcoin stored on the seized device for forfeiture in Larry Harmon’s criminal case, Gary Harmon used his brother’s credentials to recreate the bitcoin wallets stored on the device and covertly transfer more than 712 bitcoin, valued at approximately $4.8 million at the time, to his own wallets – stealing those funds and obstructing the pending criminal forfeiture proceeding. Gary Harmon further laundered the proceeds through two online bitcoin mixer services before using the laundered bitcoins to finance large purchases and other expenditures.
Gary Harmon agreed to the forfeiture of cryptocurrencies and other properties derived from the fraudulently taken proceeds, including more than 647.41 Bitcoin (BTC), 2.14 Ethereum (ETH), and 17,404,400.64 Dogecoin (DOGE). Due to the increase in market prices, the total value of these forfeitable properties exceeds $20 million.
In August 2021, Larry Harmon pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy in connection with his case.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Bryan Vorndran of the FBI’s Cyber Division, Special Agent in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Kareem A. Carter of the IRS Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Washington, D.C. Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI and the IRS-CI District of Columbia Cyber Crime Unit investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher B. Brown for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney C. Alden Pelker of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section (CCIPS), both now also members of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team, prosecuted the case, with assistance from Paralegal Specialists Michon Tart, Angela De Falco, and Brian Rickers, and former Paralegal Specialist Chad Byron. Additional assistance was provided by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Segev Phillips and Daniel Riedl for the Northern District of Ohio and CCIPS Trial Attorney S. Riane Harper.
Special Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Civil Rights Violation and is SentencedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Brandon T. Greenfield-Logan, 33, of Oxon Hill, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court to one misdemeanor count of deprivation of rights under color of law for violating the constitutional rights of a handcuffed prisoner. The plea was entered before United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb, who sentenced Greenfield-Logan to one year of probation and ordered him to perform 50 hours of community service.
According to the plea documents and as discussed in the plea hearing, on September 27, 2021, the defendant was working as a Special Police Officer. On that date, while in full uniform and vested with police powers, Greenfield-Logan was called to assist other Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments, located on 14th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. At approximately 12:30 a.m., an individual identified as W.S. was in the custody of Special Police Officers at the Trinity Tower Apartments. W.S. was seated in a chair with his hands handcuffed behind his back. Defendant Greenfield-Logan slapped W.S. across the face without warning or legal justification in violation of the individual’s constitutional rights
This matter was investigated by the Internal Affairs Bureau of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael Truscott.
The U.S. Attorney's Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely.
D.C. Man Pleads Guilty to Gun ChargeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rodney Burton 35, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today to two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting SAC Michael Weddel from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department.
Burton entered the guilty plea in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Christopher R. Cooper scheduled a sentencing hearing for July 19, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on November 22, 2022, the defendant was arrested by the United States Marshals Service (USMS) on an outstanding warrant and was found to be in possession of two firearms. The defendant was in possession of a Springfield Armory XD .45 caliber handgun which contained one round in the chamber and thirteen rounds of ammunition in the magazine with a total capacity of thirteen rounds. The second recovered firearm was a Sig-Sauer P220 .45 caliber handgun with one round of ammunition in the chamber and seven rounds of ammunition in the magazine. Furthermore, on August 12, 2022 officers conducted a search of an apartment where the defendant was known to reside and recovered a black Masterpiece Arms pistols with no rounds in the chamber but with twenty-two rounds of ammunition forced into a twenty round capacity magazine.
In announcing today’s plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting SAC Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from Project Safe Neighborhood from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They acknowledge the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant United States Attorney Shehzad Akhtar who investigated and prosecuted the case.
United States Obtains $629 Million Settlement with British American Tobacco to Resolve Illegal Sales to North Korea, Charges Facilitators in Illicit Tobacco TradeRead the Press Release
British American Tobacco (BAT) and its subsidiary, BAT Marketing Singapore (BATMS), one of the world’s largest manufacturers of tobacco products based in the United Kingdom, has agreed to pay combined penalties of more than $629 million to resolve bank fraud and sanctions violations charges with U.S. authorities, arising out of the companies’ scheme to do business in North Korea through a third-party company in Singapore, in violation of the bank fraud statute and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). Separately, charges were unsealed today in the District of Columbia against a North Korean banker and Chinese facilitators for their roles in facilitating the illicit sale of tobacco products in North Korea.
According to court documents, BATMS pleaded guilty to a criminal information filed in the District of Columbia charging BAT and BATMS with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to violate IEEPA. BAT entered into a deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) related to the same charges.
Specifically, in 2007, BAT spun off its North Korea sales to a third-party company, issuing a press statement that it was no longer involved in North Korea tobacco sales. In reality, BAT continued to do business in North Korea through the third-party company and BATMS maintained control over all relevant aspects of the North Korean business. Between 2007 and 2017, BAT and BATMS ran the payments for the tobacco sold to North Korean entities through the third-party company, resulting in approximately $418 million of U.S. dollar cash and correspondent banking transactions from North Korea to the third-party company in Singapore – money that was then passed on to BATMS and BAT. To make these payments, North Korean purchasers used front companies so that U.S. banks – which processed the transactions – would not know about the connection to North Korea. Pursuant to the DPA and plea agreement, BAT and BATMS will pay a total of $629 million in penalties and fines.
“British American Tobacco and its subsidiary engaged in an elaborate scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and sell tobacco products to North Korea, allowing funds to illegally flow into the coffers of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK),” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today’s action, which involves the largest North Korean sanctions penalty in the history of the Justice Department, should serve as a clear warning to companies everywhere about the costs and consequences of violating U.S. sanctions.”
Today, the Department of the Treasury also announced a civil enforcement action against BAT and BATMS.
“Companies that seek to profit from circumventing sanctions by obscuring their involvement will be discovered and will pay a price,” said Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson. “For years, BAT partnered with North Korea to establish and operate a cigarette manufacturing business and relied on financial facilitators linked to North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction proliferation network in the process of enriching itself. Firms that deal with blocked persons, even indirectly, will be held accountable for actions which undermine the integrity of the U.S. financial system.”
Separately today, a federal court in the District of Columbia unsealed charges against a North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 39, and Chinese facilitators, Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea.
“The United States is steadfast in its commitment to enforcing sanctions and withholding revenue for dictator Kim Jong-un,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “The charges unsealed today illustrate that the Department of Justice will hold North Korean facilitators accountable for their illegal efforts to prop up the North Korean regime and assist it in obtaining funds to develop nuclear weapons.”
According to court documents, between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean state-owned cigarette manufacturers and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that they otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated or declined, had they known the transactions were connected to trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated up to nearly $700 million in revenue for the North Korean manufacturers, one of which was owned by the North Korean military.
As alleged in the indictment, cigarette trafficking, including in counterfeit cigarettes, generates significant revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs, including its nuclear weapons, which North Korea has been developing since at least 2006. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime, as smuggled tobacco products are estimated to garner revenue of up to $20 on every $1 spent in cost.
In conjunction with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $5 million for defendant Sim, and a reward of $500,000 for defendants Qin and Han, for information leading to the capture of these three charged defendants. On April 24, the Department of the Treasury designated defendant Sim as a Specially Designated National, preventing him from accessing the U.S. banking system.
“The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to investigate North Korea’s evasion of sanctions placed on its government,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This illegal conduct and the levied penalties show how serious of an offense it is to assist the North Korean regime to the detriment of the international community. To those contemplating similar actions, be forewarned: the full force of the FBI and its federal law enforcement partners will find you.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years in prison for bank fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Phoenix Field Office handled both investigations, and HSI Colorado partnered in the investigation on the individuals. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided valuable assistance.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia, is prosecuting the cases. Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section partnered on these matters.
This case is part of a larger Justice Department strategy for countering nation-state threats, including the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking. Trial Attorney David Recker, former Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Grady, and former FBI Special Agent David F. Williams, former FBI Special Agent Joy Gallante and former FBI Intelligence Analyst Nick Carlsen all participated in prior phases of the multi-year investigation.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Union President Ordered to Serve Probation and Pay Restitution for Embezzling Union FundsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Crystal R. Mathis, the former president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 1812, was sentenced to 12 months, suspended, and three years of probation for embezzling funds from the union. The sentence was announced today by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Mark Wheeler, Director of the Washington District Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Labor-Management Standards.
Mathis, 51, of Cheverly, Maryland, pleaded guilty in February 2023, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to one count of first-degree theft. She was sentenced by the Honorable Errol R. Arthur, who also ordered her to pay more than $10,000 in restitution to the union and ordered three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, Mathis used her position as president of a local union of federal employees of the U.S Agency for Global Media to improperly access the union’s bank account between December 17, 2019, and June 21, 2021. During that period, Mathis made more than 35 separate unauthorized purchases, withdrawals or bill payments to fund personal vacations, dinners, and expenses.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and District Director Wheeler commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Labor Department’s Office of Labor-Management Standards. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin D. Bleiberg and Brian P. Kelly, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
D.C. Man Gets Seven Years for Using a Gun in a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Nicco Young, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for using, carrying, and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Nicco Young pleaded guilty in January 2023, in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia. U.S. District Court Judge Dabney Friedrich also ordered 36 months of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant entered the 7-Eleven, at 1700 17th Street, NW, at 10:30 a.m., on February 23, 2022, armed with a firearm. He approached and pointed the handgun at a store employee. The defendant then forced the employee to empty the cash register and had the employee lay down on the ground. The defendant took the money from the cash register and fled the store.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.
Finally, they commended the efforts of former Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel Frey who indicted and prosecuted the case as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar.
British American Tobacco to Pay $629 Million in Fines for N. Korean Tobacco Sales; Charges Unsealed Against Tobacco FacilitatorsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – British American Tobacco (BAT) and its subsidiary, BAT Marketing Singapore (BATMS), one of the world’s largest manufacturer of tobacco products, has agreed to pay penalties totaling more than $629 million to resolve bank fraud and sanctions violations charges with U.S. authorities, arising out of the companies’ scheme to do business in North Korea through a third-party company in Singapore, in violation of the bank fraud statute and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). In addition, charges were unsealed in the District of Columbia against a North Korean banker and Chinese facilitators for their roles in facilitating the illicit sale of tobacco products in North Korea.
According to court documents, BATMS pleaded guilty to, and BAT entered into a deferred prosecution agreement in connection with, a criminal information charging BAT and BATMS with conspiracy to commit bank fraud and conspiracy to violate IEEPA. Specifically, in 2007, BAT spun off its North Korea sales to a third-party company, issuing a press statement that it was no longer involved in North Korea tobacco sales. In reality, BAT continued to do business in North Korea through the third-party company and maintained control over all relevant aspects of the North Korean business. BAT ran the payments for the tobacco sold to North Korean entities through the third-party company, resulting in approximately $415 million of U.S. dollar banking transactions from North Korea to the third-party company in Singapore – money that was then passed on to BATMS and BAT. To make these payments, North Korean purchasers used front companies so that U.S. banks, which processed the transactions, would not know about the connection to North Korea.
“The United States is steadfast in its commitment to enforcing sanctions and withholding revenue for dictator Kim Jong-un,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves. “The charges unsealed today illustrate that the Department of Justice will hold North Korean facilitators accountable for their illegal efforts to prop up the North Korean regime, and assist it in obtaining funds to develop nuclear weapons.”
“British American Tobacco and its subsidiary engaged in an elaborate scheme to circumvent U.S. sanctions and sell tobacco products to North Korea in violation of U.S. law,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “With today’s action, which involves the largest settlement payment in the Department’s history, these entities have been held to account.”
“The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to investigate North Korea’s evasion of sanctions placed on its government,” said Assistant Director Suzanne Turner of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “This illegal conduct and the levied penalties show how serious of an offense it is to assist the North Korean regime to the detriment of the international community. To those contemplating similar actions, be forewarned: the full force of the FBI and its federal law enforcement partners will find you.”
Separately, on April 25, 2023, a federal judge in the District of Columbia unsealed charges against a North Korean banker, Sim Hyon-Sop, 50, and Chinese facilitators Qin Guoming, 60, and Han Linlin, 41, both of Liaoning Province, in connection with a multi-year scheme to facilitate the sale of tobacco to North Korea.
Between 2009 and 2019, the defendants engaged in a scheme to purchase leaf tobacco for North Korean-owned entities, and used front companies and false documentation to cause U.S. financial institutions to process at least 310 transactions worth approximately $74 million that they otherwise would have frozen, blocked, investigated, or declined, had they known that the transactions connected to trade with North Korea. The transactions resulted in an estimated nearly $700 million in revenue for North Korean entities, and ultimately, for the government of North Korea.
In conjunction with today’s announcement, the U.S. Department of State is announcing a reward of $5 million for defendant Sim, and a reward of $500,000 for defendants Qin and Han, for information leading to the capture of these three charged defendants.
Additionally, today, the Department of the Treasury also announced a civil enforcement action against BAT and BATMS.
This case is part of a larger Department of Justice response to the ongoing efforts of North Korea to evade sanctions and use the U.S. financial system to engage in illicit trafficking. As alleged in the indictment, trafficking in tobacco products generates revenue for advancing North Korea’s Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD) programs. North Korea has been developing nuclear weapons since at least 2006 and financed these activities through illicit trade, including trafficking of tobacco and counterfeit cigarettes, which North Korea has engaged in since at least 1992. North Korea counterfeit cigarette production capacity is estimated to exceed two billion packs a year. Counterfeit cigarettes are a major source of income to the North Korean regime and may be the single most lucrative item in the North Korean portfolio, as smuggled tobacco is estimated to garner revenue as much as $20 on every $1 spent in cost. North Korean tobacco sales are alleged to flow back to the North Korean government, including to slush funds designed to sustain the loyalty of a core of party elite and to underwrite weapons development programs.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment for the lead charge, bank fraud. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The cases are being investigated by the FBI Phoenix Field Office. HSI Colorado partnered in the investigation on the individuals, with valuable assistance provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen P. Seifert, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Wasserman, Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers, and Paralegal Specialist Jorge Casillas for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case. Trial Attorneys Beau Barnes and Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section partnered on these matters. Trial Attorney David Recker, former Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zia Faruqui and Michael Grady.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Prohibited Person Sentenced to Seven Years for Possessing a Gun and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Decondi Mayo, 46, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 84 months in prison for unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael Weddel, of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Decondi Mayo pleaded guilty in September 2022, in the United States District Court, to unlawful possession of a firearm and ammunition by a person convicted of a crime punishable by imprisonment for a term exceeding one year. In addition to the seven year prison term, U.S. District Court Judge Paul Friedman ordered three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on January 29, 2021, at approximately 3 p.m., members of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) Crime Suppression Team were on patrol in the 2200 block of Bryan Place, S.E., Washington, DC. The officers observed the defendant reaching into the passenger side window of a blue Nissan Maxima with Maryland paper tags. The defendant looked in the officers’ direction as they pulled into the block and he immediately separated himself from the vehicle and continued to look back over his shoulder at officers. Shortly thereafter, the defendant walked up concrete steps toward a boarded up and uninhabitable home located at 2212 Bryan Place, SE. Officers parked, exited their vehicles, and observed the defendant continually pressing his right arm against the right side of his jacket as if he was attempting to secure an object on the front of his person. An officer then observed the defendant discard a pistol from his front waistband area. The defendant was subsequently arrested and found with a magazine with ten live rounds. The recovered firearm that the defendant tossed was a 9mm Glock 26 with one round of ammunition in the chamber and sixteen rounds in the magazine.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves, Acting SAC Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from Project Safe Neighborhood from both the Metropolitan Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Karla Nunez.
Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Shehzad Akhtar, former Assistant United States Attorney Brandon Regan, former Assistant United States Attorney Kaitlin Ann Vaillancourt and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Cervi who investigated and prosecuted the case.
North Korean Foreign Trade Bank Rep Charged for Role in Two Crypto Laundering ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two federal indictments, unsealed today in the District of Columbia, charge a North Korean Foreign Trade Bank (“FTB”) representative for his role in money laundering conspiracies designed to generate revenue for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, through the use of cryptocurrency. A third indictment charges one of the co-conspirators in a separate scheme.
The indictments were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General of the Criminal Division Kenneth A. Polite, Jr., and Special Agent in Charge Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr. of the FBI’s Chicago Field Office.
Sim Hyon Sop (“Sim”), 39, a North Korean national, is charged with conspiring with three over-the-counter (“OTC”) traders, Wu HuiHui (“Wu”), 34, a Chinese national living in Jinan, Shandong, China; Cheng Hung Man (“Cheng”), 59, a Hong Kong British National (Overseas) living in Hong Kong, and an unknown user of the online moniker “live:jammychen0150” (“Chen”), to launder stolen cryptocurrency and use the funds to purchase goods through Hong Kong-based front companies for the benefit of North Korea. Sim directed these payments, which were made in U.S. dollars, through Chen. Chen then recruited Wu and Cheng, both of whom were OTC traders, to find sham front companies and facilitate the payments to avoid U.S. sanctions against North Korea.
The second indictment alleges a conspiracy between Sim and various North Korean IT workers to launder proceeds of illegal IT development work. The IT workers gained employment at U.S. crypto companies using fake identities and then laundered their ill-gotten gains through Sim for the benefit of the North Korean regime, and in contravention of sanctions imposed against North Korea by the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) and the United Nations. Those sanctions were imposed to impede the development of North Korea’s ballistic missiles, weapons production, and research and development programs.
“Today’s indictments reveal North Korea’s continued use of various means to circumvent U.S. sanctions,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We can and will ‘follow the money,’ be it through cryptocurrency or the traditional banking system, to bring appropriate charges against those who would help to fund this corrupt regime.”
“The charges announced today highlight the ways in which North Korean operatives have innovated their approach to evading sanctions by exploiting the technological features of virtual assets to facilitate payments and profits, and targeting virtual currency companies for theft,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “We will continue to work to disrupt and deter North Korean actors and those who aid them by following the money on the blockchain and shining a light on their conduct.”
“The growing popularity of virtual currencies has provided new and unique opportunities for criminals to engage in illicit transactions, but what has not changed is our commitment to investigating these crimes,” said Special Agent in Charge Wheeler. “I am proud of the work that the FBI and partners have accomplished in support of today's indictment.”
Since 2017, as part of its cyber campaign, North Korean hackers have executed virtual currency-related thefts to generate revenue for the regime, including through the hacking of virtual asset services providers, such as virtual currency exchanges. A portion of the proceeds from those virtual currency theft and fraud schemes was sent to virtual currency address 1G3Qj4Y4trA8S64zHFsaD5GtiSwX19qwFv, which Sim and his OTC trader coconspirators used to fund payments for goods for North Korea.
To generate revenue for the regime, North Korea also deploys IT workers to obtain illegal employment in the cryptocurrency industry. According to court documents, North Koreans apply for jobs in remote IT development work without disclosing that they are North Korean in order to circumvent sanctions. These IT workers bypass security and due diligence checks by using fake, or fraudulently obtained, identity documents and other obfuscation strategies to hide their true location from online payment facilitators and hiring platforms. The IT workers request payment for their services in virtual currency and then send their earnings back to North Korea via, among other methods, FTB representatives like Sim.
]A third indictment unsealed today in the District of Columbia separately charges Wu with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. According to that indictment, Wu operated as an OTC trader on a U.S.-based virtual currency exchange without a license and conducted over 1,500 trades for U.S. customers, totaling over $800,000.
A concurrent action was taken today by the Department of the Treasury, sanctioning Sim, Wu, and Cheng.
The charge of conspiring to launder monetary instruments is punishable by a maximum of 20 years in prison. The charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business is punishable by a maximum of 5 years in prison.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Chicago Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jessica Peck of the Justice Department’s National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET), Assistant U.S. Attorneys Steven Wasserman and Christopher Tortorice of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Emma Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section. Paralegal Specialists Brian Rickers and Angela De Falco and Legal Assistant Jessica McCormick provided valuable assistance. Significant assistance was also provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California, FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, former IRS-Criminal Investigation Special Agent Chris Janczewski, and former FBI analyst Nick Carlsen.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District Man Arraigned on Second Degree Child Sexual Abuse and Other ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Gary Jones, 35, of Washington, D.C., was arraigned today at a hearing before the Honorable Marisa Demeo on charges stemming from an incident at a public pool in August 2022.
Jones was indicted on April 19, 2023, by a grand jury in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia on two counts of second degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances; one count of attempted second degree child sexual abuse, with aggravating circumstances; and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse of a child or minor, with aggravating circumstances.
According to a publicly available document, on August 18, 2022, at approximately 5:30 p.m., Jones entered the shower room at the Anacostia Pool. When two children entered the shower area, they observed Jones wearing underwear that exposed his genitals and rubbing his “private part” in front of them. Jones touched one child on the buttocks and attempted to touch the other child as well. The children immediately reported the incident to pool staff, who detained Jones until police arrived.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those investigating the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). They also acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan and Paralegal Specialists ReShawn Johnson and Tiffany Fogle. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica Wash, Kathleen Houck, and LaVater Massie-Banks, who are investigating and prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.
U.S. Attorney's Office Concludes Investigation into Fatal Shooting on Crittenden StreetRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia announced today that there is insufficient evidence to pursue federal criminal civil rights or District of Columbia charges against an officer from the Metropolitan Police Department who was involved in the April 2022 fatal shooting of Erica Graham.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) conducted a comprehensive review of the incident. This included a review of law enforcement and civilian eyewitness accounts, physical evidence, recorded body-worn camera (BWC) footage, recorded doorbell camera footage, recorded radio communications, forensic reports, the autopsy report, and reports from the Metropolitan Police Department.
According to the evidence, on April 23, 2022, at approximately 5:59 a.m., officers with the Metropolitan Police Department were dispatched to 830 Crittenden Street, N.W., for a report of gunshots fired. The police would learn during the events which led to the fatal shooting that Erica Graham, who was wearing a ballistic vest and brandishing a firearm, had shot a civilian just moments before the arrival of the police.
Upon arrival on the 800 block of Crittenden Street, the first police officers on the scene observed Ms. Graham on the porch of a rowhouse holding a handgun. Throughout the incident, the officers made multiple commands for Ms. Graham to place the weapon on the ground, which she refused. Ms. Graham pointed the weapon several times at the officers and pulled the trigger, but it did not fire. The police on the scene made a request on the radio for additional units to respond because an officer needed assistance due to the presence of a person with a gun and continued in their efforts to convince Ms. Graham to place her weapon on the ground.
After a few minutes, Officer Simeon Crawford arrived on the scene. Ms. Graham climbed over a short railing to another porch attached to the first residence, and immediately tried to gain access to the second residence while brandishing the handgun. Ms. Graham crouched down, turned, and pointed the weapon at the police again. Officer Crawford fired two shots in reaction. The first shot missed Ms. Graham. The second shot struck Ms. Graham in the upper torso. Ms. Graham fell to the floor of the porch. The police approached and attempted to provide medical attention as an ambulance was called to the scene. A handgun was recovered from under where Ms. Graham had fallen.
After a careful, thorough, and independent review of the evidence, federal prosecutors have found insufficient evidence to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Officer Crawford used excessive force under the circumstances.
Use-of-force investigations generally
The U.S. Attorney’s Office reviews all police-involved fatalities to determine whether sufficient evidence exists to conclude that any officers violated either federal criminal civil rights laws or District of Columbia law. To prove civil rights violations, prosecutors must typically be able to prove that the involved officers willfully used more force than was reasonably necessary. Proving “willfulness” is a heavy burden. Prosecutors must not only prove that the force used was excessive, but must also prove, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the officer acted with the deliberate and specific intent to do something the law forbids.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains committed to investigating allegations of excessive force by law enforcement officers and will continue to devote the resources necessary to ensure that all allegations of serious civil rights violations are investigated fully and completely. The Metropolitan Police Department’s Internal Affairs Division investigates all police-involved fatalities in the District of Columbia.
U.S. Capitol Breach Defendant Charged in Texas After Firing Handgun Towards Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
A United States Capitol breach defendant who allegedly fired several shots towards law enforcement days before his first court appearance has been charged with a federal firearm crime, announced U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton.
Nathan Donald Pelham, 40, of Greenville, Texas, was charged via criminal complaint by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Texas with being a felon in possession of a firearm. He made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Toliver on Wednesday, April 19.
On Tuesday, April 11, Mr. Pelham was charged by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia with four misdemeanor counts stemming from his alleged participation in the January 6th breach of the U.S. Capitol building.
On Wednesday, April 12, 2023, an FBI agent informed Mr. Pelham he had been charged by federal prosecutors in DC and instructed him to self-surrender the following Monday, April 17. He agreed to do so.
That evening, the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office initiated a welfare check at Mr. Pelham’s residence in response to a call from a relative, who advised deputies that Mr. Pelham had a gun. When they arrived, the house was dark. Deputies activated their emergency lights, and Mr. Pelham’s minor daughter exited the home. For her safety, she was placed into a HCSO patrol car. Shortly thereafter, deputies they heard gunshots emanating from the residence and took cover.
About an hour later, at approximately 9:38 p.m., Mr. Pelham – a previously convicted felon – walked onto the porch and allegedly fired towards several deputies, who could be heard on body-worn camera video noting bullets “whiz” by them. A deputy instructed Mr. Pelham to put his gun down, but he continued to wave it until re-entering his home. At 10:46 p.m., Mr. Pelham again exited the residence and fired multiple rounds.
Law enforcement departed at 12:21 a.m. without any injuries.
A subsequent search of Mr. Pelham’s home revealed a Smith & Wesson 9mm pistol and four boxes of ammunition, as well as several 9mm sized holes in the walls.
A criminal complaint is merely an allegation of wrongdoing, not evidence. Mr. Pelham is presumed innocent of all the charges against him until proven guilty in a court of law.
If convicted, he faces up to 15 years in federal prison on the felony gun charge and three years on the misdemeanor charges. He has been ordered detained pending trial in both cases.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Dallas Field Office and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation into the firearm incident. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher of the Northern District of Texas is prosecuting the firearms case with the help of Special Counsel Brendan Ballou.
Local Dentist and Hygienist Charged with Offenses Related to Healthcare Fraud and False Claims to D.C. MedicaidRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON– A local dentist and dental hygienist, at a dental clinic in the District of Columbia, are charged in an indictment with conspiracy and other charges related to health care fraud.
Dr. Steven A. Price, 66, of the District of Columbia, and Keidi C. Moore, 37, of Temple Hills, Maryland, were presented yesterday after the indictment was unsealed charging them with conspiracy, health care fraud, false statements related to a health care fraud matter, and wire fraud. The indictment also includes a forfeiture allegation seeking all proceeds of the alleged crimes.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Special Agent in Charge Maureen R. Dixon, of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
According to the indictment, Price operated a dental practice, The Washington Smile Center, in the District of Columbia, where Moore was employed as a dental hygienist. The indictment alleges that, beginning on or about January 1, 2017, and continuing through on or about March 22, 2022, Price and Moore conspired to defraud D.C. Medicaid by filing or causing to be filed false claims for dental services that were not provided to D.C. Medicaid beneficiaries. As part of the scheme, according to the indictment, Price and Moore caused multiple claims for two CDT codes (clinical crown lengthening and space maintainers) to be submitted to D.C. Medicaid, totaling more than $4 million, In some instances, patients were alleged to have been provided more than 30 clinical crown lengthening procedures and more than 20 space maintainers during the relevant period.
Conspiracy and wire fraud charges carry statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. The health care fraud charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison, and the charge of false statements relating to a health care matter carries a statutory maximum of five years. The charges also carry potential financial penalties. The maximum statutory sentence for federal offenses is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Office of the Inspector General for the District of Columbia - Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, with assistance from Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne McNamara.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Citizens and Russian Intelligence Officers Charged with Conspiring to Use U.S. Citizens as Illegal Agents of the Russian GovernmentRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Tampa, Florida, returned a superseding indictment charging four U.S. citizens and three Russian nationals with working on behalf of the Russian government and in conjunction with the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) to conduct a multi-year foreign malign influence campaign in the United States. Among other conduct, the superseding indictment alleges that the Russian defendants recruited, funded and directed U.S. political groups to act as unregistered illegal agents of the Russian government and sow discord and spread pro-Russian propaganda; the indicted intelligence officers, in particular, participated in covertly funding and directing candidates for local office within the United States.
Additionally, in a separate case out of the District of Columbia, a criminal complaint was unsealed charging Russian national Natalia Burlinova with conspiring with an FSB officer to act as an illegal agent of Russia in the United States.
“Russia’s foreign intelligence service allegedly weaponized our First Amendment rights – freedoms Russia denies its own citizens – to divide Americans and interfere in elections in the United States,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “The department will not hesitate to expose and prosecute those who sow discord and corrupt U.S. elections in service of hostile foreign interests, regardless of whether the culprits are U.S. citizens or foreign individuals abroad.”
“Efforts by the Russian government to secretly influence U.S. elections will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “As today’s announcement demonstrates, the Criminal Division is committed to eradicating foreign malign influence from the U.S. political system and helping ensure the integrity of our elections.”
“Today’s announcement paints a harrowing picture of Russian government actions and the lengths to which the FSB will go to interfere with our elections, sow discord in our nation and ultimately recruit U.S citizens to their efforts,” said Acting Assistant Director Kurt Ronnow of the FBI’s Counterintelligence Division. “All Americans should be deeply concerned by the tactics employed by the FSB and remain vigilant to any attempt to undermine our democracy. The FBI remains committed to confronting this egregious behavior and ultimately disrupting our adversaries and those who act on their behalf.”
United States v. Ionov, et al.
According to the superseding indictment returned in the Middle District of Florida, Aleksandr Viktorovich Ionov, a resident of Moscow, was the founder and president of the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia (AGMR), an organization headquartered in Moscow, Russia, and funded by the Russian government. Ionov allegedly utilized AGMR to carry out Russia’s malign influence campaign. Ionov’s influence efforts were allegedly directed and supervised by Moscow-based FSB officers, including indicted defendants Aleksey Borisovich Sukhodolov and Yegor Sergeyevich Popov.
“The prosecution of this criminal conduct is essential to protecting the American public when foreign governments seek to inject themselves into the American political process,” said U.S. Attorney Roger B. Handberg for the Middle District of Florida. “We thank our partners at the FBI for their tireless investigation of these events and their commitment to ensure justice is done.”
Among other illegal activities, the superseding indictment alleges that Ionov, Sukhodolov and Popov conspired to directly and substantially influence democratic elections in the United States by clandestinely funding and directing the political campaign of a particular candidate for local office in St. Petersburg, Florida, in 2019. For instance, the superseding indictment alleges that Popov expressly referred to this effort on behalf of the FSB as “our election campaign,” and Ionov referring to the candidate as the “candidate whom we supervise.” Ionov and Popov allegedly intended that this election interference plot would extend beyond the 2019 local election cycle in St. Petersburg, and subsequently discussed that the “USA Presidential election” was the FSB’s “main topic of the year.”
Moreover, from at least November 2014 until July 2022, Ionov allegedly engaged in a years-long foreign malign influence campaign targeting the United States. As a part of the campaign, Ionov allegedly recruited members of political groups within the United States, including the African People’s Socialist Party and the Uhuru Movement (collectively, the APSP) in Florida, Black Hammer in Georgia and a political group in California (referred to in the superseding indictment as U.S. Political Group 3), to participate in the influence campaign and act as agents of Russia in the United States, including the following indicted defendants:
- Omali Yeshitela, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as the chairman and founder of the APSP;
- Penny Joanne Hess, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as the leader of a component of the APSP;
- Jesse Nevel, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and St. Louis, Missouri, who served as a member of a component of the APSP; and
- Augustus C. Romain Jr., aka Gazi Kodzo, a U.S. citizen residing in St. Petersburg, Florida, and Atlanta, who served as a leader of the APSP and a founder of Black Hammer in Georgia.
One focus of Ionov’s alleged influence operation was to create the appearance of American popular support for Russia’s annexation of territories in Ukraine. For example, in May 2020, Ionov allegedly sent a request he stated was from “Russia, the Donetsk People’s Republic” – an apparent reference to a Russian-occupied region in eastern Ukraine – to Yeshitela and members of other U.S. political groups to make statements in support of the independence of the so-called Donetsk People’s Republic, a Russian-backed breakaway state in eastern Ukraine. Ionov later allegedly touted to the FSB that Yeshitela’s video-recorded statement of support was the first time that “American nonprofit organizations congratulated citizens” of the occupied region.
Ionov’s use of the APSP to promote Russian propaganda relating to Ukraine allegedly continued after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. On the day Russia invaded Ukraine, Feb. 24, 2022, Ionov allegedly emailed Nevel an “URGENT MESSAGE” which contained pro-Russian talking points in support of the invasion. Thereafter, throughout March 2022, the APSP repeatedly hosted Ionov via video conference to discuss the war, during which Ionov falsely stated that anyone who supported Ukraine also supported Naziism and white supremacy, and Yeshitela and another APSP member allegedly made statements of solidarity with the Russian government.
Ionov, Sukhodolov, Popov, Yeshitela, Hess, Nevel and Romain are charged with conspiring to have U.S. citizens act as illegal agents of the Russian government within the United States without providing prior notification to the Attorney General, as required by law. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. Yeshitela, Hess and Nevel are also charged with acting as agents of Russia within the United States without such prior notification. If convicted, they each face a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. If convicted, a federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. Marcet and Risha Asokan for the Middle District of Florida, Trial Attorney Menno Goedman of the Justice Department’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Trial Attorney Demetrius Sumner of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section are prosecuting the case.
United States v. Burlinova
According to the affidavit in support of the criminal complaint unsealed in the District of Columbia, Russian national Natalia Burlinova, a resident of Moscow, conspired with an FSB officer to recruit U.S. citizens from academic and research institutions to travel to Russia to participate in a public diplomacy program called Meeting Russia. The program was operated by PICREADI, a Russian organization led by Burlinova, funded by the Russian government and devoted to promoting Russian national interests.
“The defendant is accused of subverting our foreign agent notification laws to promote Russian national interests here in the United States, concealing from the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia. “We will continue to expose these serious crimes and hold all who perpetrate them accountable.”
The affidavit alleges that the FSB officer provided funding and other support for Burlinova’s foreign recruitment and her efforts to advance Russian interests in the United States. In return, Burlinova provided the FSB officer with extensive information about U.S. citizens who were recruited to attend her programs, including their résumés, passport information, photographs and analyses of their views toward Russia. Burlinova further identified for the FSB officer particular U.S. citizens who, in Burlinova’s view, had expressed positive attitudes towards Russia and were prepared to continue to collaborate. During a recruitment trip to the United States in fall 2018, Burlinova met with U.S. citizens at various universities and research institutions and provided to photographs of her meetings to the FSB officer. The FSB officer used the information Burlinova provided prepare FSB intelligence reports. Burlinova never notified the Attorney General of these efforts or otherwise disclosed to the public that her recruitment efforts were supported and funded by a Russian security service.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Emma D. Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
An indictment and a complaint are merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Russian Public Diplomacy Advocate Charged with Acting as Agent of Russian Federation in the United StatesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A criminal complaint was unsealed today in the District of Columbia charging Russian national Natalia Burlinova with conspiracy to act as an agent of the Russian Federation in the United States without prior notification to the Attorney General.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves, Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen, and Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Detroit Field Office James A. Tarasca.
“The defendant is accused of subverting our foreign agent notification laws in order to promote Russian national interests here in the United States, concealing from the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “We will continue to expose these serious crimes and hold all who perpetrate them accountable.”
“The defendant is accused of exploiting academic and research institutions’ commitment to the free exchange of ideas in order to promote Russian interests,” said Special Agent in Charge Tarasca. “The FBI will continue to prioritize counterintelligence because of the importance of protecting our nation’s vital secrets, and we will work with our partners to investigate and stop individuals who hide their work for foreign governments.”
According to the affidavit in support of criminal complaint, Burlinova recruited U.S. citizens from academic and research institutions to travel to Russia in order to participate in a public diplomacy program called Meeting Russia. The program was operated by a Russian organization called PICREADI that was funded by the Russian government and devoted to Russian national interests. Burlinova’s co-conspirator was employed by the Russian Federal Security Service (“FSB”), Russia’s principal security service with counterintelligence and surveillance responsibilities. The FSB Officer provided funding and other support for Burlinova’s foreign recruitment and her efforts to advance Russian interests in the United States.
The affidavit in support of criminal complaint states that Burlinova provided extensive information to the FSB Officer about the U.S. citizens that were recruited to attend her programs, including resumes, passport information, photographs, and analysis of their views towards Russia. Burlinova informed the FSB Officer about particular U.S. citizens who, in Burlinova’s view, had expressed positive attitudes towards Russia and were prepared to continue to collaborate. The FSB Officer used the information to prepare security service reports. During a recruitment trip to the United States in fall 2018, Burlinova met with U.S. citizens at various universities and research institutions and provided to photographs of her meetings to the FSB Officer. Burlinova never notified the Attorney General of these efforts or otherwise disclosed to the public that her recruitment efforts were funded by a Russian security service.
Burlinova was sanctioned by the Department of the Treasury on July 29, 2022.
The factual allegations in a criminal complaint are merely allegations and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant faces up to ten years of imprisonment if convicted.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s Detroit Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Michael J. Friedman of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, and Trial Attorney Emma D. Ellenrieder of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
International Business Organizations Convicted of Criminal Conspiracy to Violate Iranian SanctionsRead the Press Release
Two international business organizations pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their participation in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions by sending U.S.-origin goods to Iran.
Taiwan business organization DES International Co. Ltd. (DES), and Brunei business organization Soltech Industry Co. Ltd. (Soltech) each pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The two companies were each sentenced to pay a fine of $83,769, which is three times the value of the goods unlawfully exported to Iran, and to serve a five-year term of corporate probation. The sentences were issued by U.S. District Judge Jia M. Cobb.
“The defendant companies, which shared common directors and employees, have pled guilty to obtaining U.S. export-controlled goods for the benefit of the government of Iran and concealing the US origin of those good to facilitate their illicit transfer,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today we are holding them accountable for violating our laws at the expense of U.S. national security.”
“These criminal convictions demonstrate that we will pursue any individual or organization, wherever located, that would violate our sanctions against Iran and thereby threaten our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves for the District of Columbia.
“HSI will continue to work with our federal and international law enforcement partners to ensure offenders who are violating U.S. export laws and sanctions are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee of HSI San Antonio. “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our homeland from all adversaries.
“The defendants in this case took actions that placed profit and economic gain above U.S. national security and global stability,” said Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. of the FBI San Antonio Field Office. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defence and Department of Commerce (DOC) to hold accountable anyone who would threaten U.S. national security and the safety of the American people.”
“Keeping our nation's sensitive technologies out of the hands of our adversaries is one of our highest priorities,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Southwest Field Office. “DCIS, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General and our federal partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those that seek to evade U.S. export enforcement laws, putting our war fighters at risk.”
“The Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS)’s aggressive enforcement of the Export Administration Regulations plays a critical role in protecting U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish of the DOC. “In this instance, our partnership with HSI, DCIS, FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sends the message that violating U.S. export control rules on Iran will not be tolerated.”
According to the plea agreement documents, DES and Soltech, which were affiliatd with one another by virtue of common directors, employees and customers, both procured goods from the United States for the benefit of Iranian government entities and business organizations. In particular, a sales agent for both DES and Soltech helped an Iranian research center obtain U.S. goods without a license from the Department of the Treasury. These goods included a power amplifier designed for use in electromechanical devices as well as cybersecurity software. The companies’ sales agent took steps to conceal the U.S. origin of the goods, including by removing serial number stickers with the phrase “Made in USA” from packages, and by causing the cybersecurity software to be downloaded onto a computer outside of Iran. In addition, the sales agent shared developments regarding this illegal conduct with other employees and directors of DES and Soltech. An arrest warrant issued for the sales agent has not yet been executed.
The FBI San Antonio Field Office, HSI, DCIS and DOC investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman for the District of Columbia and Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section are prosecuting the case.
International Business Organizations Convicted of Criminal Conspiracy to Violate Iranian SanctionsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Two international business organizations pleaded guilty and were sentenced today in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia for their participation in a criminal conspiracy to violate U.S. export laws and sanctions by sending U.S.-origin goods to Iran.
Taiwan business organization DES International Co., Ltd. (“DES”), and Brunei business organization Soltech Industry Co., Ltd. (“Soltech”), each pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the United States and to violate the International Emergency Economic Powers Act and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations. The two companies were each sentenced to pay a fine of $83,769, which is three times the value of the goods unlawfully exported to Iran, and to serve a five-year term of corporate probation. The sentences were handed down by United States District Judge Jia M. Cobb.
The announcement was made by U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves; Assistant Attorney General of the National Security Division Matthew G. Olsen; Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich, Jr., of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) San Antonio Field Office; Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, of the San Antonio, Texas, Field Office of Homeland Security Investigations at the Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI); Special Agent in Charge Michael Mentavlos, of the Southwest Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service of the Department of Defense (DCIS); and Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish, of the Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement (DOC).
“We will pursue individuals and organizations, wherever located, who would threaten our national security by attempting to illegally resell U.S. origin goods to Iran,” said U.S. Attorney Graves. “The U.S. government has many avenues to hold those who break our sanctions and export control laws accountable and will ensure that the penalties for these crimes will be substantially greater than the anticipated profit from these schemes. We thank all of our law enforcement partners for their unwavering commitment to this effort.”
“The defendant companies, which shared common directors and employees, have pled guilty to obtaining US export-controlled goods for the benefit of the government of Iran and concealing the US origin of those good to facilitate their illicit transfer,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Today we are holding them accountable for violating our laws at the expense of US national security.”
“The defendants in this case took actions that placed profit and economic gain above U.S. national security and global stability,” said FBI San Antonio Division Special Agent in Charge Oliver E. Rich Jr. “Today’s sentencing demonstrates the unwavering commitment of the FBI, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and Department of Commerce to hold accountable anyone who would threaten U.S. national security and the safety of the American people.”
“HSI will continue to work with our federal and international law enforcement partners to ensure offenders who are violating U.S. export laws and sanctions are brought to justice,” said Acting Special Agent in Charge Craig Larrabee, HSI San Antonio. “We will remain steadfast in our commitment to protect our homeland from all adversaries.
“Keeping our nation's sensitive technologies out of the hands of our adversaries is one of our highest priorities," said Special Agent in Charge Mentavlos, Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), Southwest Field Office. “DCIS, the law enforcement arm of the Department of Defense Office of Inspector General, and our federal partners are committed to identifying and holding accountable those that seek to evade U.S. export enforcement laws, putting our warfighters at risk.”
“BIS’s aggressive enforcement of the Export Administration Regulations plays a critical role in protecting U.S. national security,” said Special Agent in Charge Trey McClish. Dallas Field Office of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement “In this instance, our partnership with HSI, DCIS, FBI, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office sends the message that violating U.S. export control rules on Iran will not be tolerated.”
According to the plea agreement documents, DES and Soltech, which were affiliated with one another by virtue of common directors, employees, and customers, both procured goods from the United States for the benefit of Iranian government entities and business organizations. In particular, a sales agent for both DES and Soltech helped an Iranian research center obtain U.S. goods without a license from the Department of the Treasury. These goods included a power amplifier designed for use in electromechanical devices as well as cybersecurity software. The companies’ sales agent took steps to conceal the U.S. origin of the goods, including by removing serial number stickers with the phrase “Made in USA” from packages, and by causing the cybersecurity software to be downloaded onto a computer outside of Iran. In addition, the sales agent shared developments regarding this illegal conduct with other employees and directors of DES and Soltech. An arrest warrant issued for the sales agent has not yet been executed.
The investigation was conducted by the FBI’s San Antonio, Texas, Field Office, HSI, DCIS, and DOC. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael J. Friedman and National Security Division Trial Attorney Christopher M. Rigali are representing the United States.
Former Account Administrator Pleads Guilty to Payroll Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Warrenetta Renee Smith, 56, of District Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today in Superior Court to one count of First-Degree Fraud for a payroll fraud scheme in which she stole more than $62,000 from her former employer. U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia and Chief Robert Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department made the announcement.
According to court documents, Smith, who was employed by a Washington, D.C. small business as an account specialist in the company’s accounting department, used her access to the company’s payroll management system to falsify her own payroll information for at least 84 pay periods between July 2018 and May 2020. To perpetuate the scheme, Smith would compile the weekly payroll information for each of the company’s employees to submit for approval by the company’s CFO. However, after receiving the necessary approvals, Smith altered her own approved regular hours, overtime, or leave in the company’s payroll management system, in order to fraudulently increase her pay for the applicable pay period.
The Honorable Andrea Hertzfeld accepted Smith’s guilty plea and scheduled sentencing for June 16, 2023. As part of the plea agreement, Smith agreed to pay $35,000 in restitution.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Unit. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin D. Bleiberg for investigating and prosecuting the case.
Four Men Charged with Possessing Machineguns in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
Indictment Alleges the Assembly and Use of Fully Automatic “Ghost Guns”
WASHINGTON – Four men were arraigned this morning on federal charges, including conspiracy to distribution of marijuana and oxycodone, unlawful transfer and possession of a machinegun, and using, carrying, and possessing machineguns during, in relation to, or in furtherance of drug trafficking. The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, Acting Special Agent in Charge Michael T. Weddel of the ATF Washington Field Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (“MPD”).
The indictment alleges that Eugene Tracy Hill, also known as “Geno” or “Cheese,” Diante Arik Wiley, also known as “Sleez” or “Taybino,” Broadus Jamal Daniels, also known as “Wardy,” and Andre Alonte Willis, also known as “Boogie,” were engaged in a years-long conspiracy to distribute marijuana and oxycodone. It is further alleged that Hill and Willis distributed, possessed with the intent to distribute, or conspired to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.
The indictment further alleges that, in furtherance of their drug trafficking conspiracy, and in order to protect the co-conspirators and their drugs, money, and drug-dealing territory, Wiley assembled AR-Pistol machineguns from parts that he bought through online retailers and sold those machineguns to Hill, Daniels, Willis, and others. Since the AR-Pistols that Wiley built were assembled from parts, they had no serial numbers and there was no way for law enforcement to track their possession or sale. Such firearms are defined as “Privately Made Firearm” by ATF but are also referred to as “ghost guns” on the street.
The indictment alleges that Hill, Wiley, Daniels, and Willis used the machineguns for defense of their territory, and also as currency to trade for drugs or other firearms. All four men have been detained since their arrest, and law enforcement seized controlled substances and firearms from each of their residences after they were taken into custody.
If convicted of all charges, each defendant faces a minimum of 30 years in prison.
This indictment is part of a joint investigation which has resulted in the seizure of two vehicles, 13 handguns, five machineguns, and hundreds of rounds of ammunition, as well as almost 40 pounds of marijuana, dozens of oxycodone pills, and more than $300,000 in cash.
In announcing the charges, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, Acting Special Agent in Charge Weddel, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI, ATF, and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorney James B. Nelson and Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.
The charges in an indictment are merely allegations, and every defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Jury Finds District Man Guilty of Assault with Intent to Kill While ArmedRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON –Anthony Braxton, 47, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty by a jury, of assault with intent to kill while armed and other charges in a mid-morning stabbing that took place in November 2017, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Robert J. Contee III, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Braxton also was found guilty of aggravated assault while armed, stalking, and other offenses. The verdict was returned on April 12, 2023, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Maribeth Raffinan scheduled sentencing for June 23, 2023.
According to the government’s evidence, on Nov. 4, 2017, Braxton went to the home of his former romantic partner in violation of a court ordered stay away. He then approached the woman in broad daylight and stabbed her nearly 30 times with a pair of needle nose pliers in front of their child in common.
Braxton had been ordered by a District of Columbia Superior Court Judge on Oct. 16, 2017, to stay away and have no contact with the victim. Evidence showed that he violated that order over 500 times between Oct. 16, 2017 and Nov. 4, 2017.
The victim received medical treatment for her stab wounds at Howard University Hospital. She ultimately required surgery to save her right hand.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including former Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristina Wolf, Appellate Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nick Coleman and Daniel Lenerz, Pretrial Mental Health Coordinator Jennifer Mika, Paralegal Specialist Tiffany Fogle, Victim/Witness Advocate Shawn Slade and Tracy Owusu, and interns Jessica Wasserman, Julianne Saunders, Molly Patrick, and Kate Dougherty.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dana Joseph and Brian Yang, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
District Man Pleads Guilty to Narcotics Trafficking and Possession of a MachinegunRead the Press Release
Defendant Faces Ten Year Mandatory Minimum Sentence
WASHINGTON – Daniel Jahleel Thomas, also known as “dandue,” 22, of Washington, D.C., pleaded guilty today, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to conspiring to distribute marijuana and oxycodone, illegal possession of a machinegun, and carrying a handgun during or in relation to drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves, Special Agent in Charge Wayne A. Jacobs, of the FBI Washington Field Office Criminal and Cyber Division, and Chief Robert J. Contee, III, of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
U.S. District Court Judge Beryl A. Howell scheduled sentencing for August 4, 2023. The crimes to which Thomas pleaded guilty carry a combined mandatory-minimum of ten years in prison and a maximum penalty of life in prison.
According to court documents, Thomas advertised on Instagram that he had marijuana for sale. On February 25, 2022, MPD officers learned of the advertisement and responded to the location – outside the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments – knowing that Thomas had a court-ordered stay-away from the complex as a condition of a prior gun arrest. The officers saw Thomas standing outside the apartments and approached him. When Thomas saw the officers, he jumped into the back seat of a vehicle operated by a ride share service. As the officers attempted to speak with Thomas about the stay-away order, he resisted and pulled away. During the subsequent struggle, officers discovered a firearm in Thomas’ waistband. The firearm was later determined to be a Glock, Model 19, 9mm handgun loaded with one round in the chamber and 14 rounds in the magazine. The handgun was also fitted with a “giggle switch,” which made the handgun capable of fully automatic fire.
Thomas was arrested that afternoon outside the Fort Chaplin Park Apartments in the 4200 block of Blaine Street, Northeast. During a search of the duffel bag he was carrying, officers found four large bags of marijuana, each containing approximately one-pound, as well as 81 pills, each of which contained 30mg of oxycodone.
At the time of his arrest, Thomas was under investigation by the FBI for his role in a variety of federal offenses related to firearms and narcotic trafficking. Coordination between the FBI and MPD led to an indictment charging Thomas and two of his co-conspirators with numerous federal offenses.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Graves, Special Agent in Charge Jacobs, and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case, including FBI and MPD. Finally, they cited the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys James B. Nelson and Meredith Mayer-Dempsey and Paralegal Specialist Genevieve de Guzman.
Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Children to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.
According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent , sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16 years old. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands.
Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on September 6, 2023, and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The plea was announced by Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, and FBI Special Agent in Charged Wayne A. Jacobs the Washington Field Office’s Criminal and Cyber Division.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Man Pleads Guilty to Coercing Children to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
A District of Columbia man pleaded guilty today to coercing multiple children to engage in unlawful sexual activity, including through online sextortion.
According to court documents, Glenn Matthews, 33, used his Instagram account to communicate with multiple minors over several months in 2020. During that time, Matthews sent sexually explicit images and videos of himself to at least 10 different minors, who were between the ages of 9 and 16. He enticed at least one of the minors to create images of themselves engaged in sexual activity. Matthews also sought to meet up with the minors to engage in sexual activity. In some instances, Matthews took screenshots of his conversations with the minor victims and threatened to expose the minors to their friends if they did not comply with his demands.
Matthews pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor and second‑degree child sexual abuse in violation of D.C. law. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 6 and faces a mandatory minimum penalty of 10 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, and Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI Washington Field Office’s Child Exploitation & Human Trafficking Task Force is investigating the case. The task force is composed of FBI agents, along with other federal agents and detectives from northern Virginia and the District of Columbia. The task force is charged with investigating and bringing federal charges against individuals engaged in the exploitation of children and those engaged in human trafficking.
Trial Attorney Rachel L. Rothberg of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Doctor Charged for Unlawfully Distributing OpioidsRead the Press Release
A doctor made his initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to face illegal distribution of opioids charges.
According to court documents, Dr. Ndubuisi Joseph Okafor, 63, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, allegedly distributed oxycodone to individuals outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose from his medical practice in Washington. Okafor allegedly performed only cursory evaluations of individuals, and further solicited and received cash inside the examination rooms of his clinic in exchange for opioid prescriptions.
Okafor is charged with 16 counts of illegal distribution of opioids. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each count.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves for the District of Columbia, Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, Assistant Director in Charge David Sundberg of the FBI Washington Field Office, and Deputy Inspector General for Investigations Christian J. Schrank of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of the Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The FBI and HHS-OIG are investigating the case, with assistance from the District of Columbia Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and DEA.
Principal Assistant Deputy Chief Kilby Macfadden of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Mayer-Dempsey for the District of Columbia are prosecuting the case.
The Fraud Section leads the New England Prescription Opioid (NEPO) Strike Force. Since its inception in late 2018, the NEPO and the Appalachian Regional Prescription Opioid (ARPO) Strike Forces have partnered with federal and state law enforcement agencies and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices throughout New England and Appalachia to prosecute medical professionals and others involved in the illegal prescription and distribution of opioids. Over the past four years, NEPO and ARPO have charged over 115 defendants, collectively responsible for issuing prescriptions for over 115 million controlled substance dosage units. As a result, to date, more than 70 defendants have been convicted. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Information about available treatment programs is available as follows:
Maryland patients receiving care from this practice who wish to obtain information on how to find treatment for mental and substance use disorders, where to access naloxone and other harm reduction services, and information about crisis helplines can utilize these Maryland resources:
- Search for substance use treatment facilities through findtreatment.gov/.
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org, a Maryland suicide and behavioral health crisis hotline.
- Public Overdose Response Programs in Maryland supply naloxone and may be found using this list. You can also visit health.maryland.gov/pha/NALOXONE/Pages/Home.aspx to see a locator map. Naloxone may also be found in your local pharmacy and billed to insurance and Medicaid.
District of Columbia residents needing information about mental health or substance use disorder services can call the Department of Behavioral Health 24/7 Access Helpline 1-888-793-4357 or visit www.dbh.dc.gov.
In addition, those needing access to opioid treatment service can contact the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 24/7 National Helpline for referrals to treatment services at 1-800-662-4359.
Medications obtained illicitly are very dangerous as they are often not what they appear, and frequently contain contaminants and extremely potent substances such as fentanyl that greatly increase the risk of overdose and death.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
District of Columbia Man Sentenced to More Than 8 Years for Shooting at Two Women in Southeast WashingtonRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael Drummond, 26, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today in two felony matters by the Honorable Sean Staples to a combined 100 months in prison for shooting at two women in Southeast D.C. in June 2021, and subsequently possessing a “ghost gun” in July 2021, announced U.S. Attorney Matthew M. Graves and Chief Robert J. Contee III, of the Metropolitan Police Department. A jury found Drummond guilty on February 10, 2023, of two counts of assault with a dangerous weapon, two counts of possession of a firearm during a crime of violence, two counts of unlawful possession of a firearm, and related firearms offenses.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 27, 2021, Drummond, a convicted felon who was on both supervised release for a 2020 federal gun and drug conviction and on pretrial release in a pending Superior Court case, shot at two women after having an angry exchange of words with them moments earlier. One bullet slammed into a car door, lodging itself in the rolled-down window inches away from the woman sitting in the front passenger seat. A month later, officers executed a search warrant at Mr. Drummond’s home and found a loaded ghost gun under his mattress.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Graves and Chief Contee commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who provided assistance in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Kimberly Nielsen, Deputy Chief of the Major Crimes Section, Paralegal Specialists Crystal Waddy and Debra McPherson, Litigation Technology Supervisor Leif Hickling, and Litigation Technology Specialist William Henderson. Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Noah Simmons and Colin Cloherty, who prosecuted and tried the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen Gibbons, who initially investigated and indicted the case.