District of Columbia
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
West Virginia Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Troy Shane Young, 41, of Elkview, W. Va., was sentenced today to six years in prison for distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young pled guilty to the charges in December 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. Upon completion of his prison term, Young will be placed on 15 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on Aug. 24, 2012, Young contacted a man he believed to be the father of an underage girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. Over the next few days, Young engaged in electronic communications with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Young sent the undercover officer approximately 10 videos and 22 still images of child pornography. Upon execution of a search warrant on Young’s residence, members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force recovered various computers, external storage devices and other electronic equipment containing child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute those who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and the Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, who investigated the case, and the Special Agents of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, who assisted in the execution of the search warrant. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Johnston and Jennifer Rada, of the Southern District of West Virginia, who assisted in the prosecution. Finally they expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
14-032West Virginia Man Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyWASHINGTON - Troy Shane Young, 41, of Elkview, W. Va., was sentenced today to six years in prison for distribution and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Young pled guilty to the charges in December 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. Upon completion of his prison term, Young will be placed on 15 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on Aug. 24, 2012, Young contacted a man he believed to be the father of an underage girl on a social network site. That man turned out to be an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force. Over the next few days, Young engaged in electronic communications with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Young sent the undercover officer approximately 10 videos and 22 still images of child pornography. Upon execution of a search warrant on Young’s residence, members of the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force recovered various computers, external storage devices and other electronic equipment containing child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute those who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and the Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force, who investigated the case, and the Special Agents of the FBI’s Pittsburgh Field Office, who assisted in the execution of the search warrant. They also commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lisa Johnston and Jennifer Rada, of the Southern District of West Virginia, who assisted in the prosecution. Finally they expressed appreciation to Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
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Former Chief Technology Officer Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $150,000 from Non-ProfitUsed Money for Laptop, Jewelry, Cable Bills, and Other Personal ExpensesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Paul F. Kaufman, 55, of Stafford, Va., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from his embezzlement of more than $150,000 from his former employer, a non-profit based in Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Kaufman pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. He is to be sentenced May 8, 2014 by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Kaufman faces a potential prison term of up to 30 months in prison and financial penalties. As part of his plea agreement, Kaufman has agreed to pay restitution and a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence, Kaufman oversaw and managed the technology department for a non-profit identified in court documents as “Non-Profit A,” an organization that received federal money. Kaufman was authorized to solicit and approve work from outside vendors and he had the authority to direct the accounting department to pay them. He also had the authority to make business-related charges on certain corporate credit cards.
Without the knowledge of “Non-Profit A,” Kaufman formed two companies. He then submitted invoices from these companies to the non-profit and authorized payments. All told, Kaufman generated $110,925 from this scheme between January 2004 and March 2012.
In addition, the government’s evidence showed, Kaufman embezzled at least $46,590 from the non-profit by using its corporate credit cards and accounting department to pay a variety of personal expenses. Among other things, the unauthorized personal charges included expenses for Kaufman’s home cable and Internet service, food, coffee, gas, parking, music downloads, and a personal laptop computer. At one point, in April 2012, a non-profit employee discovered that Kaufman had used a corporate credit card to charge about $288 at a jewelry store. When asked about the charge, Kaufman produced an altered receipt and falsely claimed that the invoice was for repairs to an employee’s iPhone.
Kaufman was terminated by the non-profit on May 4, 2012. Two days later, he sent an e-mail to the non-profit’s president and chief executive officer, apologizing for his actions and asking that he be allowed to reimburse the organization for the money that he embezzled.
The amount of restitution and forfeiture will be set by the Court. Kaufman contends that the total loss should be offset by the fair market value of work that he purportedly performed, and that the total he owes should be between $70,001 and $157,516.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who is assisting with forfeiture issues. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, who is prosecuting the case.
14-033Former Chief Technology Officer Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
To Embezzling More Than $150,000 From Non-Profit
Used Money For Laptop, Jewelry, Cable Bills, and Other Personal ExpensesWASHINGTON – Paul F. Kaufman, 55, of Stafford, Va., pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from his embezzlement of more than $150,000 from his former employer, a non-profit based in Washington, D.C., U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Kaufman pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of theft concerning a program receiving federal funds. He is to be sentenced May 8, 2014 by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson. Under federal sentencing guidelines, Kaufman faces a potential prison term of up to 30 months in prison and financial penalties. As part of his plea agreement, Kaufman has agreed to pay restitution and a forfeiture money judgment.
According to the government’s evidence, Kaufman oversaw and managed the technology department for a non-profit identified in court documents as “Non-Profit A,” an organization that received federal money. Kaufman was authorized to solicit and approve work from outside vendors and he had the authority to direct the accounting department to pay them. He also had the authority to make business-related charges on certain corporate credit cards.
Without the knowledge of “Non-Profit A,” Kaufman formed two companies. He then submitted invoices from these companies to the non-profit and authorized payments. All told, Kaufman generated $110,925 from this scheme between January 2004 and March 2012.
In addition, the government’s evidence showed, Kaufman embezzled at least $46,590 from the non-profit by using its corporate credit cards and accounting department to pay a variety of personal expenses. Among other things, the unauthorized personal charges included expenses for Kaufman’s home cable and Internet service, food, coffee, gas, parking, music downloads, and a personal laptop computer. At one point, in April 2012, a non-profit employee discovered that Kaufman had used a corporate credit card to charge about $288 at a jewelry store. When asked about the charge, Kaufman produced an altered receipt and falsely claimed that the invoice was for repairs to an employee’s iPhone.
Kaufman was terminated by the non-profit on May 4, 2012. Two days later, he sent an e-mail to the non-profit’s president and chief executive officer, apologizing for his actions and asking that he be allowed to reimburse the organization for the money that he embezzled.
The amount of restitution and forfeiture will be set by the Court. Kaufman contends that the total loss should be offset by the fair market value of work that he purportedly performed, and that the total he owes should be between $70,001 and $157,516.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who is assisting with forfeiture issues. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Ephraim (Fry) Wernick, who is prosecuting the case.
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Virginia Man Sentenced to Eight Years in Prison for Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductWith A Minor and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Nicholas Hanlon, 28, of Stafford, Va., was sentenced today to eight years in prison on one count of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of receipt of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Earl L. Cook, Chief of the Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria, Va.
Hanlon pled guilty to the charges in November 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Gladys Kessler. Upon completion of his prison term, Hanlon will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on April 25, 2013, a member of the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, a detective from the Alexandria Police Department, was contacted by the parent of an under-aged female who was concerned that the child had been engaged in illicit text message conversations with Hanlon and others. The task force member, in an undercover capacity, began communicating with Hanlon, who believed the officer was the child.
Over the next few days, Hanlon engaged in text messaging with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Hanlon arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.
On April 25, 2013, Hanlon traveled from Virginia to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested. Subsequent to his arrest, law enforcement searched Hanlon’s computer and cell phone. Pursuant to that search, law enforcement found evidence that Hanlon had been communicating via text message and email with multiple young girls. Specifically, law enforcement recovered evidence that Hanlon received explicit videos from a female child from Missouri and from a 15-year-old from Virginia.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave, Chief Lanier, and Chief Cook praised the work of the MPD and Alexandria Police Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
14-030District Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Pair of December 2012 Bank Robberies- Defendant Robbed Two Banks Within 48 Hours -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Scott Lee Feuer, 58, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for robbing two banks in December 2012, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Edwin D. Sloane, U.S. Marshal for the District Court of the District of Columbia.
Feuer pled guilty to two counts of bank robbery in October 2013 and was sentenced today by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $698 in restitution.
According to a factual proffer of evidence presented at the time of the guilty plea, on the afternoon of Dec. 26, 2012, Feuer entered a SunTrust Bank in the 900 block of 17th Street NW, approached a bank employee, and handed over a note demanding money. Feuer stole $692 from the bank before fleeing the area. Less than 48 hours later, on the morning of Dec. 28, 2012, Feuer entered a SunTrust Bank in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue NW, approached a bank employee, announced a robbery, and demanded money. Feuer stole $2,350 from the bank.
Feuer was apprehended by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) moments later inside the Dupont Circle Metro Station. Some stolen proceeds were recovered.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave, Chief Lanier, and U.S. Marshal Sloane commended the investigative work of the Special Agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who worked on the case, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the entire joint FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force. In addition, they acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Jessica Moffatt, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvind K. Lal and Catherine K. Connelly, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who prosecuted the case.
14-031District Man Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Pair of December 2012 Bank Robberies
- Defendant Robbed Two Banks Within 48 Hours -WASHINGTON – Scott Lee Feuer, 58, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to six years in prison for robbing two banks in December 2012, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Edwin D. Sloane, U.S. Marshal for the District Court of the District of Columbia.
Feuer pled guilty to two counts of bank robbery in October 2013 and was sentenced today by the Honorable Rosemary M. Collyer in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Upon completion of his prison term, he will be placed on three years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $698 in restitution.
According to a factual proffer of evidence presented at the time of the guilty plea, on the afternoon of Dec. 26, 2012, Feuer entered a SunTrust Bank in the 900 block of 17th Street NW, approached a bank employee, and handed over a note demanding money. Feuer stole $692 from the bank before fleeing the area. Less than 48 hours later, on the morning of Dec. 28, 2012, Feuer entered a SunTrust Bank in the 1300 block of Connecticut Avenue NW, approached a bank employee, announced a robbery, and demanded money. Feuer stole $2,350 from the bank.
Feuer was apprehended by officers with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) moments later inside the Dupont Circle Metro Station. Some stolen proceeds were recovered.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave, Chief Lanier, and U.S. Marshal Sloane commended the investigative work of the Special Agents from the FBI’s Washington Field Office who worked on the case, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the entire joint FBI/MPD Violent Crimes Task Force. In addition, they acknowledged the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Jessica Moffatt, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvind K. Lal and Catherine K. Connelly, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney David B. Kent, of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who prosecuted the case.
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District Man Sentenced to Six Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
For Pair of December 2012 Bank Robberies
- Defendant Robbed Two Banks Within 48 Hours -WASHINGTON – Nicholas Hanlon, 28, of Stafford, Va., was sentenced today to eight years in prison on one count of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and two counts of receipt of child pornography.
The sentence was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and Earl L. Cook, Chief of the Alexandria Police Department, Alexandria, Va.
Hanlon pled guilty to the charges in November 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Gladys Kessler. Upon completion of his prison term, Hanlon will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on April 25, 2013, a member of the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, a detective from the Alexandria Police Department, was contacted by the parent of an under-aged female who was concerned that the child had been engaged in illicit text message conversations with Hanlon and others. The task force member, in an undercover capacity, began communicating with Hanlon, who believed the officer was the child.
Over the next few days, Hanlon engaged in text messaging with the undercover officer. During this period of time, Hanlon arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.
On April 25, 2013, Hanlon traveled from Virginia to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested. Subsequent to his arrest, law enforcement searched Hanlon’s computer and cell phone. Pursuant to that search, law enforcement found evidence that Hanlon had been communicating via text message and email with multiple young girls. Specifically, law enforcement recovered evidence that Hanlon received explicit videos from a female child from Missouri and from a 15-year-old from Virginia.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave, Chief Lanier, and Chief Cook praised the work of the MPD and Alexandria Police Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. Finally, they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
14-30District Man Sentenced to 16-Year Prison Term for Stabbing Victim He Met Through Dating Chat Line-Defendant Suddenly Attacked Victim, Stabbing Him Multiple Times-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lamar Brown, 37, of Washington, D.C., has been sentenced to a 16-year prison term for the brutal stabbing of a man in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced today.
Brown pled guilty in November 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of assault with intent to kill while armed. He was sentenced on Jan. 31, 2014 by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck, who cited the viciousness of the attack. Upon completion of his prison term, Brown will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 31, 2012, at about 7:55 a.m., Brown stabbed the victim multiple times in the eye, face, neck, body, and hands while inside the victim’s home in Northeast Washington. Brown and the victim had met two or three weeks earlier on a dating chat line. In the time leading to the stabbing, they were in communication via text message and phone conversations. They also spent one night together prior to the stabbing. During the entirety of Brown’s interactions with the victim, the defendant used a fake name.
On the night before the stabbing, Brown went to the victim’s home and spent the night. Early the following morning, on July 31, 2012, Brown received a phone call. When the phone rang, Brown went into the bathroom. The victim remained in bed, falling in and out of sleep. The victim then awoke to the defendant stabbing him in the back of the neck with a knife. The victim rolled over and began struggling. During the struggle, Brown stabbed the victim multiple times in the eye, face, neck, body, and hands. The victim was able to get away and tried to call the police, but Brown ordered him to put down the phone and threatened to kill him.
The victim ran out of his apartment and banged on the doors of nearby apartments. Brown fled the scene and discontinued use of the phone he had used to contact the victim.
Brown’s use of a false name originally resulted in the wrong man being arrested for this offense. That man was released once emergency cell phone records obtained by the government exonerated him. Cell phone records and other investigation, meanwhile, led to the identification and arrest of Brown. Brown had been released from Virginia state prison less than a month before this attack after serving 18 years of incarceration. He was arrested on Aug. 20, 2012.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the detectives, officers, and crime scene technicians who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department as well as the deputy marshals who worked on the case from the U.S. Marshals Service. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Joyce Arthur and Tiffany Jones and Criminal Investigator Nelson Rhone. Lastly, Mr. Machen thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jodi Lazarus and Michelle Parikh, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-029Maryland Man Sentenced to 51 Months in Prison for Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductWith A Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John Cunningham, 26, of Hagerstown, Md., was sentenced today to 51 months in prison for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cunningham pled guilty to the charges in November 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Beryl A. Howell. Upon completion of his prison term, Cunningham will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on July 19, 2013, Cunningham contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had posted an ad on a social network site. Over the next few days, Cunningham engaged in online email and text messaging with the undercover officer, whom he believed was the father of an under-aged girl. During this period of time, Cunningham arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child.
On July 22, 2013, Cunningham traveled from Maryland to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested. Subsequent to his arrest, law enforcement searched Cunningham’s residence and recovered a large collection of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
14-028Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for 2010 Killing of Acquaintance-Defendant Chased and Stabbed Victim After Argument at Gas Station-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Richard Williams, 43, was sentenced today to 35 years in prison for the 2010 slaying of an acquaintance along the border of the District of Columbia and Prince George’s County, Md., U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Williams, who has no fixed address, was found guilty by a jury in December 2013 of second-degree murder while armed following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. In addition to the murder charge, Williams was convicted of carrying a dangerous weapon after having been convicted of a felony and committing an offense while on release in a pending criminal case. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin.
According to the government’s evidence, Williams and the victim, Sean West, 37, knew each other and often spent time together at a gas station in Oxon Hill, Md., just over the border from the District of Columbia. On Aug. 27, 2010, at about 11:30 p.m., they got into an argument and shoving match at the gas station. A mutual acquaintance broke up the fight, and Mr. West walked across the street into the 4300 block of Wheeler Road SE, headed home.
Williams, however, proceeded to run after Mr. West. Upon catching up to him, he stabbed Mr. West once in the chest. Mr. West ran back across the street, into Oxon Hill, and collapsed inside a liquor store. He died about two hours later.
Williams fled the scene on foot and was arrested on Oct. 18, 2010. At the time of the murder, the defendant, a previously convicted felon, had a pending misdemeanor case for which he had been released on bond. He has been held without bond since his October 2010 arrest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended those who worked on the case from the Prince George’s County, Md., Police Department and the District of Columbia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Litigation Technology Specialist Josh Ellen, Paralegal Specialist Sandra Lane, Victim/Witness Advocate Marcia Rinker, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Liebman, who prosecuted the matter.
14-026District Man Sentenced to 56 Months in Prison for Attacking Two People in Robberies Last Fall-One Victim Is A Senior Citizen, the Other Is A News Producer-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Shabazz Thompson, 20, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 56 months in prison on charges stemming from two robberies that took place in Northeast Washington within a three-week period last fall, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Thompson pled guilty in December 2013 to robbery and other charges in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert I. Richter. Upon completion of his prison term, Thompson will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, the first attack took place on Sept. 27, 2013 at about 3 p.m. Thompson approached an 81-year-old woman at a check-cashing store in the 600 block of H Street NE. The victim, who suffers from arthritis, had just cashed her retirement check. As she was collecting her belongings, Thompson robbed her of her money, grabbing $789. The victim fell down when she tried to prevent him from escaping.
The second attack occurred at about 4:20 a.m. on Oct. 17, 2013. The victim, a producer for CNN, was walking to work in the 800 block of First Street NE when Thompson and an unidentified male approached him. Thompson punched the victim in the face, and he and the other male took his belongings, including his wallet, cell phone, and backpack, which contained his laptop. The victim fell to the ground, bleeding profusely; his jaw had been fractured and his sinus was crushed, leading to severe nasal injuries.
About 25 minutes after the robbery, Thompson used the victim’s credit card at a convenience store. Surveillance video shows him using the card. Thompson was arrested in both cases on Oct. 31, 2013.
Thompson pled guilty to attempted robbery in the first attack. He pled guilty to charges of robbery and assault with significant bodily injury in the second attack.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), especially the detectives from the First Police District who investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case at the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donville Drummond and Assistant U.S. Attorney James A. Petkun, who prosecuted the matter.
14-025District Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Woman at Apartment Complex-Defendant Was Identified Through Video Surveillance-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jahlani Brown, 21, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting a rental office employee last year at an apartment building in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Brown pled guilty in October 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to first-degree sexual abuse. He was sentenced by the Honorable John Ramsey Johnson. In addition to prison time, Brown will be subject to 10 years of supervised release and will be required to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 17, 2013, at about 9 a.m., the victim reported to her office in the Shaw area of Northwest Washington and began preparing for her workday. Brown, who was captured on video surveillance, entered the office and locked the door. He sexually assaulted, threatened, and robbed the victim before leaving the office.
The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) released surveillance images to the media in hopes of generating information, and neighboring businesses and community members cooperated with law enforcement in getting the word out about the attack. Brown was arrested two days after the assault and has been in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work performed by those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department’s Sexual Assault Unit. He also praised those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist D’Yvonne Key, Victim/Witness Advocate Lezlie Richardson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mervin A. Bourne, Jr., who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
14-027Virginia Man Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Traveling to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Kaylan Joseph Cureton, 25, of Richmond, Va., was sentenced today to four years in prison on federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Cureton pled guilty in August 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins. Upon completion of his prison term, Cureton will be required to serve six months of home confinement. He also will be placed on 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender for 15 years.
According to the government's evidence, on May 24, 2012, Cureton contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had entered a social network site. Over the next several days, Cureton engaged in online email, instant message, text message and telephone conversations with the undercover officer, whom Cureton believed was the father of an under-aged child. During this period of time, Cureton arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with the child. He traveled from Richmond to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C., where he was arrested.
Upon execution of a search warrant on Cureton=s residence, members of the FBI=s Child Exploitation Task Force recovered a USB drive containing numerous videos of child pornography.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI’s Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and MPD. Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
14-023Virginia Businessman Sentenced to 46 Months in Prison for Role in Contracting Scheme Involving U.S. ArmyDefendant Provided Money to Army Official, Paid for Trips, Luxury Vehicles, and Other Things of ValueRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Oh Sung Kwon, 48, a Northern Virginia businessman, was sentenced today to 46 months in prison on federal charges stemming from a bribery scheme in which he paid thousands of dollars to an Army official in return for government contracts, as well as a separate scheme involving fraudulent real estate sales and refinances.
Kwon, also known as Thomas Kwon, of Vienna, Va., pled guilty in September 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to one count each of bribery, conspiracy to commit bank fraud and willful failure to file a tax return. He was sentenced by the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan. Judge Sullivan also ordered Kwon to pay $1,188,500 in restitution and the same amount in a forfeiture money judgment. Upon completion of his prison term, Kwon will be placed on three years of supervised release.
Kwon was the co-founder and chief executive officer of Avenciatech, Inc., a government contractor based in Annandale, Va. He is among 17 people and one corporation that pled guilty to federal charges for their roles in the largest domestic bribery and bid-rigging scheme in the history of federal contracting. The investigation is continuing.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI); Peggy E. Gustafson, Inspector General for the Small Business Administration (SBA); Robert E. Craig, Special Agent in Charge of the Mid-Atlantic Field Office of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), and Frank Robey, Director of the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command’s Major Procurement Fraud Unit (MPFU).
According to a statement of offense, signed by the government and the defendant, Kwon learned of a contract-steering scheme from two business contacts: Alex N. Cho, who was then the chief technology officer for Nova Datacom, LLC, and a second Nova Datacom employee. This scheme involved contracts and subcontracts awarded through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in return for hundreds of thousands of dollars in payments to Kerry F. Khan. At the time, Khan was a program manager at the Army Corps of Engineers.
Kwon’s role in the scheme involving the Army Corps of Engineers included Kwon arranging for Cho and another Nova Datacom employee to exchange checks for approximately $700,000 in cash, which was paid to Khan in exchange for government contracts. Kwon later attempted to obstruct the resulting criminal investigation by destroying evidence. However, he also disclosed to law enforcement authorities the efforts by Cho and another Nova Datacom employee to obstruct the criminal investigation, including Cho’s attempts while wearing a recording device to prevent Kwon from making incriminating statements.
Kwon learned of a second, similar scheme involving another business contact: Nick Park, a former Nova Datacom employee who was then the president of Unisource Enterprise Inc. Kwon learned through Park that he had obtained a subcontract for his company by agreeing to pay bribes to a person identified in court documents as “Public Official C.” This official, based at the time in Seoul, South Korea, was an assistant project manager for the U.S. Army who had responsibilities for a major contract.
In or about February 2009, Kwon traveled to South Korea to meet “Public Official C.” In exchange for an undisclosed ownership interest in Avenciatech, “Public Official C” agreed to use his official position to steer subcontracts from the Army to Avenciatech. Plans later called for “Public Official C” to have a 40 percent ownership interest in the company.
In September 2009, Avenciatech obtained an Army subcontract in the amount of $366,844. However, Army change orders later increased the value of this subcontract to $1,913,059. Avenciatech also obtained a second contract in February 2011, in the amount of $551,093. Change orders later increased its value to $1,413,513.
In exchange for the official assistance of “Public Official C,” Kwon made a series of bribe payments. They included cash payments; payments for hotel stays for “Public Official C” and family members, including a trip to the Atlantis resort in the Bahamas; payments to finance the purchase of a 2010 Lexus automobile, and payments for other things of value.
Kwon also assisted “Public Official C” in obtaining financing for the purchase of a home in Fairfax Station, Va., where “Public Official C” resided following his reassignment in 2010 to a position at Fort Belvoir. “Public Official C” wanted to make a $230,000 down payment on the home purchase but did not want to face questions about the source of the money in “Public Official C’s” bank account. Instead “Public Official C” transferred the $230,000 to an account of an Avenciatech employee, Helen Woo. Kwon caused Woo, in turn to execute a phony “gift letter” claiming that she was “Public Official C’s” cousin and that she was providing the $230,000 to a settlement company for the home purchase.
Kwon also pled guilty and was sentenced today on charges in a separate scheme involving bank fraud. In addition to running Avenciatech, Kwon was the operations manager for Onyx Financial Services, a mortgage broker based in Annandale. He admitted involvement in at least six fraudulent real estate sales and refinances in northern Virginia, with loan amounts of about $1.8 million. Finally, Kwon pled guilty and was sentenced today for the willful failure to file a tax return. This charge involved his 2010 income tax return.
Cho, Khan, Park and Woo are among those pleading guilty in the case.
Cho pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, money laundering, and wire fraud, and to defraud the United States, and one count of bribery. Khan pled guilty to one count each of bribery and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Park pled guilty to two counts of bribery. Woo pled guilty to a misdemeanor fraud charge for her role in the home financing scheme.
Khan was sentenced to 19 years and seven months in prison. Woo was sentenced to two years of probation. Cho and Park are awaiting sentencing.
In announcing Kwon’s sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, Special Agent in Charge Kelly, Inspector General Gustafson, Special Agent in Charge Craig, and Director Robey thanked those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office; the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, the Office of the Inspector General for the Small Business Administration; the Department of Defense’s Defense Criminal Investigative Service; the Defense Contract Audit Agency, and the Army Criminal Investigation Command. They also expressed thanks to the U.S. Marshals Service for its assistance on the forfeiture matter.
They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael K. Atkinson and Bryan Seeley of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they expressed thanks for assistance provided by former Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Dana; Forensic Accountant Maria Boodoo; Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, Shanna Hays, Taryn McLaughlin, Sarah Reis, Christopher Samson, and Nicole Wattelet, and Legal Assistants Krishawn Graham and Jessica McCormick.
14-024
District Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse, Admits Accosting 10-Year-Old and 12-Year-Old GirlsSeparate Incidents Took Place in 2012Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – David Gantt, 29, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to charges stemming from his sexual abuse of two girls in separate incidents during the summer of 2012, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Gantt pled guilty in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to one count of attempted second-degree child sexual abuse and one count of misdemeanor sexual abuse. He is scheduled to be sentenced by the Honorable Robert E. Morin on April 18, 2014. He faces up to five-and-a-half years in prison. He will also be required to register as a sex offender for life.
According to the government’s factual proffer at today’s plea hearing, in July 2012, Gantt molested a 12-year-old girl in the laundry room of an apartment building in Southeast Washington. Approximately one month later, Gantt inappropriately touched a 10-year-old girl who was visiting a friend who lived in Gantt’s apartment.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department’s Youth Division, which investigated the case. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Jason Manuel and Victim/Witness Advocate Veronica Vaughan. Finally, he commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter V. Taylor, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-022Former District of Columbia Schools Compliance Officer Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud and Conflict-of-Interest ChargesDefendant’s Private Transportation Company Collected More Than $460,000 in Fraudulent PaymentsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Donnie Dukes, a former compliance officer for the District of Columbia Public Schools, has pled guilty to charges in a scheme involving more than $460,000 in fraudulent payments to a private transportation company that he owned and controlled.
The plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr.; Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office; Charles J. Willoughby, Inspector General for the District of Columbia, and Steven Anderson, Special Agent in Charge, Mid-Atlantic Regional Office, Office of Inspector General, U.S. Department of Education.
Dukes, 40, of Hyattsville, Md., pled guilty on Jan. 22, 2014, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, to wire fraud and conflict-of-interest charges. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2014. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that Dukes faces a prison sentence of 27 to 33 months, as well as potential financial penalties. The plea agreement calls for Dukes to pay a total of $463,621 in restitution to the District of Columbia. He also has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment of $300,000.
According to the government’s evidence, Dukes worked from October 2008 until October 2010 as a compliance officer for the District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS). His duties included making arrangements for transportation for the special needs students who received education services outside of the District of Columbia.
At the same time, however, Dukes owned and controlled a private company that provided, among other services, transportation to students who needed to travel from the District of Columbia to education centers outside of the District of Columbia for special services.
While working at DCPS, Dukes personally referred, or caused colleagues of his at DCPS to refer, 86 out-of-state student transports to his company, resulting in the firm receiving $325,000 in payments from the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education. Of this, the government’s evidence showed, $163,621 involved illegitimate expenses.
Dukes was terminated from DCPS in October 2010 as part of an overall reduction in the workforce. He then schemed to obtain non-public lists of students needing transportation services from his former colleagues at DCPS. Dukes later used these lists to create false invoices and supporting documentation for payments to his company in the names of the students. Dukes created 60 false invoices and supporting documentation through this scheme, causing the District of Columbia Office of the State Superintendent of Education to pay his company $300,000 for transportation services that never were provided.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, Inspector General Willoughby, and Special Agent in Charge Anderson commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the District of Columbia Office of Inspector General, and the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistant Nicole Wattelet and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Waxman, who is prosecuting the case.
14-021Two District Men Sentenced to Decades in Prison for Murder of Retired Vietnam Veteran in Southeast Washington-Victim, 71, Was Slain in His Apartment After Trying to Protect His Wife-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON- Stephen Page, 21, and James Brewer, 27, both of Washington, D.C., were sentenced today to decades in prison for the 2011 slaying of a 71-year-old man in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Both men pled guilty in November 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. They were sentenced by the Honorable Herbert B. Dixon, Jr. Page was sentenced to 31 years in prison, and Brewer was sentenced to a term of 27 years and eight months of incarceration. Upon completion of their prison terms, they will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to a proffer of facts presented during the plea hearing, on June 27, 2011, at about 9:15 p.m., Brewer, Page, Anthony Thomas, and a fourth man walked into an apartment building in the 2300 block of Good Hope Road SE. They entered the front lobby and gathered at the elevator. Then they took the elevator to the seventh floor.
Minutes later, Brewer, Page and Thomas entered the apartment of Solomon Reese, 71, a Vietnam veteran who supplemented his retirement income by selling cigarettes to neighbors in the area. Mr. Reese was known by many neighbors as the “cigarette man.”
While the men were inside, Mr. Reese’s wife, meanwhile, returned to the apartment from the building’s trash room. Upon hearing scuffling, she began to scream. At that point, Brewer pulled her inside the apartment and threw her toward the front room sofa. Then, as she continued to scream, Thomas placed a blanket over her mouth. Mr. Reese, who initially struggled with Page over a pistol that Page was holding, grabbed Thomas. Page warned him to let go. Then, when Mr. Reese reached into his pocket, Page shot him several times.
Brewer, Page and Thomas left the apartment, taking two bags containing cigarettes and travelers’ checks. Mr. Reese was taken to a hospital, where he died from his injuries. He had been shot multiple times, with bullets hitting him in the chest, abdomen and thigh.
Detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) obtained surveillance video showing Brewer, Page, Thomas, and the fourth man entering the building and getting onto the elevator. Footage from approximately seven minutes later showed Brewer, Page and Thomas moving quickly out of the stairwell on the basement level, with Brewer carrying two bags.
On July 14, 2011, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested Brewer in Newport News, Va., and transported him to the District of Columbia for presentment on a charge of first-degree murder while armed. While awaiting presentment in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, Brewer switched armbands with another arrestee and pretended to be that person. He then signed release papers under that arrestee’s name and left the courthouse. Marshals discovered the ruse and searched for Brewer, who surrendered the following day.
Thomas, 25, earlier pled guilty to a charge of voluntary manslaughter while armed and is awaiting sentencing.
In announcing the sentences, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the MPD detectives, officers, crime scene technicians, and forensic specialists who worked on the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service. In addition, he praised those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Alesha Matthews Yette; Litigation Technology Specialists Kimberly Smith, Leif Hickling, and Joshua Ellen; Jelahn Stewart, chief of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, and Victim/Witness staff members Maria Shumar, Marcia Rinker, Michael Hailey, Katina Adams-Washington, M. Laverne Forrest, Tanya Via, and David Foster. Finally, he commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gary Wheeler, and Scott Sroka, who secured the indictment in the case and handled the prosecution which led to the plea.
14-020Operator of D.C. Electronics Store Found Guilty of Trafficking in Stolen Property and Related Charges-Stolen IPhone Was Recovered from His Business-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON –David J. Brown, Sr., 49, the operator of an electronics store in Northwest Washington, has been found guilty by a jury of charges stemming from the recovery of stolen property from his place of business, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Brown, of Capitol Heights, Md., was found guilty Jan. 16, 2014, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of charges of felony trafficking in stolen property and misdemeanor receiving stolen property. The Honorable John McCabe scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2014. Under the District of Columbia’s voluntary sentencing guidelines, Brown faces a prison sentence of 10 to 28 months, and a statutory maximum sentence of 10 years.
According to the government’s evidence, on the afternoon of Nov. 22, 2011, the victim was walking northbound on North Capitol Street when her iPhone was snatched from her hand. The victim went to a nearby security guard and contacted police.
After the police arrived, the victim contacted her friend, who, using the “Find My iPhone” application, ultimately tracked the victim’s phone to the vicinity of “12 Volt Mobile Electronics,” the defendant’s business, located in the 300 block of H Street NW. Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) personnel responded to that location, where they made contact with Brown, and subsequently recovered the victim’s iPhone from him.
Brown initially provided an invoice to the police, claiming that the phone had been dropped off with his son to be serviced, but subsequently admitted that the invoice was a fake. Brown was arrested for receiving stolen property and then released pending trial.
On Dec. 2, 2011, MPD personnel returned to “12 Volt Electronics” to execute a search warrant. During the search, they recovered another iPhone that had been stolen in a “snatch robbery” similar to the first victim’s robbery.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department. He also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigators Derek Starliper, John Marsh, and Durand Odom; Victim/Witness Advocates Jennifer Clark and Katina Adams-Washington; Paralegal Specialists Donville Drummond and Tameka Garcia, and Legal Assistant Sharece Muschettea. Finally, he praised the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas P. Swanton, who is prosecuting the matter.
14-017Former Manager of D.C. Medical Office Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $3.6 Million-Defendant Used Money for Jewelry, Vacations, Parties, Other Personal Expenses-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Pamela J. Beard, 51, of Bowie, Md., pled guilty today to a federal mail fraud charge stemming from the embezzlement of more than $3.6 million from her former employer, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Among other things, Beard used the stolen money for vacations, jewelry, a timeshare, and a 50th birthday party for herself.
Beard entered the plea in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for May 8, 2014. Under the plea agreement, Beard must pay $3,688,649 in criminal forfeiture and restitution. Under the voluntary federal sentencing guidelines, she faces between 41 and 51 months of incarceration.
According to the government=s evidence, from approximately March 1997 through February 2013, Beard was employed as a billing clerk and the office manager at the Office of Orthopaedic Medicine & Surgery, in Washington, DC. Her duties included paying vendors and creditors, as well as making payments on the business’s corporate credit card accounts. She had access to the office’s financial information and payment systems, and, as a result, could generate checks on the office’s corporate checking account. She also was authorized to use a corporate credit card to pay for business-related expenses. Beard was not authorized to use the office’s bank accounts or corporate credit card to pay for personal expenses.
From May 1, 2006, through June 26, 2013, Beard embezzled $3,688,649 from the office. She used the proceeds to pay for, among other things: a home mortgage; vehicles; a timeshare with Disney Vacation Development, Inc.; expenses associated with her husband’s landscaping business; vacations, including a trip to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas; a personal trainer; jewelry, and parties, including Beard’s 50th birthday party at the Sunset Room at National Harbor, in or around February 2012, for which she spent about $18,703 on ice sculptures.
Beard embezzled the money in a variety of ways:
From May 1, 2006, through Jan. 22, 2013, Beard generated more than 100 corporate checks, totaling $1,289,736.55, on her employer’s checking account. Each check was made payable to Bank of America. Once the checks were generated by Beard through the office’s payment system, she provided them to a physician, who signed them on the office’s behalf. Because the checks were payable to Bank of America, the physician believed that they were intended to pay a corporate credit card account at Bank of America. Beard, however, deposited them at various Bank of America branches to make payments, without authorization, on Bank of America credit card accounts for Beard, her husband, and her husband’s landscaping business.
From Oct. 6, 2006, through June 26, 2013, Beard generated and mailed additional checks drawn on the office’s corporate checking account to pay personal credit card accounts for herself and her husband at American Express. She also made on-line payments from the corporate checking account to American Express. Beard conducted these financial transactions, without authorization, in the total amount of $2,207,882.02.
Finally, from April 21, 2006, through Dec. 30, 2012, Beard used the office’s corporate credit card without authorization, to purchase goods and services for her own personal use in the total amount of $191,030.56.
In announcing the guilty plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the investigative work of special agents and analysts of the FBI’s Washington Field Office and Senior Inspector Wayne Rollock of the U.S. Marshals Service. He also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Corinne Kleinman, Rosalind Pressley, and Nicole Wattelet; Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who is handling forfeiture issues; and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Johnson, who is prosecuting the case.
14-018Former District of Columbia Government Official Indicted on Charges Involving $110,000 Grant That Funded an Inaugural BallFormer Council Member Harry L. Thomas Jr. and Five Others Earlier Pled Guilty to ChargesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Neil S. Rodgers, a former District of Columbia government official, was indicted today on federal charges stemming from his role in channeling $110,000 in youth and drug prevention grant funds used to pay for an inaugural ball.
The indictment, returned by a grand jury in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Thomas J. Kelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation.
Rodgers, 61, of Washington, D.C., served as the Committee Director of the Council of the District of Columbia’s Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation and Planning. He was indicted on three felony charges, including one count each of theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, wire fraud, and first-degree fraud. Rodgers faces a maximum sentence of 20 years of incarceration if convicted of all charges.
Six others have pled guilty to charges in the overall investigation into activities involving former Council Member Harry L. Thomas, Jr. Thomas pled guilty in January 2012 to charges stemming from a scheme in which he used more than $350,000 in taxpayers’ money that was earmarked for the arts, youth recreation, and summer programs for his own personal benefit, including paying for vehicles, clothing and trips. He resigned in January 2012 as a condition of his plea agreement and is now serving a 38-month prison sentence.
The others who have pled guilty include James Garvin and Marshall D. Banks, leaders of one of the non-profits used in the scheme. Both men, from the Langston in the 21st Century Foundation, pled guilty to misprision of a felony, a charge holding them accountable for failing to report and concealing the misappropriation of $392,000 in government grants. Additionally, Danita C. Doleman, the president of Youth Technology Institute, pled guilty to filing a false tax return in connection with her assistance in funneling public money to pay for the 51st State Inaugural Ball. Millicent D. West, the former director and chief executive officer of a non-profit organization that promotes youth opportunities, pled guilty to a criminal tax charge for her role in channeling the youth grant funds to pay for the ball. Finally, Ayawna Webster, an aide who also worked as a chief of staff for Thomas, pled guilty to attempting to interfere with the administration of the Internal Revenue Service laws.
Garvin and Banks were sentenced to three years of supervised probation, 80 hours of community service, and ordered to pay full restitution. Doleman, West, and Webster are awaiting sentencing.
“Today’s indictment charges Neil Rodgers with stealing tax dollars meant for children to throw a $100,000 black-tie party for adults,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “This prosecution is the final step in our investigation of the criminal activities of former D.C. Council member Harry Thomas, Jr., which has resulted in six guilty pleas. The results of this investigation are a reminder of the grave consequences for government employees and others who knowingly facilitate the illegal actions of corrupt elected officials.”
“Today’s indictment is an example of what happens when a public servant becomes complicit in corrupt behavior rather than standing up to it,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “Knowingly submitting false and misleading documents to support a larger scheme at the direction of a public official is illegal. The FBI will investigate allegations of corruption at all levels and hold those who allow it accountable for their actions.”
Before becoming Committee Director, Rodgers worked for many years at the District of Columbia Department of Parks and Recreation, serving as Chief of Staff and Acting Director.
Thomas, who took office in January 2007 as the Ward 5 representative, served during his first term as Chair of the Council’s Committee on Libraries, Parks, Recreation and Planning, which involved oversight responsibility for the D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation. In that role, he worked with a non-profit public-private partnership that provided resources and developed programs to benefit children and youth in the District of Columbia.
The partnership was primarily funded by the District of Columbia government through funds designated by the Mayor and Council for particular youth-related purposes. The partnership provided grants to organizations for programs tailored for children and youth.
The charges against Rodgers deal with his role in securing funds for the 51st State Inaugural Ball, held on Jan. 20, 2009 in the Wilson Building. Thomas was closely involved in the planning the event. In addition to her work duties, Ayawna Webster was the president of a local chapter of a political organization. She and her political organization served as the host of the ball, and she then organized the event, at Thomas’s direction.
Ticket sales and other contributions failed to raise enough money to pay the expenses associated with the 51st State Inaugural Ball. Following the ball, Webster’s political organization owed vendors approximately $100,000. According to the indictment, Rodgers participated in a scheme to channel money through a grant from the public-private partnership, meant for youths, to Webster’s political organization so that these expenses would be paid.
The plan hit an obstacle, however, when questions were raised about the legality of granting money to a political organization. The grant recipient was changed to the Youth Technology Institute, another non-profit organization. Even though Rodgers knew that this organization had no involvement with the ball, according to the indictment, he requested $120,000 in grant funds on its behalf. On Feb. 5, 2009, based on the false grant paperwork submitted by Rodgers, the public-private partnership issued a check in the amount of $110,000 to the Youth Technology Institute, the indictment alleges.
In truth, after the grant was issued, the Youth Technology Institute immediately forwarded nearly the entire amount to Webster’s political organization, which paid expenses from the 51st State Inaugural Ball.
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.
This case is being investigated by the FBI’s Washington Field Office and IRS-CI. It is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Smith and David Johnson, of the Fraud and Public Corruption Section of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
14-016District Man Sentenced to 8 ½ Years in Prison for Scams That Cheated Victims Out of More Than $185,000- Posed as Car Dealer to Swindle Victims to Buy Cars He Did Not Own -Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON -- Benjamin Grey, 33, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a prison term of 8 ½ years on charges stemming from a scheme in which he posed as a car dealer to defraud individuals and banks of more than $185,000, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Kathy A. Michalko,Special Agent in Charge, Washington Field Office, U.S. Secret Service, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Grey was found guilty by a jury in September 2013 of a total of 21 charges, including five counts of bank fraud and seven counts of wire fraud. The verdicts followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Grey was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. Upon completion of his prison term, Grey will be placed on five years of supervised release. He also was ordered to pay $189,065 in restitution to all of his victims and the same amount in an additional forfeiture money judgment.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Huvelle made note of evidence introduced by the government that showed a series of other frauds perpetrated by Grey over the course of several years, causing losses to various individuals and banks
According to the evidence presented at trial, Grey claimed to run car dealerships named Planet Cars and GreyMaxx. He persuaded various individuals to apply for car loans to buy luxury cars, such as BMWs, from him and Planet Cars. After each bank or credit union granted the loan, and gave the applicant a loan check to buy the car, Grey took the money and spent it. Afterwards, however, Grey never produced the promised car, and avoided contact with the victim. In fact, Grey never owned the cars in question.
As the evidence showed, each auto loan was between $29,000 and $35,000. After the scheme, each victim was left without the car – but with the car loan coming due. Some victims tried to pay the loans, even though they had been swindled; another declared bankruptcy, devastating her credit. The lending institutions lost the amounts loaned. The individual victims included an Army veteran who had served in Iraq.
Meanwhile, Grey spent the loan checks at bars, nightclubs, and retail establishments in and around the D.C. area, running up bar tabs in the thousands of dollars.
In addition, the evidence at trial showed that Grey executed other, similar confidence schemes. In August and September 2010, Grey defrauded a would-be business partner out of $34,000 by pretending that the money would finance their purchase and re-sale of luxury cars. Similarly, in April 2010, Grey – holding himself out as the owner of Planet Cars – pretended to buy a car from a legitimate car dealership in Bethesda, Md., using a worthless check drawn on a Planet Cars bank account that had been closed for a year.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Special Agent in Charge Michalko and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for the work done by those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department and Secret Service. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Krishawn Graham, Lenisse Edloe, and Tasha Harris, and Legal Assistant Angela Lawrence. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel Friedman, who investigated the case, Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Saler, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jonathan Hooks and Christopher Kavanaugh, who investigated and tried the case.
14-019Ohio Woman Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Submitting More Than $164,000 of False Insurance Claims to the U.S. Postal Service-Falsely Claimed That Parcels Were Damaged or Lost in the Mail-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Levette J. Douglas, 35, of Toledo, Ohio, was sentenced today to a 27-month prison term for her role in a scheme that defrauded the U.S. Postal Service out of more than $164,000 through the submission of false insurance claims.
The sentencing, which took place in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Paul L. Bowman, Special Agent in Charge, Capital Metro Area Field Office, U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General.
Douglas pled guilty in October 2013 to a charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. As part of the plea agreement, Douglas agreed to pay $164,859 in criminal forfeiture and restitution. She was sentenced by the Honorable Rudolph Contreras. Upon completion of her prison term, Douglas will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, from April 2010 to July 2013, Douglas and her co-conspirators submitted false claims to the Postal Service for allegedly damaged or lost parcels. As part of this scheme, Douglas and others purchased insurance for approximately 325 parcels that were sent through the mail. They later falsely claimed that the parcels were damaged or lost, often submitting forged or fictitious documents to support their claims.
For example, on one occasion, Douglas submitted a false affidavit purporting to be from a postal letter carrier in support of a claim that a parcel was not delivered. The affiant, allegedly a postal letter carrier with the initials M.M., stated that she had not delivered any parcels to the recipient for several months. The affiant also provided a phone number in case there were questions. That phone number was Douglas’s phone number. In fact, the parcel in question was delivered and the recipient signed a delivery receipt.
As a final part of this scheme, Douglas also mailed to the Postal Service’s accounting department forged internal postal forms purporting to be from Postal Service employees verifying the false claims. In total, the Postal Service paid $164,859 based on these false claims.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Special Agent in Charge Bowman commended the investigative work of Special Agent Jason Manning of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General. They also praised the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Corinne Kleinman and Nicole Wattelet; Criminal Investigator Matthew Kutz; Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who worked on forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Johnson, who prosecuted the case.
14-011Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than Eight Years in Prison for Traveling to the District of Columbia to Have Sex with Under-Aged ChildRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - John Vanathayan, 42, of Silver Spring, Md., was sentenced today to 100 months in prison for traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI's Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Vanathayan pled guilty in November 2012 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia and was sentenced today by the Honorable Amy Berman Jackson. Upon completion of his prison term, Vanathayan will be placed on 10 years of supervised release.
According to the government's evidence, on July 19, 2012, Vanathayan contacted a citizen on a telephone chat line. During the course of the conversation, Vanathayan requested that the citizen provide a female child, between the ages of six and nine, for the purpose of sex. The citizen agreed to try to comply with the request. Instead, the citizen contacted MPD and reported the communication. An MPD officer, along with FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, began to investigate. During the course of the investigation, Vanathayan arranged with the citizen to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with a child. On July 20, 2012, Vanathayan traveled from Silver Spring to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When Vanathayan arrived at the meeting place, he was arrested.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD.
Project Safe Childhood is a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute people who exploit children, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended Assistant U.S. Attorney Julieanne Himelstein, who prosecuted the case, and Legal Intern Matthew Kerr, who provided assistance.
14-013District Woman Sentenced to 6 ½ Years in Prison for Shooting at Northwest Washington Restaurant-Defendant Shot Victim Once in the Chest-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Lashawn Carson, 29, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to a total of 6 ½ years in prison on charges stemming from a shooting at a Northwest Washington restaurant, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Carson was found guilty by a jury in October 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, of aggravated assault while armed and related firearms offenses. She was sentenced by the Honorable Michael Ryan. Upon completion of her prison term, Carson will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, at 5:30 a.m. on March 11, 2012, two groups of friends were eating at the IHOP restaurant in the 3100 block of 14th Street NW. The victim’s group of friends was seated at one table and Carson’s group was at another.
As the victim was attempting to walk to the cash register to pay his bill, Carson and a male friend inadvertently stood directly in his way. The victim attempted to squeeze by and accidently bumped into Carson. Words were exchanged, and the defendant’s male friend used a homophobic slur. A fight ensued, and an off-duty police detective, who was seated nearby, jumped up to break it up. At that point, according to the government’s evidence, Carson walked over, adjusted her hair, pulled out a firearm and shot the victim once in the chest.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also expressed appreciation to those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Supervisory Litigation Technology Specialist Joe Calvarese; Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew Finkelman and Lauren Dickie, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Cannon, who investigated the case and prosecuted it at trial.
14-012District Man Found Guilty of Federal Charges in Pair of Bank Robberies in Downtown Washington-Defendant Held up Two Banks on the Same Day-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Clyde Lacy Rattler, 56, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty by a jury today of two counts of bank robbery stemming from a pair of hold-ups committed in downtown Washington on the same day, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
The verdict followed a trial in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Rattler will be sentenced by the Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson, on April 8, 2014. He faces up to 20 years in prison. The Court ordered that he be held without bond pending his sentencing. In 2005, Rattler was convicted of three bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery.
According to the government's evidence, on Friday, Aug. 2, 2013, at about 10 a.m., Rattler approached the teller station at United Bank, in the 1600 block of K Street NW, and told the teller that he had a gun and wanted money in large denominations. The teller gave Rattler multiple clips of $100 and $50 bills, and he exited the bank. The loss to the bank was later determined to be $1,650.
Later the same day, at about 5 p.m., Rattler approached the teller station at the TD Bank, in the 1000 block of 15th Street NW. He told the teller he had a gun and a bomb, and he wanted money in large denominations. The teller gave him money, and he exited the bank. The loss to the bank was later determined to be $1,141.
A news report describing the robberies aired on a local television station, including bank surveillance footage. After seeing a news report, several persons, including two law enforcement officers, called the FBI, and Rattler was identified as the perpetrator of the robberies.
In announcing the guilty verdicts, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave, and Chief Lanier commended the actions of those who investigated the robberies for the FBI and MPD. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Candace Battle and Legal Assistant Tammy Scott. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Emory V. Cole, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-014Albrecht Muth Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in 2011 Slaying of His 91-Year-Old Wife-Slaying Followed History of Domestic Violence-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Albrecht Muth, 49, of Washington, D.C., was found guilty today of first-degree murder in the slaying of his wife, 91-year-old Viola Drath, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Muth, who has taken on numerous personas over the years, including that of an Iraqi Army general, was found guilty by a jury following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The jury found Muth guilty of first-degree (premeditated) murder with the aggravating circumstances that the murder was especially heinous, cruel, and inflicted on a vulnerable victim. Muth faces a maximum sentence of life without parole. The Honorable Russell F. Canan scheduled sentencing for March 19, 2014.
The trial took place without the defendant present in the courtroom. Muth, who has been in custody since his arrest in August 2011, has been hospitalized after staging a series of hunger strikes dating to December of 2012. His refusal of regular sustenance has caused his physical health to deteriorate and resulted in the hospitalization. The government contended that his refusal to eat was part of a manipulation designed to avoid trial. Muth was able to listen to and participate in the court proceedings, out of view of the jury, via a video link to the courtroom.
“Albrecht Muth has pretended to be an Iraqi general, a Count, and an East German spy, but in truth he is a cold-blooded killer who strangled his elderly wife to death,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Even as this trial approached, he tried to manipulate the system through on-and-off fasts designed to avoid facing justice for his terrible crime. This jury saw right through Albrecht Muth’s elaborate web of lies and held him accountable for his brutality.”
“With today’s conviction, Albrecht Muth must now face the consequences of his violent crime,” said Chief Lanier. “I applaud the hard-working members of this department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in helping to make today’s conviction possible.”
According to the government’s evidence, on the morning of Aug. 12, 2011, Muth called 911 and reported that Ms. Drath was dead on the bathroom floor of their home in the 3200 block of Q Street NW. The District of Columbia Office of the Medical Examiner determined that Ms. Drath’s death was caused by strangulation and blunt force injuries.
On the evening of Aug. 11, 2011, the government’s evidence showed, Muth had been drinking. Witnesses indicated that Muth became progressively louder and somewhat belligerent during the course of the evening. A witness escorted Muth to the house on Q Street and saw him walking down the stairwell to the basement of his residence at approximately 10 p.m.
In the early morning hours of Aug. 12, 2011, a witness heard a woman’s faint cry and a man’s laugh emanating from inside the defendant’s home. Then, at approximately 7:56 a.m. on Aug. 12, 2011, Muth made the call to 911. When MPD officers arrived, there were no signs of forced entry into the house and nothing was taken or disturbed. According to the defendant, only he and Ms. Drath had keys to the house. Also according to the defendant, he and his wife were the only two people present in the home during the previous evening.
During the trial, the government presented evidence of a documented history of domestic violence by the defendant against his wife. In addition, Muth had made a number of statements over the years indicating a desire to kill her. By the summer of 2011, Ms. Drath had enough of the defendant’s abuse and was trying to end the marriage. Also, despite the fact that Ms. Drath specifically disinherited Muth in her will, he regularly pressured her for money. After killing the victim, and before her body was removed from the home, Muth presented a fraudulent document to the daughter of the victim demanding $200,000.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen and Chief Lanier recognized the outstanding efforts of the detectives, evidence technicians, and officers who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. They expressed appreciation to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections for its assistance in the matter. They also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Erin O. Lyons, who assisted in the investigation; Paralegal Specialist Meridith McGarrity; Investigative Analysts Lawrence Grasso and Zachary McMenamin; Criminal Investigator John Marsh; Litigation Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Maria Shumar and David Foster of the Victim/Witness Assistance Unit.
Finally, they commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Glenn Kirschner and Laura Bach, who tried the case.
14-015Texas Businessman Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge in Nearly $1.7 Million Fraud Scheme-Defendant Kept Proceeds of Business Loan for Personal Benefit-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Arnold Rojas Rivas, 46, a businessman from San Antonio, Texas, pled guilty today to a federal charge stemming from a scheme in which he defrauded a federal agency and a private company of nearly $1.7 million, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director of the FBI’s Washington Field Office.
Rojas pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to wire fraud. The Honorable Robert L. Wilkins scheduled sentencing for May 14, 2014. Under federal sentencing guidelines, he faces a likely range of 33 to 41 months of incarceration as well as a fine of up to $75,000. Under the plea agreement, he also must pay restitution. Finally, he is subject to an additional forfeiture money judgment in the amount of at least $1,655,925.
According to the government’s evidence, Rojas was the director of Corporativo Papelero y De Suministros Basicos, S.A. DE C.V. (COPASBA), a company based in Mexico that produced toilet paper and napkins for the Mexican market by converting large rolls of raw paper into final products. The company applied for, and obtained, access to a $10 million credit facility from a finance company based in Hartford, Conn. At the time that COPASBA applied for the credit facility, it was the fifth biggest producer of toilet paper and napkins in Mexico. Funds borrowed from this credit facility were supposed to be used to build a warehouse to house COPASBA’s product and to assist with the company’s general operations.
The credit facility was guaranteed by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), an agency of the U.S. government which has as one of its missions providing insurance, guarantees, financing, and reinsurance for projects in less developed countries and areas. Under the terms of the guarantee agreement, OPIC guaranteed 97.5% of any losses.
In order to obtain access to the funds, Rojas had to submit requests explaining how COPASBA would use the funds, and these requests required Rojas to make a number of representations about COPASBA’s financial condition. In mid-2006, COPASBA requested and received more than $6 million from the facility. In the months after receiving the last of these funds, COPASBA’s position weakened significantly: the company’s cash-on-hand plummeted, workers went on strike, and suppliers began refusing to do business with the company. The company’s condition became so bad during this time that Rojas ordered workers to disassemble the machines the company used to make its paper goods so the machines could be sold. By June 2007, COPASBA had essentially ceased functioning as a company.
Nevertheless, Rojas requested another disbursement of over $1.8 million for COPASBA, failing, in violation of the credit agreement, to inform the finance company or OPIC of the many problems the company had encountered. Unaware of the fact that COPASBA had ceased functioning, the finance company released over $1.8 million from the credit facility to COPASBA. Within moments of COPASBA receiving the funds, Rojas transferred nearly $1.7 million to his personal account. He used these funds for his and his family’s personal benefit.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen and Assistant Director in Charge Parlave commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI’s Washington Field Office. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Tasha Harris, Lenisse Edloe, and Shanna Hays; former Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew C. Solomon, who investigated the matter, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Diane Lucas, who handled forfeiture issues. Finally, they expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Matt Graves and former Acting Deputy Chief Glenn S. Leon and former Trial Attorney Mary Ann McCarthy of the Department of Justice’s Fraud Section, who investigated and prosecuted the matter.
14-010Ohio Man Sentenced to 35 Months in Prison for June 2013 Incident at White House ComplexDefendant Hoped to Spray-Paint the White House, Crashed Unattended Jeep in Hopes of Diverting Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Joseph Clifford Reel, 33, of Kettering, Ohio, was sentenced today to 35 months in prison on a federal charge stemming from an incident in which he rigged his Jeep to travel, unattended, toward the White House.
The sentencing was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Kathy A. Michalko, Special Agent in Charge of the Washington Field Office of the U.S. Secret Service.
Reel pled guilty in October 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of assaulting, impeding, intimidating, and interfering with an officer or employee of the United States with a dangerous weapon. The plea agreement, which was contingent upon the Court’s approval, called for Reel to be sentenced to 35 months of incarceration, to be followed by three years of supervised release. The plea agreement also called for Reel to pay $5,345 in restitution to the U.S. Park Service for the damage he caused in the incident. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras accepted the plea agreement today and sentenced Reel accordingly.
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Reel left his residence in Ohio on June 6, 2013, in his 2008 Jeep Patriot, heading to Washington, D.C. for the purpose of spray-painting the “Don’t Tread on Me” snake on the White House residence, believing the action would lead others to “stand up against government.”
On June 9, 2013, shortly after 3 a.m., Reel rigged his Jeep to crash into the White House complex. The vehicle was traveling at about 40 mph upon impact.
Reel, who was not in the Jeep, had affixed a wooden block to the accelerator and reached into the vehicle to shift it into drive. The vehicle, which Reel had parked on Pennsylvania Avenue near the White House, then began moving toward the White House complex, specifically, a Secret Service guard post. At the time, an officer was on-duty and inside the guard booth. At collision, the Jeep hit a light post, a steel bollard, and a steel bike rack, causing $5,345 in damage to property of the U.S. Park Service.
Just before he set the Jeep in motion, Reel called 911 and warned that something was about to be staged at the White House. He made the call in hopes of causing members of law enforcement to convene at the White House complex, intending to create a distraction that would increase his chances of gaining access to the White House residence and spray-painting the “Don’t’ Tread on Me” snake on the building. Instead, Reel was arrested inside the White House Complex, within minutes of the Jeep’s impact.
As part of the investigation, law enforcement searched the Jeep and found hundreds of rounds of ammunition, eight knives of various sizes, two machetes, a hand-held spotting scope, and other items. A spray-paint can was found on the White House complex grounds, near the area where Reel was apprehended.
Reel has been in custody since his arrest.
“Joseph Reel is lucky to be alive after his terribly dangerous decision to launch his unmanned Jeep at a Secret Service guard post in the hopes of causing a distraction that would allow him to spray-paint a political message on the side of the White House,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “Reel now faces three years behind bars because of his foolish behavior. This prosecution should send a clear message to individuals considering political stunts that risk the safety of public servants seeking to protect our national treasures.”
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Secret Service, which swiftly responded to the incident and investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) and the Dayton Resident Agency of the FBI’s Cincinnati Field Office. Finally, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Legal Assistants Ashley Kellam and Donice Adams, Paralegal Specialist Selena Zuhoski, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Maia L. Miller, who prosecuted the case.
14-005Maryland Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for 2013 Murder in Southwest Washington-Defendant Fired Shotgun, Hitting Unintended Victim-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – William Hogan, 28, of Oxon Hill, Md., was sentenced today to a prison term of 15 years for killing a man last year in Southwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Hogan pled guilty in November 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to second-degree murder while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ronna L. Beck. Upon completion of his prison term, Hogan will be placed on five years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence, on Sept. 17, 2013, at about 10 p.m., Hogan was in a courtyard in the 100 block of Irvington Street SW. He had engaged in an earlier conflict with individuals in the area, and had armed himself with a loaded shotgun. Hogan walked out of the courtyard and approached the victim, Robert Spencer, 21, and another individual who was in the area. Hogan pointed the shotgun, made a comment, and then fired one shot that hit Mr. Spencer. Mr. Spencer died as a result of numerous gunshot wounds, as the shotgun was loaded with buckshot. Hogan then fled the area and discarded the weapon.
Hogan was arrested Sept. 29, 2013 and interviewed by detectives with the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He told police that he shot Mr. Spencer and that he discarded the shotgun after the murder. By all accounts, Mr. Spencer was not the target of the earlier conflict that took place in the area, and by Hogan’s own admission, he was not his intended target.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended those who worked on the case from the MPD. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who prosecuted the matter.
14-008Former MPD Officer Sentenced for Stealing from Woman Who Was Under Arrest-Officer Took and Cashed $962 in Money Orders-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A former Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) officer, Alexander Rodriguez, was ordered today to perform 40 hours of community service and placed on six months of probation for stealing $962 in money orders from a woman who was under arrest, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Rodriguez, 33, pled guilty in November 2013 in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to a charge of second-degree theft. He was sentenced by the Honorable John McCabe. The judge sentenced Rodriguez to 90 days of incarceration, but suspended the jail time provided that the defendant successfully completes a six-month term of probation.
As a condition of his plea agreement, Rodriguez, who had worked for more than five years for MPD, resigned his position. He also paid the victim $1,200 in restitution, covering the value of the two money orders and related costs and the dollar equivalent of a day of lost pay for which she was not compensated by her employer.
According to the government’s evidence, on July 4, 2013, at about 2:30 a.m., Rodriguez responded to the area of Benning Road and Southern Avenue SE to investigate a traffic accident involving the woman. After she was placed under arrest for driving under the influence, Rodriguez took possession of her purse, which contained two money orders.
While at the Sixth District police station, Rodriguez searched the woman’s purse and found a loaded handgun. He then amended the charges against her and continued his inventory of the purse. He listed several items, including credit cards, a phone, $2.01, a driver’s license, and multiple smaller purses. However, he did not list the money orders.
After the woman’s release from jail, she returned to the Sixth District to retrieve her property. She found that the two money orders were missing and initiated a trace of them through Western Union. The trace found that both money orders had been cashed and were made out to “Alexander Rodriguez Photograph.” The money orders were cashed by a person later identified as Rodriguez in Alexandria, Va., and the signatures on both the front and back of the cashed money orders matched those on his lease agreement and related checks.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Criminal Investigator Matthew Kutz, Paralegal Specialist Krishawn Graham, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jean Sexton, who prosecuted the matter.
14-006District Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for 2013 Stabbing in Southeast Washington-Victim, A Transgender Woman, Had More Than 40 Stab Wounds-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Michael McBride, 23, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 10 years in prison for stabbing a transgender woman last year in Southeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
McBride pled guilty in October 2013, in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, to a charge of aggravated assault while armed. He was sentenced by the Honorable Patricia A. Broderick. Judge Broderick also ordered McBride to serve five years of supervised release after completion of his prison term, and to receive mental health services.
According to the government’s evidence, McBride and the victim had been exchanging text messages and phone calls prior to the attack. On June 21, 2013, at about 1 a.m., they agreed to meet outside an abandoned home in the 3000 block of Stanton Road SE. McBride went to the location with the intention of having sex with the victim. He and the victim went inside the abandoned home and then got into a verbal dispute about sex. A struggle ensued, and, without warning, McBride produced a knife and stabbed the victim multiple times. The knife blade broke as McBride was stabbing the victim in the collarbone.
The victim collapsed on a couch in the living room area. McBride fled. The victim suffered more than 40 stab wounds to the body, and was transported to a hospital. She suffered significant blood loss and would have died but for the timely provision of medical care. McBride, who was on supervised release in another case, was arrested a short time after the attack and he has remained in custody ever since.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of those who investigated the case for the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). He also praised the work of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Lynette Briggs, Victim/Witness Advocate James Brennan, and Witness Security Specialist M. Laverne Forrest. Finally, he expressed appreciation for the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kendra Briggs and Tejpal S. Chawla, who prosecuted the case.
14-007District Man Pleads Guilty to Murder Charge in 2011 Slaying of Taxicab Driver in Northeast Washington-Shooting Took Place During A Robbery, Following Argument over 75 Cents-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Rashad Slye, 23, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty today to a charge of second-degree murder while armed for the 2011 killing of a taxicab driver during a robbery in Northeast Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Slye entered the plea in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The plea agreement, which is contingent upon the Court’s approval, calls for a sentence of 17 years in prison. The Honorable Jennifer Anderson scheduled sentencing for April 4, 2014.
According to the government’s evidence, on Saturday, Oct. 22, 2011, at about 2:50 a.m., Slye and a friend called for a taxicab at the Morgan Boulevard Metro station in Landover, Md. Within a few minutes, the victim, Domingo Ezirike, 40, arrived in his taxicab and picked up Slye and his friend. Slye asked to be taken to Ponds Street NE in the District of Columbia. Mr. Ezirike asked Slye and his friend for $20, and the friend gave Mr. Ezirike $20. Within minutes, Slye began arguing with Mr. Ezirike about the fare and about the lack of heat or music in the cab.
Mr. Ezirike drove the cab to the 4300 block of Ponds Street NE and he asked for an additional $7.75 in fare. Slye’s friend gave him $5 and Slye gave him $2. However, Mr. Ezirike insisted on the additional 75 cents, and he and Slye argued over the money.
After Slye’s friend got out of the cab and left the immediate area, Slye continued to argue over the fare. He pulled out a 9mm handgun and demanded the $20 back. He also ordered Mr. Ezirike out of the cab and onto the ground. At that point, he stood over Mr. Ezirike and began to rifle through his pockets, asking where the money could be found.
Slye struck Mr. Ezirike in the head with the gun and continued searching him, insisting he was hiding the money. Mr. Ezirike offered to remove his pants and while still on the ground, did so. Slye then entered the vehicle, still holding Mr. Ezirike on the ground at gunpoint, as he searched the front passenger compartment. He then ordered Mr. Ezirike back into the taxicab and insisted that he search for money. Then, as Mr. Ezirike sat in the driver's seat, Slye fired a single shot that struck him in the arm, causing him to immediately fall back into the seat and remain still. Slye immediately fled the scene towards the 1500 block of Anacostia Avenue NE.
Mr. Ezirike placed the vehicle in reverse and drove it backwards and onto grass on Anacostia Avenue. He died on the scene, as the bullet traveled from his arm and into his chest cavity.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the detectives, officers and crime scene technicians who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department. He also commended the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Meridith McGarrity, Mia Beamon, Phaylyn Hunt, Paralegal Supervisor Sharon Newman, Victim Advocate Tamara Ince, Information Technology Specialist Leif Hickling, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Gorman and Kacie M. Weston.
14-009Former Employee Pleads Guilty to StealingRead the Press Release
More Than $26,000 from Naval Research Laboratory
-Defendant Sold Stolen Equipment to Pawn Shops-WASHINGTON – Joyce Dawn Ferrell, 42, a former secretary at the Naval Research Laboratory, pled guilty today to stealing more than $26,000 in equipment from her employer and then selling the items to pawn shops, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Ferrell, of Indian Head, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of theft of government property. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2014. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the likely range is a sentence of up to six months of incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000. As part of the plea agreement, Ferrell has agreed to pay $26,029 in restitution to the Naval Research Laboratory. She also has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment, also of $26,029.
According to the government’s evidence, Ferrell was a secretary in the Optical Sciences Division of the Naval Research Laboratory in the District of Columbia. In July 2012, she took responsibility for making authorized purchases with her government-wide commercial purchase card. Starting that month, and continuing until about May 2013, she made a number of unauthorized purchases with the card at the Naval Research Laboratory’s commissary. Among other things, she bought computer equipment, drills, and thermal imagers. She then sold these items to pawn shops in Virginia and Maryland. In an effort to cover up her activities, Ferrell submitted falsified order forms to her supervisors at the Naval Research Laboratory.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Intelligence Specialist Sharon Johnson and Paralegal Specialists Donna Galindo and Shanna Hays. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Selden, who is prosecuting the case.
14-4-Defendant Sold Stolen Equipment to Pawn Shops-Read the Press Release
Former Employee Pleads Guilty to Stealing
More Than $26,000 from Naval Research LaboratoryWASHINGTON – Joyce Dawn Ferrell, 42, a former secretary at the Naval Research Laboratory, pled guilty today to stealing more than $26,000 in equipment from her employer and then selling the items to pawn shops, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Ferrell, of Indian Head, Md., pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of theft of government property. The Honorable Rudolph Contreras scheduled sentencing for April 7, 2014. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and financial penalties. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the parties have agreed that the likely range is a sentence of up to six months of incarceration and a fine of up to $10,000. As part of the plea agreement, Ferrell has agreed to pay $26,029 in restitution to the Naval Research Laboratory. She also has agreed to a forfeiture money judgment, also of $26,029.
According to the government’s evidence, Ferrell was a secretary in the Optical Sciences Division of the Naval Research Laboratory in the District of Columbia. In July 2012, she took responsibility for making authorized purchases with her government-wide commercial purchase card. Starting that month, and continuing until about May 2013, she made a number of unauthorized purchases with the card at the Naval Research Laboratory’s commissary. Among other things, she bought computer equipment, drills, and thermal imagers. She then sold these items to pawn shops in Virginia and Maryland. In an effort to cover up her activities, Ferrell submitted falsified order forms to her supervisors at the Naval Research Laboratory.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, which investigated the case. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Intelligence Specialist Sharon Johnson and Paralegal Specialists Donna Galindo and Shanna Hays. Finally, he thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who assisted with forfeiture issues, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Selden, who is prosecuting the case.
14-004U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Sponsor Diversity Forum in Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday-Jan. 15 Program Is Tailored for Civic, Non-Profit and Community Leaders-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is joining the District of Columbia government and other partners to sponsor an upcoming forum for community and government leaders on diversity and criminal justice issues.
The free event, in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, will be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2014. The program will be held at the old District of Columbia Council chambers, 441 4th St. NW. The event is especially tailored for faith-based, civic, non-profit and community leaders and others who serve people in the District of Columbia.
The program, called “Protecting Our Diversity - a Criminal Justice Forum,” will focus on addressing criminal justice issues, including hate crimes that affect the various diverse communities and affinity groups in the District of Columbia. The program will be a unique opportunity for the community to come together to discuss the issues affecting civil rights and the ways that people and organizations can work together to understand and protect them.
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. will deliver the keynote address. Panel discussions and speakers will cover topics such as factors in the designation of hate crimes; the impact of hate crimes and domestic violence on various communities and affinity groups;keeping houses of worship safe; the process involving visas for non-immigrant witnesses, and transgender issues.
Also, notable remarks and specialized knowledge will be shared by leaders and representatives in the fields that protect diversity, such as the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and other local and national community organizations. Information tables from related organizations and agencies will also provide resources and materials.
The event is being organized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice; the Washington, D.C. Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League; the D.C. Hate-Bias Task Force; the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs; D.C. Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs; the Metropolitan Police Department; the FBI, Casa Ruby, and the American University Law School.
For more information, to RSVP, and/or request interpretative services or special accommodationsto attend“Protecting Our Diversity - a Criminal Justice Forum” please contact [email protected] or Melanie Howard at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 202-252-6930. The program’s location is easily accessible via Metro’s Red Line stop at Judiciary Square.
14-003U.S. Attorney’s Office to Co-Sponsor Diversity Forum in Commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday-Jan. 15 Program Is Tailored for Civic, Non-Profit and Community Leaders-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia is joining the District of Columbia government and other partners to sponsor an upcoming forum for community and government leaders on diversity and criminal justice issues.
The free event, in commemoration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, will be from 8:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. on Jan. 15, 2014. The program will be held at the old District of Columbia Council chambers, 441 4th St. NW. The event is especially tailored for faith-based, civic, non-profit and community leaders and others who serve people in the District of Columbia.
The program, called “Protecting Our Diversity - a Criminal Justice Forum,” will focus on addressing criminal justice issues, including hate crimes that affect the various diverse communities and affinity groups in the District of Columbia. The program will be a unique opportunity for the community to come together to discuss the issues affecting civil rights and the ways that people and organizations can work together to understand and protect them.
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. will deliver the keynote address. Panel discussions and speakers will cover topics such as factors in the designation of hate crimes; the impact of hate crimes and domestic violence on various communities and affinity groups;keeping houses of worship safe; the process involving visas for non-immigrant witnesses, and transgender issues.
Also, notable remarks and specialized knowledge will be shared by leaders and representatives in the fields that protect diversity, such as the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice; the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI, the Metropolitan Police Department, and other local and national community organizations. Information tables from related organizations and agencies will also provide resources and materials.
The event is being organized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Community Relations Service of the Department of Justice; the Washington, D.C. Regional Office of the Anti-Defamation League; the D.C. Hate-Bias Task Force; the District of Columbia Mayor’s Office on Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Affairs; D.C. Mayor’s Office on Asian and Pacific Islander Affairs; the Metropolitan Police Department; the FBI, Casa Ruby, and the American University Law School.
For more information, to RSVP, and/or request interpretative services or special accommodationsto attend“Protecting Our Diversity - a Criminal Justice Forum” please contact [email protected] or Melanie Howard at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 202-252-6930. The program’s location is easily accessible via Metro’s Red Line stop at Judiciary Square.
14-003Total Care Services to Pay $187,500 to Resolve False Claims AllegationsCompany, A D.C. Medicaid Provider, Was Accused of Billing for Services Without Proper DocumentationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Total Care Services and its owner have agreed to pay $187,500 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing Medicaid for patient services for which they had no, insufficient, or inaccurate documentation.
The settlement, signed Jan. 2, 2014, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Irvin B. Nathan, Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and Charles J. Willoughby, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The agreement calls for $131,250 to be paid to the United States and for $56,250 to be paid to the District of Columbia.
Total Care Services, a non-profit company based in Northeast Washington, is a Medicaid provider under the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program. Drucella Wheeler Ndoye is the company’s owner, chief executive officer, and president.
Under the Medicaid program, the company provides services to individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Such services include adult companion services, respite care, nutrition services, and speech, hearing and language services.
Total Care Services has a provider agreement with the District of Columbia. The agreement requires the company to maintain all relevant records for a period of six years or until audits are completed, whichever is longer. Such records include all documents originated or prepared pursuant to performance under the provider agreement. These include, for example, financial records, medical records, charts and other documents pertaining to costs, payments received and made, and services provided to Medicaid recipients.
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Total Care Services and Ndoye billed the District of Columbia Medicaid program for patient services over a significant period knowing that they did not have adequate documentation for doing so. The agreement is neither an admission of liability by the company or Ndoye nor a concession by the United States that the claims are not well-founded. The parties agreed to resolve the matters without litigation.
In announcing the agreement, U.S. Attorney Machen, Attorney General Nathan, and Inspector General Willoughby commended the efforts of those who worked on the case, including Criminal Investigator Sandra Adams, of the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; Civil Enforcement Investigator Karen Caudill, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Accountant Charles Ross, also of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly M. Russell, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Attorney Stuart Silverman, of the District of Columbia’s Office of Inspector General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Public Advocacy Section of the
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District of Columbia's Office of the Attorney General.Total Care Services to Pay $187,500 to Resolve False Claims AllegationsCompany, A D.C. Medicaid Provider, Was Accused of Billing for Services Without Proper DocumentationRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Total Care Services and its owner have agreed to pay $187,500 to resolve allegations that they violated the False Claims Act by knowingly billing Medicaid for patient services for which they had no, insufficient, or inaccurate documentation.
The settlement, signed Jan. 2, 2014, was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Irvin B. Nathan, Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and Charles J. Willoughby, Inspector General for the District of Columbia. The agreement calls for $131,250 to be paid to the United States and for $56,250 to be paid to the District of Columbia.
Total Care Services, a non-profit company based in Northeast Washington, is a Medicaid provider under the District of Columbia’s Medicaid program. Drucella Wheeler Ndoye is the company’s owner, chief executive officer, and president.
Under the Medicaid program, the company provides services to individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities. Such services include adult companion services, respite care, nutrition services, and speech, hearing and language services.
Total Care Services has a provider agreement with the District of Columbia. The agreement requires the company to maintain all relevant records for a period of six years or until audits are completed, whichever is longer. Such records include all documents originated or prepared pursuant to performance under the provider agreement. These include, for example, financial records, medical records, charts and other documents pertaining to costs, payments received and made, and services provided to Medicaid recipients.
The settlement agreement resolves allegations that Total Care Services and Ndoye billed the District of Columbia Medicaid program for patient services over a significant period knowing that they did not have adequate documentation for doing so. The agreement is neither an admission of liability by the company or Ndoye nor a concession by the United States that the claims are not well-founded. The parties agreed to resolve the matters without litigation.
In announcing the agreement, U.S. Attorney Machen, Attorney General Nathan, and Inspector General Willoughby commended the efforts of those who worked on the case, including Criminal Investigator Sandra Adams, of the District of Columbia’s Office of the Inspector General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit; Civil Enforcement Investigator Karen Caudill, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and Accountant Charles Ross, also of the U.S. Attorney’s Office. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the FBI’s Washington Field Office. Finally, they acknowledged the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Beverly M. Russell, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Attorney Stuart Silverman, of the District of Columbia’s Office of Inspector General, Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Public Advocacy Section of the
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District of Columbia's Office of the Attorney General.District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Stabbing Man Following Argument over $20 Debt-Defendant Tells Victim, “Get Me My Money”-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Charles Link, 53, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years in prison on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from the stabbing of a man in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Link was found guilty by a jury in October 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Russell F. Canan. Upon completion of his prison term, Link will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, the victim and Link were close friends for more than four years. They socialized together and played chess, and the victim even helped Link at his job at a funeral home. From time to time, Link would loan the victim small amounts of money. In the fall of 2012, the two men got into a disagreement over the repayment of a $20 loan. The victim had given Link his food assistance card and had told Link to use it to buy $40 of food, to cover the $20 debt. When Link never used the card and failed to return it, the victim cancelled the card so that he could get a new one and access his food benefits.
On the evening of Nov. 13, 2012, as the victim was walking near his home, he encountered Link and the two began arguing over the debt. When the victim reached the entrance to an alley off the 500 block of Newton Place NW, he was pushed from behind by an unidentified man and fell to the ground. Link joined in the attack and kicked and punched the victim, stating “get me my money.” Link then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim five times - twice in the chest and rib cage. He and the unidentified man fled, leaving the victim bleeding in an alley.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Canan took note of that fact that Link was convicted in 1993 of second-degree murder while armed in another stabbing in the District of Columbia. In that case, he and another person stabbed a man to death in an alley over a petty disagreement about moving trash. Link was sentenced to 15 years in prison for that attack.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, including detectives from the Fourth Police District. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Wanda Trice and Debra McPherson. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor N. McFadden, who assisted in the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittain Shaw, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-001District Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Stabbing Man Following Argument over $20 Debt-Defendant Tells Victim, “Get Me My Money”-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - Charles Link, 53, of Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to nine years in prison on a charge of assault with a dangerous weapon stemming from the stabbing of a man in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Link was found guilty by a jury in October 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Russell F. Canan. Upon completion of his prison term, Link will be placed on three years of supervised release.
According to the government’s evidence at trial, the victim and Link were close friends for more than four years. They socialized together and played chess, and the victim even helped Link at his job at a funeral home. From time to time, Link would loan the victim small amounts of money. In the fall of 2012, the two men got into a disagreement over the repayment of a $20 loan. The victim had given Link his food assistance card and had told Link to use it to buy $40 of food, to cover the $20 debt. When Link never used the card and failed to return it, the victim cancelled the card so that he could get a new one and access his food benefits.
On the evening of Nov. 13, 2012, as the victim was walking near his home, he encountered Link and the two began arguing over the debt. When the victim reached the entrance to an alley off the 500 block of Newton Place NW, he was pushed from behind by an unidentified man and fell to the ground. Link joined in the attack and kicked and punched the victim, stating “get me my money.” Link then pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim five times - twice in the chest and rib cage. He and the unidentified man fled, leaving the victim bleeding in an alley.
In sentencing the defendant, Judge Canan took note of that fact that Link was convicted in 1993 of second-degree murder while armed in another stabbing in the District of Columbia. In that case, he and another person stabbed a man to death in an alley over a petty disagreement about moving trash. Link was sentenced to 15 years in prison for that attack.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who investigated the case from the Metropolitan Police Department, including detectives from the Fourth Police District. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Wanda Trice and Debra McPherson. Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Vivien Cockburn and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Trevor N. McFadden, who assisted in the investigation, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brittain Shaw, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
14-001District Woman Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder in June 2012 Slaying of Next-Door Neighbor-Victim Was Stabbed in Presence of Her Six-Year-Old Child-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON Cydrisse Alvin, 33, of Washington, D.C. has been found guilty by a jury of first-degree murder while armed for the June 2012 stabbing of her next-door neighbor, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
Alvin was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 19, 2013, following a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ronna L. Beck scheduled sentencing for Feb. 21, 2014. Alvin faces a potential sentence of 60 years in prison.
According to the government’s evidence, on June 4, 2012, at about 9 a.m., Alvin knocked on the door of the victim, 28-year-old Amber Kent, her next-door neighbor and former friend. Ms. Kent answered the door in her pajamas. Within seconds, Alvin entered and stabbed Ms. Kent three times – once in the chest and twice in the back. The murder happened in the presence of Ms. Kent’s six-year-old daughter.
After stabbing Ms. Kent, Alvin quickly fled the scene and was apprehended hours later.
In announcing the verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of the Metropolitan Police Department. He also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Marian Russell, Fern Rhedrick, Phil Aronson, Ethel Noble, Sharon Newman, and Mia Beamon; Litigation Technology Specialist Joshua Ellen; Investigative Analyst Sharon Johnson, and David Foster and Tamara Ince of the Victim Witness Assistance Unit. Finally, U.S. Attorney Machen recognized the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney Lara Worm, who investigated and prosecuted the case.
13-427District Man Found Guilty of Sexually Abusing Nine-Year-Old Boy-Defendant Repeatedly Abused Child over Six-Month Period-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - A 49-year-old man, of Washington, D.C., has been found guilty of sexually abusing a nine-year-old male relative, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
The man, who is not identified here to protect the privacy of the victim and his family, was found guilty by a jury on Dec. 18, 2013, of first-degree child sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances. The verdict followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable Russell F. Canan scheduled sentencing for March 14, 2014.
According to the government’s evidence, the defendant repeatedly sexually abused the victim in 2009 during a six-month period in which he and the victim lived together in Laurel, Md. One incident took place in Washington D.C., at the defendant’s place of employment.
In announcing the jury’s verdict, U.S. Attorney Machen commended the work of the agencies that investigated the case, including the Laurel, Md., Police Department and the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)’s Youth Investigations Division. He also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the U.S. Marshals Service, the FBI, and the Department of Justice, as well as the Children’s Advocacy Center, which provided critical services and treatment to the victim. In addition, he acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Child Forensic Interview Specialist Karen Giannakoulias; Paralegal Specialist Donhue Griffith; the Litigation Support Unit, including Litigation Technology Specialists Paul Howell and Joseph Calvarese, and the Victim Witness Assistance Unit, including Victim/Witness Advocates Melissa Milam and Elsa Resendiz. Finally, he praised the work of Criminal Investigator Mark Crawford and Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsay Suttenberg, who indicted and prosecuted the case.
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Former EPA Senior Policy Advisor Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Carrying Out Scheme That Cost Government Nearly $900,000-Admitted Collecting Pay for Hundreds of Days He Wasn’t Working-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John C. Beale, a former senior policy advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for carrying out a long-running scheme that cheated the government of nearly $900,000 in pay and expenses.
The sentencing, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., Inspector General for the EPA.Beale, 65, of New York, N.Y., pled guilty in September 2013 to a federal charge of theft of government property. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. Under terms of his plea agreement, Beale agreed to pay a total of $886,186 to the EPA in restitution and to a forfeiture money judgment of another $507,207.
According to the government’s evidence, for more than a dozen years, Beale engaged in a pattern and scheme of deception during which he lied to the U.S. government, his supervisors, friends, and his family to avoid performing his job at the EPA. Among other things, Beale kept collecting pay from the EPA after claiming he was working on a project for the CIA’s Directorate of Operations and on other efforts that kept him out of the office. In fact, Beale was not working for the CIA or for the EPA on the many days he was away.
All told, between January 2000 and April 2013, Beale was absent from his duties at the EPA for about 2 ½ years in which he was drawing a salary and benefits.
"John Beale spent a decade telling one fantastic lie after another to steal our tax dollars," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "At some point, his commitment to public service warped into a sense of entitlement fueled by greed. Through this prison sentence John Beale will pay the price for his years of deception."
"Today’s sentencing closes the sordid chapter of John Beale's numerous and egregious fraudulent actions perpetrated against the federal government over a very long period of time," said Inspector General Elkins. "While that chapter has ended, we have started a new one in which the OIG is actively looking at the EPA’s sloppy internal controls and management actions that enabled Mr. Beale’s frauds to occur. Last week we issued two reports related to Mr. Beale’s audacious pay and travel frauds. Expect to see the results of more audits from us in the coming months. I truly hope that this extraordinary case will encourage federal employees — at all levels — to immediately approach the OIG with any allegations of fraud, waste and abuse. Let this case also serve as a cautionary tale to those individuals who would take advantage of the system."
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Beale was employed by the EPA from 1989 until April 30, 2013. He was assigned to the Office of Air and Radiation, a division responsible for the development of national programs, policies and regulations designed to control air pollution and radiation exposure. For much of his time at the EPA, Beale was a senior policy advisor. His duties included assisting in the planning, policy implementation, direction, and control of EPA programs. He also attended and participated in several international conferences regarding air quality issues, many in foreign countries.
In August 2000, Beale was promoted to a senior-level employee, making him among the highest-paid non-elected federal government employees.
According to the statement of offense, Beale collected $886,186 that he was not entitled to receive in various ways:
Unauthorized Absences:
From in or around 2000, continuing until April 30, 2013, Beale failed to report to work for extended periods of time and failed to submit required requests for leave for these absences. Rather, Beale falsely claimed that he was working on a project at the CIA and other matters.
According to the statement of offense, starting in approximately 2000 until in or around June 2008, Beale took about 102 days off under the auspices of his work with the CIA. From 2005 to 2007, Beale claimed to be working on a research project for the EPA. For example, the statement of offense details payments of $57,235 in travel expenses for five trips to the Los Angeles area. Beale did not need to travel to California, where he visited family members, and could have done the research work at home or at his EPA office. In fact, he never produced any written work regarding the research project, which was never completed.
Starting in June 2008, Beale failed to report to the EPA offices for about six months, either claiming to be working on the research project or spending time working for "Langley." He never submitted a leave request for this time and continued to receive his EPA salary.
From in or around January 2010 until in or around May 2011, Beale failed to report to work at the EPA for approximately nine days, claiming he was working with the CIA. He never submitted a leave request for these days, but was paid his salary from the EPA.
In or around May 2011, Beale announced that he was retiring from the EPA. In September 2011, he and two other long-term EPA employees celebrated a retirement party on a dinner cruise on the Potomac River. Following the party, an EPA manager believed that Beale had actually retired, and the manager did not see him at the EPA offices afterward.
However, in November 2012, the manager discovered that Beale was still receiving a paycheck.
Retention Incentive Bonus:
In or around June 2000, Beale was awarded a 25 percent retention incentive bonus for three years. The purpose of the bonus was to ensure that Beale remained with the EPA, rather than leave the federal government and seek employment elsewhere. It was supposed to expire after 2003, but Beale continued to receive it through 2013.
Fraudulently Obtained Parking Benefits:
In or around January 2002, Beale claimed that, because he had contracted malaria while serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, he needed a parking space for work. He was awarded a parking spot, and the EPA subsidized payment for it at a rate of about $200 a month. In fact, Beale never served in Vietnam and never contracted malaria. He held onto and used the parking spot until about June 2005, at a cost of about $8,000 to the EPA.>
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Inspector General Elkins expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated the case from the EPA Office of Inspector General, including lead investigator Special Agent Mark Kaminsky. They also commended the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Smith, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who assisted with forfeiture aspects of the investigation.
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Former EPA Senior Policy Advisor Sentenced to 32 Months in Prison for Carrying Out Scheme That Cost Government Nearly $900,000-Admitted Collecting Pay for Hundreds of Days He Wasn’t Working-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – John C. Beale, a former senior policy advisor for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, was sentenced today to 32 months in prison for carrying out a long-running scheme that cheated the government of nearly $900,000 in pay and expenses.
The sentencing, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, was announced by
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. and Arthur A. Elkins, Jr., Inspector General for the EPA.Beale, 65, of New York, N.Y., pled guilty in September 2013 to a federal charge of theft of government property. He was sentenced by the Honorable Ellen S. Huvelle. Under terms of his plea agreement, Beale agreed to pay a total of $886,186 to the EPA in restitution and to a forfeiture money judgment of another $507,207.
According to the government’s evidence, for more than a dozen years, Beale engaged in a pattern and scheme of deception during which he lied to the U.S. government, his supervisors, friends, and his family to avoid performing his job at the EPA. Among other things, Beale kept collecting pay from the EPA after claiming he was working on a project for the CIA’s Directorate of Operations and on other efforts that kept him out of the office. In fact, Beale was not working for the CIA or for the EPA on the many days he was away.
All told, between January 2000 and April 2013, Beale was absent from his duties at the EPA for about 2 ½ years in which he was drawing a salary and benefits.
"John Beale spent a decade telling one fantastic lie after another to steal our tax dollars," said U.S. Attorney Machen. "At some point, his commitment to public service warped into a sense of entitlement fueled by greed. Through this prison sentence John Beale will pay the price for his years of deception."
"Today’s sentencing closes the sordid chapter of John Beale's numerous and egregious fraudulent actions perpetrated against the federal government over a very long period of time," said Inspector General Elkins. "While that chapter has ended, we have started a new one in which the OIG is actively looking at the EPA’s sloppy internal controls and management actions that enabled Mr. Beale’s frauds to occur. Last week we issued two reports related to Mr. Beale’s audacious pay and travel frauds. Expect to see the results of more audits from us in the coming months. I truly hope that this extraordinary case will encourage federal employees — at all levels — to immediately approach the OIG with any allegations of fraud, waste and abuse. Let this case also serve as a cautionary tale to those individuals who would take advantage of the system."
According to a statement of offense, signed by the defendant as well as the government, Beale was employed by the EPA from 1989 until April 30, 2013. He was assigned to the Office of Air and Radiation, a division responsible for the development of national programs, policies and regulations designed to control air pollution and radiation exposure. For much of his time at the EPA, Beale was a senior policy advisor. His duties included assisting in the planning, policy implementation, direction, and control of EPA programs. He also attended and participated in several international conferences regarding air quality issues, many in foreign countries.
In August 2000, Beale was promoted to a senior-level employee, making him among the highest-paid non-elected federal government employees.
According to the statement of offense, Beale collected $886,186 that he was not entitled to receive in various ways:
Unauthorized Absences:
From in or around 2000, continuing until April 30, 2013, Beale failed to report to work for extended periods of time and failed to submit required requests for leave for these absences. Rather, Beale falsely claimed that he was working on a project at the CIA and other matters.
According to the statement of offense, starting in approximately 2000 until in or around June 2008, Beale took about 102 days off under the auspices of his work with the CIA. From 2005 to 2007, Beale claimed to be working on a research project for the EPA. For example, the statement of offense details payments of $57,235 in travel expenses for five trips to the Los Angeles area. Beale did not need to travel to California, where he visited family members, and could have done the research work at home or at his EPA office. In fact, he never produced any written work regarding the research project, which was never completed.
Starting in June 2008, Beale failed to report to the EPA offices for about six months, either claiming to be working on the research project or spending time working for "Langley." He never submitted a leave request for this time and continued to receive his EPA salary.
From in or around January 2010 until in or around May 2011, Beale failed to report to work at the EPA for approximately nine days, claiming he was working with the CIA. He never submitted a leave request for these days, but was paid his salary from the EPA.
In or around May 2011, Beale announced that he was retiring from the EPA. In September 2011, he and two other long-term EPA employees celebrated a retirement party on a dinner cruise on the Potomac River. Following the party, an EPA manager believed that Beale had actually retired, and the manager did not see him at the EPA offices afterward.
However, in November 2012, the manager discovered that Beale was still receiving a paycheck.
Retention Incentive Bonus:
In or around June 2000, Beale was awarded a 25 percent retention incentive bonus for three years. The purpose of the bonus was to ensure that Beale remained with the EPA, rather than leave the federal government and seek employment elsewhere. It was supposed to expire after 2003, but Beale continued to receive it through 2013.
Fraudulently Obtained Parking Benefits:
In or around January 2002, Beale claimed that, because he had contracted malaria while serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam, he needed a parking space for work. He was awarded a parking spot, and the EPA subsidized payment for it at a rate of about $200 a month. In fact, Beale never served in Vietnam and never contracted malaria. He held onto and used the parking spot until about June 2005, at a cost of about $8,000 to the EPA.>
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen and Inspector General Elkins expressed appreciation for the work of those who investigated the case from the EPA Office of Inspector General, including lead investigator Special Agent Mark Kaminsky. They also commended the efforts of those who handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo. Finally, they acknowledged the work of Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Smith, who prosecuted the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine K. Connelly, who assisted with forfeiture aspects of the investigation.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Traveling into the District of Columbia to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with A Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Akshay Rajashekar, 19, of Salisbury, Md., has been sentenced to a five-year prison term on federal charges of traveling interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and possession of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) announced today.
Rajashekar pled guilty to the charges in June 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Thomas F. Hogan sentenced him on Dec. 16, 2013. Upon completion of his prison term, Rajashekar will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for a period of 15 years.
According to the government's evidence, on March 18, 2013, Rajashekar contacted an undercover officer with the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, who had posted an ad on a social network site. Over the next few days, the defendant engaged in online e-mail and instant messaging with the undercover officer, who the defendant believed was the father of an under-aged girl. During this period of time, Rajashekar arranged with the undercover officer to meet for the purpose of engaging in sexual acts with that child.
During the communications, Rajashekar also sent the undercover officer six images of child pornography. On March 25, 2013, Rajashekar traveled from College Park, Md. to a pre-arranged meeting place in Washington, D.C. When he arrived, he was arrested.
At the time of his arrest, Rajashekar had a pending case in Wicomico County, Md. for possession of child pornography. One of the two child pornography counts in the plea agreement covers that matter, and the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County Md. agreed to dismiss the pending case in Wicomico County at the time of the defendant’s sentencing.
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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.
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance of Assistant State's Attorney Pamela Correa of the Office of the State’s Attorney for Wicomico County, Md. Finally they commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
13-423Former Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Unlawfully Disclosing Information in Federal Narcotics Investigation-Admits Alerting Two People to Wiretaps-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Vanessa Edwards-Hamm, a former officer with the Prince George’s County Police Department, pled guilty today to a federal charge that she unlawfully disclosed information about a wiretap being used on a target of a law enforcement investigation.
The guilty plea was announced by U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Edwards- Hamm, 38, pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia to a charge of making an unlawful disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications. The Honorable Chief Judge Richard W. Roberts scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2014. The charge carries a statutory maximum of five years in prison and financial penalties.
As a condition of the plea, Edwards-Hamm agreed to resign from the Prince George’s County Police Department.
Edwards-Hamm was among 17 people indicted in July 2013 on federal charges in connection with an investigation into a network that allegedly distributed heroin, cocaine, marijuana, and prescription pills in the Washington, D.C. area. She was indicted on one count each of tampering with documents or proceedings and unlawful notice of electronic surveillance. The other 16 defendants were charged with taking part in a drug conspiracy.
According to the government’s evidence, Edwards-Hamm received information on Feb. 22, 2013, that Aaron Vaughn, the brother of one of her close friends, was under investigation for illegal drug trafficking. She also learned that federal agents had a wiretap on Vaughn’s telephone number and that they previously had wiretaps on other numbers associated with him. Finally, she learned that agents felt they had collected enough evidence for an indictment against Vaughn.
In her guilty plea, Edwards-Hamm acknowledged that she called Aaron Vaughn’s brother on Feb. 22 or Feb. 23, 2013; at the time, Vaughn’s brother was serving a prison sentence. She acknowledged that she talked to him in a way that informed him that his brother, Aaron Vaughn, was under investigation; that law enforcement had a wiretap on Aaron Vaughn’s telephone, and that it was too late to help Aaron Vaughn avoid arrest. Furthermore, she acknowledged informing her own brother, Mark Edwards, that law enforcement was listening to Aaron Vaughn’s telephone conversations and that he should be careful and stay away from him.
She acknowledged these actions were conducted with the intent to interfere or impede with the FBI investigation. At the time of this conduct, Edwards-Hamm was serving as a task force officer with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in Maryland.
According to the government’s evidence, Aaron Vaughn got a call from his brother on Feb. 26, 2013 and was told to stop dealing with those he was involved with and to change his telephone number. Aaron Vaughn’s brother also advised him to consider moving out of the area.
Aaron Vaughn, 35, and Mark Edwards, 40, were among the 16 defendants indicted on federal narcotics charges in July 2013. They have pleaded not guilty to charges.
This prosecution grew out of a long-term FBI/MPD alliance called the Safe Streets Task Force that targets violent drug trafficking gangs in the District of Columbia. The Safe Streets Initiative is funded in part by the Baltimore Washington High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area as well as the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. The initiative involves more than 150 Safe Streets Task Forces across the country that combat street gangs by combining federal, state and local police resources. The task forces, which began in 1992 in Los Angeles and the District of Columbia, address gang activity, including drug-related crimes.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier expressed appreciation for those who pursued the investigation from the FBI/MPD Safe Streets Task Force. They also expressed appreciation for the assistance provided by the Prince George's County, Md., and Culpeper, Va. police departments, as well as the U.S. Marshals Service and the Charlottesville Resident Agency of the FBI’s Richmond Field Office.
In addition, they acknowledged the efforts of those who are working on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Teesha Tobias and Starla Stolk; Legal Assistant Niya Attucks; Program Specialist Kim Hall, and Legal Assistants Diane Brashears and Jessica Moffatt, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Arvind K. Lal, Catherine K. Connelly and Zia Faruqui, of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section. Finally, they thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth F. Whitted and David B. Kent of the Violent Crime and Narcotics Trafficking Section, who are prosecuting the case.
13-424District Pediatrician Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Possession of Child Pornography-Doctor Arrested After Search of His Office in May 2013-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Robert Paul Dickey, 74, a pediatrician from Washington, D.C., was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for possession of child pornography, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Dickey pled guilty in September 2013 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. He was sentenced by the Honorable Robert L. Wilkins. Upon completion of his prison term, Dickey will be placed on 10 years of supervised release. He also will be required to register as a sex offender for 15 years following his release from prison. Also, Dickey must forfeit a computer hard-drive that was seized by law enforcement during the investigation. Finally, Judge Wilkins ordered him to pay a $10,000 fine.
According to the government's evidence, on April 10, 2013, law enforcement received a “cyber tip” from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. That “cyber-tip” contained information that Dickey uploaded 14 images of child pornography using a Microsoft account.
Based on that “cyber-tip,” on May 8, 2013, law enforcement executed a search warrant on Dickey’s home office in Southeast Washington. Pursuant to that search warrant, law enforcement recovered various electronic devices. After a forensic review of those items, law enforcement recovered approximately 132 images of child pornography. Dickey was arrested on May 8, 2013, and has remained in custody ever since.
“This case is extremely troubling because a beloved pediatrician was downloading child pornography in the same home where he was providing medical treatment to children,” said U.S. Attorney Machen. “He provided care to many children during his career, but also obsessively collected images of children of the same ages being sexually exploited. Dr. Dickey’s prosecution is a concrete demonstration of our commitment to hold accountable anyone who would seek to exploit the innocence of our children.”
“By downloading images of child pornography, Dr. Dickey took advantage of unwitting victims,” said Assistant Director in Charge Parlave. “The FBI is committed to apprehending offenders who sexually exploit children through sharing images of child pornography and we will continue to work together with our partners to identify these predators and their innocent victims.”
This case was brought as part of the Department of Justice's Project Safe Childhood initiative and investigated by the FBI's Child Exploitation Task Force, which includes members of the FBI's Washington Field Office and MPD. 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
In announcing the sentence, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director Parlave and Chief Lanier praised the work of the MPD Detectives and Special Agents of the FBI Child Exploitation Task Force. They also commended the efforts of Assistant U.S. Attorney Ari Redbord, who prosecuted the case.
13-425Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud in Scheme That Cost His Employer More Than $100,000-Defendant Sold Unnecessary Software to His Employer-Read the Press Release
WASHINGTON - James R. Revell, 47, of Springfield, Va., pled guilty today to mail fraud for scheming to cheat his employer of more than $100,000, announced U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr., Valerie Parlave, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Washington Field Office, and Cathy L. Lanier, Chief of the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD).
Revell pled guilty in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Honorable Ketanji Brown Jackson scheduled sentencing for March 5, 2014. The charge carries a statutory maximum of 20 years in prison. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the likely range is a sentence of 12 to 18 months in prison and a fine of up to $30,000.
According to the government’s evidence, Revell carried out a scheme between at least November 2011 and January 2012 to defraud his then-employer, the Advisory Board Company. At the time, Revell was the firm’s director for information technology. Without informing any member of the Advisory Board Company’s staff, he incorporated another company, GTM Tech. This company was set up solely to send software to the Advisory Board Company.
From November 2011 through January 2012, Revell initiated three separate and unnecessary purchase orders on behalf of the Advisory Board Company to GTM Tech that totaled $104,642. None of the programs actually provided any service or benefit.
Revell has since paid $104,642 in restitution to the company.
In announcing the plea, U.S. Attorney Machen, Assistant Director in Charge Parlave and Chief Lanier commended the work of those who investigated the case from the FBI and MPD. They also acknowledged the efforts of those who worked on the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialist Donna Galindo and Assistant U.S. Attorney Phil Selden, who is prosecuting the case.
13-418Two Men Found Guilty of First-Degree Murder While Armed and Assault Charges for Shooting at Caribbean FestivalDefendants Fired About A Dozen Shots into Crowd, Killing Innocent BystanderRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Deonte Bryant, 22, and Terrance Bush, 21, both of Washington, D.C., were found guilty by a jury today of first-degree murder while armed and other charges for shooting and killing a man and wounding two other people during a shoot-out at a street festival in Northwest Washington, U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen Jr. announced.
In addition to the murder charge, the jury found Bryant and Bush guilty of three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed, one count of aggravated assault while armed, and related gun charges. The verdicts followed a trial in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia. The Honorable John Ramsey Johnson scheduled sentencing for March 7, 2014.
According to the government’s evidence, in the late afternoon of June 25, 2011, Bryant and Bush provoked and then participated in a shootout with a member of a rival neighborhood group, striking and injuring the rival, as well as three innocent bystanders who were hit by gunfire as they tried to run away. The shooting took place in broad daylight, during the Caribbean Festival, in the area of the 700 block of Gresham Place NW.
In total, Bryant and Bush fired about a dozen shots into the crowd. One of the innocent bystanders, Robert Foster, Jr., 43, was killed. Another innocent bystander was gravely wounded but survived. The third innocent bystander was shot in the leg and the side but also survived.
The rival, Terry Jimenez, 22, earlier pled guilty to charges in the case.
In announcing the verdicts, U.S. Attorney Machen praised the work of those who worked on the case from the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD). U.S. Attorney Machen also expressed appreciation to those who worked on the case from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, including Paralegal Specialists Kelly Blakeney and Mia Beamon; Victim/Witness Advocate Meshall Thomas, and Litigation Technology Specialists Leif Hickling and Anisha Bhatia.
Finally, he commended the work of Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Kerkhoff and Kate Rakoczy, who tried the case, as well as Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Snyder and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Bruce Hegyi, who indicted the case.
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