Central District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Piatt County Resident Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. –Neal A. Evans, 51, previously of Piatt County and now of rural Ogden, Illinois, was sentenced on November 16, 2021, to 60 months’ imprisonment for receipt and possession of child pornography.
At Evans’s sentencing hearing, Senior U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Mihm noted the significant and long-lasting impact to the child victims depicted in the images Evans possessed.
In July 2021, Evans had entered a plea of guilty to both counts of the indictment: attempted receipt of child pornography and possession of child pornography, with both offenses alleged to have occurred in January 2018. Evans was released on bond following arraignment on the indictment but was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals after his guilty plea.
The statutory penalty for receipt of child pornography is five to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000; possession of child pornography carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Following Evans’s release from the Bureau of Prisons, he will be on federal supervised release for eight years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Macon County, Illinois, Sheriff’s office, with the assistance of the Decatur Police Department. Evans was previously employed in Macon County. Assistant U. S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson represented the government in the prosecution
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Michael Eugene Dickerson, 34, was sentenced on November 4, 2021, to 84 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon.
At Dickerson’s sentencing hearing, Chief United States District Judge Sara Darrow found that Dickerson posed a great risk to the public and a sentence above the guideline range was warranted based on Dickerson’s “very high likelihood to recidivate.”
Also at the hearing, the government presented evidence that on October 3, 2019, Dickerson and an accomplice drove around in a car with firearms intending to hold up another individual at gunpoint. Dickerson and his accomplice then held up an innocent pedestrian at gunpoint before realizing the victim was not the person for whom they were looking.
Dickerson pleaded guilty in February 2021.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a felon include up to ten years in prison.
The Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya represented the government in the prosecution.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 166 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery ConspiracyRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Terrance Jermaine “T.J.” Clay, 44, was sentenced on November 4, 2021, to 166 months’ imprisonment for conspiracy to commit robbery, robbery, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery.
At Clay’s sentencing hearing, Chief United States District Court Judge Sara Darrow found that Clay was the leader of a conspiracy to rob drug dealers in the Quad Cities. She noted that Clay and his coconspirators placed GPS monitoring devices on their victims’ vehicles to monitor their habits and routes to determine when and where the victims were likely to have valuable contraband.
Chief Judge Darrow also found that on November 11, 2017, Clay and his coconspirators robbed and carjacked two people in Moline, Illinois, at gunpoint. During the robbery, one of the guns discharged and one of the victims was pistol whipped. Clay and his coconspirator later lit the victim’s car on fire in Moline, Illinois.
Clay pleaded guilty in July 2021. His co-defendant Kelsey Dwayne Bragg was sentenced to 190 months’ imprisonment on February 16, 2021, following a plea of guilty.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to commit robbery and robbery include up to twenty years’ imprisonment. Possession of a firearm in furtherance of robbery carries a mandatory minimum term of ten years and up to life imprisonment.
“This case is a good example of how drug dealers plague our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “The threat and danger is real and sophisticated. The United States Attorney’s Office will continue to work with law enforcement to prosecute and abate the continuing problem.”
The Rock Island Police Department; the Scott County, Iowa, Sheriff’s Office; and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya represented the government in the prosecution.
Rock Island Man Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Robert Barnes, 29, of the 900 block of 21st Street in Rock Island, Illinois, pleaded guilty on November 3, 2021, to unlawfully possessing a firearm as a felon. Sentencing for Barnes has been scheduled for March 2, 2022, in federal court in Davenport, Iowa.
At the change-of-plea hearing before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sara Darrow, Barnes admitted to possessing a firearm despite knowing that it was unlawful to do so because of his prior felony conviction. In presenting a factual basis for the conviction, the government described how, in November of 2019, a Rock Island police officer stopped a car in which Barnes was a passenger. During the stop, the officer discovered an uncased and loaded handgun under Barnes’s seat.
Barnes remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals while awaiting sentencing.
At sentencing, Barnes faces statutory penalties of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
The Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya is representing the United States in the prosecution.
Champaign Woman Convicted of Providing a Firearm to a FelonRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Lawanda Moore, 31, of the 200 block of Arcadia Drive in Champaign, Illinois, pleaded guilty on November 5, 2021, to unlawfully transferring a firearm to a convicted felon. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for March 7, 2022, in federal court in Urbana, Illinois.
At the change-of-plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, Moore admitted to transferring a firearm to Timothy Davis, also of Champaign. When Moore transferred the gun to Davis, she knew he had been previously convicted of a felony and, as a result, was not allowed to lawfully possess a firearm.
At sentencing, Moore faces statutory penalties of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and up to three years of supervised release.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Champaign Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel Ritzer is representing the United States in the prosecution.
East Moline Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Rock Island, Ill. – A East Moline, Illinois, man, Douglas Christensen, 56, of the 800 block of 15th Avenue, was sentenced on November 3, 2021, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor.
According to court documents, in November 2020, Christensen arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old child to engage in oral sex. After traveling to a nearby location to meet with the intended victim, Christensen was arrested by federal agents and local law enforcement officers.
Christensen was subsequently charged in an indictment with one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of soliciting an obscene visual depiction of a minor. In July 2021, Christensen pleaded guilty to the attempted enticement of a minor count.
At Christensen’s sentencing hearing, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow noted that the applicable penalties, including the statutory minimum of 10 years in prison, reflected the seriousness of the offense conduct. The judge further commented that she hoped Christensen’s sentence would have a deterrent effect on others and potentially save children from harm.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are at least 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated as part of an operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the East Moline Police Department, the Galesburg Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Knox County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jennifer Mathew and Grant Thomas Hodges represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Man Illegally Living in Peoria Sentenced to 37 Months in Prison for Possession of a Sawed-Off ShotgunRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A man illegally living in Peoria, Illinois – Pedro Lozolla, 28, of the 2100 block of West Garden Street – was sentenced on October 29, 2021, to 37 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for unlawful possession of a firearm by an illegal alien.
The firearm recovered was a modified ERA 12-gauge shotgun, the barrel of which had been sawed off. The stock of the gun had been removed and replaced with an aluminum baseball bat. At sentencing, the government noted that Lozolla had admitted to police that he had been selling drugs for several months and possessed the firearm because he liked how it looked.
Lozolla pleaded guilty to the charge in June 2021 and agreed to forfeiture.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by an unlawful alien are no more than 10 years imprisonment, up to 3 years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
This case was the result of a joint investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge represented the government in the prosecution.
East Moline Man Pleads Guilty to Gun, Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An East Moline, Illinois, man, Christian Matthew Lannan, 24, of the 3600 block of 8th Street Court, pleaded guilty on October 29, 2021, to the charges of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 21, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois, before United States District Judge James E. Shadid.
Lannan remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
For the offense of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison; a term of supervised release of not less than two years and up to life; and a fine of up to $250,000. For the offense of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, the statutory penalty is a minimum of five years in prison up to a maximum of life, to be served consecutively to any other sentence on any other count; a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life; and a fine of up to $250,000. For the offense of possessing a firearm as a felon, the statutory penalty is up to 10 years in prison; a term of supervised release of up to three years; and a fine of up to $250,000.
The charges were investigated by the Moline and East Moline Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Mehochko is representing the government in the prosecution.
Bridgeport Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bridgeport, Illinois, man, Billy Joe Kocher, 49, of the 300 block of Olive Street, was sentenced on October 20, 2021, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for attempted enticement of a minor, in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2422(b).
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that in April 2021 Kocher had attempted to meet with a person he believed to be a father of an eight-year-old girl. The purpose of the meeting was for Kocher to pay for the opportunity to have sex with the eight-year-old child.
Kocher was indicted in June 2020 and pleaded guilty in June 2021, pursuant to a written plea agreement.
The statutory penalties for attempted enticement of a minor are at least 10 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by at a term of supervised release of at least five years and up to life, as well as a fine of up to $250,000.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul B. Morris and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Kocher was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative 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 locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Saint Augustine Man Charged with Bank and Wire Fraud Related to Theft of COVID-19 Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal grand jury indicted a Saint Augustine, Illinois, man, Michael L. Patch, 64, of the 100 block of West 3rd Street, on September 21, 2021, for allegedly committing one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud from as early as April 2020 through this year. The indictment was unsealed during Patch’s initial appearance in federal court in Peoria, Illinois, today.
The indictment alleges that Patch was the owner and operator of a now-defunct restaurant named Vernon Street Grill, located in Farmington, Illinois. Patch maintained a bank account for the business at the Bank of Farmington. Starting in or around April 2020, Patch allegedly applied for certain types of funding and programs related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) and the COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”). The indictment asserts that through use of false and inflated gross receipts and payroll numbers, Patch was able to qualify for funding from the PPP and EIDL programs. The indictment further alleges that Patch knowingly provided loan documents to the Bank of Farmington containing materially false information for the purpose of receiving a loan through the PPP program, along with submitting a fraudulent loan application to the Small Business Administration for the purpose of obtaining funds from the EIDL program.
Patch was released on bond, and his next court appearance will be December 8, 2021.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 30 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release for the bank fraud charge, and up to 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine and up to three years of supervised release for each wire fraud count.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Illinois Department of Revenue Criminal Investigations and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Peoria Heights Woman Sentenced to 136 months in Prison for Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria Heights, Illinois, woman, Nicole M. Sutton,40, of the 2000 block of East Cardinal Court, was sentenced on October 28, 2021, to 136 months for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, to be followed by four years of supervised release.
Following Sutton’s arrest on September 9, 2020, she has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. She pleaded guilty on June 24, 2021.
At Sutton’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James Shadid found Sutton was responsible for distributing at least 1,300 grams of highly pure methamphetamine. Judge Shadid stated that Sutton had a lengthy criminal history but also battled drug addiction most of her adult life. Judge Shadid also noted that Sutton had several failed attempts at probation and drug treatment, including Tazewell County Drug Court. The government’s evidence at sentencing included Sutton’s statements to police that the most she had ever purchased in one transaction from her dealer was three pounds of ice methamphetamine.
“The message is clear: if you choose to deal highly-addictive, community-wrecking drugs to others, you will be held accountable,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “Our office commends the Drug Enforcement Administration’s dedication and perseverance in working with Peoria Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group and the Pekin Police Department to target drug dealers in the greater Peoria area.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Peoria Multi-County Narcotics Enforcement Group, and Pekin Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the government in the prosecution.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in this case were up to 40 years of imprisonment, $5,000,000 in fines, and not less than four years supervised release.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally out of the Pekin Police Department. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Bloomington Physician Charged with Fifteen Counts of Unlawful Dispensing and Distributing of a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal grand jury indicted a Bloomington, Illinois, doctor, Richard Sabbun, 61, on September 21, 2021, for allegedly unlawfully dispensing and distributing controlled substances from February 3, 2017 through February 6, 2020, in McLean County and elsewhere within the Central District of Illinois. The indictment was unsealed on October 28, 2021, during Sabbun’s initial appearance in federal court in Peoria, Illinois.
The indictment alleges that Sabbun was employed as an emergency room physician during the relevant time period. As part of his employment, Sabbun received a “DEA Number” that allowed him to write prescriptions for controlled substances. A valid prescription must be signed and issued by an authorized physician in the usual course of professional practice and for legitimate medical purpose. Each of the fifteen counts against Sabbun allege that he provided prescriptions for controlled substances that were outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose.
Sabbun was released on bond, and his next court appearance is set for December 15, 2021.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for each count charged are up to 40 years of imprisonment, a $5,000,000 fine, and four years of supervised release. Special assessments also apply.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Chicago Man Convicted of Financial Institution Fraud and Aggravated Identity TheftRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned guilty verdicts against Christopher Simmons, 40, of Chicago, Illinois, on October 26, 2021, for three counts of financial institution fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. Sentencing for Simmons has been scheduled for February 24, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Adreen Canterberry obtained a $49,900 loan from Citizens Equity First Credit Union for the purchase of a 2016 Audi from Simmons. The evidence showed that Simmons did not own the car and that the information provided about the car came from an eBay listing. After Simmons got the $49,900, he used a stolen social security number, false address, and false earnings statements to seek car loans and credit cards from CEFCU. CEFCU alerted the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department about the fraud and when Simmons went into one of the CEFCU offices to obtain a car loan, he was arrested.
Canterberry previously pleaded guilty to financial institution fraud and was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment, five years supervised release, $10,000 fine, and $49,900 in restitution.
Simmons remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. At sentencing, Simmons faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years imprisonment, a maximum $1,000,000 fine, and maximum supervised release terms of five years for each of the financial institution fraud counts. He also faces a mandatory consecutive two-year sentence of imprisonment for the aggravated identity theft count, as well as a maximum one-year term of supervised release and a maximum $250,000 fine.
The investigation was conducted by the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department and the United States Secret Service. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn Knauss and Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government at trial.
Bartonville Man Sentenced to 88 Months in Prison for Soliciting an Obscene Visual Depiction of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bartonville, Illinois, man, Collin Hale, 41, has been sentenced to 88 months in prison, 15 years of supervised release, and a $5,000 fine for Soliciting an Obscene Visual Depiction of a Minor. As part of his plea of guilty entered on June 30, 2021, the defendant agreed to the forfeiture of a cell phone.
On February 18, 2020, Hale solicited an obscene visual depiction of a person he believed to be an eight-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct. Unbeknownst to Hale, he was engaging in conversations with an FBI agent. Following his arrest on February 24, 2020, Hale has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshal.
In discussing the seriousness of the offense, U.S. District Judge James Shadid commented that even though there was no victim here, there was plenty of conversation about what had occurred prior to his arrest.
The statutory penalties for Soliciting an Obscene Visual Depiction of a Minor are up to 20 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, a $5,000 fine pursuant to the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, and supervised release for a period of up to life.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn Knauss and Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 96 Months in Prison for Possession and Distribution of a Controlled SubstanceRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Rock Island, Illinois, man, Michael Tyrone Drummond, Jr., 30, of the 3000 block of 4th Street, was sentenced to 96 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on October 21, 2021, for offenses involving trafficking in cocaine base (crack).
Drummond had earlier pleaded guilty to three counts of distribution and one count of possession with intent to deliver a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base.
At the time Drummond committed the offenses, he was already on federal supervised release for a prior drug trafficking offense. As a result, U.S. District Court Judge Sara Darrow imposed an additional sentence of 24 months in federal prison for the violation of his conditions of supervised release, for a total sentence of 120 months.
At Drummond’s sentencing hearing, Judge Darrow found that based on the nature of the offense and his criminal history, Drummond qualified as a career offender. The judge also commented that Drummond’s history of criminal activity, specifically the fact that he was on supervised release for the same conduct, showed a disturbing trend.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to deliver or distribution of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine base, are up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and at least three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The Rock Island Police Department, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Quad Cities Gang Taskforce, and the Moline Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield Man Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Rafael Mercado Berrios, 42, of the 700 block of South Durkin Drive, was sentenced to ten years in prison, to be followed by ten years of supervised release, on October 20, 2021, for attempted enticement of a minor and use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor.
Mercado Berrios was convicted in June 2021 following a jury trial in which the United States presented evidence establishing that Mercado Berrios had used a mobile application to arrange to meet a person he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity.
At Mercado Berrios’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Sue E. Myerscough found that he had also attempted to obstruct justice by requesting that a former girlfriend delete information from his computer and directing her not to speak to law enforcement agencies, as well as telling her what to say if she did choose to speak.
The statutory penalty for attempted enticement of a minor is ten years to life imprisonment. The statutory penalty for use of interstate facilities to attempt to transmit information about a minor is not more than five years imprisonment. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with the assistance of the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations; the Springfield Police Department; and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanner K. Jacobs and Gregory K. Harris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Mercado Berrios was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative 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 locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Peoria Man Sentenced to over 12 Months in Prison for Involvement in Looting a Gun Store and Providing False Statements to the ATFRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Jeron C. McNeal, 29, of the 200 block of Northeast Rock Island Avenue, was sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison and three years of supervised release on October 20, 2021, for his involvement in the burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer and for giving false statements to federal law enforcement officers. U.S. District Court Judge Joe Billy McDade also ordered McNeal to pay $1,000 in restitution. McNeal will remain on bond and report to the Bureau of Prisons on February 1, 2022.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that on June 1, 2020, McNeal was the driver of an SUV whose occupants were participants in looting incidents around the city of Peoria. At approximately 2:00 a.m., McNeal, along with a caravan of approximately 30 cars, stopped in front of Pinnacle Gun & Ammo, a federal firearm licensee located at 701 Main Street. Two minors exited McNeal’s SUV and entered a smashed front window of Pinnacle along with approximately seven other unidentified individuals. McNeal’s sister, Chayla R. McNeal, stood at the SUV and recorded the incident with her phone. Each of the two minors with McNeal stole firearms from the store and ran back to McNeal’s SUV, which was waiting outside. When police gave chase, McNeal fled with the male minor and several guns. The female minor was unable to retreat to McNeal’s SUV in time and was apprehended by police. When she was captured, the minor female was in possession of three stolen guns. In total, twenty-nine firearms were stolen during the looting of Pinnacle.
The government presented additional evidence that on June 1, 2020, federal agents located and interviewed McNeal. He admitted to driving the black Cadillac SUV, which he owned, that was parked in front of Pinnacle at the time of the burglary. He also admitted to driving around the city from business to business that night and that he was present when looting occurred. However, McNeal provided false statements to agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in that he falsely claimed that (1) he only stopped in front of Pinnacle because he got stuck in traffic; (2) he didn’t know anyone got out of his SUV during the burglary; and (3) he made false statements about who was in the SUV when he went to Pinnacle.
At McNeal’s sentencing hearing, Judge McDade commented that McNeal did not have an extensive criminal record and may not have grasped the enormity of what he was doing, having failed to appreciate that he would go to prison if he was caught. Noting the serious nature of the crime, Judge McDade stated that putting stolen firearms in the hands of people who cannot lawfully possess them is contributing to violence in the streets. To date, five of the twenty-nine guns have been recovered.
McNeal was arrested on September 18, 2020, and pleaded guilty before Judge McDade on June 2, 2021.
The offense of stealing from a licensed firearms dealer carries a statutory penalty of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment. For the offense of false statements, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
Chayla R. McNeal has also pleaded guilty to burglary of a federally licensed firearms dealer and false statements to a federal law enforcement officer. Her sentencing hearing is scheduled for November 5, 2021, in federal court in Peoria.
The Peoria Police Department and U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Four IndividualsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned indictments on October 19, 2021, against the following individuals:
Alante Malik Jackson, 22, of Peoria, Illinois, was charged with possession of a firearm by a felon. The offense occurred September 20, 2021, in Peoria County. The Peoria Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives investigated the case. Jackson remains in federal custody.
John W. Beck, 54 – currently in federal custody on two counts of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of bank robbery, and one count of armed bank robbery and was charged with attempted escape in September 2021 from the Livingston County Jail in Pontiac, Illinois. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, investigated the case.
Monica Renee Wright, 38, of Colorado Springs, Colorado, was charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute at least 50 grams of actual methamphetamine, a Schedule II controlled substance, and at least 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. The offense occurred during or about June 2016 and continued through about March 2017. The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Wright has been released on bond.
Daniel Allee, 42, of Vinton, Iowa, was charged with travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. The indictment alleges that Allee traveled interstate to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a person he believed to be under the age of 18 on or about October 6, 2021. The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, investigated the case, and Allee was arrested in Moline, Illinois, on that same date. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois will schedule a date for the appearance of the defendants.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Davenport Man Sentenced for Attempted Enticement of Minors and Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Davenport, Iowa, man, Douglas Speer, 31, of West 49th Street, was sentenced to eleven years in federal prison, to be followed by fifteen years of supervised release, on October 20, 2021, for traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity and attempting to entice two underage girls to engage in sexual activity.
According to court documents, in November 2020, Speer arranged to pay for sex with individuals he believed to be two girls, ages fifteen and eleven. After traveling from Iowa to Illinois to meet with the intended victims, Speer was arrested by federal agents and local law enforcement officers.
Speer was subsequently charged in an indictment with two counts of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of travel with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. In June 2021, Speer pleaded guilty to two counts of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.
At Speer’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Sara Darrow stated that the applicable penalties, including the statutory minimum of ten years in prison, were severe but necessary given that such laws serve to protect the most vulnerable within the community from “predators” like Speer. The judge further commented on the need for a sentence such as this to deter others from attempting similar crimes.
The statutory penalty for each count of attempted enticement of a minor is a minimum of 10 years to life imprisonment. The penalty for travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity is up to 30 years in prison. Each count also carries a fine of up to $250,000.
This case was investigated as part of an operation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the East Moline Police Department, the Galesburg Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Knox County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyssa Raya and Ryan Bintz represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Canton Man Pleads Guilty to Solicitation of an Obscene Visual Depiction of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Canton, Illinois, man, Joseph M. Graham, 29, of the 500 block of Baxter Court, pleaded guilty on October 21, 2021, to the charge of soliciting an obscene visual depiction of a minor. Sentencing has been scheduled for February 24, 2022, at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
In court today, before U.S. District Judge James Shadid, Graham admitted that he used an online application to request sexually explicit images of an individual whom he believed to be 8 years old.
During the hearing, the government stated that in December 2019 Graham initiated messages arranging to meet with individuals he believed to be the child and his father and, on January 8, 2020, traveled to a coffee shop on North Prospect Road, in Peoria, where he was taken into custody by federal agents.
Graham remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
For the offense of solicitation of an obscene visual depiction of a minor, the statutory penalty is not less than five years and up to 20 years in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life.
The charges were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Fugitive for over Twenty Years Sentenced to Twelve Years in Prison for Large-Scale Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A Chicago, Ill., man, Hector Castaneda, 59, of the 2400 block of South Springfield Avenue, has been sentenced to twelve years in federal prison for his role in a 1997 drug conspiracy involving almost twenty kilograms of heroin.
From 1996 to 1997, Castaneda and his four co-defendants, Ramiro S. Trevino, Raul Cruz-Velasco, Joseph L. Cuevas, and Jose G. Villanueva, were involved in a conspiracy to transport heroin from Texas to Chicago. The conspirators transported five kilograms of heroin from Texas to Chicago on four occasions. On the last occasion, July 5, 1997, a deputy with the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office intercepted the heroin during a traffic stop of Villanueva. The Drug Enforcement Administration and Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group conducted further investigation, resulting in the arrest of the other conspirators, including Castaneda when he travelled from Chicago to a motel room in Kankakee, Illinois, and picked up the five kilograms of heroin.
On July 9, 1997, Castaneda was released from custody on bond. He then fled from the United States to Mexico, where he lived for over twenty years. In the meantime, a trial was held in Urbana, Illinois, his four co-defendants were all convicted, and the court-imposed sentences on them ranging from twelve years and seven months to ten years of imprisonment in the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Castaneda returned to Chicago in 2019 and was arrested on his outstanding federal warrant on February 18, 2020, and ordered detained. On March 17, 2021, Castaneda pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute more than a kilogram of heroin and the attempted possession of more than a kilogram of heroin.
At Castaneda’s sentencing hearing on October 18, 2021, U.S. District Court Judge Michael M. Mihm found that Castaneda was responsible for transporting almost 20 kilograms of heroin and that he had obstructed justice by fleeing the United States while on federal bond.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Department investigated the case. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Danville Man Sentenced to 108 Months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
Urbana, Ill. – A Danville, Ill., man, Demaje Robinson-Potts, 23, has been sentenced to 108 months in prison for distributing crystal methamphetamine and fentanyl together with his brother and codefendant, D’Vaughnte Robinson, on September 16, 2020. Robinson was previously sentenced to the same prison term for his role in the brothers’ scheme.
At Robinson-Potts’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Michael Mihm emphasized the seriousness of Robinson-Potts’s crime, noting that fentanyl is a “curse” on the community and that methamphetamine poses significant danger to its users and the public. Judge Mihm also found Robinson-Potts responsible for a firearm that investigators located in the brothers’ shared residence during a search of the home on September 17, 2020.
Robinson-Potts was convicted of distributing methamphetamine following a guilty plea on January 15, 2021.
The Drug Enforcement Administration (Terre-Haute, IN) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Terre Haute, IN) investigated the case with assistance from the Vermilion Metropolitan Enforcement Group and the Vigo County Drug Task Force. Assistant United States Attorney Rachel Ritzer represented the government in the prosecution.
Savoy Man Sentenced for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Michael E. Hughes, 35, of Lange Ave in Savoy, Illinois, was sentenced today to 32 months in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of child pornography. Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm imposed the sentence.
Hughes was arrested on March 10, 2020, following a February 2020 indictment. Hughes was released following a detention hearing on March 12, 2020, but was arrested and detained a year later after the court found that he violated the terms of his pretrial release. Hughes has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since March 12, 2021.
The indictment against Hughes charged that on March 14, 2019, Hughes possessed a cellular telephone containing child pornography. The statutory penalties for the offense are a maximum ten-year term of imprisonment and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, The charge is the result of investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office, and the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Hillsboro Man Pleads Guilty to Enticing a MinorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Andrew B. Collins, 32, of the 200 block of Main Street, in Hillsboro, Illinois, pleaded guilty to the charge of enticement of a minor on Friday, October 15, 2021. Sentencing has been scheduled for February 14, 2022, in U.S. District Court for the Central District of Illinois in Springfield.
At the change-of-plea hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins, Collins admitted that he enticed a 16-year-old boy to engage in sexually explicit conduct.
During the hearing, the government stated that online chats between Collins and the minor showed that Collins persuaded the minor to engage in intercourse by offering him toy gifts, promises of weekends together, nude massages, and the option to permanently live together in the future.
For the offense of enticement of a minor, the statutory penalty is not less than ten years and up to life in prison; a fine of up to $250,000; and a term of supervised release of not less than five years and up to life.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the United States Secret Service, and the Southern Illinois University Police Department, which is a member of the Central and Southern Illinois Attorney General’s Financial and Cyber Crimes Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris is representing the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Davenport Man Sentenced to 71 Months’ Imprisonment for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A Davenport, Iowa, man, Demaine Marquelle Glenn, 30, of the 300 block of South Elmwood Avenue, has been sentenced to 71 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At Glenn’s sentencing hearing, the government stated that in September 2018, Rock Island police responded to a shots fired call in the area of 21st Street and 3rd Avenue after someone in Glenn’s car fired several shots at another occupied vehicle. The responding officers spotted Glenn’s car, which matched witness descriptions, and attempted to stop it. Glenn, who was later determined to be the driver, fled and led police on a high-speed chase from Rock Island into Davenport and Bettendorf, Iowa, before continuing back into Moline, Illinois, where the vehicle crashed and Glenn was arrested. A firearm possessed by Glenn was recovered from the scene, and several fired shell casings of the same caliber were recovered both from Glenn’s car and from the scene of the shooting. At the time of the offense, Glenn was also on parole for a prior Iowa burglary offense.
In imposing sentence, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid commented that Glenn’s prior Iowa burglary was a violent home invasion-type burglary and that his high-speed flight from police put innocent members of the public at risk.
Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Rock Island, Moline, Davenport, and Bettendorf Police Departments investigated the case.
Danville Sex Offender Sentenced to Two Years for Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. –David W. Morlan, 66, most recently of Danville, Illinois, was sentenced today to two years in federal prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for failure to register as a sex offender.
In imposing sentence, Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm noted as an aggravating factor Morlan’s two prior failure-to-register convictions.
Morlan was arrested on January 8, 2021, and charged by criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Danville Police responded to an emergency call at the 900 block of Kimber St, in Danville and arrested Morlan on outstanding state warrants. According to court documents, Morlan had been living in the Danville area since October 2019 and had not registered as a sex offender during that time. Morlan’s 2006 conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a victim under thirteen years from Vermilion County, Illinois, requires that he register as a sex offender for his lifetime.
Following his arrest, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long held a detention hearing on January 13, 2021, and ordered that Morlan be detained. Morlan has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for Morlan’s failure-to-register offense are a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, The charge is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Danville Police Department.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Springfield Man and Woman Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Two Springfield, Illinois, residents - Heather Horrighs, 42, and Theodis Parnell, 50 – were arrested on October 14, 2021, for allegedly robbing the Alliance Community Bank on September 13, 2021.
Horrighs and Parnell were charged via a criminal complaint in the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois. Both defendants appeared in federal court in Springfield today in front of Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins, at which time the criminal complaint against them was unsealed.
According to the complaint affidavit, Horrighs entered the bank carrying a box with a note attached to it. The note stated that the box contained a bomb and demanded that bank employees hand over money. Parnell is alleged to have acted as an accomplice and getaway driver in the robbery.
Both defendants remain in the temporary custody of the United States Marshals Service pending detention hearings that are set for next week.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
The United States has thirty days to present the case to a grand jury, which will decide if there is probable cause. Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office; the United States Marshal’s Service; the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Office; the Springfield Police Department; the Sherman Police Department; and the Chatham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Weir is representing the government in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Pleads Guilty to Stealing Guns from a Federally Licensed Firearms Dealer in Tazewell CountyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Zabian Hatcher, 21, of the 2600 block of Montana Ave, in Peoria, Illinois, pleaded guilty today to charges including conspiring to steal guns from a federal firearms licensee, burglary of a federal firearms licensee, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of firearms by a felon. Sentencing has been scheduled for February 10, 2022.
In court today, before U.S. District Judge James Shadid, Hatcher admitted his involvement in the theft of nine firearms – including a Colt 9mm AR15 rifle equipped with a high- capacity magazine – during the burglary of a gun store in fall 2020.
During the change-of-plea hearing, the government stated that on October 29, 2020, at approximately 2 a.m., Creve Coeur police officers were dispatched to a gun store known as “Thompson Trading Company,” after a window was shattered during a break-in that was captured on store security camera footage. Six individuals participated in the burglary, three of whom were video-recorded as they stole the firearms and three others who remained outside the store.
The government stated that the individuals then fled from an East Peoria police officer in a getaway car until the car struck a curb and sustained damage. Six of the occupants fled, but a seventh person, the driver, stayed in the vehicle and was taken into custody. Two firearms stolen from “Thompson Trading Company” were recovered and two additional firearms from the burglary were found in a nearby driveway. An identification card for Zabian Hatcher was found in the car.
The government noted that shortly after investigators discovered that an Uber driver had picked up five of the six men involved in the burglary after they abandoned the get-away car and dropped them off at residences in North Peoria.
According to the government’s statements in court, Hatcher subsequently acknowledged to investigators that he had participated in the burglary by entering “Thompson Trading Company” and stealing firearms. At the time of the burglary and possession of the guns, Hatcher had been previously convicted of a crime punishable by more than one year in prison.
Hatcher remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Three others charged in the conspiracy – Tyruis Bramlett, Deondra Proctor, and Devin Price – have also pleaded guilty. All have either been sentenced or have sentencing hearings scheduled. Charges against a fifth individual, Jaquon Timothy, remain pending, and members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); the East Peoria Police Department; the Creve Coeur Police Department; and the Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
For the offense of conspiracy to steal from a licensed firearms dealer, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
The offenses of stealing from a licensed firearms dealer, possession of stolen firearms, and possession of a firearm by a felon each carry a statutory penalty of up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
Two Men Federally Indicted in Spree of Armed Robberies Throughout the Quad CitiesRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on September 21, 2021, that was unsealed today following the arrests and initial court appearances of two Quad City men for allegedly committing five armed robberies and an armed carjacking between July and October of 2020.
The indictment alleges that Emmanuel Lance Howard, 21, of Davenport, Iowa, and Evander Allen Jordan, 37, of Rock Island, Illinois, robbed five local businesses, all while brandishing a firearm. The businesses listed in the indictment include Little Caesar’s Pizza, Midwest Title Loans, Papa John’s Pizza, Pawn King, and Domino’s Pizza. In addition to the five armed robberies, the indictment alleges Howard and Jordan committed a carjacking, also while brandishing a firearm.
The indictment further alleges that a firearm was discharged during the Domino’s Pizza robbery.
Howard was arrested in San Antonio, Texas, and Jordan was arrested in Davenport, Iowa. Both Howard and Jordan remain in the custody of the United States Marshals Service pending a December 6, 2021 trial.
If convicted, Howard and Jordan each face a maximum statutory penalty of up to life imprisonment.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Rock Island Police Department, the Moline Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alyssa Raya and Jennifer Mathew are representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Georgia Man Charged with Drug Trafficking in McLean CountyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Tidas Thompson, also known as Titus Thomas, 44, of Stockbridge, Georgia, was indicted on September 21, 2021, for charges related to drug trafficking and firearms.
The indictment alleges that Thompson knowingly possessed with the intent to distribute 28 grams or more of a cocaine-based mixture or substance, possessed a firearm during drug trafficking, and possessed a firearm as a felon.
Thompson was arrested after a traffic stop on I-55 South in McLean County, Illinois, on August 15, 2021, and is currently in the custody of the United States Marshals Service.
If convicted, Thompson faces a minimum statutory penalty of five years and maximum penalty of 40 years’ imprisonment on the drug trafficking charge, a minimum penalty of five years and maximum penalty of life imprisonment on the possession of a firearm during drug trafficking charge, and a maximum 10-year term of imprisonment on the possession of a firearm as a felon charge. Each count carries a maximum fine of $250,000.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Illinois State Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Cedar Rapids Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Traveling with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ConductRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury deliberated for just under 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict against Joseph Allen Wilcher, 40, of the 1800 block of Western Drive SW in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on October 6, 2021, for one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct. Sentencing for Wilcher has been scheduled for February 3, 2022, before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony this week, the government presented evidence to establish that Wilcher arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application MeetMe. Further evidence showed that Wilcher ultimately traveled from Cedar Rapids to Rock Island, Illinois, to meet the individual and engage in illicit sexual conduct.
Wilcher faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment for the attempted enticement of a minor charge and up to 30 years imprisonment for the traveling to engage in illicit sexual conduct charge. Following the jury’s verdict, Wilcher was taken into the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
“This guilty verdict shows both the ongoing threat to our children and that law enforcement and prosecutors are working together to combat the threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “We will all collectively continue to work together to protect our children.”
“Children can be easily lured into the clutches of those who wish to betray and exploit them online, said David Nanz, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division. “The FBI is committed to flushing out sexual predators with a sense of urgency to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. If you suspect someone is having inappropriate contact with a minor, report it to law enforcement immediately.”
Wilcher was arrested in November of 2020 as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, operation conducted in Rock Island, Illinois. The operation was conducted with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the East Moline Police Department, the Galesburg Police Department, the Davenport Police Department, and the Knox County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grant Hodges and Jennifer Mathew represented the government at trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Alabama Woman Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of Providing False Statements During Purchases of Firearms in Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Alabama woman, April Alexandra Soriano, 31, formerly of the 1800 block of East Bertman Avenue, in Springfield, Illinois, pleaded guilty on October 6, 2021, to making false statements during the purchase of multiple firearms during November 2018 and April 2020. Sentencing has been scheduled for January 27, 2022.
In federal court yesterday, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan Hawley, Soriano admitted to lying on Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives forms when she indicated she was purchasing the guns for herself when, in fact, she was buying them for someone else.
During the change-of-plea hearing, the government stated that during an investigation of a shooting in Chicago, an ATF gun trace revealed that Soriano purchased five firearms from May 1, 2019, to April 15, 2020. A 9mm Taurus handgun she purchased in East Peoria on November 10, 2018, was recovered 64 days later by law enforcement during a search of the residence where she lived with her then-boyfriend in Peoria. A second gun, a 9mm Ruger handgun she purchased at Scheels All Sports in Springfield on April 14, 2020, was recovered 46 days later in Chicago following a shooting incident where a victim sustained a gunshot wound to the foot.
The government further stated that in filling out ATF forms to purchase both the (1) Taurus, Model G2C 9mm caliber pistol from Midwestern Firearms on November 10, 2018, and (2) the Ruger, Model EC9S 9mm caliber pistol from Scheels All Sports on April 14, 2020, Soriano certified that she was the actual buyer and was not acquiring the firearm on behalf of another person.
During the course of the plea proceedings and previously during an interview with law enforcement, Soriano admitted that she provided false information on the forms and had, in fact, purchased both guns for the then-boyfriend. Soriano further admitted that she purchased Taurus pistol for her boyfriend when they lived together on East Nebraska Street in Peoria and said that it was used for protection because drug deals were taking place out of the residence. In relation to the Ruger pistol later recovered in Chicago, Soriano acknowledged that her boyfriend accompanied her to the gun store in Springfield and made the final decision on which gun to purchase.
“This guilty plea highlights the danger of straw purchases of firearms and the relationship between drugs and violence in our community,” said Acting U.S Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “It is simply not okay to purchase a firearm with the intent to give it to someone who cannot legally possess it.”
“The continuing unacceptable level of violence in the Peoria area has multiple causes,” Quivey added. “There is no question that the illegal transfer and possession of firearms are contributing factors. The USAO and our law enforcement partners will do all we can to continue to address the firearm issue but we need the community to help. If you see something, please say something.”
“When people straw purchase firearms on behalf of those who are prohibited from purchasing and possessing firearms themselves, they often end up in the hands of those who commit violent crime,” said ATF Special Agent in Charge Kristen de Tineo of the Chicago Field Division. “ATF appreciates the commitment of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in prosecuting those responsible for trafficking firearms.”
Agencies participating in the investigation include ATF, the Peoria Police Department, and the Chicago Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
For the offense of false statements to a licensed firearms dealer in connection with the purchase of a firearm, the statutory penalty is up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
Ford County Man Convicted of Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury deliberated for just over 90 minutes before returning a guilty verdict this afternoon against Robert Shawn Anderson, 52, of the 300 block of Spruce Street in Paxton, Ill., for one count of enticement of a minor.
Over two days of testimony this week, the government presented evidence to establish that Anderson arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application MeetMe.
Sentencing for Anderson has been scheduled for January 10, 2022, before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Ill. Anderson faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
“This guilty verdict shows both the ongoing threat to our children and that law enforcement and prosecutors are working together to combat the threat,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey. “We will all collectively continue to work together to protect our children.”
“I appreciate Acting U.S. Attorney Doug Quivey’s partnership with my office, which is critical to holding accountable individuals who prey on minors,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “This verdict underscores the importance of collaboration between state and federal law enforcement, and I look forward to our continued work to protect Illinois’ children.”
“Children can be easily lured into the clutches of those who wish to betray and exploit them online, said David Nanz, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division. “The FBI is committed to flushing out sexual predators with a sense of urgency to ensure the safety and well-being of our children. If you suspect someone is having inappropriate contact with a minor, report it to law enforcement immediately.”
Anderson was arrested over Valentine’s Day weekend 2020 as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, operation conducted in Kankakee County, Ill. The operation was conducted with the assistance of the Bradley Police Department, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien – also Deputy Bureau Chief for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office – and Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson represented the government at trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Danville Man Convicted of Fraud, Aggravated Identity Theft, and Money Laundering in Two Different JurisdictionsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. –Jeffery T. Henson, 43, of Danville, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and money laundering in United States District Court in Urbana, Illinois, on October 4, 2021. Sentencing for Henson has been scheduled on February 7, 2022, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana.
According to court documents, in 2016, Henson pretended to be an online job recruiter to obtain the personal identifying information of a job seeker. He then used the stolen personal information to obtain a job in that person’s name as the Director of Accounting at a Schaumburg, Illinois, consulting firm, thereby preventing the firm from learning of Henson’s prior convictions for theft. Once employed, Henson set up fraudulent companies with names similar to legitimate vendors of the consulting firm and used his position to forge company checks and direct them to his fraudulently created companies. Henson defrauded the firm of at least $1,868,765 before he fled the Chicago area and moved to Danville in 2018.
According to court documents, in 2018, Henson then stole the identity of an individual in Indiana with whom he made podcasts. Henson used the stolen identity to open up a fraudulent bank account and to obtain a job in that person’s name as the Comptroller of Watchfire Signs, LLC, in Danville. As the Comptroller, Henson defrauded Watchfire by causing Watchfire’s legitimate payments for tax liabilities to be routed to the fraudulent bank account Henson had opened with the stolen identity. Henson also laundered some of the fraud money by purchasing a $50,000 cashier’s check, which he used to buy a Mercedes-Benz for over $100,000. Watchfire discovered Henson’s scheme in November of 2019, when the victim of Henson’s identity theft contacted Watchfire after discovering that Henson was using his identity. By then, however, Henson had defrauded Watchfire of approximately $330,000.
Authorities arrested Henson on November 25, 2019, at a bank in Indianapolis, Indiana, when he attempted to access the fraudulent account he had set up. At the time, he was in possession of numerous stolen identity documents. Henson has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since that time. At sentencing, Henson faces statutory penalties of up to twenty years of imprisonment for wire fraud; ten years of imprisonment for money laundering; and two years of imprisonment, consecutive to any other sentence, for aggravated identity theft.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, and Danville Police Department. Supervisory Assistant United States Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
Decatur Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Deangelo Foster, 24, of the 1300 block of Condit Street in Decatur, Illinois, was sentenced today to 84 months’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
At the sentencing hearing, the government stated that in February 2021, Peoria police officers in a fully marked police vehicle saw a Jeep Cherokee doing donuts on MacArthur Highway in front of a gas station. When officers tried to stop the Jeep, the driver refused, eventually losing control and almost striking a second vehicle before getting stuck on the median. Foster was the lone occupant of the car. Officers found a loaded handgun in Foster’s coat pocket. It was later discovered that the gun had been stolen from a Leroy, Illinois, gun store, and the Jeep was stolen in Chicago.
At Foster’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid stated that none of the penalties imposed for Foster’s previous convictions had been successful in deterring his conduct and that all of the factors show that he is not a good candidate for rehabilitation. The judge noted that Foster’s conduct involved driving recklessly in a stolen vehicle, fleeing from the police, crashing the vehicle, and fleeing on foot while in possession of a loaded, stolen handgun. The judge further noted that the gun Foster possessed had been stolen from a gun store in 2020 and had been used in a shooting in Peoria that same year. In imposing the sentence, the judge commented, “These stolen guns are making their way into the community and being used in shootings.”
“This seven-year sentence demonstrates that people who possess firearms who are legally prohibited from doing so will pay a steep price,” said Acting United States Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “Incarcerated federal defendants must serve at least 85% of their sentence. As noted by Judge Shadid, Mr. Foster endangered the public. As a result, he was held accountable for his actions.”
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms and the Peoria Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
Danville Man Convicted of Carrying a Firearm During and in Relation to a Drug Trafficking CrimeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on September 30, 2021, against Deandre Smith, 34, of Danville, Illinois, for carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Sentencing for Smith has been set for January 10, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that in February 2020 law enforcement officers encountered Smith carrying a loaded handgun in his pocket and that Smith carried the handgun during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime he admitted committing on the same day. Evidence presented at trial showed that Smith had 23 foil packets of heroin on his person that he intended to distribute to others, as well as a digital scale and cash. The handgun was located in the same pocket as the digital scale.
Smith had earlier pleaded guilty to distribution of methamphetamine, distribution of controlled substances, possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
Smith remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Smith faces statutory penalties of five years to life imprisonment on the charge of carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. The sentence for this charge must run consecutively to any sentence he receives for the drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a felon offenses. Smith faces a maximum sentence of 120 months’ imprisonment on the felon in possession charge and a maximum of 240 months’ imprisonment on the drug trafficking charges.
The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Special assistance for trial was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch represented the government at trial, with assistance from the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.
South Pekin Woman Charged with Making a False Statement During the Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Kirstin Sue Jackson, 39, of the 200 block of Ripper Street, Pekin, Ill. was indicted on federal charges on September 21, 2021.
The indictment alleges that in May of 2021, Jackson acquired a firearm from Pekin Gun & Sporting Goods, Inc. after knowingly making a false and fictitious written statement, stating she was the actual buyer of the firearm. Jackson was arrested on September 23, 2021 and is currently in custody of the United States Marshal Service.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are not more than 5 years imprisonment, 3 years supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
The charge is the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
North Pekin Man Charged with Soliciting an Obscene Visual Depiction of a Minor and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Larry Daniel Saal, 53, of North Pekin, Ill., was indicted on September 21, 2021 for allegations related to solicitation of a minor and distribution of child pornography.
The indictment alleges that Saal knowingly solicited material that contains an obscene visual depiction of a minor engaging in sexually explicit conduct, and knowingly distributed child pornography in Tazwell County and elsewhere in the Central District of Illinois.
Saal is currently in custody of the United States Marshal Service.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are 20-year terms of imprisonment for each count, a $250,000 fine and up to a lifetime term of supervised release. Special assessments also apply.
The charge is a result of an investigation by Washington Police Department and Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case against Saal was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Danvers Man Charged with Transfer of Obscene Matter to a Minor and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. –Alexander B. Smith, 22, of Danvers, Ill., was indicted on September 21, 2021, for allegedly transferring obscene matter to a minor and possessing child pornography in March 2021.
The indictment alleges that Smith used the social media platform Instagram to share pornographic communications with a minor.
Smith is currently in the custody of the United States Marshal Service.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalties for the alleged crimes charged are 20 years imprisonment.
These charges are a result of an investigation by the Bloomington Police Department and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case against Smith was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov
Chillicothe Man Sentenced to 20 years in Prison for Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Peoria, Ill. – A Chillicothe, Ill., man, Jayson McNulty, 44, of the 300 block of South Ridgewood has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
At McNulty’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Joe Billy McDade found that McNulty had trafficked over 4.5 kilograms of ice methamphetamine from approximately April 2018 through his arrest in December 2019. Court documents reveal that McNulty was receiving large amounts of methamphetamine through the U.S. Postal Service. One of the packages sent to McNulty was intercepted by law enforcement and contained approximately 1 pound of ice methamphetamine. The ice methamphetamine mailed to McNulty was determined to have at least 96% purity levels.
During sentencing, U.S. District Court Judge Joe Billy McDade noted that McNulty was one of the biggest meth dealers in the area. Judge McDade also noted McNulty had a troubled childhood and a lengthy criminal history. Court records reveal McNulty had previously been convicted in 2006 of possession of anhydrous ammonia with the intent to manufacture in Logan County, Ill. and was sentenced to impact incarceration through Illinois Department of Corrections.
McNulty pleaded guilty on April 7, 2021, and he has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in December 2019.
“This sentence serves as an excellent example of collaboration between federal, state, and local law enforcement to jointly combat the heightened threat of high-purity methamphetamine in our communities,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “Sentences like this serve as a reminder to all drug dealers that we remain dedicated to disrupting illegal drug trafficking, committed using the mail or otherwise, and that the price to pay is simply not worth it.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case with assistance of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Pekin Police Department, Peoria Multi-County Enforcement Group (P-MEG), and Chillicothe Police Department. Assistant United States Attorneys Darilynn J. Knauss and Katherine G. Legge represented the government in the prosecution.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally out of the Pekin Police Department. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Washington Man Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Attempted Enticement of a Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – On September 21, 2021, United States District Court Judge James E. Shadid sentenced Thomas R. Alt, 28, of Washington, Ill., to 120 months of imprisonment, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for Attempted Enticement of a Child to Engage in Sexual Activity.
Alt was found guilty on May 5, 2021, following a jury trial, in which the United States presented evidence to establish that Alt used the mobile application Grindr to arrange to meet a person he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, Illinois State Police, Peoria County Sheriff’s Office, and the Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group (MEG) investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul Morris and Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government in the prosecution.
“The district-wide ongoing operation to investigate, arrest, and prosecute individuals who use modern communication technology to solicit sex with people they believe to be children has been a tremendous success,” said Acting United States Attorney Doug Quivey. “We will continue to work closely with the FBI and our other law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who intend to sexually harm children.”
“A child’s vulnerability to sexual exploitation is magnified over the internet,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “Today’s sentencing effectively ends Alt’s ability to sexually exploit children and underscores the FBI’s commitment to keep our children safe by going after those who seek to exploit their innocence online. The FBI, along with our law enforcement partners, will aggressively investigate where persons prey on our children.”
The case against Alt was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative 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 locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Champaign County Woman Sentenced to Prison for 52 Months for Embezzlement and Federal Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Joan Chenoweth, of Tolono, Illinois, was sentenced to 52 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, on September 27, 2021, for embezzlement of over $600,000 from her former employer, Illini Contractor Supply, and her failure to pay federal income tax.
United States District Judge Colin S. Bruce imposed the fifty-two month sentence, citing Chenoweth’s lack of concern for others and residual harm to a viable community business. Judge Bruce ordered Chenoweth to pay restitution in the amount of $599,152.72 to Illini Contractor Supply, and an additional $159,384 to the Internal Revenue Service. The prosecution had recommended a fifty-seven-month sentence of imprisonment, reflecting the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
During the sentencing hearing, the government presented testimony from the owner of Illini Contractor Supply who testified to the hardship Chenoweth’s theft placed on the company in the wake of the crime.
Court documents show that from 2014 to 2018, Chenoweth, who had control of the business’s financial records as well as control of and access to the business’s credit cards and bank account, wrote unauthorized vendor checks to herself or to cash payable from Illini Contractor Supply’s bank account; wrote unauthorized payroll checks to herself that exceeded her salary; and used the business’s credit cards to make payments to her personal credit cards. She used her position as office manager to avoid detection by making false entries in the business’s financial records.
Chenoweth pleaded guilty on May 17, 2021, but had remained free on conditions of bond until her sentencing. Judge Bruce ordered her to report to begin serving her sentence on October 5, 2021.
The Champaign Police Department and the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division investigated the case. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Three Pike County Men Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A federal grand jury indicted three men – Anthony M. Westemeyer, Bobby J. Warner, and Michael Wallace – all of Nebo, Illinois – on September 9, 2021 for sexual exploitation of a child. The indictment was unsealed today when the last of the three men, Westemeyer, was arraigned in federal court.
The indictment alleges that in May 2021 the three men caused a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which was recorded and stored on a computer.
If convicted, the men face a maximum statutory penalty of 30 years’ imprisonment, followed by a life term of supervised release. Each charge also carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years’ imprisonment.
Wallace was arrested in Nebo on September 10, 2021. Warner was arrested in Pittsfield, Illinois, on September 13, 2021. United States Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins ordered that both men be detained pending trial at a related hearing on September 16, 2021. The U.S. Marshals Service lodged a detainer for Westemeyer, who is presently in the custody of the Pike County, Illinois, Sheriff. Judge Schanzle-Haskins also ordered that Westermeyer be detained pending trial at today’s hearing.
Agencies participating in the investigation include U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office; the Pike County Sheriff’s Office; and the Pike County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Tanner K. Jacobs are representing the government in the prosecution.
Anyone with information connected with this investigation is urged to call the Department of Homeland Security Investigations at (217) 547-2100.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
This case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Danville Man Who Shot at House Convicted of Possession of a Firearm by a FelonRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict against Alvin Beasley, 36, of Danville, Ill., on September 22, 2021, for possession of a firearm by a felon. Sentencing for Beasley has been scheduled for January 24, 2022, at 1:30 p.m. at the federal courthouse in Urbana.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Beasley had possessed a firearm on May 23, 2019. Danville police had responded to a shots fired call that day in the area of the 1000 block of May Street in Danville. A residence had been shot at several times, and a witness saw a car with a distinctive hood flee the scene. Responding officers stopped the car after seeing a gun thrown out of its window. Alvin Beasley and a passenger were located inside. Over the course of the trial, the United States proved to the jury that Beasley had a romantic connection with the occupant of the residence in question.
Beasley testified in his own defense. He admitted on the stand that he shot up the residence that day but maintained that he was not guilty of the offense charged. Instead, he attempted to convince the jury that he had used a different firearm than the one police recovered to do the shooting that day.
Beasley remains in the custody of the United States Marshals Service. At sentencing, Beasley faces statutory penalties of fifteen years to life imprisonment due to prior convictions.
“This trial shows that the United States Attorney’s Office, working closely with our state and local partners, will continue to prosecute those who endanger our community by illegally possessing and using firearms,” said Acting United States Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “A small part of the population is causing the violence problem and targeted prosecutions are an important part of the solution.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch represented the government at trial, with assistance from the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Former Kankakee Wastewater Utilities Officer Sentenced to Nine Months in Prison and Twenty-Four Months' Home Confinement for $2 Million FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Richard G. Simms, 74, currently of Marietta, Ohio, was sentenced to nine months of imprisonment, to be followed by twenty-four months of home confinement, on September 20, 2021, for theft of federal funds related to defrauding Kankakee’s wastewater utilities, Kankakee River Metropolitan Agency (KRMA), and the city’s Environmental Service Utility (ESU), of more than $2,000,000.
United States District Judge Colin S. Bruce imposed the nine-month sentence of imprisonment, citing Simms’s age and health concerns. Judge Bruce also sentenced Simms to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term, during which time Simms will be required to serve the twenty-four months of home confinement and pay $2,025,000 in restitution to KRMA and ESU. The prosecution had recommended a thirty-month sentence of imprisonment, reflecting the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
During the sentencing hearing, the government presented victim-impact statements from City of Kankakee Comptroller Elizabeth Kubal and Bourbonnais Mayor Paul Shore detailing how Simms’s $2 million fraud violated their trust and has resulted in higher wastewater and sewer fees for Kankakee-area taxpayers.
During the time of the alleged fraud, from 2014 through 2018, Simms served as executive director of KRMA, which was responsible for treating wastewater from its member municipalities, namely, Kankakee, Bradley, Bourbonnais, and Aroma Park, Illinois. KRMA also treated wastewater from Manteno and Chebanse, Illinois, by intergovernmental agreement. During this period, Simms was also the Superintendent of ESU, which serves as Kankakee’s public works and sewer system. At the same time, Simms owned and operated Simms Engineering, LTD. From 2014 through 2018, Simms received more than $2.5 million in salary and legitimate payments: approximately $1,124,288 from KRMA and approximately $1,594,585 from ESU.
Simms pleaded guilty to theft of federal funds during a prior proceeding, where he admitted that independent of his salary and payments, he fraudulently received approximately $2.2 million - $768,000 from KRMA and $1,257,000 from ESU - as payment to Simms Engineering for software development by Plum Flower International. Simms and his daughter registered Plum Flower International with the State of Illinois in March 2014 purportedly to develop a software application for medical companies to track medical records. Although Simms did not have board approval or contracts with his engineering firm to develop software, he submitted fraudulent and inflated invoices to KRMA and ESU for software development. Simms circumvented KRMA’s invoice payment procedure by submitting invoices directly to its accounting firm. As a result, KRMA’s superintendent and administrative assistant did not approve and were unaware of the invoices.
From May 2014 through September 2018, Simms Engineering transferred more than $2 million to Plum Flower International, which represented more than 95% of its revenue during this time frame. Plum Flower International used approximately $161,000 of the funds to pay another company to create a software application which they attempted to sell on the open market. The remaining funds were used for the personal benefit of Simms and his daughter, the owners of Plum Flower International.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Rantoul Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Michael D. Turner, 36, of the 1500 block of Hobson Drive in Rantoul, Ill., was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by 10 years of supervised release, for enticement of a minor.
In April 2021, Turner entered a guilty plea to one count of enticement of a minor. According to court documents, the case arose when the Illinois State Police learned that Turner was engaging in sexually explicit online communications with a 16-year-old girl in an effort to entice her into a sexual relationship.
In November 2020, a federal grand jury returned the indictment charging Turner with enticement of a minor, following his October 2020 arrest pursuant to a criminal complaint. Also in October 2020, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that Turner be detained pending trial. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
Turner was arrested following an investigation by the Illinois State Police, which is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien – who also is the Deputy Bureau Chief with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – represented the government in this case.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Bourbonnais Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Timothy Lyle Dean, 38, of the 200 block of Spencer Court, in Bourbonnais, Illinois, was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for enticement of a minor.
In April 2021, a federal jury convicted Dean of one count of enticement of a minor. Evidence presented at trial showed that the Federal Bureau of Investigation identified Dean when he arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 14-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application Grindr.
In March 2020, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Dean with enticement following his February arrest pursuant to a criminal complaint. U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that Dean be detained pending trial following that arrest, and he has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
Dean was arrested over Valentine’s Day weekend in 2020 as part of an FBI Springfield Division Operation conducted in Kankakee County, Illinois. The operation was conducted with the coordination and assistance of the Bradley Police Department, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly Peirson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien-Ranck – also the Deputy Bureau Chief with the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force – represented the government at trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Mattoon Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years in Prison for Sexual Exploitation of ChildrenRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. –Jeffrey M. West, 53, of the 1300 block of S. Third Street, in Mattoon, Illinois, was sentenced today to 45 years (540 months) in federal prison for child sexual exploitation offenses.
In April 2021, a federal jury convicted West of two counts of sexual exploitation of minors; two counts of commission of the offense by a registered sex offender; two counts of receiving child pornography; and one count of possession of child pornography.
The government’s evidence at the April trial established that law enforcement became aware of West when a minor disclosed that West had sexually abused him in 2019. During the subsequent investigation, computer forensic analysis showed that West had collected more than 1,000 images and videos involving child pornography, including sexually explicit depictions of infants and prepubescent minors, which were found on multiple devices in his home and at his business, West Side Motors, in Mattoon.
In addition, the government’s evidence showed that West used the video-chatting website Omegle to entice and coerce multiple unidentified minor males to engage in sexually explicit conduct, which he captured for his child pornography collection.
West has a prior conviction in Coles County for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a 10-year-old minor female and a 4-year-old minor male.
West was arrested in May 2019 in Mattoon on state charges, but was released on bond. In September 2019, a federal grand jury charged West by indictment, and he was subsequently arrested on the federal charges. Later that month, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that West be detained pending trial. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his federal arrest.
Following West’s release from prison he will be on supervised release for fifteen years and will be required to register as a sex offender.
“Those who choose to sexually abuse children will be caught, prosecuted, and severely punished,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey. “I commend the diligent investigators of the Mattoon Police Department, working in conjunction with the FBI, for making our community safer.”
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Mattoon Police Department, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Division, and the Coles County State’s Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly Peirson and Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the government at trial.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. 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 individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 37 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child as a Registered Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – James Wright, 50, of the 1500 block of South Easton Avenue, in Peoria, Illinois, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, to 37 years (444 months) in prison, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release, for attempted sex trafficking of a child as a registered sex offender.
At Wright’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid found that Wright’s claim that he had merely been attempting to investigate the trafficking of children, rather than attempting to engage in a sex act with a child, lacked credibility in light of the evidence produced at trial. Judge Shadid noted the lengths Wright had gone to in order to engage in a sex act with an individual that he believed to be a 15-year-old girl. Judge Shadid further stated that Wright’s 2012 state conviction for aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a minor female of the same age made his excuse even less believable.
At sentencing, the government produced evidence that Wright had engaged in protracted online discussions and negotiations related to engaging in a sex act with a minor and also had attempted to solicit pornographic images of the minor. The government noted that Wright had arrived at the location where the sex act was supposed to occur at the time agreed upon in those communications and stated that Wright was carrying the exact amount of money that had been agreed upon in a separate pocket from the rest of his money.
Wright was convicted following a bench trial of attempted sex trafficking of a child (Count One) while a registered sex offender (Count Two).
“This very significant sentence imposed by Judge Shadid again demonstrates that those who desire and take steps to sexually harm people they believe to be children will be severally punished,” said Acting United States Attorney Doug Quivey. “The United States Attorney’s Office along with the FBI, ISP, and our other law enforcement partners, expends great effort and resources to try and proactively protect our children. We will continue to do all we can to arrest and prosecute those who want to sexually harm children.”
"The FBI remains dedicated in the fight to protect our future by ensuring our children can prosper where individuals like Wright do not threaten their welfare," said Federal Bureau of Investigation-Springfield Acting Special Agent in Charge Timothy Ferguson. “With this sentencing, a clear and concise message is delivered to anyone who would prey on our nation’s most vulnerable of victims. The FBI, Illinois State Police and our law enforcement partners will use every available resource to stop child predators in their tracks, and the consequences of this egregious type of criminal behavior will be swift and substantial.”
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Douglas F. McMeyer and Paul B. Morris represented the government in the prosecution.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a Department of Justice initiative led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), to marshal federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Litchfield Man Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Defrauding BanksRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Wayne H. Kruger, 73, of Litchfield, Illinois, was sentenced on September 9, 2021, to 36 months in federal prison, to be followed by 5 years of supervised release, for defrauding several banks in Central Illinois.
Kruger pleaded guilty to three counts of bank fraud on February 22, 2021. According to court documents, Kruger admitted that beginning in December 2010 and continuing through about May 2012, he attempted to execute or executed schemes to defraud banks including the Carlinville, Illinois, National Bank and Trust Company; the State Bank of Cerro Gordo, Illinois; and the State Bank of Bement, Illinois, resulting in a total loss of $4,185,957. Kruger, then the president and owner of Ponder Equipment Company, Inc., a bus dealer, regularly sold buses “out of trust.” This fraudulent practice involves a dealership – here, Ponder – selling a bus that has been paid for with loan proceeds but failing to use the sale proceeds to pay back the lender. When Kruger sold a bus and failed to repay the associated loan, the relevant bank was unable to seize the loan collateral because it no longer existed as an asset of the business.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Richard Mills noted that Kruger’s scheme affected small banks in communities built on personal relationships and trust. The judge also ordered restitution for all three banks in the amount of $4,185,957.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the prosecution.