Central District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Chicago Area Drug Trafficker Convicted of Drug and Firearms Offenses in East Central IllinoisRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury deliberated less than two hours before returning guilty verdicts late yesterday evening, Jan. 23, 2020, against Deon Evans, 35, of Markham, Ill., for trafficking methamphetamine, carrying or possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Evans had previously pleaded guilty to distributing heroin in the same case. Sentencing for Evans has been scheduled on May 22, 2020, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana.
The government presented evidence over three days of trial to establish that Evans traveled from his residence in Markham to Iroquois County on July 29, 2016, where he met a DEA confidential source at the Pilot Gas Station at the Gilman exit off Interstate 57, and distributed 48.4 grams of heroin to the source in exchange for $4,500. During the video and audio-recorded meeting, Evans also offered to sell ecstasy to the confidential source. On Aug. 24, 2016, Evans brought an associate and two loaded firearms to the same location to meet the same source. During this meeting, Evans sold the confidential source 124.3 grams of heroin for $11,250.
After selling the heroin on Aug. 24, Evans’ BMW was stopped by troopers with the Illinois State Police as it was heading north on Interstate 57. During the search of Evan’s car, troopers found the $11,250 in proceeds used to purchase the heroin hidden under the back seat of the BMW, along with the two fully loaded firearms, an extra magazine, and 173 ecstasy pills that contained methamphetamine. Trial evidence established that Evans obtained one of those firearms – a Glock, Model 30, .45 caliber, semi-automatic pistol – by trading a heroin user two grams of heroin and $100 in exchange for the gun, which had been stolen from Indiana. Evans’ DNA was later found on the bottom of the magazine of this gun. Additional trial evidence showed that Evans used two women – known as “straw purchasers” – to purchase guns for him in Birmingham, Alabama.
Evans remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. At sentencing, Evans faces statutory penalties of a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison for distribution of more than 100 grams of heroin (one count); and, for carrying or possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime (two counts), the penalty is a minimum of 25 years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed for the underlying drug trafficking crime. The maximum penalty for trafficking methamphetamine is up to 30 years in prison and for possession of firearm by a felon, up to 10 years in prison.
The case investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chicago Division, Springfield Resident Office; the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Springfield, Ill., and Birmingham Field Offices; and, the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugene L. Miller and Rachel E. Ritzer represented the government at trial.
Decatur Man Sentenced for Concealing Assets from Bankruptcy CourtRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- A Decatur, Ill., man, Daniel C. Miner, Jr., 53, has been sentenced for bankruptcy fraud. On Jan.16, 2020, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough ordered Miner to serve weekends in jail for six months of a three-year term of supervised release. Miner was also ordered to pay a fine of $5,500 and to pay $5,242 in restitution.
On May 31, 2019, Miner pleaded guilty to concealing from the bankruptcy court his transfer of real estate in the 400 block of East Douglas, Bloomington, Ill. The property belonged to the bankruptcy estate at the time and was under the control of the bankruptcy trustee.
Miner’s restitution order includes $900.00 to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court representing lost rental payments to the bankruptcy estate, and $4,342 to the Bankruptcy Trustee to pay the fees and expenses incurred by the trustee as a result of the concealment and transfer of the property.
The charge resulted from a referral by the U.S. Trustee for Indiana and Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10) to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois. The charges were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in collaboration with the Central Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris prosecuted the case.
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in South Bend, Ind., and Peoria, Ill.
Probation Revoked for Cissna Park, Ill., Farmer Serving Sentence for Federal Crop Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Iroquois County farmer, Jeremy Seggebruch, 40, of Cissna Park, Ill., has been ordered to serve 364 days in prison for violating the terms of his probation sentence for federal crop insurance fraud. On Jan. 9, 2020, Seggebruch was immediately taken into custody after U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid revoked his probation and sentenced him to serve 364 days in the federal Bureau of Prisons.
Judge Shadid had previously sentenced Seggebruch, in December 2016, to three years of probation for making false statements to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Seggebruch had under-reported the number of bushels of corn produced in relation to a federal crop insurance claim. During the term of probation Seggebruch was barred from participating in any USDA programs and was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $300,759 to Heartland Crop Insurance.
At the hearing on Jan. 9, 2020, Seggebruch admitted violating his probation by (1) participating in the Federal Crop Insurance program through his sister’s company, Sega Ag Production, Inc.; (2) receiving monetary benefits from a USDA program through Sega Ag Production, Inc.; (3) obtaining a $64,981 loan to purchase Ford Super Duty F-350 truck without prior approval from the U.S. Probation Office; (4) violating a state order of protection against him obtained by his wife; and, (5) failing to notify his probation officer of his Nov. 27, 2019, arrest for violating the order of protection.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the USDA Office of Inspector General.
Bloomington Man Sentenced to 16 1/2 Years in Prison for Role in McLean County Crack Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid has sentenced Raymone Stephens, 31, of Bloomington, Ill., to 16 years and 8 months in prison for his role in a crack cocaine trafficking conspiracy in 2018. Stephens, sentenced on Jan 9, 2020, has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in November 2018, and will be transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons to serve his sentence.
On Sept. 4, 2019, Stephens pleaded guilty to participating in the conspiracy and to eight counts of related possession and distribution of crack cocaine in the Bloomington-Normal area. A co-defendant, Khalil Hood, 29, has also pleaded guilty to the conspiracy and to one count of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine. Hood is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 31, 2020. Three additional defendants were convicted on state charges in McLean County. As a result of the investigation, officers recovered more than 300 grams of cocaine, four handguns, a pistol-grip shotgun, and a bulletproof vest.
These convictions were secured by a multi-month investigation in the summer and fall of 2018 by the Bloomington Police Department and the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Ghrist represented the government in the federal prosecution. The McLean County State’s Attorney’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office worked together throughout the investigation and prosecution to secure both state and federal convictions.
Kankakee Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Role in Armed Robbery of Champaign Sprint StoreRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm today sentenced Andre L. Williams, 30, of Kankakee, Ill., to 10 years in prison for his role in the July 2016 armed robbery of a Champaign Sprint store. Williams has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his arrest in October 2018, and will be transferred to the federal Bureau of Prisons to serve his sentence.
On May 24, 2019, Williams pleaded guilty to his role in the armed robbery of the Sprint store located on North Prospect in Champaign, Ill., on July 28, 2016. Williams also admitted his role in the armed robbery of another Sprint store, in Coldwater, Mich., that occurred on Aug. 27, 2016.
Williams admitted that he recruited two men, Thomas James and Andre Nunn, to commit the armed robbery of the Champaign store. During the robbery, two customers and two employees were held at gun point and their wrists and ankles were bound with zip-ties. Williams admitted that he gave instructions and explained how to use the zip ties. Williams received the majority of the proceeds of the robbery, approximately $10,000, and gave the others involved less than $2,000. The 52 cell phones stolen from the store were transferred to William’s vehicle and taken to a location outside of Chicago to be sold to another person.
Others involved in the Champaign armed robbery have previously been convicted and sentenced to prison terms: Thomas James – 19 years; Andre Nunn 8 years, 4 months; Randy Williams, the getaway driver – 15 years; and Randy’s cousin Jaevontae Williams – 7 years.
In addition to the prison sentence, Williams was ordered to pay restitution of $32,021 to the Champaign Sprint store and $42,129 to the Coldwater, Michigan store.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly Peirson and Ryan Finlen. The charges were investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Champaign Police Department, the Kankakee Police Department, and Illinois State Police.
Decatur Man Indicted on Charges of Child Exploitation, Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury today returned an indictment that charges Daniel A. Betty, 27, of the 100 block of S. 29th Street, Decatur, Ill., with sexual exploitation and enticement of a minor and receiving child pornography in September 2019.
Betty was previously arrested and charged in a criminal complaint on Dec. 16, 2019. Betty made his initial court appearance on Dec. 16, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, in Urbana, who ordered that Betty remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Betty met a minor female from Champaign, Ill., using the social application “Spotafriend.” According to the affidavit, Spotafriend advertises itself as a “swiping app for teens ages 13-19,” that uses internet and cellular data to connect individuals to become friends. The app claims that it “is not a teen dating app.”
According to the affidavit, Betty allegedly portrayed himself as a 17-year-old male from Decatur, Ill. Using the app, Betty allegedly began communication with the minor female, and in October 2019, Betty drove from Decatur to Champaign and met the minor. Prior to meeting, Betty had told the minor he was 19 years old.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for sexual exploitation of a minor (two counts) is a minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison; for enticement of a minor, the penalty is 10 years to life; and for receiving child pornography the penalty is five to 20 years in prison.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson is representing the government in the prosecution. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Champaign and Decatur Police Departments in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
St. Joseph Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Child Pornography CrimesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A St. Joseph, Ill., man, William M. Bell, 40, who was previously an information technology employee of Monticello, Ill., community unit school district 25, was sentenced today to seven years in prison for child pornography crimes. Bell has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on Feb. 8, 2019.
On April 18, 2019, Bell entered pleas of guilty to using a computer or device in July and August 2018, to send visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and in November 2018, possession of images of child pornography.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges resulted from an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Champaign County Sheriff’s office, and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative, to marshal 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.
Champaign Man Sentenced to 13 Years in Prison for Trafficking Millions of Counterfeit Xanax Pills on Darknet, Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm today sentenced a Champaign, Ill., man, Stephan Caamano, to 13 years in federal prison for trafficking at least 4.3 million counterfeit Xanax pills throughout the country and laundering the proceeds. Caamano has been ordered to pay more than $2.1 million he gained in profits through this scheme. Caamano was ordered to serve a term of three years supervised release upon completion of his prison sentence.
On April 29, 2019, Caamano, 24, pleaded guilty to using darknet markets and cryptocurrency to traffic pills containing alprazolam, marked as ‘Xanax,’ from March 2017 through May 2018. Caamano purchased controlled substances from abroad to make the counterfeit pills in his unsanitary garage. The pills were manufactured to make them identical in appearance to prescription Xanax, so that unsuspecting individuals could easily have believed they were, in fact true Xanax. Caamano then shipped the pills nationwide in quantities ranging from 1,000 pills per package up to one million.
“This defendant made millions of dollars while putting thousands of people at risk from counterfeit medication that was manufactured in his garage,” said U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “In addition, this scheme infringed on the ‘Xanax’ trademark to undercut legal marketing of the drug. Thanks to the diligent work of law enforcement, this dangerous scheme ended and this defendant is behind bars.”
According to court documents, Caamano took significant steps to avoid detection by law enforcement including creation of a limited liability company to hide his purchase of the house he used as a base of operations. In addition, Caamano used the darknet and cryptocurrency and built significant security measures into his home computer.
Caamano has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in May 2018, when he was charged in a criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the investigation began when Customs and Border Protection agents contacted DEA agents after seizing items, including pill press machines, machine parts and alprazolam that were destined for delivery to Caamano at various addresses in California and in the Champaign, Ill., area.
The investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Springfield Resident Office; U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Homeland Security Investigations; the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Champaign Police Department Street Crimes Unit and the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Rachel E. Ritzer prosecuted the case on behalf of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.
Thirteen Members of Peoria Street Gang Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy; Acts of Gang Violence, Murder, Attempted MurderRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A jury today convicted 13 members of the Peoria street gang known as Bomb Squad for conspiracy to organize and operate the gang as a criminal enterprise that has plagued the Peoria community with gun violence for years. These violent acts included murder, attempted murder, arson, and drug trafficking. After presentation of seven weeks of evidence, the jury deliberated over a period of three days before returning the guilty verdicts this afternoon.
U.S. Attorney John C. Milhiser; ATF Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones, Chicago Field Division; and, Peoria Chief of Police Loren Marion III made the announcement.
“These convictions represent the dedication and commitment of our law enforcement partners and serve to signal to others our pledge to continue to work together to investigate and prosecute those who commit violent acts in our community,” said U.S. Attorney Milhiser. “There is no higher priority than keeping our communities safe.” Milhiser also recognized U.S. Marshal Brendan Heffner and his team: “The Marshals Service has done tremendous work during this lengthy trial to manage 13 defendants in custody and maintain security throughout the trial.”
“These guilty verdicts and potentially long sentences these violent criminals face is reassuring to the communities they terrorized that law enforcement is on their side,” commented ATF Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones of the Chicago Field Division. “We will continue to relentlessly pursue these cases in collaboration with our local partners and appreciate the diligence the U.S. Attorney’s Office dedicated to bringing these criminals to justice.”
Peoria Police Chief Marion stated: “The Peoria Police Department recognizes the hard work and effort that went into this case. I would personally like to commend the officers and agencies involved in this investigation for the outstanding work that was done. Due to their hard work, several of Peoria’s most violent criminals have been taken off the street and they will no longer be able to inflict violence upon our community.”
The defendants were convicted of federal racketeering conspiracy under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act (RICO). Under the RICO statute, the indictment alleged and the jury found, that from 2013 to the present, members and associates of Bomb Squad engaged in acts of violence, including murder, attempted murder, assault; and arson, to protect itself, its members, and associates from rival gangs and to protect the standing and reputation of Bomb Squad.
Those convicted of RICO conspiracy are: Eugene Haywood, 25; Raevaughn Rogers, 20; Kenwan Crowe, 21; Ezra Johnson, 24; Jahlin Wilson, 23; Andre Neal-Ford, 21; Lance Washington, 23; Torieuanno White, 25; Sherman Williams, 25; Lloyd Dotson, 29; Keith Gregory, 20; Mytrez Flora, 25; and Kentrevion Watkins, 21.
Sentencing of the defendants has been scheduled in mid-June. At sentencing, each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison with several facing more lengthy prison sentences including up to life.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Peoria Police Department conducted the investigation with assistance from the Drug Enforcement Administration and Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ronald L. Hanna, Adam W. Ghrist, and Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the investigation and prosecution of the case in the Peoria Division, Central District of Illinois.
The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation by an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies working together to identify, disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking organizations and violent street gangs.
This case is prosecuted under Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a federal program designed to bring together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The program was reinvigorated in 2017 as part of the Department of Justice’s renewed focus on targeting each community’s most violent criminals.
Rochester Man Arrested on Charges of Threatening CongressmanRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Rochester, Ill., man has been arrested and charged by criminal complaint with making a threatening communication against U.S. Congressman Rodney Davis. Randall E. Tarr, 64, of the 200 block of E. Mill St., Rochester, Ill., was arrested today and appeared in federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins in Springfield.
The affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint alleges that in the morning of Nov. 25, 2019, Tarr called the Decatur, Ill., office of Congressman Davis and left a profanity-filled voicemail message in which he threatened to shoot the congressman.
According to the affidavit, the voicemail message was forwarded to U.S. Capitol Police, in Washington, D.C. Through caller ID, police identified Tarr as the alleged caller and U.S. Capitol Police contacted the Rochester Police Department to ask officers to make contact with Tarr. Rochester police officers made initial contact with Tarr on Nov. 25, at his residence. According to the affidavit, FBI officers subsequently interviewed Tarr.
The complaint charges Tarr with one count of communication of a threat to injure a person, which is punishable by up to five years in prison, and one count of making a threat to a federal official, which carries a statutory maximum penalty of up to 10 years in prison.
During today’s hearing, Judge Schanzle-Haskins appointed the federal public defender to represent Tarr for purposes of determining bond. Tarr was released from custody under conditions, including home detention and location monitoring; prohibited contact with any victims and witnesses; prohibited from consumption of alcohol; and further, that Tarr cooperate in drug and alcohol screening and mental health evaluation. Judge Schanzle-Haskins scheduled the next court appearance for Tarr on Dec. 17, 2019.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal Correa is representing the government in the prosecution. The FBI and Rochester Police Department are conducting the investigation.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
USA Milhiser Op-Ed: Warrant-proof encryption threatens public safetyRead the Press Release
As our society has become dependent on a vast and expanding digital infrastructure, it is not surprising that all types of criminal cases – white collar and elder fraud, child sexual exploitation, gun and drug traffickers, and terrorism – are likely to include digital evidence. One of the most critical advances in this new cyber world is the development of advanced encryption techniques. Encryption provides enormous benefits to society, including safe-guarding personal information and facilitation of on-line commercial transactions. However, we must not allow dangerous criminals to cloak their communications and digital activities behind an impenetrable shield.
Digital evidence is of particular importance in investigating and prosecuting criminals who use cyberspace to exploit vulnerable children. Such cases include the production of child pornography in still images, videos, and live-streamed content, as well as sharing and collecting such material. Perpetrators also use technology to entice minors to engage in illegal sexual activity. On-line child exploitation cases have increased dramatically in the past few years, with offenders continually adopting more sophisticated means in committing these heinous crimes and evading justice. In 2018 alone, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children’s CyberTipline received more than 18 million reports which contained more than 23 million images and more than 22 million videos of child pornography. Law enforcement access to this information is critical in exposing criminal activity, locating victims, identifying perpetrators, and protecting our children.
Central Illinois is not immune to these crimes. A Decatur man, Jason Cooper, is currently serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison after being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office. Police received a report from a 13-year-old Riverton girl that a Facebook user “Jermaine Jackson” threatened to harm her and her family if she would not meet him to engage in sexual activity. Agents obtained a search warrant for the Facebook account, and based on the data that was obtained, they were able to quickly identify Cooper and his location. Significantly, agents were also able to identify a second victim, a New York girl, whom Cooper had been extorting to provide sexually explicit images for several years. This second victim had never reported the incidents to her parents and may never have been identified without access to digital evidence.
Popular messaging services and social media sites are moving to implement warrant-proof encryption that thwarts the ability of law enforcement to locate victims, identify those responsible for the criminal activity and successfully prosecute guilty parties. When warrant-proof encryption is utilized, digital messages can only be decrypted by end users. Thus, information produced by a service provider in response to a court-ordered warrant remains encrypted and inaccessible to law enforcement officials.
It is imperative to both the safety of the users and public safety that technology providers maintain an appropriate mechanism to allow law enforcement prompt access to encrypted information, whether stored on a device or in transmission, in compliance with a court-issued search warrant or wiretap order. Without such access, cyberspace becomes a lawless space where perpetrators operate undetected and can secretly prey on our children.
Ensuring lawful access to digital information is a priority of the Department of Justice. The Department is committed to the development of a coherent national policy for responsible encryption, which continues to protect personal privacy and provide cybersecurity without compromising the safety of the public, and children in particular, some of our most vulnerable victims.
Three Illinois Prison Guards Indicted on Charges of Inmate Assault Resulting in Death and Obstruction of the InvestigationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Three Illinois correctional officers made their initial appearance in federal court this morning following their arrest on charges related to the May 2018 assault of an inmate who later died, at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mt. Sterling, Ill. Those charged are Todd Sheffler, 51, of Mendon; Willie Hedden, 41, of Mt. Sterling, and Alex Banta, 28, of Quincy.
The indictment alleges that on May 17, 2018, Sheffler, Hedden and Banta assaulted an inmate, who was restrained and handcuffed behind his back at the time, during an escort to another prison unit, in violation of his Constitutional protection to be free from cruel and unusual punishment. The victim, identified as Larry Earvin, suffered multiple broken ribs, a punctured colon, and other serious internal injuries, and died in June 2018. The indictment alleges that each defendant falsified incident reports to omit any reference to the assault and that they misled agents of the Illinois State Police by denying any knowledge of the assault of Earvin that each participated in and witnessed.
“Our laws protect the civil rights of all,” stated U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “Every day, correctional officers report for public service that is often demanding and under-appreciated. However, our criminal justice system requires that those who perform these difficult duties do so lawfully. Those responsible for the deadly assault of Mr. Earvin must be held accountable.” Milhiser commended the Illinois Department of Corrections for its cooperation and the FBI and Illinois State Police for their thorough investigation of this tragic incident.
Sean M. Cox, FBI Special Agent in Charge stated: "The FBI is committed to vigorously investigating allegations of Constitutional violations by law enforcement officers, including correctional officers, who in this investigation have been indicted with violating the civil rights of Mr. Earvin. This case should be a reminder that everyone, including individuals who are incarcerated, is afforded the same protections under the U.S. Constitution, and no one wearing a badge is above the law."
“The people of Illinois must have confidence in the constitutional integrity of the criminal justice system from the streets, to the courthouse, to corrections,” stated ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “It is the mission of the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigations to work with our state and federal partners to hold accountable those who betray that trust.”
The defendants were arrested late yesterday, Dec. 5, by the FBI and Illinois State Police, and appeared today for arraignment in federal court before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough. The indictment, returned by the grand jury this week, remained sealed pending the defendants’ arrest and court appearance. An initial trial date of Feb. 4, 2020, has been scheduled. Detention hearings for the defendants have been scheduled for this afternoon.
At the time of the alleged crimes, Sheffler was a lieutenant at Western Illinois Correctional Center (WICC); Hedden was a sergeant, and, Banta was a correctional officer, subordinate to Sheffler and Hedden. Inmate Larry Earvin, who was 65 years old, was an inmate at WICC and would have been eligible for parole in September 2018.
According to the indictment, on May 17, 2018, Sheffler, Hedden, and Banta participated in the forcible escort of Earvin from his residential unit to the segregation housing unit. During the transport, Earvin was physically assaulted, without legal justification, while he was restrained and handcuffed behind his back and posed no physical threat to the defendants or other correctional officers. The indictment alleges that Sheffler, the lieutenant, and most senior officer, and Hedden, the sergeant and senior officer to Banta, failed to intervene to protect Earvin from the assault.
Following the assault, Sheffler, Hedden and Banta each allegedly filed knowingly false incident reports that failed to disclose any assault of Earvin. The false reports allegedly included identical language used by Hedden and Banta that falsely stated that Earvin was delivered to staff in the segregation housing unit “without further incident” other than Earvin resisting the escort and refusing to walk. In addition, the indictment alleges that Sheffler, Hedden and Banta knowingly misled agents of the Illinois State Police during individual interviews by falsely denying any knowledge of the assault of Earvin that they participated in and witnessed.
Hedden is charged in an additional count of obstruction that alleges he persuaded a friend, a fellow employee at WICC, to delete a text message Hedden had sent to the friend following the May 17 incident, to conceal and destroy information relating to the offenses charged.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy A. Bass and Victor B. Yanz are representing the government in the prosecution. The charges were investigated by agents of the FBI-Springfield Division and the Illinois State Police Division of Internal Investigation with the cooperation of the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Specifically, the indictment charges Sheffler, Hedden and Banta with conspiracy to deprive civil rights (one count); deprivation of civil rights (one count); and conspiracy to obstruct justice (one count.). Each defendant is charged individually with obstruction of the investigation: falsification of document (one count) and misleading conduct (one count.) In addition, Hedden is charged with destruction of a record or other object (one count.)
As charged, the statutory sentence for both conspiracy to deprive civil rights and deprivation of civil rights under color of law resulting in bodily injury and death is any term of imprisonment up to life. For each count of obstruction, the maximum statutory penalty is up to 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. - U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced a Rock Island, Ill., man, Justin Michael Kellett, 36, to 15 years in prison for illegal possession of a firearm by a felon. Kellett was ordered to remain on supervised release for five years following his release from prison. Kellett has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest in April 2019.
On July 21, 2019, Kellett, of Rock Island, Ill., pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case in cooperation with the Rock Island County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Peoria Woman Sentenced to 15 Months in Federal Prison for Healthcare FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Erica Miller, 47, of Peoria, Ill., has been ordered to serve 15 months in prison for healthcare fraud. U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough further ordered that Miller pay restitution in the amount of $101,960. Miller was immediately taken into custody following the sentencing hearing on November 22, 2019.
Miller pleaded guilty on July 11, 2018, to one count of health care fraud. According to court documents, between June 11, 2010, and November 5, 2015, Miller was paid by the Illinois Home Services Assistance Program to be a personal assistant for a person with a disability. The Illinois Home Service Assistance Program is partially funded through the federal Medicaid program.
According to her plea, Miller, who was required to perform tasks that assist with daily living activities in a person’s home, failed to do so and repeatedly submitted time sheets for services she did not perform. Miller also submitted several time sheets while she was serving a sentence of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections and while on parole following her release. As a result of the fraud, the Illinois Home Service Assistance Program suffered a loss of over $101,960.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Office of Inspector General, Health and Human Services, Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Trafficking MethRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – David A. Dodd, 45, of Peoria, Ill., has been ordered to serve 15 years in prison for possession of “ice” methamphetamine with the intent to distribute. At sentencing, on Nov. 20, Senior U.S. District Judge Joe Billy McDade further ordered that Dodd remain on supervised release for 10 years following his release from incarceration.
Dodd pleaded guilty on July 17, 2019. According to court documents, on Dec. 21, 2018, agents with the Pekin Police Department and Drug Enforcement Administration executed a search warrant on Dodd and his truck as he drove into Tazewell County on I-155 northbound. Officers recovered approximately five ounces of 100% pure ice methamphetamine from his truck at that time. Dodd admitted to agents that he had been trafficking meth from the St. Louis area for several months and selling it in the Pekin area. Additional methamphetamine and approximately $2600 in cash was found in Dodd’s apartment and seized by law enforcement.
According to public records, Dodd has a 2011 conviction for methamphetamine manufacturing in White County, Illinois, for which he served 10 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections, and four additional drug-related felonies from White County.
Dodd has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on these charges on Dec. 22, 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Pekin Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
Former McLean County Man Sentenced to 6 1/2 Years in Prison for Embezzling $500,000 from Elderly Peoria WomanRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm has sentenced a former Bloomington, Ill., man, Timothy J. Herman, 59, currently of Mesa, Ariz., to 6 ½ years (78 months) in prison for defrauding an elderly woman of more than $500,000. Herman was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $509,325, and, at the conclusion of the sentencing hearing, on Nov. 15, 2019, was taken into custody by the U.S. Marshals Service for transfer to the Bureau of Prisons. Herman will remain on supervised release for five years following his release from incarceration.
Following a bench trial in March 2019, Herman was convicted of engaging in the fraud scheme from 2013 to December 2017, and making false statements to federal agents. Herman, who befriended the elderly victim through her church, offered the victim an investment opportunity which he falsely represented as safe and more profitable than what could be earned from banks. However, instead of investing the funds, Herman used the victim’s money to make mortgage payments on his home which was about to be foreclosed, to pay bank loans, take cruises and to live beyond his means.
In addition, Herman was convicted for making materially false statements about his conduct to law enforcement officers with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service when he was interviewed in December 2017.
Herman also defrauded a Minneapolis marketing company which waived $149,000 in restitution. Herman’s company, Delta Direct, worked with the marketing company to manage a rewards program for Republic Services, a waste hauler based in Arizona. Republic Services deposited $300,000 to an account controlled by Herman. With the initial $300,000 deposit, Herman began embezzling funds; upon discovery of his embezzlement, he continued to steal funds from the account until he was removed from the business.
Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Darilynn Knauss led the prosecution, joined by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Legge and Douglas McMeyer. The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
Each year, more than 13% of older Americans become victims of financial fraud, resulting in losses of more than $3 billion annually to financial scams. As soon as a suspicious or fraudulent transfer of funds is detected, immediately contact your financial institution, which may be able to stop payment on the transfer. If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder fraud, contact your local police department. Visit https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice to learn more about the Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative.
Attorney General Announces Project Guardian to Reduce Gun ViolenceRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Today, Attorney General William P. Barr announced the launch of Project Guardian, a nationwide initiative to complement and strengthen the Department of Justice’s existing Project Safe Neighborhoods program, to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. In addition to reinforcing efforts by ATF to work with state and local law enforcement partners, Project Guardian emphasizes the use of new technologies available to law enforcement to promote gun crime intelligence.
“Gun crime remains a pervasive problem in too many communities across America. Today, the Department of Justice is redoubling its commitment to tackling this issue through the launch of Project Guardian,” said Attorney General William P. Barr.
“We have been tasked by the Attorney General to use all of our resources and federal firearms laws to reduce gun violence,” said U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “Our mission continues to be the protection of Central Illinois citizens from gun violence, and that is what we will do – working together, working smarter, and using available technology and intelligence. There is no higher priority than keeping our communities safe.”
“ATF has a long history of strong partnerships in the law enforcement community,” said Acting Director Regina Lombardo. “Make no mistake, the women and men of ATF remain steadfast to our core mission of getting crime guns off of our streets. ATF and U.S. Attorneys nationwide will leverage these partnerships even further through enhanced community outreach initiatives and coordination with local, state, and tribal law enforcement and prosecutors to cut the pipeline of crime guns from those violent individuals who seek to terrorize our communities.”
Project Guardian’s implementation is based on five principles: Coordinated Prosecution with state and local law enforcement to consider potential federal prosecution for defendants who use guns to commit crime; Background Check System Enforcement as U.S. Attorneys work with ATF in their respective districts to create new, or review existing, guidelines for intake and prosecution of federal cases involving false statements made during the acquisition or attempted acquisition of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees; Improved Information Sharing by ATF to provide state law enforcement fusion centers reports of individuals for whom the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) has issued denials, including the basis for the denial, so that state and local law enforcement may take appropriate steps under their laws; Coordinated Response to Mental Health Denials to ensure that whenever there is federal case information regarding individuals who are prohibited from possessing a firearm under the mental health prohibition, information continues to be entered timely and accurately into the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices’ case-management system for prompt submission to NICS; and, Crime Gun Intelligence Coordination to promote effective use of the ATF’s Crime Gun Intelligence Centers, and all related resources, to maximize the use of modern intelligence tools and technology. For more information on Project Guardian, see the Attorney General’s memorandum at: https://www.justice.gov/ag/project-guardian-memo-2019/download.
Nine Central Illinois Men Arrested in FBI Springfield Operation, Charged with Attempted Enticement of a Child to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – U.S. Attorney John Milhiser and FBI Springfield Special Agent in Charge Sean M. Cox announced that nine Central Illinois men were arrested over the weekend related to a FBI Springfield Operation. The men have been charged in separate criminal complaints with attempted enticement of a child to engage in sexual activity. The complaints were unsealed on Nov. 4, 2019, as each made their respective initial appearance in federal court in Peoria. Each was ordered detained pending hearings scheduled for today.
According to the affidavits filed in support of the complaints, each of the men allegedly used various social media applications to contact and engage with FBI online covert employees posing as minors under the age of 18 to make arrangements to meet the minor girl or boy with the intent to engage in sexual activity.
As the men arrived at or near the designated address, in the 1900 block of E. Knox St., in Peoria, Ill., they were arrested and taken into custody by FBI Springfield Special Agents; Illinois State Police; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office; and, the Peoria Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris is representing the government in the case prosecutions.
The defendants charged with attempted enticement of a child are:
- Thomas R. Alt, 26, of the 1100 block of N. Deibe Rd., Peoria;
- Thomas Bauer, 35, of the 7000 block of N. 1750 East Rd., Bloomington;
- Jacob N. Beeney, 35, of the 200 block of N. Trivoli, Trivoli;
- Travis Koch, 38, of the 1400 block of Park St., Peoria;
- Patrick Lanan, 39, Lake Camelot Dr., Mapleton;
- Tyler D. Lee, 33, of the 100 block of Harrison E., Galesburg;
- Keith Madson, 35, of the 100 block Hemlock Terrace, Canton;
- Hector Martinez, 56, of the 4100 block of N. Chelsea, Peoria; and,
- Bernard Waibel, 55, of the 1600 block of NE Glendale, Peoria.
If convicted, for the offense of attempted enticement of a minor, each defendant faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
These cases were brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Boy Scout Troop Leader Indicted on Charges of Trafficking Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A grand jury today returned an indictment that charges Milton Forsberg, 79, of the 800 block of West Charles Street, in Champaign, Ill., with trafficking child pornography. The indictment charges Forsberg with one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography.
Forsberg was previously arrested and charged in a criminal complaint on Oct. 16, 2019. Forsberg made his initial court appearance on Oct. 21, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, in Urbana. Judge Long ordered that Forsberg remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Forsberg has been active in a local amateur radio club and has been involved with Boy Scouts for more than 40 years. In September 2019, the Champaign Police Department and the Illinois State Police received mandated notification of abuse from the Boy Scouts of America National Council to report that a California attorney represents a victim who alleges that Forsberg sexually abused him in Champaign in 1965.
The affidavit further alleges that when officers executed a search warrant of Forsberg’s home, they found numerous sexually explicit images at the foot of his bed, including some with prepubescent males, and that Forsberg attempted to conceal the photos with his cane when officers began their search. Officers recovered more than 100 images of minor males and a review of Forsberg’s computer showed that he had more than 30 open tabs to a Russian website that is known to law enforcement as a site used to share images of child pornography.
Anyone with additional information about Forsberg is encouraged to contact the Champaign Police Department at (217) 403-6900.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for receipt of child pornography is 20 years in prison; for possession of child pornography the maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. Each of the counts includes a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson is representing the government in the prosecution. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Champaign Police Department and the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Cameroon Man Charged with Bank Fraud and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A citizen of Cameroon, Lovette Namatinga, was arrested on Oct. 7 at Washington Dulles International Airport by FDIC Office of Inspector General agents. Namatinga, who resides in Owings Mills, Maryland, was indicted by a Grand Jury on Oct. 1 on charges he defrauded a Kankakee County bank. He will appear for arraignment in Urbana, Illinois once he is transported to the Central District of Illinois by the U.S. Marshals Service.
The indictment alleges that from about Feb. 26, 2019 and continuing until about April 8, 2019, Namatinga devised a scheme to defraud Municipal Trust and Savings Bank (“MTSB”), a financial institution located in Kankakee County, Illinois, in which MTSB was fraudulently induced by electronic mails to mail four checks in large dollar amounts made payable to Keiko San Products (“Keiko”). The messages in the electronic mails falsely represented that the secretary of one of MTSB’s customers requested that the checks be mailed to Keiko, when in reality, the loan customer did not make this request.
Namatinga is the registered agent for Keiko, and the four checks were mailed to his home address. Once the checks were deposited into Keiko bank accounts, Namatinga transferred money from those accounts to his personal account or withdrew cash from those accounts. The loss to MTSB was approximately $141,000.
If convicted of bank fraud, each count carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. If convicted of the offense of wire fraud, each count carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the FDIC Office of Inspector General. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Former Bank Executive Pleads Guilty to Fraud Related to Failed Country Bank of Aledo, IllinoisRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – The former executive vice president and chief loan officer for the failed Country Bank of Aledo, Ill., Dana Frye, today pleaded guilty to charges of making false statements to the bank. During his appearance before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow, Frye pleaded guilty to conspiring with others to make materially false statements to the Country Bank board of directors to influence the bank to make loans to entities in which he held a personal financial interest.
Frye, 66, currently of Bettendorf, Iowa, served as executive vice president and chief lending officer for Country Bank, in Aledo, from its formation in March 2000 to Dec. 31, 2010. During that time, Frye held financial interest in multiple real estate developments. These developments included a golf course and surrounding residential lots in Sherrard, Ill., known as the “Fyre Lake Project,” which benefitted from Country Bank loans that totaled more than $20 million.
Frye admitted that he conspired with others to influence Country Bank to make loans to projects in which he held a personal financial interest, including the Fyre Lake Project, but failed to disclose his financial interest. Frye further admitted that he used his position to assist others to secure loans for the Fyre Lake Project and another project in Milan, Ill.
Frye held ownership in multiple companies that either directly participated in real estate development or provided services to persons and entities engaged in the development. One company, known as Webgem, Inc., owned by Frye and his son, provided accounting and other services to developers. Frye did not disclose to the bank board of directors that Webgem was going to be paid, and eventually was paid, $480,000, from bank loans of $5 million related to the project in Milan. In May 2009, Country Bank received $4.1 million in aid through the Department of Treasury’s Troubled Asset Relief Program, known as TARP. In October 2011, Country Bank failed and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, as receiver, covered losses in excess of $70 million.
At sentencing, scheduled on February 26, 2020, Frye faces a potential sentence of imprisonment of five years along with payment of restitution.
The FDIC Office of Inspector General and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) conducted the investigation. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Quivey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas McMeyer represent the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois in the case prosecution.
Mattoon Man Charged with Transportation, Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An initial trial date of Dec. 9, 2019, has been scheduled for a Mattoon, Ill., man, Tyler L. Foote, 28, indicted on federal child pornography charges on Oct. 1. The indictment had remained sealed pending Foote’s arraignment today in federal court in Urbana. Foote, of the 1300 block of Champaign Ave, in Mattoon, was arrested on Aug. 16, on Coles County state charges.
The indictment alleges that on four occasions between March 2017 and January 2019, Foote used a computer to transmit sexually explicit images of minors, and that at the time of his arrest, on Aug. 16, 2019, Foote possessed child pornography.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for each count of transportation of child pornography (four counts) is 20 years in prison; for possession of child pornography, the maximum penalty is 10 years in prison. Each of the five counts carries a potential fine of up to $250,000.
During today’s court appearance, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that Foote remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Mattoon Police Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
McHenry County Farmer Sentenced to Three Years in Prison, Ordered to Pay $2.96 Million Restitution to BankRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A McHenry County, Ill., farmer, Timothy A. Cosman, 44, has been ordered to serve 36 months in federal prison for defrauding a Champaign, Ill., bank. Cosman appeared in federal court in Urbana on Oct. 4, for sentencing. Cosman was also ordered to pay restitution to the bank in the amount of $2.96 million. Cosman was allowed to remain on bond until he reports to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Jan. 7, 2020, to begin serving his sentence.
On March 27, 2019, Cosman, of Harvard, Ill., near the Illinois –Wisconsin border, pleaded guilty to actions he took from February 2014 to April 2016, to defraud Busey Bank of Champaign to secure loans. Cosman inflated his assets and created and submitted false documents to make the bank believe its loans would be more secure than they were. To inflate his assets, Cosman made false claims about his ownership in family companies; claimed the loans would be secured by farm equipment he owned, when he did not own the equipment; claimed he was the beneficiary of a $1.56 million promissory note that he created and forged; and, claimed a $450,000 loan for cattle would be secured by cattle, however, no cattle were purchased.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) Office of Inspector General investigated the case with the cooperation of Busey Bank. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Finlen represented the government in the prosecution.
Felons Sentenced to Prison for Illegal Possession of Guns in Quad City AreaRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. - U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced three defendants to prison terms for possession of guns as felons. The cases are separate and unrelated, but all involve illegal weapons in the Quad City area.
Jerry Allen Green, 54, of Silvis, Ill., was ordered to serve 28 years (340 months) in prison. On May 22, 2019, Green pleaded guilty to distribution of ice methamphetamine in August and September 2018; possession of two pipe bombs; possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and felon in possession of a gun. Green was initially charged by criminal complaint and was arrested on Oct. 25, 2018, in Nashville, Tenn. The charges against Green were investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration; Quad City Bomb Squad; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Moline Police Department; Rock Island Police Department; and the FBI Gang Task Force, and prosecuted by Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko.
Donovan Cullen Smith, 30, of Sherrard, Ill., was sentenced to seven years in prison. On April 23, 2019, Smith, a convicted felon, pleaded guilty to illegal possession of a .45 pistol that was stolen on March 5, 2018, from a home in Rock lsland, and possession of another gun stolen from a mobile home in rural Milan, Ill., in October 2017. Agencies that investigated the case include ATF; the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office; Rock Island County Sheriff’s Office; Rock Island Police Department; and the FBI. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko represented the government in the prosecution.
Matthew Daquon Waters, 21, of Tennessee, was sentenced to nearly five years (57 months) in prison. On Feb. 19, 2019, Waters pleaded guilty to possession of a gun on April 24, 2018, in Rock Island, Ill. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney John K. Mehochko prosecuted the case which was investigated by the Rock Island Police Department and ATF.
On Oct. 4, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow sentenced another defendant, Elleck Christopher Vesey, 32, of Davenport, Iowa, to six years in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon on Aug. 19, 2018. Vesey pleaded guilty to the charge on April 17, 2019. The Rock Island Police Department and ATF investigated the case which was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya.
Bradley Chiropractor to Serve Nearly Three Years in Prison, Pay $495,000 Restitution for Insurance Billing Fraud, Failure to File Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid has ordered that Joseph Mayotte, who previously owned and operated Bradley Chiropractic Clinic, in Bradley, Ill., serve 33 months in prison, the sentence recommended by the government, and pay restitution in the amount of $401,000 to Blue Cross Blue Shield and $93,526 to the IRS. The hearing for Mayotte, 72, of Kankakee, Ill., concluded late afternoon on Oct. 3, before Judge Shadid in Peoria. Mayotte was ordered to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons on Dec. 17, 2019, to begin serving his sentence.
Mayotte entered pleas of guilty to the offenses charged on Feb. 11, 2019, as jury selection was beginning for trial. Mayotte admitted that from January 2007 to October 2015, he submitted false billing claims to defraud Blue Cross Blue Shield Insurance. The false claims were typically made on behalf of patients for whom the clinic had not provided any services or were in excess of the actual services provided. As a result, Blue Cross Blue Shield paid the clinic money to which it was not entitled, which Mayotte then used for his own benefit. In addition, Mayotte admitted that he failed to file federal income tax returns for tax years 2011 through 2014.
In addition to Mayotte, the clinic’s former office manager, Constance Leadingham, aka Connie, previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud and filing false income tax returns, and was sentenced on March 1, 2019. Leadingham, of Watseka, was sentenced to 12 months in federal prison for her role in the fraud scheme. As the clinic’s office manager, Leadingham admitted she submitted false billing claims, then wrote checks payable to herself from the clinic’s checking account in addition to her salary. Leadingham also admitted that in addition to the fraud scheme, she filed false income tax returns for tax years 2011, 2012, and 2013.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Office of Inspector General; Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller and Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the case prosecutions.
Rock Island Felon to Serve Seven Years in Federal Prison for Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – On Sept. 16, 2019, Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow sentenced Matthew Eric Moultrie, 20, of Rock Island, Ill., to seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a firearm. Judge Darrow ordered that the federal sentence be served consecutively to two other criminal cases Moultrie has in Rock Island County.
On March 9, 2019, Moultrie pleaded guilty to the federal indictment that charged him with possessing a firearm as a felon on Sept. 14, 2018. According to court documents, on Sept. 14, 2018, Moultrie, a self-identified gang member, fired multiple rounds at an occupied vehicle in Rock Island. After officers identified Moultrie later that evening, he fled into an occupied home. Moultrie’s flight led to a two-hour standoff with law enforcement that ended with his surrender and arrest.
In ordering a sentence above the guideline range prescribed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Chief Judge Darrow found that Moultrie’s criminal behavior was aggravated, as he had posed a serious risk to his victims, the arresting officers, and the community at large.
The Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kevin Knight represented the government in the federal prosecution, in coordination with the Rock Island County State’s Attorney’s Office.
"Serial Fraudster" Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – Ramsey Denwon Hampton, 49, of Chicago, has been ordered to serve 10 years in federal prison for defrauding IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union. On April 5, 2019, Hampton pleaded guilty to making false statements regarding his true identity to open an account at IH Mississippi Valley Credit Union, wherein he deposited forged checks and withdrew funds. When Hampton was arrested, he possessed the identities of more than 800 individuals.
At sentencing, on Sept. 13, 2019, the government requested a sentence above the range prescribed by the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines. Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow agreed noting that Hampton is “a serial liar, a serial thief, and a serial fraudster,” and that Hampton’s criminal record and the manner in which he committed the offenses necessitated a sentence significantly higher than the Guidelines range. Judge Darrow found that Hampton committed a serious crime that required thought, intellect, scheming, and sophisticated methods to prey on his victims. In addition, Chief Judge Darrow noted that Hampton’s criminal record includes convictions for bank fraud, forgery, theft of mail, interstate transportation of stolen checks, check deception, deceptive practices, possession of fictitious driver’s licenses, identity theft, and aggravated identity theft.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Silvis Police Department conducted the criminal investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya prosecuted the case on behalf of the government.
Local Waterfowl Outfitter Pleads Guilty to Unlawful Guided HuntRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Rick A. Hamm, 58, of Chillicothe, Ill., owner of “Show Me Your Snows,” a waterfowl outfitting service, pleaded guilty today in federal court to unlawful sale of wildlife, in violation of the Lacey Act. Hamm admitted that in December 2015, he and his assistant guides took two hunters on a guided waterfowl hunt in Fulton County, Ill. During the hunt, Hamm and his guides used an electronic caller to lure geese into shooting range, knowing it was unlawful under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and Illinois conservation regulations. As a result of the use of the electronic caller, the hunters were able to shoot and kill geese. The two hunters were agents with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acting in an undercover capacity.
At sentencing, scheduled on Jan. 9, 2020, before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government and Hamm have agreed to a sentence of 24 months of probation with the condition that during the 24-month period, Hamm is banned from hunting and guiding worldwide. Hamm has also agreed to pay $2,500 in restitution to the State of Illinois and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and to pay a $50,000 fine.
This is the second time Hamm has been prosecuted in federal court for wildlife crimes. In 2000, he pleaded guilty to three violations of the Migratory Bird Treaty Act dealing with shooting waterfowl over the bag limit, transporting untagged waterfowl, and hunting with lead shot. In that case, Hamm paid a $5,000 fine.
Each of Hamm’s co-defendants, Trent Gustafson, Zachary Entwistle, James Schupp, and J. Weston Schupp, have previously pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing on October 17, 2019, before Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge in the prosecution. The charges were investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the assistance of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources.
Tennessee Sex Offender Indicted on Charge of Failure to RegisterRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A federal grand jury in Springfield today returned an indictment that charges Shay Christopher Greene, 23, of Knoxville, Tenn., with failure to register as a sex offender upon his relocation from Tennessee to Danville, Ill., in May 2019. The U.S. Clerk of the Court will schedule Greene for arraignment in Urbana, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, at a future date.
Greene was arrested on Aug. 14, 2019, and charged by criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, in March 2019, Greene was released from incarceration in Tennessee, where he was convicted of sexual exploitation of a minor involving production of child pornography. In late May 2019, Greene allegedly relocated to Danville, Ill., and failed to register or update his registration as required under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. While in Danville, Greene allegedly resided at various locations, including a local homeless shelter in Danville, and a residence on Kist Ave., Danville. Also, Greene allegedly used assumed names, including “Christopher Wolfe,” in Danville.
The indictment returned today charges Greene with the offense of failure to register as a sex offender, from May 31 to Aug. 14, 2019. If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense is up to 10 years in prison plus a fine of up to $250,000.
Following his arrest, Greene made his initial court appearance on Aug. 14, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Long, who ordered that Greene be detained. Greene has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson, The charge is the result of investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service and the Danville and Catlin, Ill., Police Departments.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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.
Champaign Man Indicted on Charge of Attempted Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – A federal grand jury in Springfield today returned an indictment that charges Thomas L. Bishop, 60, of the 1600 block of West Bradley Ave., in Champaign, Ill. with attempted enticement of a minor. Bishop is scheduled to appear for arraignment tomorrow, Sept. 5, 2019, in Urbana, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long.
Bishop was arrested on Aug. 23, 2019, and charged by criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, on Aug. 20, Bishop allegedly initiated a text message conversation with an online covert profile of a law enforcement officer on a popular online dating / chatting application. Following the initial contact, the defendant and the undercover officer engaged in numerous sexually explicit text message conversations, including conversations in which the defendant allegedly requested that the minor send sexually explicit photos of himself to the defendant. The affidavit alleges that on Aug. 23, the defendant believed he was meeting a 15-year-old boy at a pre-determined location in Champaign to take the minor to his residence for a sexual encounter. Instead, law enforcement officers arrested Bishop.
The indictment returned today charges Bishop with the offense of attempted enticement of a minor, from Aug. 20 to Aug. 23, 2019, using the internet and a cellular telephone, both means of interstate commerce, to knowingly entice a minor under the age of 18 to engage in sexual activity for which any person can be charged with a criminal offense. If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense is 10 years to life in prison plus a fine of up to $250,000.
Following his arrest, Bishop made his initial court appearance on Aug. 26, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Long, who ordered that Bishop be detained. Bishop has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
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 with the assistance of the Champaign Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
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.
Tazewell County Man Sentenced to More Than 13 Years in Prison for Using Facebook to Solicit, Receive Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Tazewell county man, Eric Ingram, 31, of Washington, Ill., was sentenced today to more than 13 years (160 months) in prison for receiving child pornography using Facebook. In sentencing Ingram, U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm also ordered that Ingram remain on supervised release for eight years following his release from incarceration. Ingram will be required to register as a sex offender.
On Dec. 4, 2018, Ingram pleaded guilty to the charge. According to court documents, on Oct. 4, 2018, law enforcement officers with the Washington Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant at Ingram’s residence in Washington, Ill., and seized various items of electronic media.
According to court records, in September 2018, Facebook, Inc. notified Washington Police Department officials of messages between Ingram and a 15-year-old minor child that contained sexually explicit conduct. Facebook provided information that Ingram appeared to be soliciting the content from the minor victim. Furthermore, it appeared that Ingram lived in close proximity to the minor victim and had used Facebook Messenger to discuss meeting the minor in person. The minor victim was interviewed and confirmed that Ingram requested she perform sexually explicit conduct and take visual depictions of that conduct to send to him on Facebook.
Ingram has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on these charges on Oct. 4, 2018.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge prosecuted the case, which was investigated by the Washington Police Department and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Former Jacksonville Man Convicted for Preparing, Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A jury has convicted a former Jacksonville, Ill., resident for aiding and assisting in the preparation of false income tax returns and for filing false tax returns. On Friday afternoon, Aug. 16, 2019, a jury deliberated approximately two hours before returning guilty verdicts on all charges against West Mpetshi (ma-pet-shē). Sentencing is scheduled on Dec. 13, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough.
During the two weeks of trial, which began on Aug. 5, the government presented evidence that in 2015 and 2016, Mpetshi, 38, was living in Jacksonville and was employed at Cargill Meat Solutions Corp., in Beardstown, Ill. The defendant was not a licensed tax preparer but used the tax preparation software program TurboTax at his home to prepare returns for himself and others, including fellow Cargill employees who were French-speaking. Mpetshi was born in the Democratic Republic of Congo, a French-speaking country in southern Africa.
Mpetshi typically charged $250 to $300 to prepare and submit a tax return. Individuals would generally provide income information to Mpetshi who required payment up front. Mpetshi then prepared the return and added false deductions and credits for education or moving expenses which resulted in higher refunds paid to the taxpayer. Taxpayers were not provided copies of their filed returns.
Mpetshi, currently of Carbon Cliff, Ill., will remain on bond pending sentencing. Each of the 30 counts charged carries a maximum statutory penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.
At trial, the government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Gregory K. Harris and Patrick D. Hansen. The IRS, Criminal Investigation Division, investigated the charges.
Federal Trial Scheduled for Piatt County Farmer Charged with Bank Fraud, Concealing Bankruptcy AssetsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Trial for a Piatt County farmer has been scheduled for Nov. 18, 2019, after a federal grand jury indicted James R. Williams, 59, of Cisco, Ill., on charges of bank fraud and concealment of bankruptcy assets.
The indictment, returned last month, alleges that beginning in December 2015, Williams defrauded both First Security Bank and Gifford State Bank by submitting false information on a balance sheet used to secure a $4.6 million loan for his business, RJW Williams Farms, Inc. As a result, the loss to the banks exceeded $500,000. In addition, the indictment alleges that beginning in October 2016, Williams concealed more than $500,000 in grain sales from creditors of the bankruptcy estate of RJW Williams Farms, Inc. Williams allegedly instructed employees of an ADM grain elevator in Niantic, Ill., to issue checks to his son, which were then deposited into an account held jointly by Williams and his son.
During a court appearance on July 23, before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow in Urbana, a trial date of Nov. 18, 2019 was set. Williams’ next scheduled court appearance in federal court in Urbana, is on Sept. 19, 2019, for a pretrial conference. Williams remains on bond.
If convicted of bank fraud, the offense carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $1,000,000. For conviction of the offense of concealment of bankruptcy assets, the penalty is up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
“Abuse of the bankruptcy process undermines the public’s confidence in the bankruptcy system,” stated Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Southern and Central Illinois and Indiana (Region 10). “We appreciate U.S. Attorney Milhiser’s commitment to helping preserve the integrity of the bankruptcy system in the Central District of Illinois.”
The U.S. Trustee for Region 10 referred the alleged bankruptcy fraud to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The charges were investigated by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General in collaboration with the Central Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the U.S. Trustee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter is representing the government in the criminal prosecution.
The U.S. Trustee Program is the component of the Justice Department that protects the integrity of the bankruptcy system by overseeing case administration and litigating to enforce the bankruptcy laws. Region 10 is headquartered in Indianapolis, with additional offices in South Bend, Ind., and Peoria, Ill.
Geneseo Man Charged with Five Counts of Sexual Exploitation of a ChildRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – An initial trial date of Sept. 23, 2019, has been scheduled for a Geneseo, Ill., man, Tristan Scott Blank, 22, who has been arrested and indicted on federal child sexual exploitation charges.
The indictment alleges that between April 2016 and August 2018, Blank employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced five minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of such conduct and transmit the images in interstate commerce.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for each count of sexual exploitation is 30 years in prison. Each of the five counts includes a fine of up to $250,000.
On July 22, 2019, Blank was arrested and made his initial court appearance. Blank was arraigned in Davenport, Iowa on July 24, before Chief U.S. District Court Judge Sara Darrow, when the September trial date was scheduled and Blank was ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa A. Raya. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Geneseo Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the Henry County Sheriff’s Office, the Colona Police Department, the Kewanee Police Department, and the U.S. Secret Service.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Trial Date Set for Decatur Man Charged with Child Sexual Exploitation and Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An initial trial date in September has been scheduled for a Decatur, Ill., man, Emmett J. Rogers, 47, who has been arrested and indicted on federal child sexual exploitation and child pornography charges. Rogers, of the 400 block of South 22nd Street, appeared in federal court on July 18, in Urbana for arraignment.
The indictment alleges that in October 2018, Rogers exploited a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct to produce images of the conduct. The indictment further alleges that on four occasions in October and November 2018, Rogers transported child pornography via computer and possessed child pornography in June 2019.
Rogers was arrested on June 11, 2019, and charged by criminal complaint. According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Rogers was identified through cybertips sent by Google to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
If convicted of the offense of child sexual exploitation, Rogers faces up to 50 years in prison; for each count of transportation of child pornography (four counts) the maximum penalty is 40 years on prison; and, for possession of child pornography, the maximum penalty is 20 years in prison. Each of the six counts includes a fine of up to $250,000.
During Rogers’ initial court appearance on June 11, U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long ordered that Rogers remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Decatur Police Department; the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force; and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Trial Date Scheduled for Former WIU Student Indicted for Alleged Amtrak Ticket SchemeRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, Ill. – A September trial date has been scheduled for a former student of Western Illinois University indicted on charges that he engaged in a two-year scheme to defraud Amtrak. The indictment charges Ryan Taylor Minter, 23, of Calumet City, Ill., with using stolen credit card information to purchase Amtrak tickets online. Minter then allegedly sold the tickets to students at a discount and pocketed the money.
Central District of Illinois U.S. Attorney John Milhiser and Kevin Winters, Amtrak Inspector General, announced the indictment which was returned by a federal grand jury in Peoria. The indictment had remained sealed since it was returned by the grand jury on June 19, 2019, pending Minter’s arrest and arraignment. Minter was arrested on July 1 in Chicago; he appeared in federal court in Davenport, Iowa, on July 16, for arraignment before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow. He remains on bond with conditions. Judge Darrow scheduled trial for Minter on Sept. 23.
The indictment alleges that from September 2016 to November 2018, Minter acquired stolen credit card account information which he used to purchase Amtrak tickets for travel between Macomb, Ill., and Chicago. Minter allegedly used Amtrak’s mobile application and website to purchase the tickets and then advertised them at a discount on social media sites frequented by students. Students paid Minter for the discounted ticket using an online account. Minter then forwarded the image of the purchased ticket to the student to present to conductors upon boarding for travel between Macomb and Chicago. In the indictment, the government is seeking $15,492 in proceeds of the scheme, including $6,550 in cash previously seized from Minter.
The charges are the result of investigation by Amtrak’s Office of Inspector General, Amtrak Police, and the Western Illinois University Police Departments. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Don Allegro, Rock Island Division, in the prosecution.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for each of the five counts of wire fraud charged is up to 20 years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Litchfield Man to Remain in Custody; Charged with Child Sexual ExploitationRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Litchfield, Ill., man who has volunteered at local community and church youth programs, Cory C. Robinson, 24, has been ordered to remain in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service on charges of child sexual exploitation.
During today’s detention hearing, U.S. Magistrate Judge Tom Schanzle-Haskins found that Robinson presents a danger to the community if released from law enforcement custody. In court documents filed in support of Robinson’s detention, the government noted Robinson’s activities have included volunteering at a local church youth program, trips to Six Flags, Colorado, and camping with minors, and online conversations with minors using multiple social media platforms.
Robinson was arrested on July 15, following indictment by a grand jury on charges of production of child pornography and attempted enticement of a minor. The indictment alleges that Robinson produced child pornography of a minor and attempted to entice a minor to engage in sexual conduct in August and September 2017. The grand jury returned the two-count indictment on July 9; however it had remained sealed pending Robinson’s arrest and court appearance.
If convicted of the offense of production of child pornography, Robinson faces a statutory prison sentence of 15 to 30 years; the statutory penalty for attempted enticement of a minor is 10 years to life in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Crystal C. Correa. The charges are the result of an ongoing investigation by the FBI and Illinois State Police.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Defendant to Serve Life in Prison in Kidnapping and Murder of Visiting Chinese StudentRead the Press Release
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney John C. Milhiser announced today that U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid sentenced Brendt Christensen, 30, to serve the rest of his life in prison with no possibility for release for the June 9, 2017, kidnapping and murder of Chinese student Yingying Zhang. Judge Shadid imposed the mandatory life sentence this afternoon after the jury in the case was unable to reach a decision regarding the sentence.
On June 24, 2019, the same jury deliberated approximately 90 minutes before returning guilty verdicts against Christensen for the charge of kidnapping resulting in death and two counts of making false statements to FBI agents. Jurors began hearing evidence in the case on June 12. The sentencing phase of the trial began on July 8, 2019. After deliberating approximately nine hours yesterday and today, the jury advised the court that they were unable to reach a decision regarding sentencing.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Sean M. Cox of the FBI’s Springfield Division; and, University of Illinois Chief of Police Craig A. Stone join U.S. Attorney Milhiser in making today’s announcement.
“Tragically, a young woman’s life was cut short by the evil crimes perpetrated in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Department of Justice insisted on holding the defendant accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and hopes that today’s outcome delivers some measure of justice for Yingying Zhang and her family.”
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Yingying Zhang who have suffered a tragic loss under unimaginable circumstances,” said U.S. Attorney Milhiser. “I would like to recognize the coordinated work of law enforcement and the incredible strength and resolve shown by Yingying’s family throughout the investigation and in their continued presence at trial to bring this brutal killer to justice.”
“Today justice has been served and the defendant in this case will be held responsible for his actions and this horrific crime; a crime which he planned and then carried out without regard for the victim. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts and dedication,” said Sean M. Cox, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Springfield Division. “Although the verdict and sentencing of the defendant will not lessen the pain of Yingying Zhang’s family, it is my sincere hope that it provides some closure to her loved ones.”
“We hope that the conclusion of this trial and sentencing can help to begin the healing process for Ms. Zhang’s family and loved ones, as well as the many others who have been affected by this tragedy,” said University of Illinois Police Chief Craig Stone. “The strength of our campus community has been evident since the beginning, and I am grateful to all those who worked together in this investigation and were determined to bring closure to this case.”
Evidence was presented during the trial that the victim, Yingying Zhang, 26, had come to the U.S. as a visiting scholar in April 2017, to begin post-graduate research work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus. Zhang disappeared on June 9, 2017, as she was on her way to an appointment to sign an apartment lease. She was reported missing later that day when her colleagues tried to reach her and she did not respond.
Security camera footage of a bus stop taken on June 9, shows Zhang entered a car, which investigators determined belonged to Christensen, after Zhang had texted the apartment manager that she was running late for her afternoon appointment. A witness also testified that on the morning of June 9, she was approached by a man she later identified as Christensen, who posed as a police officer and asked her to get into his car to answer questions. The woman did not enter the car and contacted law enforcement to report the incident.
Investigators contacted area owners of the type of car, a black Saturn Astra, captured by the security camera at the bus stop. As investigators studied the video, they discovered a noticeable irregularity on the hubcap of the front passenger tire that matched the vehicle owned by Christensen.
When Christensen was questioned about his activity on June 9, 2017, he made false statements to FBI agents on two occasions, on June 12 and again on June 15. During a vigil walk held on June 29, to raise awareness in the search for Zhang, Christensen attended the walk and described how he had killed Zhang to his then-girlfriend, who recorded the conversation. Christensen’s account included details of the crime which were corroborated by evidence including that recovered by law enforcement who executed a search warrant of his apartment on June 30, 2017, the same day Christensen was arrested and charged.
In making today’s announcement, Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski and U.S. Attorney Milhiser thanked the FBI and the University of Illinois Police Department for their dedicated work throughout the case investigation and prosecution. Milhiser also thanked the Illinois State Police; the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office; and, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District for their valuable assistance in the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eugene L. Miller and Bryan D. Freres of the Central District of Illinois and Trial Attorney James B. Nelson of the Justice Department’s Capital Case Section represented the government in the case prosecution.
Defendant to Serve Life in Prison for Kidnapping, Murder of Visiting Chinese ScholarRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid today sentenced Brendt Christensen, 30, to serve the rest of his life in prison with no possibility for release for the June 9, 2017, kidnapping and murder of Chinese student Yingying Zhang. Judge Shadid imposed the mandatory life sentence this afternoon after the jury in the case was unable to reach a decision regarding the sentence.
On June 24, 2019, the same jury deliberated approximately 90 minutes before returning guilty verdicts against Christensen for the charge of kidnapping resulting in death and two counts of making false statements to FBI agents. Jurors began hearing evidence in the case on June 12. The sentencing phase of the trial began on July 8, 2019. After deliberating approximately nine hours yesterday and today, the jury advised the court that they were unable to reach a decision regarding sentencing.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; FBI Special Agent in Charge Sean M. Cox, Springfield Division; and, University of Illinois Chief of Police Craig A. Stone join U.S. Attorney Milhiser in making today’s announcement.
“Tragically, a young woman’s life was cut short by the evil crimes perpetrated in this case,” said Assistant Attorney General Benczkowski. “The Department of Justice insisted on holding the defendant accountable to the fullest extent of the law, and hopes that today’s outcome delivers some measure of justice for Yingying Zhang and her family.”
“Our thoughts and prayers remain with the family and friends of Yingying Zhang who have suffered a tragic loss under unimaginable circumstances,” said U.S. Attorney Milhiser. “I would like to recognize the coordinated work of law enforcement and the incredible strength and resolve shown by Yingying’s family throughout the investigation and in their continued presence at trial to bring this brutal killer to justice.”
“Today justice has been served and the defendant in this case will be held responsible for his actions and this horrific crime; a crime which he planned and then carried out without regard for the victim. I would like to thank our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts and dedication,” said Sean M. Cox, Special Agent in Charge, FBI Springfield Division. “Although the verdict and sentencing of the defendant will not lessen the pain of Yingying Zhang’s family, it is my sincere hope that it provides some closure to her loved ones.”
“We hope that the conclusion of this trial and sentencing can help to begin the healing process for Ms. Zhang’s family and loved ones, as well as the many others who have been affected by this tragedy,” said University of Illinois Police Chief Craig Stone. “The strength of our campus community has been evident since the beginning, and I am grateful to all those who worked together in this investigation and were determined to bring closure to this case.”
Evidence was presented during the trial that the victim, Yingying Zhang, 26, had come to the U.S. as a visiting scholar in April 2017, to begin post-graduate research work at the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana campus. Zhang disappeared on June 9, 2017, as she was on her way to an appointment to sign an apartment lease. She was reported missing later that day when her colleagues tried to reach her and she did not respond.
Security camera footage of a bus stop taken on June 9, shows Zhang entered a car, which investigators determined belonged to Christensen, after Zhang had texted the apartment manager that she was running late for her afternoon appointment. A witness also testified that on the morning of June 9, she was approached by a man she later identified as Christensen, who posed as a police officer and asked her to get into his car to answer questions. The woman did not enter the car and contacted law enforcement to report the incident.
Investigators contacted area owners of the type of car, a black Saturn Astra, captured by the security camera at the bus stop. As investigators studied the video, they discovered a noticeable irregularity on the hubcap of the front passenger tire that matched the vehicle owned by Christensen.
When Christensen was questioned about his activity on June 9, 2017, he made false statements to FBI agents on two occasions, on June 12 and again on June 15. During a vigil walk held on June 29, to raise awareness in the search for Zhang, Christensen attended the walk and described how he had killed Zhang to his then-girlfriend, who recorded the conversation. Christensen’s account included details of the crime which were corroborated by evidence including that recovered by law enforcement who executed a search warrant of his apartment on June 30, 2017, the same day Christensen was arrested and charged.
In making today’s announcement, U.S. Attorney Milhiser thanked the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the University of Illinois Police Department for their dedicated work throughout the case investigation and prosecution. Milhiser also thanked the Illinois State Police; the McHenry County Sheriff’s Office; and, the Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District for their valuable assistance in the case.
Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller and Assistant U.S. Attorney Bryan D. Freres of the Central District of Illinois and Trial Attorney James B. Nelson of the Justice Department’s Capital Case Section represented the government in the case prosecution.
Former Host of Cable Hunting Show Pleads Guilty to Poaching DeerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Christopher Brackett, 41, of East Peoria, Ill., former host of “Fear No Evil,” a hunting show that aired on the Outdoor Channel, pleaded guilty today in federal court to unlawful transportation of wildlife, in violation of the Lacey Act. Brackett admitted that in December 2013, during filming of an episode of his cable show, he killed two bucks within minutes of each other, when the state of Indiana permitted hunters to kill only one buck per season. Brackett further admitted that he transported the second, 11-point buck he had nicknamed the “Unicorn Buck,” for its unique antler formation, to his home in East Peoria.
Brackett featured the “Unicorn Buck” kill on his television show in 2014. Brackett further admitted that he instructed his cameraman and producer to hide footage of the kill of the first, smaller eight-point buck. Brackett also admitted that in 2017, prior to charges being filed against him, he instructed an employee to destroy an eight-point rack.
At sentencing, scheduled on Nov. 5, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government and Brackett have agreed to a sentence of 30 months of probation with the condition that during the 30-month period, Brackett is banned from hunting worldwide. Brackett has also agreed to pay $3,500 in restitution to the State of Indiana and to pay a $26,500 fine.
The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge in the prosecution, with the assistance of Assistant U.S. Attorney Georgiann Cerese from the Environmental Crimes Section at the Department of Justice. The charges were investigated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with the assistance of both the Illinois and Indiana Departments of Natural Resources.
Trial Set for Iowa Man Charged with Child Sex OffensesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Trial is scheduled on July 29, 2019, in Peoria, Ill., for a Monroe County, Iowa, man, Michael E. Shell, who has been indicted on charges of aggravated sexual abuse of a child; travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct; and, sexual exploitation of a child. Shell, 49, of Melrose, Iowa, has been ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending trial.
The indictment alleges that from July 2011 and continuing to about July 2012, Shell crossed a state line to engage in sexual acts with a female under the age of 12; that from May 2014 to January 2015, Shell traveled with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a child; and, from July 2011 to January 2015, Shell engaged in sexually explicit conduct with a child to produce child pornography.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for aggravated sexual abuse of a child is a minimum of 30 years and up to life in prison; travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct carries a penalty of up to 30 years in prison; and, sexual exploitation of a child carries a penalty of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison. In addition, each of the offenses carries a potential maximum fine of $250,000.
The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the U.S. Secret Service; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office; the Canton, Ill., Police Department; the Bloomington, Ill., Police Department; the Monroe County Iowa Sheriff’s Office; Iowa State Patrol; and the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul B. Morris 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 was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Logan County Man Indicted on Child Exploitation, Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – An initial trial date has been set for Aug. 6, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough for Jason Fulmer, 33, of the 1200 block of Lake View Dr., Lincoln, Ill., who has been indicted on child sexual exploitation and child pornography charges. Fulmer was ordered detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending his release on conditions.
A six-count indictment alleges that on three occasions, in January and February 2017, Fulmer persuaded a minor victim to engage in sexually explicit conduct and to send the images using a computer, and that Fulmer received images of child pornography on three occasions in 2016 and 2017.
If convicted, for each count (three counts) of sexual exploitation of a child, Fulmer faces a statutory penalty of a minimum 15 years to 30 years in prison. For receiving child pornography (three counts), the statutory penalty is five to 20 years in prison.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Yanz. The charges are the result of an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations, with assistance from the Lincoln Police Department, the Logan County Sheriff’s Office, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Grand Jury Indicts Champaign Couple Charged in Counterfeit Check SchemeRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Initial appearances have been scheduled for two Champaign, Ill., residents facing charges of engaging in a counterfeit check scheme. Stephanie Lemons, 41, of the 1300 block of Hanover, and Tommie Slayton, 34, of the 3700 block of Harbor Estates Lane, are scheduled to appear for arraignment in federal court in Urbana on June 19, 2019.
The federal grand jury in Springfield returned a 20-count indictment on June 5, 2019, that charges the couple with conspiring together and with others to engage in a scheme to pass more than 120 counterfeit checks from July through December 2018. The indictment alleges that during this time, Lemons and Slayton made and presented counterfeit checks at Walmart Stores in Champaign and Bloomington, Ill., and forged checks at Heartland Bank.
Specifically, both Lemons and Slayton are charged with one count of conspiracy to engage in the scheme. In addition, Lemons is charged with six counts of counterfeit securities fraud, six counts of wire fraud, and seven counts of bank fraud. In addition to the conspiracy charge, Slayton is charged, along with Lemons, with the seven counts of bank fraud.
If convicted, the maximum statutory penalty for conspiracy is five years in prison; for each count of counterfeit securities fraud, the maximum penalty is ten years in prison; wire fraud carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison for each offense; and, for bank fraud, the penalty is up to 30 years in prison.
The charges are the result of investigation by the FDIC Office of Inspector General and the Champaign and Urbana Police Departments, in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elly M. Peirson and Meredith T. Reiter in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Two Peoria Men Charged with Stealing Nearly 100 Guns from Licensed Dealers in Monmouth and GalesburgRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A federal criminal complaint, unsealed today, charges two Peoria, Ill., men with stealing nearly 100 guns from two west central Illinois federal firearms licensees, The Tac Shack, in Monmouth, and Farm King, in Galesburg, in March 2019. Keith L. Winters, 28, of the 100 block of E. Melbourne Ave., and Miray A. Smith, 28, of the 3400 block of N. Molleck Drive, are each charged with conspiring and stealing guns from a federal firearms licensee. A third man, Jeremy L. Howard, 39, of the 2400 block of W. Wiswall St., is also charged, with Winters and Smith, with two counts of possession of stolen guns. Winters faces two additional counts of possession of firearms by a felon.
“Too frequently we see the deadly consequences of stolen guns in our communities,” stated U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “We will continue to work with our federal, state, and local partners to get guns out of the hands of the wrong people and aggressively prosecute those who put them there.”
“Investigating thefts of firearms from Federal Firearms Licensees is a top priority of ATF. These crimes not only pose a danger to the licensed dealers, but to the community as a whole. I commend the investigative partnerships and prosecutorial commitment of the Central District of Illinois,” said Chicago Field Division ATF Special Agent in Charge Tim Jones.
Howard was arrested today and the complaint and affidavit were unsealed at his court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley in Peoria. Howard was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service and a detention hearing was scheduled for May 24. Winters and Smith have not been apprehended and remain fugitives at this time.
As alleged in the complaint affidavit, on March 21, 2019, Winters, Smith and another unnamed individual drove a stolen truck from Peoria to The Tac Shack, at 1100 E. Jackson Ave., Monmouth, Ill. Another passenger vehicle accompanied the truck to serve as a lookout. When they arrived at The Tac Shack, Winters and Smith allegedly threw a brick through a window and used a metal pole to break the glass and make entry. After taking 39 guns from the store, the men drove back to Peoria and allegedly divided up the stolen guns.
On March 29, 2019, Winters, Smith, and another individual allegedly drove a stolen truck from Peoria to Farm King, at 3000 W. Main St., Galesburg, Ill., where the men used wire cutters to enter a fenced area, then threw a brick through a window and used a metal pole to make entry. During the burglary, another individual who had accompanied the men in a separate vehicle, acted as a lookout for law enforcement. After taking 59 guns from Farm King, the men drove back to Peoria and allegedly divided up the stolen guns.
The charges are the result of investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, assisted by the Galesburg Police Department; Illinois State Police; Monmouth Police Department; Peoria County Sheriff’s Office; and the Peoria Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna is representing the government in the prosecution of the case in coordination with the Warren County, Knox County and Peoria County State’s Attorneys’ Offices.
If convicted, for the offenses stealing from a federal firearms licensee, possession of stolen firearms, and felon in possession of a firearm, the maximum penalty for each count is up to 10 years in prison. The maximum penalty for conspiracy to steal and possess firearms from a federal firearms licensee is five years in prison.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Springfield Shooting Center Owner Indicted on Charges of Arson, Insurance FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The owner of a closed Springfield gun shooting center has been indicted on charges of arson and insurance fraud. John W. Jackson, Jr., 45, of Springfield, Ill., made his initial appearance in federal court today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Thomas Schanzle-Haskins. The indictment, returned by the grand jury on May 8, 2019, had remained sealed pending Jackson’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Jackson was arrested on May 14, and is scheduled to appear in court again tomorrow, May 16, for arraignment and detention hearings. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service at this time.
The indictment alleges that Jackson set fire to the Springfield Shooting Center, at 4885 Industrial Drive, on Sept. 6, 2017, and that a Springfield Fire Department Investigator was injured as a result of the fire. At that time, Jackson and his wife were owners and sole shareholders of Springfield Shooting Center, Inc. The indictment alleges that the couple, who was purchasing the building and inventory in installment payments, was behind in making payments at the time of the fire.
The indictment alleges that the fire was used to commit wire fraud when Jackson submitted an insurance claim for $1.62 million following the fire. According to the indictment, in July 2017, the Springfield Shooting Center secured a commercial insurance policy in the amount of $1.5 million for the building and $125,000 for the business personal property. Jackson allegedly gave false statements to the insurance company regarding his involvement in setting the fire and by claiming certain property was stolen when in fact it had previously been sold.
If convicted, the statutory maximum penalty for arson causing injury is 40 years in prison; the maximum penalty for wire fraud is 20 years in prison, and the penalty for using fire to commit wire fraud is 10 years in prison to be served consecutive to any other penalty imposed. Each of the three counts includes a potential fine of up to $250,000.
The case is being prosecuted by First Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas J. Quivey and Assistant U.S. Attorney Mathew Z. Weir. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Springfield Police Department; and the Springfield Fire Department.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Bourbonnais Couple Charged with Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Bourbonnais, Ill., couple, Raymond and Angie Adamee, are scheduled to make their initial appearance in federal court in Urbana, on June 3, 2019, on tax charges. A federal grand jury returned its indictment of the couple on May 7, 2019. The indictment charges both Raymond and Angie with five counts of filing false individual income tax returns. In addition, the indictment charges Angie Adamee with four counts of filing—and one count of aiding and assisting in filing—false corporate tax returns.
The indictment alleges that for tax years 2012 through 2016, Raymond and Angie Adamee falsely reported on their individual tax returns the income they earned from the business they own, Kankakee Plaza Liquors, 1623 E. Court St., Kankakee, Ill., knowing that their income substantially exceeded the amounts stated in the returns. The indictment also alleges that Angie Adamee falsely reported—and for 2012, that she aided and assisted in falsely reporting—gross receipts or sales earned by Kankakee Plaza Liquors on the corporation’s income tax returns, knowing that its income substantially exceeded the amounts stated in the returns.
If convicted, each count charged carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 plus the costs of prosecution, and full restitution.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Meredith Reiter.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
New Berlin Man Faces Federal Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – An initial trial date in June has been scheduled for a New Berlin, Ill., man, Scott A. Gentry, 57, who appeared in federal court on April 12 for arraignment on federal child pornography charges. Gentry was previously arrested on Jan. 24, 2019, on charges filed in Macon County. The federal indictment, returned by the grand jury on April 2, had remained sealed pending Gentry’s arrest and transfer of the case to federal court.
Gentry appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long who ordered that Gentry remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service. Trial for Gentry was scheduled on June 18, 2019, before Chief U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow in Urbana.
The indictment alleges that in November and December 2016, and April 2017, Gentry used a computer or device to receive images of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and in January 2019, that Gentry possessed images of child pornography in both Sangamon and Macon counties.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for each count of receipt of child pornography (three counts) is five to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000; possession of child pornography (two counts) carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, and a fine of up to $250,000.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson is representing the government in the prosecution in coordination with the Macon and Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Offices. The charges are the result of an investigation by the Macon County Sheriff’s office, the Sangamon County Sheriff’s office and the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys' Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute 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.
Alleged Non-compliant Sex Offenders Indicted on Charges of Failure to Register; Update RegistrationRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – Two east central Illinois men have trial dates set after indictments were returned by the grand jury charging them in separate, unrelated cases with violation of the Sex Offender Notification and Registration Act (SORNA.)
Dallas Eugene Clement, 57, of Westlake, La., but living on the 1800 block of Lafayette St. in Mattoon, Ill. and Matthew R. Poulin, 33, of the 600 block of W. Healey Street in Champaign, Ill. were each charged with failure to update their respective sex offender registration.
A trial date of June 10, 2019 has been scheduled for Clement, who appeared in federal court today for arraignment. The indictment charging Clement alleges that from Dec. 1, 2018 through March 2, 2019, Clement, a convicted sex offender from the State of Louisiana, failed to update his registration. Clement was arrested on March 4, 2019, and charged in a criminal complaint. The affidavit filed in support of the complaint alleges that Clement had not updated his registration for two years and was traveling as a carnival worker. During a court appearance on March 11, 2019, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long, in Urbana, Clement waived detention hearing and was ordered to remain detained in U.S. Marshals Service custody.
A trial date of June 3, 2019, has been scheduled for Poulin, who appeared for arraignment on April 4, 2019. The indictment charging Poulin alleges that from Dec. 10, 2018 through January 11, 2019, Poulin, a convicted federal sex offender, failed to register and update his registration. Poulin was arrested on April 2, 2019. Poulin was ordered to remain detained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
If convicted, the statutory penalty for the offense of failure to register is up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
The cases are being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Elly M. Peirson and are the result of investigation by the U.S. Marshals Service. The Springfield Police Department assisted in the investigation of Poulin.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; each defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Tazewell County Felon Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Gun PossessionRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Washington, Ill., man, Tyler R. Davis, 25, has been sentenced to seven years in prison for possession of a firearm as a felon. U.S. District Court Judge James E. Shadid sentenced Davis on April 10, and ordered that Davis’s prison term be followed by three years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty to the charge on Aug. 16, 2018.
According to court documents and evidence presented by the government at sentencing, Davis was prohibited from possessing a firearm under state and federal law when he admitted he possessed a gun in July 2016. Davis previously pleaded guilty to a felony charge of aggravated battery of a peace officer in 2014 in Tazewell County.
At Davis’s sentencing and in court documents, the government presented evidence that on July 15, 2016, Davis and another individual, Anton Grayson, approached homeowners in East Peoria, Ill., and asked if they were shooting at them. When the homeowners replied that they were only shooting off fireworks, Davis and Grayson told the homeowners they would be back with their “crew.” Based on this threat, the wife and her six-year-old daughter left and went to a nearby family member’s house, while the husband and teenaged son stayed at the home. Shortly thereafter, Davis and Grayson fired multiple rounds into the front of the home. There were no injuries to the home’s residents; however, one .45 caliber bullet from Davis’s firearm was found lodged in the back wall of the home. Law enforcement officers later recovered the guns in a row of bushes approximately a block away after officers learned that Davis had directed his mother and brother to retrieve them.
Both DNA and ballistics testing by the Illinois State Police Department of Forensic Science aided in the investigation. Further, evidence obtained from Snapchat, Inc. showed Davis and Grayson flashing firearms in a “selfie” video with the caption, “retaliation,” posted after the threat and prior to the shooting.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Legge prosecuted the case which was investigated by the East Peoria Police Department.
Davis has remained in the custody of the Tazewell County Jail and U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest on July 16, 2016. The Tazewell County State’s Attorney’s Office prosecuted Grayson, who was convicted and sentenced to a five-year prison term in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Prison Sentences for Tax Fraud in Central Illinois Highlight Serious Consequences for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – In advance of the April 15, 2019, tax filing deadline, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and IRS Criminal Investigation, Chicago Field Office, remind citizens that falsely preparing tax returns and evading taxes are crimes.
“To protect the integrity of our nation’s tax system, we work year round to investigate and prosecute individuals who violate our tax laws,” stated U.S. Attorney John Milhiser. “It is our responsibility to hold accountable those who attempt to cheat the system for personal gain.”
“Taxpayers thinking about participating in fraudulent tax schemes, such as failing to report all forms of income or falsifying deductions should take a good look at the serious and detrimental consequences of taking the next step,” stated Special Agent in Charge Gabriel Grchan of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. “Those who might consider preparing false and fraudulent tax returns should be aware of the extremely negative consequences that could result in prison time and large tax bills, including substantial fines, interest and penalties.”
On April 8, 2019, the owner of Springfield’s Osaka Japanese Restaurant, Chu Chuk Cheung, pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and faces up to five years in prison when sentenced on Aug. 2. Cheung admitted that he removed funds from the Osaka business account and used the money for personal investments, and that he did not disclose the additional income from Osaka to his personal accountant. As a result, the tax returns prepared by Cheung’s accountant and filed by Cheung for 2012 and 2013 were false. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hilary W. Frooman is representing the government in the prosecution.
Clifton “Ty” Robinson, of Chicago, is among defendants sentenced to prison in 2018 in central Illinois for tax fraud. Robinson was the leader of what Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm described as a “remarkable conspiracy” at sentencing in November 2018. Judge Mihm ordered that Robinson serve more than eight years in prison for the scheme that claimed more than $1.8 million in refunds from false tax returns. Robinson and his co-conspirators were ordered to pay $1.2 million in restitution to the IRS for refunds paid as a result of more than 300 false returns filed. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Darilynn Knauss, Segev Phillips, and Kate Legge represented the government in the prosecution of Robinson.
In July 2018, U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough sentenced a former Springfield, Ill., business owner, Gregg Harwood, to 18 months in prison for failing to report more than $1.15 million in earnings on tax returns filed for tax years 2008, 2009, and 2010. Harwood formerly owned Thermionics, a corporation that manufactured hot / cold pain therapy products that were sold at major retailers and pharmacies across the U.S. Harwood pleaded guilty to creating multi-level entities with no legitimate business purpose, which he used to divert and disguise income from Thermionics. Harwood used the tax free income to support his personal lifestyle. At sentencing, Harwood paid the amount due to the IRS, $447,528, and $250,000 to participants in Thermionics’ employee stock ownership plan. Assistant U.S Attorney Timothy A. Bass represented the government in the prosecution of Harwood.
A Henry county, Ill., paving company owner, Tony L. Porter, was sentenced in August 2018, to nearly four years in prison for tax evasion. U.S. District Judge Sara Darrow ordered Porter to pay $566,571 in unpaid taxes and interest to the IRS. Porter underreported or failed to report income he received from customers of his paving business in 2009, 2010, and 2011. Assistant U.S. Attorney Hilary W. Frooman represented the government in the prosecution of Porter.
For help and assistance in choosing reputable tax professionals for preparing tax returns, or for assistance in preparation of individual tax returns, please visit the official IRS website: https://www.irs.gov/help-resources