Central District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Owner of Area Restaurant Sentenced to the Bureau of Prisons and Ordered to Pay Restitution for Crimes Related to COVID-Relief FundsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Saint Augustine, Illinois man, Michael Lewis Patch, 66, of the 100 block of West Third Street, has been sentenced to 90 days in the Bureau of Prisons, five years of Supervised Release, and to pay more than $64,000 in restitution. The sentence follows Patch pleading guilty to one count of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud in relation to COVID-Relief funds that he fraudulently obtained.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence of the multiple efforts the Illinois Department of Revenue took to assist Patch in bringing his business, the Vernon Street Grill (“VSG”), into compliance with the taxes owed and the VSG’s expired license. These efforts included offering to help Patch with the required paperwork and to enter a modest payment plan of $20 per month. After those efforts were repeatedly ignored by Patch, a criminal investigation was opened. During that investigation, it was determined that Patch had fabricated records and data to apply for and receive two loans that were made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). Specifically, Patch admitted that he used false data to steal money through the federal Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program. Congress established PPP funds to provide small businesses with funds to pay up to eight weeks of payroll costs and related expenses. Patch obtained $11,462.00 in PPP funds. The EIDL program was established to allow the Small Business Administration to provide a line of credit to small businesses that had suffered substantial economic injury as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Patch received $53,000 in EIDL loans. Patch applied for a third loan in the amount of $53,000 through EIDL, but that loan was not approved.
The investigation showed that Patch did not use COVID-relief funds for their intended purpose. Instead, Patch attempted to purchase property and over-paid his employees, requiring them to cash their checks and return the excess wages they received to him in the form of cash. In total, Patch fraudulently requested $117,462, and received $64,462 from the United States and its agency, the Small Business Administration.
Patch was indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty to all three counts of the indictment in September 2022. He was free on an existing bond, pending sentencing. Patch will voluntarily surrender to begin his sentence in October.
The statutory penalties for bank fraud are up to 30 years imprisonment, followed by 5 years of supervised release. The penalties for each count of wire fraud are up to 20 years imprisonment, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
The Illinois Department of Revenue, Criminal Investigative Division, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas F. McMeyer represented the government in the prosecution.
COVID-19 disaster relief and enhanced unemployment benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Atlanta, Illinois Man Sentenced to 21 Years in Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Atlanta, Illinois resident, Juan Esquivel Bernal, 54, of the 1700 block of 2250th Street, was sentenced on August 7th to 21 years imprisonment for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine. Imprisonment will be followed by 5 years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that between February 2019 and May 2022, Bernal operated as the leader of a methamphetamine distribution group in the Central District of Illinois. He orchestrated shipments of methamphetamine directly from Mexico to his farm in Atlanta, Illinois, and used the farm to store large amounts of the drug. Bernal supplied methamphetamine to numerous other distributors. Between June 2021 and April 2022, the Drug Enforcement Administration conducted 13 controlled buys from the distributors working for Bernal, for a total of more than three kilograms of methamphetamine. Law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at Bernal’s farm in May of 2022, where they found firearms, digital scales, drug paraphernalia, and another approximately 5 kilograms of methamphetamine, for a total of more than 8 kilograms of highly pure methamphetamine. The investigation revealed that Bernal possessed firearms and threatened the lives of co-conspirators and their families to keep them from withdrawing from his drug distribution conspiracy.
Bernal and four co-defendants were indicted in May 2022. Bernal entered into a plea agreement in January 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute actual methamphetamine are 10 years to life, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release.
Three of the four other co-defendants have either been sentenced or await sentencing:
Edgar Daniel Perez-Hernandez pleaded guilty and was sentenced in July 2023 to 48 months.
Maria Guadalupe Flores-Cano, a.k.a. “Lupita,” pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on September 13, 2023.
Juan Carlos Figueroa-Ramirez, a.k.a. “Max,” pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on November 15, 2023.
Edgar J. Tello, was indicted in May 2022, and is scheduled for a pre-trial conference on October 11, 2023. Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
The DEA led the investigation, assisted by the Pekin Police Department; Peoria Police Department; Illinois State Police; Internal Revenue Service; Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement; Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Peoria Multi-County Enforcement Group; Central Illinois Enforcement Group; Rock County, Wisconsin Sheriff’s Office; United States Postal Service; United States Marshals Service; National Guard Counter Drug; DCI Digital Evidence Recovery; and the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine G. Legge represented the United States in the prosecution, with assistance of the Tazewell and Fulton County State’s Attorney’s Offices.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 50 Months in Prison for Possessing a Handgun Outfitted with a “Glock Switch” Machinegun Conversion DeviceRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Anthony Q. Johnson, 19, of the 1100 block of North Flora Avenue, was sentenced on August 2, 2023, to 50 months in federal prison for possessing a handgun equipped with a “Glock Switch” conversion device enabling the gun to fire as a fully-automatic machinegun. Johnson will serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade, the government presented evidence that in January 2023 Johnson pulled a handgun from his waistband during an altercation with another person on North Flora Avenue in Peoria. When the person fled from Johnson in a car, Johnson discharged the gun, causing one of the bullets to pass through the rear window and windshield of a mini-van parked nearby. An eye-witness account and the ShotSpotter gunshot detection system both established that the gunfire rate was consistent with that of a fully-automatic weapon. Police responded to the scene and located 13 spent shell casings from a .40 caliber weapon.
Johnson was identified as a suspect, and federal agents executed search warrants at two residences where he was known to stay. Agents searching a Flora Avenue residence located a Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol loaded with 10 live rounds of ammunition. The firearm was equipped with a “Glock Switch”, an aftermarket device converting the weapon into a machinegun. Agents also located an AR-15, .223 caliber rifle loaded with 31 rounds of ammunition during the search, as well as a .22 caliber revolver. In addition, an extended magazine with a capacity of 28 rounds (.40 caliber), a pistol magazine with a capacity of 14 rounds (.40 caliber), and a drum-style magazine with a capacity of 50 rounds, loaded with 44 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition were located and seized. Additional boxes of .40 caliber ammunition were also found. The Glock pistol was test-fired and functioned as fully automatic machinegun. The casings matched those found at the shooting incident earlier in January 2023 and another shooting incident in August 2021.
Johnson was arrested on a federal complaint in January 2023. and a federal grand jury returned an indictment with the machinegun charge in February 2023. He entered a guilty plea in March 2023 and has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service while his case has been pending. The Glock Model 27 .40 caliber pistol has been forfeited.
The statutory penalties for possession of a machinegun are up to 10 years imprisonment, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force (PAFF). Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Johnson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Parrionte H. Wallace, 22, of the 2000 block of South 12th Street, was sentenced on August 1, 2023, to 41 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by two years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
According to court documents and representations in open court, on June 23, 2022, law enforcement officers from the Menard County, Illinois, Sheriff’s Office stopped Wallace while he was traveling in a car in Menard County and discovered a loaded, semi-automatic firearm with an extended magazine. The defendant told officers he had illegally purchased the firearm in Chicago. The Athens, Illinois, Police Department assisted with the stop.
At the sentencing hearing, U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless found that Wallace had possessed a stolen, loaded weapon with one round in the chamber and an extended magazine while out at 12:30am in a car with a young child. Judge Lawless further found that the defendant’s prior criminal conviction was a crime of violence.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Wallace in July 2022. Wallace pleaded guilty before Magistrate Judge Karen L. McNaught in March 2023.
The statutory penalties for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person at the time of Wallace’s offense were up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a possible $250,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release. Congress raised the penalty for the offense of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person to 15 years’ imprisonment as part of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act just a few days after this offense occurred.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Illinois State Police; Menard County Sheriff’s Office; and the Athens Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Wallace is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Springfield Woman Convicted of CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
Springfield Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on July 27, 2023, against Lerin E. Hughes, 25, of the 500 block of N. McClernand Avenue, Springfield, Illinois, for two counts of Cyberstalking. Sentencing for Hughes has been scheduled for November 30, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois before U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless.
At the two-day trial, the government presented evidence to establish Hughes made repeated threatening Facebook posts directed towards an employee of the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) who was assigned to investigate allegations of child abuse and neglect. Hughes also sent threatening text messages, e-mail messages, and sought out the personal Facebook page of a caseworker employed by an agency contracted to work with DCFS. The threats occurred over a four-month period during the summer of 2022. The communications, in addition to containing multiple types of threats, included threats to kill the two child protection workers.
Hughes remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Hughes faces statutory penalties of not more than 5 years imprisonment, not more than 3 years supervised release, not more than a $250,000 fine, $100 and restitution.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with valuable assistance from the Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah E. Seberger and Sierra Senor Moore represented the government at trial.
Peoria Felon Sentenced to 40 Months in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a HandgunRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois man, Jermaine Harry Bernard Allison, 29, of the 300 block of East Archer Street, was sentenced on July 27, 2023, to 40 months’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm by a felon. Allison was also ordered to serve a three-year term of supervised release upon completion of his prison term.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government provided information that Allison was a passenger in a car stopped by the Peoria Police Department for a traffic violation. Allison fled the scene of the traffic stop and was arrested a short distance away, following a foot chase by police. Police located several firearms in the car during the traffic stop, including a handgun on the floor directly in front of where Allison had been seated. The gun was loaded with seven rounds of ammunition in the magazine and one round in the chamber. Allison’s fingerprints were found on the handgun.
Allison was indicted and arrested in January 2023 and pled guilty in March 2023. He has remained in the custody of the United States Marshals Service while his case has been pending.
The Peoria Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Allison is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
East Moline, Illinois, Man Convicted of Drug Trafficking and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An East Moline, Illinois, man, Marcus Dixon, 29, was sentenced on July 18, 2023, to 260 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, two counts of possession of a firearm by a felon, and two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Dixon was convicted following a jury trial in March 2023 in front of Chief United States District Judge Sara Darrow. During that trial, the government presented evidence establishing that on October 20, 2019, Dixon fled from a car crash at the intersection of Seventeenth Street and First Avenue in Rock Island, Illinois. Officers searched the car and found a photograph of Dixon, three loaded firearms, and several bags of crack cocaine and marijuana. Additionally, Dixon’s DNA was later found on a deployed airbag. At the time of the crash, Dixon was on supervised release in connection with a prior federal offense.
On December 18, 2019, Dixon’s federal probation officer filed a petition for revocation and obtained a search warrant for Dixon’s home in relation to the October 20th incident. Probation officers searched Dixon’s residence in East Moline, Illinois and located a gun storage box for a firearm that had the same serial number as a firearm located in the crashed car. Additional evidence obtained during the search, including Dixon’s cell phone and a set of car keys, was indicative of drug dealing and led probation officers to a second address in Silvis, Illinois, and a white Audi that was apparently used by Dixon. Inside the Audi, probation officers found two vacuum sealed bags of marijuana and two firearms. Dixon’s fingerprints were later found on one of the bags of marijuana.
The statutory penalty for possession with intent to distribute cocaine base and marijuana under is up to 20 years imprisonment; for possession of a firearm as a felon it is up to ten years’ imprisonment (based on the penalties in place at the time of the offense conduct); for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime it is five years to life imprisonment; and for possession with intent to distribute marijuana it is up to five years’ imprisonment.
The case investigation was conducted by the Illinois State Police; the Rock Island Police Department; and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Weir and Timothy Sullivan represented the government in the prosecution.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 12 Months and One Day in Prison for Defrauding the Paycheck Protection ProgramRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Alex Jennings, 40 formerly of Lincoln, Illinois, was sentenced on July 20, 2023, to 12 months and one day in the federal Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a three year term of supervised release, following his conviction for wire fraud. Jennings was further ordered to pay $46,666 in restitution.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Senior U.S. District Judge Sue E. Myerscough, the government presented evidence that Jennings defrauded the Small Business Administration and a private lender into providing him with two Paycheck Protection Program loans for which he did not qualify. Jennings instead spent the money to purchase two cars for himself.
Also at the hearing, Judge Myerscough noted that fraud by Jennings and others like him caused legitimate businesses to miss out on the aid they so desperately needed during a global pandemic. Judge Myerscough found that the defendant had defrauded the federal government and lender of over $40,000.
Jennings had previously pleaded guilty to the four counts of wire fraud in February 2023.
The statutory penalties for wire fraud count are up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
“The Paycheck Protection Program was supposed to help businesses stay open and keep workers employed during a global emergency,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “However, many people instead applied for this money illegally. This office will continue its efforts to hold accountable those criminal opportunists who sought to take advantage of a worldwide pandemic for their own personal gain.”
“The U.S. Secret Service remains committed to identifying, investigating, and pursuing those who defraud the PPP and EDIL programs, which were designed to assist employers severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Stephen S. Webster, United States Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge, Springfield Resident Office. “Programs such as these were established to help those in need, not benefit fraudsters. We are proud of our partnerships with the federal, state, and local agencies who work collectively to hold these individuals accountable for their actions.”
The United States Secret Service investigated the case, with assistance from the Springfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
COVID-19 disaster relief benefits are intended to help people and businesses suffering as a result of the pandemic. If members of the public suspect that anyone fraudulently obtained or misused benefits, they should contact the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NDCF) Hotline at 1-866-720-5721 or submit the NCDF Web Complaint Form. The NCDF is a national coordinating agency within the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division dedicated to improving the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of criminal conduct related to natural and man-made disasters and other emergencies, such as the coronavirus (COVID-19). Hotline staff will obtain information regarding complaints, which will then be reviewed by law enforcement officials. More information is available at https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
Peoria, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 48 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Terrance T. Dotson, 50, of the 1600 block of South Livingston Street, was sentenced on July 20, 2023, to 48 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a firearm and ammunition as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that in August 2022 a Peoria County Sheriff’s Deputy saw an SUV driven by Dotson veer off the road and strike a mailbox. An officer pulled Dotson over and, while approaching the SUV during the traffic stop, saw Dotson reach into the backseat area where another person was seated. An officer then shined his flashlight on the backseat and saw a handgun laying next to the passenger. Officers removed Dotson and others from the SUV and he was placed in the backseat of a police car. Officers later opened the door to talk to Dotson and saw him kicking at something on the floor that was then determined to be an ammunition magazine loaded with the same type of ammunition found in the gun in the SUV.
A complaint was filed against Dotson in August 2022, and a federal grand jury returned an indictment in September 2022. A superseding indictment followed in February 2023. Dotson pleaded guilty in March 2023. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since the complaint was filed.
The statutory penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon are up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a possible $250,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department; and the Peoria Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Dotson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Peoria, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 40 Months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Denzel L. Jordan, 29, of the 1200 block of North University Street, was sentenced on July 20, 2023, to 40 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm and ammunition, to be followed by three years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing before Senior U.S. District Judge Michael M. Mihm, the government presented evidence that in October 2022 Jordan, a felon, was stopped by Peoria Police after committing a traffic violation. When officers learned that Jordan’s license was suspended, they ordered him to exit his car but Jordan refused, causing police to forcibly remove him. During the resulting scuffle, an officer located a loaded handgun tucked into the back of Jordan’s waistband. The semiautomatic pistol had a live round in the chamber and 16 rounds of ammunition in the attached magazine. The backpack Jordan was wearing was found to contain two additional magazines, each fully loaded with 15 rounds of .40 caliber ammunition. The backpack also contained 56 additional rounds of .40 caliber ammunition.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment against Jordan in October 2022. He entered a guilty plea in March 2023. Jordan has remained in the custody of the United States Marshal Service while his case has been pending.
The statutory penalties for a possession of a firearm as a felon are up to 15 years’ imprisonment, a possible $250,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release. Jordan has forfeited the Smith & Wesson M&P pistol and the ammunition.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Peoria Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald L. Hanna represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Jordan is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Danville, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 25 Years in Prison for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon as an Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, Alvin Beasley, 38, was sentenced today to 300 months of imprisonment, to be followed by a five-year term of supervised release, after being convicted of possessing a firearm as a felon following a jury trial in September 2021.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government highlighted evidence that Beasley did not just possess a firearm, he discharged several shots at his pregnant girlfriend’s Danville home during a drive-by shooting while she was inside the residence. Beasley was on parole for a second-degree murder conviction at the time. In addition, the government pointed to jailhouse phone calls made after the shooting where Beasley said he “just snap[s] out for no reason” and wants to “hurt people.” Beasley also explained during another call that he was tired of dealing drugs and “just want[ed] to kill people.”
Judge Bruce found that Beasley qualified as an Armed Career Criminal based on his prior state convictions for armed robbery, aggravated battery, and second-degree murder. That determination raised Beasley’s statutory penalties to fifteen years to life imprisonment.
Judge Bruce further noted that the facts of Beasley’s case were serious and troubling and stated that Beasley attempted to obstruct justice with his testimony at trial. Specifically, after hearing the evidence against him, Beasley took the stand and admitted that he shot at his pregnant girlfriend’s residence, but tried to claim that he did so with a different gun than the one he was charged with possessing. The jury rejected his testimony and found him guilty.
“Gun violence has no place in our communities, said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois will continue to work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to protect our communities and ensure those who engage in gun violence are held accountable.”
The case was investigated by the Danville Police Department, the Vermilion County Sheriff’s Office, the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group, the Illinois State Police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bryan Freres and William Lynch represented the United States in this prosecution.
Former Maui Jim Employee Must Serve Time and Pay Restitution for Mail and Wire FraudRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Bradford, Illinois, woman, Erica Lynn Hornof, 36, of the 300 block of Enterprise Drive, was sentenced on July 10, 2023, to 12 months and one day of imprisonment, to be followed by three years supervised release, after pleading guilty to three counts of mail fraud and three counts of wire fraud. Hornof must also pay $125,472.48 in restitution to Maui Jim.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Hornof was a long-term employee of Maui Jim. While employed as a lead Frame Repair Trainer, Hornof stole Maui Jim parts from the repair area to make sunglasses, packaged them with a cleaning cloth and warranty card, used her personal FedEx account to create shipping labels, and then shipped them through the Maui Jim mailroom. She sold the sunglasses to two buyers who then sold the sunglasses on websites. The evidence established that over the 16-month period that Hornof was selling the sunglasses, she received $104,860 from the two buyers. In a later statement to Federal Bureau of Investigation special agents, Hornof said that the individuals did not know that the sunglasses were stolen. Judge Shadid found that she was responsible for selling approximately 2,996 pairs of sunglasses, each valued at $250, for an intended loss of $749,000 to Maui Jim.
Hornof was indicted in August 2022 and released on a personal recognizance bond with conditions of pre-trial supervision. She entered a guilty plea to all six counts in March 2023. Judge Shadid ordered Hornof to report to the designated prison by 2:00 pm on September 19, 2023.
The statutory penalties for each of the mail and wire fraud counts are up to 20 years’ imprisonment and up to a $250,000 fine, to be followed by up to three years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office – Peoria Resident Agency, investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.
Petersburg, Illinois, Man Charged with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Receipt, and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A grand jury indicted a Petersburg, Illinois, man, Adam L. Power, 29, of the 500 block of 8th Street in Petersburg, Illinois, on July 7, 2023, for producing, distributing, and receiving child pornography.
Court documents allege that Power requested, traded, and received child pornography from minors through the use of online applications. Power was identifying himself as a minor female to get minor males to produce sexually explicit images and videos of themselves. Additionally, it is alleged Power distributed as well as received visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
Power was originally arrested in Petersburg, Illinois, on March 21, 2023, and charged with possession of child pornography by the Menard County State’s Attorney. He was released on bond with electronic monitoring. On June 30, 2023, Power was arrested by Department of Homeland Security Agents on a federal warrant and was subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury. He is currently in the custody of the U.S. Marshals.
If convicted, the offense of sexual exploitation of a minor carries a statutory penalty of at least fifteen years to a maximum of thirty years’ imprisonment; for both receipt and distribution of child pornography, the penalty is at least five years to a maximum of twenty years’ imprisonment.
Agencies participating in the investigation include the Department of Homeland Security, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, Athens Police Department, Illinois State Police, Petersburg Police Department, the Menard County Sheriff’s Office, and the Menard County States Attorney. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanner K. Jacobs is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Anyone who may have information about potential victims is asked to contact Springfield Homeland Security Investigations at 217-547-2114 or [email protected].
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Danville, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Drug Trafficking with Multiple FirearmsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Danville, Illinois, man, James G. Phillips, 34, of the 900 block of North Hazel Street, was sentenced on July 7, 2023, to 200 months of imprisonment for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce, the government presented evidence that law enforcement executed a traffic stop of a car in Danville, and, during the stop, agents discovered a backpack belonging to Phillips, a passenger, that contained nearly 4.5 pounds of high purity methamphetamine, two handguns, and several thousand dollars in United States currency. At the time, Phillips was on mandatory supervised release in connection with a state conviction for unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon, and he also had three prior convictions for controlled substance offenses.
Also at the hearing, Judge Bruce stated that Phillips’s behavior was something he would expect to see from a younger man. Explaining why 200 months of imprisonment was a just sentence, Judge Bruce told Phillips, “You need to stop and figure out where your life is going.”
Phillips had previously pleaded guilty to the aforementioned charges.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of methamphetamine included at least ten years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and a maximum life term of supervised release. The penalties for possessing a firearm as a felon in Phillips’s case were up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release. Finally, carrying a firearm during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime required a consecutive mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to life imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to five years of supervised release.
The Danville Police Department and the Vermilion County Metropolitan Enforcement Group investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution in collaboration with the Vermilion County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Texas Man Sentenced to Twenty Months in Prison for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
Springfield, Ill. – On June 26, 2023, a Texas man, Robert Niffen, 63, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and seven months of supervised release for failing to register as a sex offender in Illinois in violation of 18 U.S.C. §2250(a).
At Niffen’s sentencing hearing, U.S. District Court Judge Colleen Lawless found that Niffen absconded from the state of Texas, despite being on parole, and had failed to register or update his registration as a sex offender when he arrived in Pike County, Illinois. Niffen remained in Pike County doing odd jobs and staying with various people. Niffen is required to register as a sex offender as a result of his conviction for aggravated rape in 1981. Niffen previously spent 20 years in a Texas state prison and is required to register as a sex offender for life.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Niffen was arrested after approaching three female minors and offering them marijuana and the use of a hot tub. Local law enforcement was contacted, and Niffen initially presented a fictitious name before running away. Niffen was later caught and arrested. When he was arrested, he was in possession of a small amount of marijuana. Niffen has remained in the custody of the United Marshal since his arrest on June 13, 2022. He pleaded guilty on March 7, 2023.
The statutory penalties for failing to register as a sex offender pursuant to 18 U.S.C. § 2250(a) are up to ten years imprisonment, a minimum five-year term of supervised release up to life, and a fine of up to $250,000.
The Barry, Illinois Police Department and United States Marshals Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Niffen was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Quincy Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois woman, Christina Harbison, 41, of the 600 block of Chestnut was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to sixty months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Harbison was indicted in December of 2019 and pleaded guilty in January of 2023. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that the drug transaction at issue occurred on March 11, 2019. After initially being released on bond, Harbison’s bond was subsequently revoked, and she has been in the custody of the United States Marshal since October 31, 2022.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine are not less than five and up to forty years in prison, not more than a $10,000,000 fine, and not less than four years and up to life of supervised release.
The West Central Illinois Task Force and the Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Harbison is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Quincy Woman Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois woman, Christina Harbison, 41, of the 600 block of Chestnut was sentenced today by U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless to sixty months in prison, followed by four years of supervised release for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Harbison was indicted in December of 2019 and pleaded guilty in January of 2023. Evidence at the sentencing hearing showed that the drug transaction at issue occurred on March 11, 2019. After initially being released on bond, Harbison’s bond was subsequently revoked, and she has been in the custody of the United States Marshal since October 31, 2022.
The statutory penalties for distribution of 5 grams or more of methamphetamine are not less than five and up to forty years in prison, not more than a $10,000,000 fine, and not less than four years and up to life of supervised release.
The West Central Illinois Task Force and the Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Harbison is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Indianapolis Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing Firearm Used to Shoot and Kill Champaign Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Indianapolis woman, Ashantae S. Corruthers, 29, of the 5700 block of Port Hope Drive, pleaded guilty on June 22, 2023 to conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Sentencing for Corruthers has been scheduled on November 6, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, Corruthers admitted that she conspired with co-defendant Regina Lewis and Darion M. Lafayette, now deceased, to purchase and transfer a firearm to Lafayette, who could not legally purchase a firearm himself because he was a convicted felon. Such a transaction is commonly known as a “straw purchase.” During the hearing, the government stated that, on November 17, 2020, at the direction of Lafayette and Lewis, Corruthers purchased a Glock 48, nine-millimeter, semi-automatic pistol and Sellier & Bellot, nine-millimeter ammunition, from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in Indianapolis. During the purchase, Corruthers falsely certified on an ATF form that she was the actual buyer of the firearm, when in fact, she purchased the firearm for Lafayette and gave it to Lewis to transfer to him.
Corruthers further admitted that she conspired with Lewis and Lafayette to cover up the discovery of their illegal purchase and transfer of the firearm by falsely reporting to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on April 26, 2021, that the Glock pistol was stolen from her around March of 2021. The government stated that, approximately twenty-three days after Corruthers falsely reported the firearm stolen, Lafayette used the firearm to shoot and kill Champaign Police Officer Christopher Oberheim in Champaign, Illinois. Corruthers admitted that she and Corruthers continued the cover-up after Officer Oberheim’s death by agreeing to falsely tell an ATF Special Agent investigating the officer-involved shooting that she purchased the gun for herself, that it was stolen from her in March of 2021, and that she did not know Lafayette.
Corruthers remains released on conditions of bond pending sentencing. Lewis remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending her sentencing, which previously was scheduled for October 2, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois
Both Corruthers and Lewis face statutory penalties of up to five years in prison for conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and up to twenty years in prison for conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Each charge also carries a penalty of up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine.
The case investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is currently representing the government in the prosecution.
The case against Corruthers was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Paris Man Convicted of Attempted Child ExploitationRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict Friday afternoon, June 16, against Tracy L. Parker, 57, of the 1600 block of S. Central Avenue in Paris, Illinois, for attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, attempted receipt of child pornography, and possession of child pornography. A sentencing hearing for Parker has been scheduled on October 13, 2023, in Urbana, Illinois.
Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence proving that Parker attempted to obtain sexually graphic images and videos from an individual he believed to be a 13-year-old female, requesting these items for weeks through social media and text messaging. Parker was arrested after attempting to open what he believed to be the requested pornographic images and videos of the purported 13-year-old child. At the time of his arrest, child sexual abuse material was found on Parker’s cell phone.
Parker remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service and faces statutory penalties of up to 30 years of imprisonment for his conviction of attempted sexual exploitation of a minor, up to 20 years of imprisonment for attempting to receive child pornography, and up to 10 years of imprisonment for possessing child pornography.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Nathan Bertrand represented the government at trial.
The case against Parker was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Davenport Iowa Man Convicted of Attempted Enticement of a Minor and Travel with Intent to Engage in Illicit Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – On June 21, 2023, Auston McLain, 38, of Davenport, Iowa, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of attempted enticement of a minor and one count of travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity.
Over two days of trial before Chief U.S. District Judge Sarah Darrow, the United States presented evidence establishing that from November 10, 2020, through November 14, 2020 McLain communicated with an individual he believed to be a minor about engaging in sexual activity, sent pornographic pictures to the person he believed was a minor, asked for pictures, and then traveled from Iowa to Illinois with the intent to meet with the child and engage in sexual activity. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the meeting location.
Sentencing for McLain has been scheduled for October 18, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois. At sentencing, McLain faces statutory penalties of ten years to life imprisonment, a possible fine of $250,000, and a five year to life term of supervised release for attempted enticement and up to thirty years imprisonment, a possible $250,000 fine, and a five year to life term of supervised release for travelling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual activity. He also must register as a sex offender. McLain has been in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The prosecution was the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, with the assistance of the Rock Island Police Department, the Macomb Police Department, the East Moline Police Department, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tanner Jacobs and Matthew Weir represented the United States at trial.
The case against McLain was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Metamora Man Convicted of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
Dana Curtin, 49, of the 1100 block of Willow Lake Drive in Metamora, Illinois, was found guilty today of one count of attempted sex trafficking of a minor.
Over three days of trial before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence to establish that from March through May 2022, Curtin spoke with an individual he believed to be an adult offering sex with a minor and then traveled to meet the adult and child. Federal law enforcement agents arrested him when he arrived at the meeting location.
Sentencing for Curtin has been scheduled on October 18, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Peoria, Illinois. At sentencing, Curtin faces statutory penalties of 15 years to life imprisonment, to be followed by five years to life of supervised release, and a possible fine of up to $250,000. He also must register as a sex offender. And the charge carries a mandatory special assessment of $5,000 under the Justice for Victims of Trafficking Act of 2015, unless Curtin is ruled indigent. Curtin is now in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Illinois State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Keith Hollingshead-Cook and Ronald L. Hanna represented the United States at trial.
The case against Curtin was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Springfield Man Sentenced to 180 months in Prison for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Vonta Commer, 37, of the 200 block of David Street was sentenced on June 13, 2023, to 180 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by five years of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colleen Lawless, the government presented evidence that Commer, a street gang member, possessed over five pounds of methamphetamine on March 1, 2022, and had been selling similar quantities for several months. Commer has an extensive criminal history, including armed robbery, battery, and drug distribution convictions. The government’s evidence also established that Commer resumed drug dealing while on mandatory supervised release following a 2013 state conviction for drug distribution for which he had received a ten-year sentence to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
Commer pleaded guilty on January 6, 2023, to one count of possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute it. He has been detained by the United States Marshal since his arrest in March 2022.
The statutory penalties for possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute are at least ten years and up to life imprisonment, a minimum five-year term of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10,000,000.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office remains dedicated to keeping the community safe – which includes stemming the tide of drugs distributed on our streets by individuals such as Mr. Commer,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Seberger. “We thank our local and federal law enforcement partners for their work on this case.”
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Illinois State Police Central Illinois Enforcement Group, and the Springfield Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
LeRoy Woman Sentenced to Probation and Home Detention for Failing to File Federal Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A LeRoy, Illinois woman, Jill D. Little, 60, of the 400 block of West Wayne Street, has been sentenced to two years’ probation, with a condition that one year be served in home detention with electronic monitoring, for failure to file personal tax returns for the years 2015 through 2020. She was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $514,814 to the IRS.
An Information was filed against Little in December 2022. She waived indictment and pleaded guilty to the Information, pursuant to a written plea agreement in January 2023.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, the Court heard that Little failed to file personal tax returns and corporate returns for the business where she served as corporate secretary for the tax years 2015-2019, failed to file quarterly returns for the tax years 2015 through the third quarter of 2020, and failed to pay over to the federal government the payroll taxes collected from employees. In total, the tax loss to the government was $514,814. As of the time of sentencing, Little had paid the personal taxes and $150,000 of the corporate taxes which were due and owing. She will pay the remaining balance pursuant to a payment plan with the IRS.
In pronouncing sentence, Magistrate Judge Hawley noted that this was a serious offense and that everybody needs to pay their fair share. In rejecting Little’s statements that this was just a mistake, Magistrate Judge Hawley commented that this was more than a mistake – it involved both the personal returns and the corporate returns for not just one year but for multiple years. “You knew you had to pay, but kept not paying, and you got caught.”
The statutory penalties for failure to file a tax return are not more than 1 year imprisonment and up to a $100,000 fine. Failure to file a tax return is a Class A misdemeanor.
The Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation investigated the case. Criminal Chief Darilynn J. Knauss represented the government in the prosecution.
Urbana Man Convicted of Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on June 8, 2023, against an Urbana, Illinois, man, Phoutasone Champanine, 37, of Ivanhoe Drive, for conspiracy to possess fifty grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) with intent to distribute, maintaining a drug-involved premises, and possessing a firearm as a felon. Sentencing for Champanine has been scheduled for October 13, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana.
Over two days of testimony, the government presented evidence to establish that Champanine, a felon with multiple prior drug convictions, was dealing in pounds of methamphetamine in the Champaign-Urbana area. Further, investigators with the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force found several firearms and multiple calibers of ammunition in Champanine’s storage unit in Savoy, Illinois.
The investigators subsequently obtained a search warrant for Champanine’s home. During the execution of the warrant, agents found Champanine on the front porch of the home with eight pounds of methamphetamine in a bag on his shoulder. A further search of Champanine’s home revealed another pound of methamphetamine, two more firearms, and ammunition.
Champanine remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Champanine faces statutory penalties of ten years to life imprisonment, up to a $10,000,000 fine, and a maximum life term of supervised release for the conspiracy conviction. He faces up to twenty years of imprisonment, up to a $500,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for maintaining a drug-involved premises. Finally, he faces up to ten years of imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, and up to three years of supervised release for possessing a firearm as a felon.
The case investigation was conducted by the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force, a multi-jurisdictional group composed of officers from the Champaign County Sheriff’s Office, the Champaign Police Department, the Urbana Police Department, and the University of Illinois Police Department, with assistance provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Drug Enforcement Administration; and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Sullivan and William J. Lynch represented the government at trial.
The case against Champanine is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Cass County Man Charged with Bank and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – On June 6, 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Travis Murphy, 40, of Chandlerville, Illinois, with four counts of bank fraud alleging over $8.4 million in fraud and one count of bankruptcy fraud.
The indictment alleges that Murphy, through the business Murphy Farms, devised a scheme to defraud a FDIC insured bank and obtain its funds by making materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. According to the indictment, Murphy obtained loans totaling over $8.4 million after submitting documents that misrepresented his property values, crop holdings, and income. After obtaining the loans and defaulting on payment, Murphy later sold collateral, being crops, outside of the agreement. Further, Murphy reiterated the inflated value of his property on his petition when he filed for bankruptcy.
Murphy has been issued a summons to appear before the United States Magistrate Judge in Springfield, but the exact date for his appearance has not yet been finalized.
If convicted, Murphy faces a penalty of up to thirty years in prison and five years of supervised release on each bank fraud count and a penalty of up to five years in prison and three years of supervised release on the bankruptcy fraud count. The charges also carry maximum fines of up to $1,000,000 for each count of bank fraud and up to $250,000 for the bankruptcy fraud count.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. The bankruptcy fraud charge was referred for criminal prosecution by the Office of the United States Bankruptcy Trustee for Region 10. 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, Indiana, with additional offices in South Bend, Indiana, and Peoria, Illinois. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sierra Senor-Moore is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Moline Man Sentenced to 72 months in Prison for Attempted Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Rock Island, Ill. – A Moline, Ill., man, Dylan A. Campbell, 30, of the 4000 block of 11th Avenue C, was sentenced on May 24, 2023, to 72 months in prison, to be followed by 15 years of supervised release, for attempted receipt of child pornography.
On January 11, 2023, Campbell entered a plea of guilty to the indictment, which charged him with one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. According to the government’s commentary at sentencing, Campbell had been using various online means to obtain child pornography over multiple years. In pronouncing the sentence, Chief Judge Sara L. Darrow commented on the alarming nature of the imagery Campbell had been obtaining, depicting the sexual abuse of toddlers and infants, and the need to protect the public.
Campbell has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals since his change of plea in January of 2023.
The investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer L. Mathew represented the government at sentencing.
The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Ford County Man Convicted for the Second Time of Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Robert Shawn Anderson, 54, of the 300 block of Spruce Street in Paxton, Illinois, was found guilty, for the second time, yesterday of one count of enticement of a minor. The case was being tried for the second time after the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that in the initial trial, Anderson should have been able to argue that law enforcement had entrapped him into trying to have sex with a person he thought was a 15-year-old girl.
Over two and a half days of trial, the government presented evidence to establish that Anderson arranged to meet an individual he believed to be a 15-year-old minor for sexual activity on the dating application MeetMe. The government also proved that law enforcement had not entrapped Anderson into his attempted sexual liaison with a child.
“Anderson’s conviction is evidence of the powerful results that can be achieved through state, local, and national law enforcement cooperation,” said United States Attorney Gregory Harris. “This outcome and operation reinforce our continued commitment to combat sexual predators who would prey upon children.”
“The cooperation of the Attorney General’s Office and the United States Attorney’s Office is critical to holding accountable individuals who would hurt children,” Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said. “This verdict underscores the commitment of state and federal law enforcement to protect the children of Illinois.”
“The FBI knows all too well the risk children can face when communicating with strangers online,” said FBI Springfield Field Office Special Agent in Charge David Nanz. “And while our proactive measures demonstrate our commitment to stopping and holding accountable those who seek to sexually exploit children, we encourage parents to be equally proactive and remain aware of their child’s online activity.”
Anderson was arrested over Valentine’s Day weekend 2020 as part of a Federal Bureau of Investigation operation conducted in Kankakee County, Ill. The operation, dubbed Cupid’s Arrow, was conducted with the assistance of the Bradley Police Department, the Illinois Attorney General’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, the Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kankakee Area Metropolitan Enforcement Group. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Shannon O’Brien who is also Deputy Bureau Chief for the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas McMeyer represented the government at the trial before U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm.
Sentencing for Anderson has been scheduled on July 10, 2023 before Judge Mihm at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois. He faces statutory penalties of 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by 5 years to life of supervised release and must register as a sex offender. He remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service.
The case against Anderson was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Toulon Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Prison for Production, Distribution and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – Jason R. Musselman, 35, of the 7400 block of Modena Road, in Toulon, Illinois, was sentenced on May 24, 2023, to 300 months in the Bureau of Prisons for producing child pornography, to be served consecutive to a 120-month prison sentence for distributing and possessing child pornography. In total, Musselman was sentenced to 35 years imprisonment, to be followed by a lifetime term of supervised release. He must also register as a sex offender once he is released. Musselman was also ordered to pay more than $60,000 in restitution to his victims. Four additional counts of production of child pornography were dismissed pursuant to Musselman’s guilty plea.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that agents with the Illinois State Police and Homeland Security Investigations executed a search warrant on Musselman, his residence, and his electronic devices on January 19, 2022 as part of an ongoing child pornography investigation. The government presented evidence that Musselman had produced numerous images of child pornography in his residence between approximately 2010 and 2013 by secretly recording videos of minors using a tanning bed in his home and then using the videos to create images that displayed the minors’ genitals in a lascivious manner. Musselman also distributed other images of child pornography on December 21, 2021, via the “Kik” internet messaging platform, including images of the sexual exploitation of prepubescent children. In total, Musselman possessed more than 600 images of child pornography.
Some of Musselman’s victims provided victim impact statements at the sentencing hearing. Judge Shadid praised their courage for appearing in court to present statements in Musselman’s presence and noted that Musselman’s crimes affected not only his victims, but also their families and communities.
Musselman was originally charged in Stark County, Illinois in January 2022 with nine separate counts relating to child pornography. The Stark County case was dismissed after Musselman was charged in federal court by a criminal complaint in March 2022. He entered into a plea agreement in November 2022.
The statutory penalties for sexual exploitation of a child (production of child pornography) are 15 to 30 years imprisonment. The penalties for distribution of child pornography are 5 to 20 years imprisonment, and possession of child pornography carries a sentence of not more than 10 years imprisonment. Each of the charges carries a supervised release term of at least 5 years following release from incarceration and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
The Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and the Illinois State Police conducted the investigation with the assistance of the Washington Police Department and Stark County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Holst Schryer represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Musselman was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Rock Island Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Prison for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
ROCK ISLAND, IL – Anthony Tony Gay, 49, of the 1200 block of 14th Street, Rock Island, was sentenced on May 24, 2023, to 84 months in the Bureau of Prisons, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for Felon in Possession of a Firearm and Felon in Possession of Ammunition.
Gay was found guilty of the charges following a three-day jury trial in May 2022. At the trial, the government presented evidence that on May 31, 2020, a vehicle in which Gay was a passenger, was stopped by Rock Island police officers for a traffic violation. Gay fled from the traffic stop but fell as he was being chased by police. He was arrested a short distance away. When officers retraced Gay’s flight path, they found a loaded Glock model 36 .45 pistol in the location where he fell.
Approximately two weeks later, on June 14, 2020, Rock Island police were called to a Rock Island motel where Gay had been renting a room prior to his arrest. As motel personnel were cleaning Gay’s room and removing his belongings, one of them located a bag of .45 ammunition containing the same type of rounds that had been loaded in the Glock pistol.
During the trial, the government also established that Gay had an extensive number of prior felony convictions, including robbery, aggravated battery, and possession of a weapon in prison.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James Shadid, the government presented evidence that Gay’s prior robbery conviction involved him and several other gang members beating a 15-year-old boy who had been riding his bicycle, and that Gay had committed that crime only one day after being released from prison. The government further presented evidence of Gay’s extensive history of misconduct while in prison, which included several aggravated batteries of correctional officers.
In pronouncing sentence, Judge Shadid remarked that the nature and circumstances of the offense were serious, in that Gay, a felon on parole at the time of the offense, possessed a loaded firearm and fled from police. That, combined with Gay’s lengthy criminal record and violent history, including the act of violence against a 15-year-old, indicated to the judge that Gay was dangerous and that the 84-month prison sentence was necessary to protect the public.
The statutory penalties for the charges are up to ten years of imprisonment for each Count, a $250,000 fine, and up to a three-year term of supervised release.
The investigation was conducted by the Rock Island Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Mehochko and Jennifer Mathew and former Assistant U.S. Attorney Alyssa Raya represented the United States in the prosecution.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Federal Complaint Charges Central Illinois Man with Attempted Arson of ClinicRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Prophetstown, Illinois, man, Philip J. Buyno, 73, has been arrested and charged by federal criminal complaint with attempting to use fire to damage a building used in interstate commerce. Danville, Illinois, police officers arrested Buyno on Saturday, May 20th, and he is scheduled to appear in federal court in Urbana today at 1:15 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long. At that time, Judge Long will address whether Buyno will be released on conditions of bond or held in custody pending further proceedings.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the complaint, Danville police officers responded to an alarm at 600 N. Logan Avenue in Danville around 4:30 a.m. early Saturday morning. They found Buyno stuck inside a maroon Volkswagen Passat that he had backed into the entrance of the building, which is being renovated for use as a reproductive health clinic. According to the affidavit, Buyno brought several containers filled with gasoline with him.
If convicted of attempted arson, Buyno faces a minimum penalty of five years up to twenty years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and three years of supervised release.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Danville Police Department. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
Members of the public are reminded that a complaint is merely an accusation; the defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Normal, Illinois, Woman Pleads Guilty to Illegally Purchasing Firearm Used to Shoot and Kill Champaign Police OfficerRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Normal, Illinois, woman, Regina Lewis, 28, of the 1200 block of Major Street, pleaded guilty on May 16, 2023, to conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Sentencing for Lewis has been scheduled on October 2, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
In court before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jonathan E. Hawley, Lewis admitted that she conspired with co-defendant Ashantae Corruthers and Darion M. Lafayette, now deceased, to purchase and transfer a firearm to Lafayette, who could not legally purchase a firearm himself because he was a convicted felon. Such a transaction is commonly known as a “straw purchase.” During the hearing, the government stated that, on November 17, 2020, at the direction of Lafayette and Lewis, Corruthers purchased a Glock 48, nine-millimeter, semi-automatic pistol and Sellier & Bellot, nine-millimeter ammunition, from a federal firearms licensee (FFL) in Indianapolis. During the purchase, Corruthers falsely certified on an ATF form that she was the actual buyer of the firearm, when in fact, she purchased the firearm for Lafayette and transferred it to him.
Lewis further admitted that she conspired with Corruthers and Lafayette to cover up the discovery of their illegal purchase and transfer of the firearm by having Corruthers falsely report to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department on April 26, 2021, that the Glock pistol was stolen from her around March of 2021. The government stated that, approximately twenty-three days after Corruthers falsely reported the firearm stolen, Lafayette used the firearm to shoot and kill Champaign Police Officer Christopher Oberheim in Champaign, Illinois. Lewis admitted that she and Corruthers continued the cover-up after Oberheim’s death by agreeing to have Corruthers falsely tell an ATF Special Agent investigating the officer-involved shooting that she purchased the gun for herself, that it was stolen from her in March of 2021, and that she did not know Lafayette.
Lewis remains in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service pending sentencing.
Lewis faces statutory penalties of up to five years in prison for conspiracy to illegally purchase and transfer a firearm and up to twenty years in prison for conspiracy to engage in misleading conduct. Each charge also carries a penalty of up to three years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. The trial of Corruthers is scheduled to begin on June 27, 2023, in Urbana, Illinois.
The case investigation was conducted by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
Chicago Man Convicted of Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal jury returned a guilty verdict on May 5, 2023, against Tyrone L. Fulwiley, 40, of the 12900 block of South Sangamon Street in Chicago, for possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. Sentencing for Fulwiley has been scheduled on September 11, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
Over four days of testimony, the government presented evidence establishing that Fulwiley and his co-defendant, Deandre Maxwell, possessed over 630 grams of cocaine inside a shared apartment on Plymouth Drive in Champaign, Illinois, which was packaged and intended for distribution. Also inside the shared apartment, Fulwiley and Maxwell possessed two untraceable “ghost guns,” despite both men being convicted felons. Those firearms had a DNA profile matching Fulwiley’s DNA, and he possessed them in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Fulwiley remains in the custody of the United States Marshal Service. At sentencing, Fulwiley faces statutory penalties of up to life imprisonment, fines not to exceed $8,000,000 and not less than an eight-year term of supervised release.
Maxwell previously pleaded guilty in March 2023 to possession of 500 grams or more of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking offense. He is scheduled for sentencing on July 24, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Urbana, Illinois.
The case investigation was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and the Champaign County Street Crimes Task Force, with assistance from the Illinois State Police Forensic Laboratory. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and Bryan Freres represented the government at trial.
Illinois Hospital Agrees to Pay $12.5 Million to Settle Allegations of Billing ErrorRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – St. Elizabeth’s Hospital of the Hospital Sisters Health System (“St. Elizabeth”) in O’Fallon, Illinois, this week agreed to pay $12.5 million to resolve allegations that it committed billing errors that may have resulted in an overpayment for services. A lawsuit alleged that the hospital submitted claims for urgent care services billed at a higher level of service. When the errors were brought to the attention of St. Elizabeth, the hospital fully cooperated with the Department of Justice’s investigation.
The settlement resolves a qui tam, or whistleblower, lawsuit. St. Elizabeth is not admitting any wrongdoing but has agreed to settle the claims to avoid the expense and uncertainty of litigation. The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. Under the False Claims Act, private citizens, known as relators, can bring suit on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois; the Office of the Inspector General of the Office of Personnel Management; the Inspector General’s Office of the Department of Health and Human Services; the Office of the Inspector General for the Department of Defense; the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; and the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
“I would like to commend the excellent work of our investigators, their law enforcement partners, and the U.S. Attorney’s office for their tireless efforts on this complex case,” said U.S. Office of Personnel Management Deputy Assistant Inspector General for Investigations Conrad J. Quarles. “Safeguarding the integrity of the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan is of the utmost importance to our Office and benefits millions of Federal employees, retirees, and dependents who rely on the program.”
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly Klein and Department of Justice Trial Counsel Allie Pang represented the government during the settlement process. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil.
Springfield, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 96 months in Prison for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Springfield, Illinois, man, Christopher Rudolph, 35, was sentenced on May 8, 2023, by U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless to 96 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for distributing 5 grams or more of actual methamphetamine.
The statutory penalties for distributing 5 grams or more of methamphetamine (actual) are not less than 5 years and up to 40 years in prison, not more than a $5,000,000 fine, and not less than four years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Rudolph is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal and State Authorities Reach Settlement with Familia Dental over Healthcare Fraud ClaimsRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – Familia Dental in Springfield, Illinois, today agreed to pay approximately $300,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting claims to Medicaid for dental services that were not medically necessary during the period from June 1, 2016, through November 26, 2019. From the total settlement, the United States will receive approximately $120,000, and the State of Illinois will receive about $180,000.
“When healthcare providers bill government programs for unnecessary services, not only are taxpayer dollars wasted, but also those programs have fewer resources to care for beneficiaries,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris for the Central District of Illinois. “This settlement sends a clear message to those who overcharge the government that you will be found and held accountable.”
“The submission of false claims to Medicaid by providers undermines the trust we place in those individuals to perform only services which are medically necessary,” said Special Agent in Charge Mario M. Pinto of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, Chicago Region. “HHS-OIG will continue to work together with our law enforcement partners to ensure that those who violate the False Claims Act are held accountable.”
“Healthcare professionals are in a position of trust and when they break that trust by fraudulently obtaining thousands of taxpayer dollars, ISP will be there to investigate,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.
The settlement was the result of a coordinated effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, the Inspector General’s Office of the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Hoelzer represented the government during the settlement process. To learn more about the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-cdil.
Piatt County Farmer Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Piatt County man, James R. R. Williams, 63, of rural Cisco, Illinois, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud on May 2, 2023. Sentencing for Williams has been scheduled for September 7, 2023, at the U.S. Courthouse in Springfield, Illinois.
In court before U.S. District Judge Collen R. Lawless, Williams admitted that for the 2016 growing season he obtained a loan of approximately $4.6 million from First Security Bank and Gifford State Bank on behalf of his farming operation, RJW Williams Farms, Inc. The loans were collateralized by Williams’s assets, including grain. Williams acknowledged under oath that, beginning in October 2016, he defrauded both banks by concealing his grain sales from the banks by instructing employees of Archer Daniels Midland grain elevators in Niantic and Weldon, Illinois, to issue four checks to another individual, which were then deposited into an account held jointly by Williams and that individual and then used by Williams for his own benefit. The government alleges that between October 20, 2014, and February 1, 2017, Williams caused ADM to issue approximately twenty-two checks totaling $540,505.35 in the name of his son for grain that was actually sold by Williams and was collateral for Williams’s outstanding loan.
Williams was released on bond pending sentencing.
For each of the four counts of bank fraud, Williams faces statutory penalties of a maximum twenty-year term of imprisonment, a maximum $1 million fine, and a maximum five-year term of supervised release.
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation -- Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is currently representing the government in the prosecution.
Missouri Man Sentenced to Twenty Years for Drug and Gun Offenses following Interstate Traffic Stop in Montgomery CountyRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Park Hills, Missouri, man, Thomas J. Wilkinson, IV, 56, was sentenced on May 1, 2023, to 240 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government proffered evidence that on February 20, 2021, an Illinois State Police Trooper pulled over a vehicle being driven by Wilkinson that was speeding at approximately 90 miles per hour. When the trooper approached, the trooper observed what appeared to be crystal methamphetamine in plain view on Wilkinson’s lap. During a subsequent search, troopers found over 200 grams of methamphetamine, other illegal drugs, drug paraphernalia, and a loaded 9 mm handgun. Wilkinson has five prior drug-related convictions in Missouri.
Wilkinson faced statutory penalties of no less than fifteen years and up to life imprisonment for the drug-trafficking count; a mandatory consecutive penalty of five years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and up to ten years’ imprisonment for possessing a firearm as a felon.
“Armed criminals who traffic drugs pose a great risk to the community, including the vulnerable drug addicts on whom they prey,” said Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah E. Seberger. “This defendant created an even greater risk when he dangerously drove down one of our busiest interstates while intoxicated and at high speeds. We appreciate the work of our state and federal law enforcement partners in keeping our communities safe.”
“ISP’s arrest of this convicted felon and his sentencing will help keep illegal drugs off the streets and make our communities safer,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP will continue to work with the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and all Project Safe Neighborhood partners to combat drug trafficking and gun violence.”
The Illinois State Police and the Drug Enforcement Administration investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Wilkinson is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
California Man & Companies Charged with Defrauding Central Illinois InvestorsRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 2, 2023, charging Brett Michael Bartlett, 37, of the 9000 block of Grackle Ave., Fountain Valley, California, and his companies, Dynasty Toys, Inc., and 7M E-group Corporation, with wire fraud, mail fraud, securities fraud, and money laundering.
The indictment alleges that Bartlett and his California-based companies, Dynasty Toys, and 7M E-group, devised a scheme to defraud investors and obtain their money by making materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises. According to the indictment, Bartlett, thorough Dynasty Toys and 7M E-group, purchased items at liquidation sales and resold those items online, especially through Amazon. Bartlett solicited and accepted money from Central Illinois investors, first to purchase inventory to be resold by 7M E-group at promised annual returns of 20% to 40% and later to purchase Dynasty Toys’ preferred stock shares, which Bartlett claimed were expected to double in value.
According to the indictment, Bartlett induced investors to invest by dramatically overstating the success of the companies and the returns that the companies generated for investors, lying about the companies’ assets, failing to disclose the companies’ struggles even while continuing to solicit investments, and using investors’ funds for Bartlett’s own benefit. For example, Bartlett falsely told investors their existing shares were worth approximately $30 million in total, that Dynasty Toys owned hundreds of millions of dollars of gold assets, and that another company was going to purchase Dynasty Toys for $120 million. As a result, approximately 1,000 individuals, including over 50 investors from Central Illinois, invested over $20 million with Bartlett, 7M E-group, and Dynasty Toys.
According to the indictment, in May of 2020, Bartlett mailed to Central Illinois investors checks totaling millions of dollars, but the checks bounced. The indictment alleges that investors lost approximately $22.5 million as a result of Bartlett’s and his companies’ fraud.
Bartlett, Dynasty Toys, and 7M E-group are scheduled to appear before United States Magistrate Judge Eric I. Long in Urbana, Illinois on June 1, 2023, at 2 p.m. for arraignment on the charges. A trial date will be set at that time.
If convicted, Bartlett faces a penalty of up to twenty years in prison on each fraud charge and a penalty of up to ten years in prison on the money laundering charge. Bartlett also faces a penalty of up to three years of supervised release on each charge. The charges also carry maximum fines of up to $6.25 million for Bartlett and up to $27.5 million for the corporations.
The charges are the result of an investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller is representing the government in the prosecution.
In a parallel investigation, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed on the same date as the indictment a civil complaint against Bartlett, 7M E-group Corp., Dynasty Toys, Inc., and other defendants in the United States District Court in the Central District of California seeking a civil judgment against them.
Members of the public are reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Abingdon Man Sentenced to Seventy-Seven Months in Prison for Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An Abingdon, Illinois, man, Micah Mowen, 44, was sentenced on April 26, 2023, to 77 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing a shotgun with a barrel less than 18 inches long and for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Chief U.S. District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government proffered evidence that in August 2019, deputies from the McDonough County Sheriff’s Office found Mowen sleeping in a truck in an unauthorized area. Upon further investigation, they found a stolen handgun and a sawed-off shotgun in the truck. Mowen initially fled but was quickly apprehended. Mowen has been in the custody of the United States Marshal since his federal arrest in August 2020.
Mowen faced statutory penalties of up to ten years imprisonment, up to three years of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine for both counts.
The McDonough County Sheriff’s Office, Galesburg Police Department, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jen Mathew and Sarah Seberger represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Mowen is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Moline Man Sentenced to Twenty Years in Prison for Heroin Distribution and Related Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Moline, Illinois, man, Cordero Harris, 34, was sentenced on April 26, 2023, to 240 months in federal prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing in front of Chief United States District Judge Sara L. Darrow, the government proffered evidence that in January 2021 Harris sold heroin in both Iowa and Illinois. A search of his residence found multiple firearms near heroin. Harris’s fingerprints were on the weapons found at his residence. He was previously convicted of multiple offenses in state court. Harris has been in the custody of the United States Marshals Service since his arrest in January 2021.
Harris faced statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute heroin of at least five years and up to 20 years’ imprisonment; five years consecutive and up to life imprisonment for possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and up to ten years’ imprisonment for possession of a firearm as a felon.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Moline, Illinois Police Department; Bettendorf, Iowa Police Department; and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Harris is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Federal, State, and Local Law Enforcement Authorities Announce the Formation of a Peoria Area Task Force to Fight Gun CrimesRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris and representatives from six law enforcement agencies today highlighted the formation of the Peoria Area Federal Firearms (PAFF) Task Force, a collaborative effort between federal, state, and local law enforcement designed to combat and prevent violent firearm crimes. The PAFF is comprised of an assigned federal prosecutor and agents from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as well as sworn federal task force officers from the Peoria Police Department, the Illinois State Police, the Peoria County Sheriff’s Department, and the Parole Division of the Illinois Department of Corrections. The PAFF has been operational since fall 2022, and its efforts have led to arrests and charges in numerous federal gun cases.
Those cases include indictments for possession of a firearm as a felon and additional indictments for unlawful possession of a machine gun. Multiple PAFF indictments arose from cases involving the discharge of fully-automatic machine guns within residential areas of Peoria. Further, an investigation conducted by the PAFF led to federal charges for possession of machinegun conversion devices printed locally on a 3D printer. Members of the public are reminded that indictments are merely accusations; the defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Several other PAFF-referred cases are pending sentencing, including United States v. Johnson, No. 23-CR-10007, in which the defendant pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a machinegun, and United States v. Allison, No. 23-CR-10002, and United States v. Bailey, No. 22-10030, in which the defendants each pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm as a felon.
The PAFF uses various investigative techniques to target individuals who are actively involved in, or associated with, firearm-related violence in Peoria and surrounding counties. Individuals identified as being involved in firearm-related violence, including “straw purchasers” who buy guns on behalf of someone else, are referred to the United States Attorney’s Office for potential prosecution. The PAFF also directs its resources to investigate felons who unlawfully possess firearms, drug traffickers who possess and use firearms, and individuals that possess aftermarket devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into machineguns, commonly referred to as “switches”. The PAFF pools each of its respective agency resources and pursue strategies to disrupt perpetrators of gun violence.
Additionally, the PAFF will utilize the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN) station located at the Peoria Police Department to assist in firearms investigations.
NIBIN, which is managed nationally by ATF, is the only interstate automated ballistic imaging network in operation in the United States. The NIBIN Program automates ballistics evaluations by comparing shell casing evidence collected from shooting scenes, enabling law enforcement to link shooting incidents within their jurisdiction, in neighboring jurisdictions, and to others across the country.
“Reducing gun violence in our communities requires cooperation, commitment, and determination,” said United States Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “Collaboration among federal, state, and local law enforcement partners is one of the most effective ways to combat violent gun crime.”
“Partnerships among law enforcement are vital to holding accountable the trigger pullers responsible for the violence in our communities,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Amon, of the ATF’s Chicago Field Division. “The men and women of ATF are committed to working closely with our local, state, and federal partners, which is a force multiplier in investigating gun crime.”
“Last year the Peoria Police Department was able to reduce gun violence by 28%, but that is not enough,” said Peoria Police Chief, Eric Echevarria. “The Peoria Area Federal Firearms Task Force is another example of how our Department is using every resource and partnership available to reduce gun violence. With the creation of this taskforce, we now have a team operating out of the Peoria Police Department streamlining the process of identifying, investigating, charging, and prosecuting violent offenders federally. I remind everyone that we will not tolerate any violent crimes in our community. For those wanting to continue to victimize our community, we will continue to focus on you and bringing an end to the violence.”
“Families in Peoria and the surrounding communities are at risk each day as violent criminals commit violations of firearms laws,” said Special Agent in Charge David G. Nanz, of the FBI’s Springfield Field Office. “The FBI is committed to working side-by-side with our law enforcement partners toward our shared goal of battling violent crime and making our communities safer.”
“The Illinois State Police is a committed member of the Peoria Area Task Force and is focused on getting illegal guns off the streets and out of the hands of criminals,” said ISP Director Brendan F. Kelly. “The collaborative effort between ISP, local and federal law enforcement agencies, and the justice system is helping make our communities safer.”
The PAFF is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
East Peoria Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – An East Peoria, Illinois, man, George L. Guynn, 61, of the 800 block of Meadow Avenue, was sentenced on April 27, 2023, to 10 years in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine.
At the sentencing hearing in front of United States District Judge James E. Shadid, the government presented evidence that Guynn sold methamphetamine on two occasions in June and July of 2022. For the first sale, he provided 55.6 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine. For the second sale, he provided 28.1 grams of methamphetamine that was 96% pure.
Federal Bureau of Investigation agents then obtained a search warrant for Guynn’s apartment. When agents searched the apartment in August 2022, they found under Guynn’s bed 46.577 grams of methamphetamine that was 89% pure. They also found paraphernalia related to drug trafficking, including digital scales and plastic baggies.
A complaint was issued in August 2022, and Guynn was arrested on a federal warrant. He was later indicted. He pleaded guilty in November 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute at least 5 grams of methamphetamine (actual) are 5 to 40 years’ imprisonment, followed by a four-year to life term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Western Illinois Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case, with assistance from the Monmouth Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Galesburg Police Department, and U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
Peoria Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Trafficking in MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Peoria, Illinois, man, Demetrice L. Sharp, 39, of the 1500 block of West Candletree Drive, was sentenced on April 26, 2023, to 200 months in prison for each of four counts related to trafficking methamphetamine: one count of conspiracy to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, two counts of distribution of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute 450 grams or more of methamphetamine. The sentences will be served concurrently and will be followed by an eight-year term of supervised release.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that Sharp and Lashonda Patterson conspired to distribute methamphetamine during the spring of 2022. As a part of the conspiracy, they sold methamphetamine on two occasions in April 2022. For the first sale, Sharp provided 55.85 grams of methamphetamine. For the second, Patterson provided 112.7 grams of methamphetamine. Both deliveries were 100% pure methamphetamine.
In June 2022, Federal Bureau of Investigation agents obtained a search warrant for the apartment that Sharp and Patterson shared. When agents searched the apartment, they found a bag containing 298.6 grams of methamphetamine in the master bathroom. The substance was 97% pure methamphetamine. The distribution from the sales and search warrant totaled 467.15 grams of methamphetamine.
A complaint was issued that same month, and Sharp and Patterson were arrested on federal warrants. They were indicted later in June, and Sharp pleaded guilty in October 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest. Patterson also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, and she will be sentenced at a later date.
The statutory penalties for each of the four counts are 10 years to life imprisonment, followed by five-year to life term of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office, and Western Illinois Transnational Organized Crime Task Force investigated the case, with assistance from the Peoria Police Department, Monmouth Police Department, Knox County Sheriff’s Office, Galesburg Police Department, East Moline Police Department, Illinois State Police, and U.S. Department of Justice Drug Enforcement Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
Canton Man Sentenced to 81 Months in Prison for Possession of 5 Grams or More of Methamphetamine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Canton, Illinois man, Derek Lee Pollitt, 37, of the 100 block of South Avenue H, has been sentenced to 81 months in prison, to be followed by four years of supervised release, for possession of five grams or more of methamphetamine with the intent to distribute.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that in April 2022 Canton police officers stopped a car in which Pollitt was a passenger. On the front passenger-side floorboard, where Pollitt had been seated, officers found a large zip-lock style baggie containing 29.2 grams of actual methamphetamine. They also found that Pollitt had in his possession $129 in cash, along with various pills. Officers obtained records from CashApp that showed Pollitt was using the mobile financial service to transfer money to drug suppliers and customers.
Pollitt was indicted by a federal grand jury in June 2022 and pleaded guilty in December 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his indictment.
The statutory penalties for possession of five grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute are not less than five years and up to forty years imprisonment, not more than a $5,000,000 fine and four years to life of supervised release.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, the Canton Police Department, and the Illinois State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
The case against Pollitt is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF)’s National Methamphetamine Strategic Initiative, spearheaded locally out of the Pekin Police Department. The primary goal of this initiative is to address methamphetamine trafficking and its attendant consequences by using a coordinated, multi-agency approach targeting the highest levels of drug trafficking leadership. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Kankakee, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 207 Months in Prison for Carjacking, Discharge of FirearmRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Kankakee, Illinois, man, Anycco M. Rivers, 25, of the 1100th block of E. Merchant Street, was sentenced today to an aggregate term of 207 months’ imprisonment for carjacking and discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The sentencing follows a four-day jury trial where the government presented evidence showing that Rivers and an accomplice stole a vehicle at gunpoint and that Rivers discharged a firearm at bystanders as the men fled the scene. In finding Rivers guilty, the jury further found that he had the intent to cause death or serious bodily harm to another during his theft of the vehicle.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence demonstrating that Rivers fired the gun in a populated area near a park and baseball fields. The bullets struck several vehicles in the area of the carjacking. One image admitted at the hearing showed that a bullet fired by Rivers lodged mere inches away from a child’s car seat.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce found that Rivers’s actions recklessly created a substantial risk of death or serious bodily injury to another person. Judge Bruce weighed Rivers’s troubled upbringing versus the need to protect the public from his dangerous actions. In counseling against future violent behavior, Judge Bruce told Rivers, “You only get one life. You don’t want to squander it.”
At the conclusion of the hearing, Judge Bruce sentenced Rivers to an aggregate term of 207 months’ imprisonment, comprised of consecutive terms of 87 months’ imprisonment for the carjacking and 120 months’ imprisonment for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Judge Bruce also imposed concurrent terms of supervised release – three years for the carjacking and five years for the firearm discharge. Additionally, Judge Bruce ordered Rivers to pay restitution to the victim of his crime following his release from prison.
Rivers faced statutory penalties of up to 15 years in prison for carjacking. And he faced a consecutive term of 10 years to life imprisonment for discharging a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The case investigation was conducted by Bourbonnais Police Department; Bradley Police Department; Kankakee Police Department; Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rachel Ritzer and William Lynch represented the government at trial.
Rivers’s co-defendant, Ladonta A. Tucker, 30, of the 7400th block of E. Second Street in Sun River Terrace, Illinois, is set to be sentenced on June 12, 2023, at 1:30 PM in Courtroom A of the Urbana, Illinois, federal courthouse.
The case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Champaign, Illinois, Gun Offender Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Violating Supervised Release ConditionsRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A Champaign man, Prentiss Jackson, 40, of the 3300 block of Stoneway Court, was sentenced today to 36 months’ imprisonment for violating his conditions of supervised release by possessing a firearm as a felon, along with narcotics. At the time law enforcement agents discovered Jackson with the firearm, he was on supervised release for a 2010 federal narcotics case. The revocation sentence was imposed by U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid.
At the hearing on the petition to revoke supervised release, the government presented evidence that Jackson illegally possessed the firearm, as well as MDMA (ecstasy) and marijuana. Those actions violated his supervised release conditions, which mandated that he not commit any new crimes. Those who fail to abide by the conditions of supervised release risk penalties for violations, including additional penalties for the commission of new crimes.
Along with the supervised release violation, Jackson was previously charged with possessing a firearm as a felon in a new criminal case. Earlier this week and following Jackson’s guilty plea, U.S. District Judge Colin S. Bruce sentenced Jackson to 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, in that case.
Judge Shadid ordered that 12 months of the 36-month revocation sentence be served consecutively to that 72-month sentence of imprisonment, with the remainder to be served concurrently.
In imposing that sentence, Judge Shadid noted certain mitigating factors but also pointed out that Jackson had only been on supervised release for a short time before his violations.
Jackson faced up to three additional years of imprisonment for violating his supervised release.
The violations in this case were brought to light by the investigative efforts of the Urbana Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Quincy, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 120 months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute HeroinRead the Press Release
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – A Quincy, Illinois, man, Derrick Phillips, 42, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, to 120 months in prison, to be followed by eight years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin.
At the sentencing hearing in front of U.S. District Judge Colleen R. Lawless, the government proffered evidence that in October 2017 Phillips was detained after getting off an Amtrak train that had just arrived in Quincy from the Chicago area. Law enforcement then discovered almost two hundred grams of heroin and $730.00 in cash on his person.
Phillips was arrested in March 2019 and pleaded guilty in December 2022. He has been detained by the United States Marshals Service since his arrest.
Because Phillips had a previous federal conviction for distributing controlled substances, the statutory penalties for possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of a substance containing heroin were not less than 10 years and up to life in prison, not more than an $8,000,000 fine, and not less than eight years of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; West Central Illinois Task Force; and Quincy Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Z. Weir represented the government in the prosecution.
The case against Phillips is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
Former Champaign, Illinois, Pastor Sentenced to 10 Months of Imprisonment for Misapplying Federal Funds and Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, man, Lekevie C. Johnson, formerly of the 2000 block of Clayton Boulevard, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, to 10 months of imprisonment and ordered to pay $59,358.90 restitution following his December 2022 guilty pleas to financial crimes including federal program misapplication, student loan misapplication, and false statement in bankruptcy.
Johnson was formerly the pastor of Mount Calvary Missionary Baptist Church, previously known as Jericho Missionary Baptist Church, on Bloomington Road in Champaign, Illinois. Johnson also served for years as the head football coach at Centennial High School in Champaign. Between 2012 and 2019, Johnson operated a not-for-profit corporation, Life Line Champaign, Inc., which received federal grant funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development, through the City of Champaign, to provide summer enrichment programs for low-income students in the Garden Hills neighborhood. Johnson previously admitted misapplying $25,700.74 of HUD program grant funds for his own benefit, including by making numerous ATM cash withdrawals at various casinos.
Johnson also admitted that he had obtained federal student loans between 2017 and 2019 to attend Liberty University’s online Master of Arts program. Prior to receiving the loans, Johnson certified that he would use the loans only for authorized educational expenses. Nonetheless, Johnson used $31,291.62 of the loans for various non-educational expenses, including to gamble at casinos.
Finally, Johnson admitted to committing bankruptcy fraud. On January 31, 2020, Johnson and his wife filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in the Central District of Illinois. In his petition, Johnson claimed that he received only $42,900 from his church in 2019, even though he received tens of thousands of additional monies from the church that year. On March 5, 2020, Johnson testified under oath at a bankruptcy hearing that he had disclosed all the payments he received from the church and had no control over the church’s finances. In fact, Johnson controlled the church’s finances and had received tens of thousands of dollars in payments from the church that he had not disclosed in bankruptcy.
In sentencing Johnson to 10 months of imprisonment and ordering full restitution to both HUD and the U.S. Department of Education, United States District Judge Michael M. Mihm found that, although Johnson suffered from a gambling addiction, his crimes were the result of his voluntary choices and hurt many people, including the disadvantaged children in the Garden Hills neighborhood who did not benefit as intended from the federal grant.
Judge Mihm ordered Johnson to report to the federal Bureau of Prisons to begin serving his sentence on June 6, 2023. After pleading guilty to these offenses, Johnson left Champaign and relocated to the Dallas, Texas, area.
“Abuse of the bankruptcy system by making false statements, utilizing federal program monies for gambling purposes, and concealing those acts strikes at the very core of the integrity of the bankruptcy system and undermines public confidence in that system,” stated Nancy J. Gargula, United States Trustee for Indiana, Central and Southern Illinois (Region 10). “Today’s sentencing sends a strong message that these actions will not be tolerated. I am grateful to U.S. Attorney Harris and our law enforcement partners for their strong commitment to combating fraud and abuse in bankruptcy cases.”
The case investigation was conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Field Office; Department of Housing and Urban Development—Office of Inspector General; and the Department of Education – Office of Inspector General in collaboration with the Central District of Illinois Bankruptcy Fraud Working Group coordinated by the United States Trustee for Central and Southern Illinois and Indiana (Region 10). The bankruptcy fraud charge was referred for criminal prosecution by the United States Trustee for Region 10. 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 Peoria, Illinois, and South Bend, Indiana. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene L. Miller represented the government in the prosecution.
Champaign, Illinois, Man Sentenced to 72 months in Prison for Possession of a Firearm as a FelonRead the Press Release
URBANA, Ill. – A Champaign, Illinois, man, Prentiss Jackson, 40, of the 3300 block of Stoneway Court, was sentenced on April 10, 2023, to 72 months’ imprisonment, to be followed by a three-year term of supervised release, for possessing a firearm as a felon.
At the sentencing hearing, the government presented evidence that Jackson, a felon on supervised release for a 2010 federal narcotics conviction, possessed a Ruger handgun. Officers from the Urbana Police Department executed a traffic stop on Jackson’s car in June 2022 and eventually asked him to exit the vehicle after he handed an officer marijuana that had been inside it. After exiting the car, Jackson ran from the stop, producing a Ruger handgun during his flight. After he was apprehended, police found MDMA (ecstasy) and a large amount of cash on Jackson’s person.
Also at the hearing, U.S. District Judge Colins S. Bruce found that Jackson possessed the firearm in connection with a felony drug offense. Judge Bruce further ordered that the imposed sentence of 72 months’ imprisonment run consecutive to any sentence Jackson receives for violating his conditions of supervised release in relation to his prior federal narcotics conviction.
Jackson previously entered a guilty plea to the single-count indictment in this case.
Jackson is scheduled to appear in front of U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid on April 13, 2023, at the federal courthouse in Peoria, Illinois, in connection with the supervised release violation. He faces up to an additional five-year term of imprisonment.
The Urbana Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Lynch represented the government in the prosecution in cooperation with the Champaign County State’s Attorney’s Office.
West Virginia Truck Driver Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Minor in Morton, IllinoisRead the Press Release
PEORIA, Ill. – A West Virginia over-the-road truck driver, Michael Leonard, 53, has been sentenced to fifteen years in prison, to be followed by a lifetime of supervised release, for attempted trafficking of a minor. Leonard will also be required to register as a sex offender and pay restitution totaling $49,000 to victims of child pornography, whose images were stored on his phone.
At the sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge James E. Shadid, the United States presented evidence that Leonard initiated a conversation on an advertising website in August 2020 with an individual he believed to be a mother offering sex with her 9-year-old daughter. In August 2021, Leonard again initiated a text conversation, agreeing to pay $50 for sex with the minor girl. He planned to meet the girl and her mother at an agreed upon location in central Illinois, FBI agents then arrested Leonard upon his arrival. He admitted he was there to meet the minor girl and her mother and that he intended to have sex with the girl. He also admitted that his phone contained images of child pornography. Agents searched the phone and found hundreds of images and videos of child pornography.
Leonard was indicted in September 2021 and pleaded guilty in September 2022. He has remained in the custody of the U.S. Marshals Service since his arrest.
The statutory penalties for attempted sex trafficking of a minor are fifteen years to life imprisonment, followed by five years to life of supervised release.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Springfield Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Keith Hollingshead-Cook represented the United States in the prosecution.
The case against Leonard was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative by the Department of Justice to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.