Northern District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Woman Indicted on Federal Firearm Charge for Allegedly Providing Handgun to Convicted FelonRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman has been indicted on a federal firearm charge for allegedly providing a semi-automatic handgun to a convicted felon whom she knew was not lawfully allowed to possess it. The convicted felon was also charged.
BENITTA GROSS knowingly disposed of the gun in Chicago on June 20, 2020, to TERRANCE ELKINS, knowing that Elkins was previously convicted of a felony and not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.
Gross, 32, of Springfield, Ill., is charged with one count of disposal of a firearm to a prohibited person. Elkins, 32, of Springfield, Ill., is charged with one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Gross and Elkins made initial court appearances Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim in Chicago. Elkins was ordered detained in federal custody, while Gross was ordered released on bond. A status hearing was scheduled for April 6, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s Office, Sangamon County Sheriff's Office, U.S. Marshals Service, and Springfield, Ill., Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kartik K. Raman.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Jury Convicts Former Mayor of Portage, Ind., on Bribery ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal jury today convicted the former mayor of Portage, Ind., on a bribery charge for soliciting and pocketing money in connection with the awarding of city contracts.
The jury in U.S. District Court in Hammond, Ind., convicted JAMES SNYDER, 43, of Portage, Ind., on one count of bribery. Evidence at the two-week trial revealed that while serving as mayor, Snyder corruptly solicited and received $13,000 from a business that received more than $1.125 million in city contracts. The conviction is punishable by up to ten years in federal prison.
Snyder was also convicted following a prior trial in 2019 of obstructing and impeding collection efforts of the IRS. He faces a maximum sentence of three years in prison on that charge. Sentencing for both charges is set for July 1, 2021.
The verdict today was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Paul Keenan, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Indianapolis Field Office of the FBI; and Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The Indiana State Police provided valuable assistance. The government was represented at trial by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jill R. Koster of the Northern District of Indiana, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Ankur Srivastava of the Northern District of Illinois. The prosecution was supervised by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois upon recusals by supervisory personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Indiana.
Man Charged with Threatening Violence Against Former President Trump and Other Federal OfficialsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly threatening to commit violence against former President Trump, a federal judge, and the former United States Attorney for the Central District of Illinois.
DAMIEN GRANT, 33, of Peoria, Ill., is charged with three counts of influencing a federal official by threat, two counts of mailing threatening communications, and one count of threatening the President of the United States. The indictment was returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Peoria. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Sean M. Cox, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Springfield, Ill., Division of the FBI; William Hedrick, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; and Brendan O. Heffner, United States Marshal for the Central District of Illinois. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Tazewell County, Ill., Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Illinois upon recusal by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of Illinois.
According to the indictment, Grant on Nov. 30, 2020, stated in a letter addressed to the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of Illinois, “You have 2 days to drop all charges and investigations against me or im going to make sure you never see Christmas...I might have someone walk in the Court House and blow all you evil [expletive] to pieces.”
The indictment accuses Grant of sending similarly threatening letters in December 2020 to President Trump and a U.S. District Judge in the Central District of Illinois.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge of threatening the President carries a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, while each of the other counts in the indictment is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Indiana Man Sentenced to 38 Years in Federal Prison for Kidnapping a Child in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal judge today sentenced an Indiana man to 38 years in federal prison for kidnapping a ten-year-old child as she walked home from school in Calumet City.
On the afternoon of Dec. 20, 2017, BRYAN PROTHO grabbed the child as she walked on a sidewalk in the south suburb. Protho forcibly dragged the victim into a sport-utility vehicle and drove away. He then parked the vehicle in a nearby alley, assaulted the child, and threatened to kill her. The victim was able to get out of the car and flag down a passing vehicle, and law enforcement was contacted.
A jury last year convicted Protho, 42, of East Chicago, Ind., on one count of kidnapping. During a two-week trial in federal court in Chicago, the victim testified about her ordeal and identified Protho as her abductor.
U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood sentenced Protho to 38 years in prison, to be followed by 15 years of court-supervised release.
The Calumet City Police Department led the investigation, with assistance from the Chicago FBI Field Office and the Lansing Police Department.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Christopher Fletcher, Chief of the Calumet City Police Department; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Richard Slough, Interim Chief of the Lansing Police Department.
“As this innocent child skipped home from school with dreams of the upcoming Christmas break in her head, Protho attacked and forever changed the life of this bright child,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher V. Parente and Kelly Guzman argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “He is the worst kind of predator – a child predator.”
Owner of Chicago-Area Mexican Restaurant Franchises Pleads Guilty to Underreporting $2.5 Million in Corporate TaxesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The owner of five Chicago-area Pepe’s Mexican Restaurant franchises pleaded guilty in federal court today to filing false corporate tax returns that underreported approximately $2.5 million in gross receipts and sales.
JUAN C. HURTADO, 45, of Joliet, pleaded guilty to one count of making a false statement in a tax return. The conviction is punishable by up to three years in federal prison. U.S. District John F. Kness set sentencing for June 7, 2021, at 2:30 p.m.
Hurtado owned Pepe’s franchises in Chicago, Tinley Park, Hickory Hills, Matteson, and Chicago Heights. Hurtado admitted in a plea agreement that from 2016 to 2018 he caused the filing of eleven materially false corporate tax returns with the IRS, as well as materially false sales and income tax returns with the State of Illinois, that underreported the gross receipts and sales of his restaurants by a combined total of approximately $2.5 million. Hurtado further admitted that he created false sales reports and gave them to his accountants, knowing the reports would be used as a basis for underreporting the receipts and sales.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Tamera D. Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Rick D. Young.
Federal Grand Jury in Chicago Indicts Five Alleged Associates of Sinaloa Cartel on Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury in Chicago has indicted five suspected associates of the Sinaloa Cartel on drug trafficking charges for allegedly conspiring to distribute cocaine in the Chicago area. One defendant was recently extradited to the United States to face the charges.
Charged with conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with the intent to distribute are ROBERTO VELAZQUEZ MARTINEZ, 36, of Santiago Papasquiaro, Mexico; CAMILO ALVAREZ, 44, of Durango, Mexico; JOSE HERNANDEZ RAMIREZ, 36, of Tamaulipas, Mexico; INES CHAVEZ RODRIGUEZ, 36, of Santiago Papasquiaro, Mexico; and LOUIS REYES VELEZ, 44, of Stickney, Ill.
According to a criminal complaint and indictments filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the defendants worked together to attempt to import and distribute cocaine into the United States on behalf of the Sinaloa Cartel in Mexico. The charges allege that Velazquez Martinez traveled to Chicago in 2018 to attempt to arrange a multi-kilogram cocaine shipment with co-conspirators and two other individuals who, unbeknownst to Velazquez Martinez, were confidentially working with U.S. law enforcement.
Reyes Velez was arrested Tuesday in Cicero, Ill. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim. A detention hearing for Reyes Velez is scheduled for this afternoon. Velazquez Martinez was arrested in October 2019 in Lima, Peru, and was extradited in December 2020 to the United States. He has pleaded not guilty. His case is set for a status hearing on March 31, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Joan H. Lefkow.
Alvarez, Hernandez Ramirez, and Chavez Rodriguez are believed to be residing in Mexico. U.S. warrants for their arrests have been issued.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Robert J. Bell, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Valuable assistance was provided by the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Marshals Service, and INTERPOL. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron R. Bond and Matthew J. Hernandez.
The investigation was conducted with the support of the Chicago HIDTA and OCDETF Task Forces, which are comprised of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working together to identify, disrupt, and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking organizations.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The drug conspiracy charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of life in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chicago Street Gang Member Sentenced to Ten Years in Prison on Racketeering Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A member of a violent Chicago street gang has been sentenced to ten years in federal prison for engaging in a pattern of racketeering activity that included attempted murder, drug trafficking, and obstruction of justice.
RONTRELL TURNIPSEED, 28, of Matteson, pleaded guilty in 2019 to a racketeering conspiracy charge. Turnipseed admitted in a plea agreement that he conspired with leadership of the Four Corner Hustlers street gang to engage in a pattern of racketeering activity that included using violence and intimidation to protect the gang’s cocaine and heroin dealing in Chicago. Turnipseed also admitted participating in the attempted murder of a 15-year-old girl on Aug. 31, 2012, in the West Garfield Park neighborhood of Chicago. A dispute with a man about selling drugs at a particular location in the neighborhood escalated into a shootout, with Turnipseed and the man firing shots. Two bullets struck the girl as she walked home from school. The girl was seriously injured but survived.
While Turnipseed’s case was pending, he obstructed justice by instructing individuals to delete photographs and videos from his social media accounts. The images showed Turnipseed illegally possessing firearms and drugs and represented evidence in the case against him.
U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin imposed the ten-year sentence Monday after a hearing in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The investigation was conducted with support from the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) and assistance from the Chicago FBI’s Safe Street Task Force, the Chicago High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Task Force (HIDTA), ATF’s Chicago Crime Gun Strike Force, and the Chicago Police Gang Investigations Division. Additional assistance was provided by the Illinois Secretary of State Police Department, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Illinois Department of Corrections, and Illinois State Police.
“The distribution of controlled substances, such as cocaine and heroin, leads to predictably dire consequences in the communities in which the drugs are sold and ingested,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter S. Salib, William Dunne, and Kavitha J. Babu argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “And when those sales were combined with the power of the Four Corner Hustlers — a street gang willing and ready to use violence to protect itself — it made for an often lethal combination.”
Turnipseed was indicted on the racketeering charge in 2017 along with eight other alleged members of the Four Corner Hustlers and two additional defendants. Eight of the co-defendants have pleaded guilty, while three have pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial. Turnipseed is the third defendant to be sentenced.
Former City of Rochelle Employee Pleads Guilty to Fraudulently Obtaining at Least $150,000 from a Non-Profit Business AssociationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former employee of the City of Rochelle, Ill., pleaded guilty Tuesday to wire fraud for fraudulently obtaining at least $150,000 from a non-profit business association.
SCOTT KOTESKI, 58, of Rochelle, was selected by the city to sit on the board of directors of a non-profit business association that provided broadband internet technology to smaller municipalities in northern Illinois. According to a plea agreement, Koteski in 2011 began serving as the association's treasurer, handling the invoicing and billing of member municipalities. Koteski as of February 2012 had signatory authority on the association’s bank account. From September 2012 through April 2018, Koteski fraudulently obtained from the association at least $150,000, which he used for his own benefit without the association’s knowledge or consent. Koteski wrote numerous checks to himself from the association’s bank account, which he deposited into his personal bank account for his personal benefit. Koteski concealed his acts by writing false information on the memo line to make it appear the checks were for reimbursement of personal monies Koteski spent for the association, when, in fact, Koteski was not entitled to reimbursement.
Additionally, according to the plea agreement, Koteski in 2018 made online payments from the association’s bank account to a credit card company to pay balances on his personal credit card, and to an online loan financing company to pay balances on a loan.
Wire fraud is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Iain D. Johnston set sentencing for June 29, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
Woman Indicted for Allegedly Straw Purchasing Handguns in Chicago SuburbRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A woman has been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly straw purchasing handguns in a Chicago suburb on behalf of another individual.
On three occasions in 2019 and 2020, DIAMOND SMITH purchased a total of seven handguns, including two semi-automatic pistols, from a licensed firearms dealer in Oak Forest, Ill., and falsely certified on federal forms that she was the actual buyer, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. In reality, Smith purchased the guns on behalf of another individual, the charges allege.
Smith, 28, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm. Arraignment is set for today at 2:00 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Cornelius Vandenberg.
“Straw purchasers too often play a grave role in enabling the unlawful possession of guns and the violence that can follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of guns to individuals who cannot legally purchase them.”
“When firearms are purchased on behalf of those who are prohibited from possessing them, it poses immense danger to the community,” said ATF SAC deTineo. “We will continue to work closely with our partners to identify these straw purchasers.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Each count in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of ten years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Gun and Drug Charges Added to Indictment Accusing Suburban Chicago Man of Attempting to Support ISISRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A newly filed federal indictment adds firearm and drug charges against a suburban Chicago man accused of attempting to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham, also known as ISIS.
JASON BROWN, also known as “Abdul Ja’ Me” and “Matthew Dobbs,” was originally charged in 2019 with attempting on three separate occasions to provide $500 in cash to ISIS, knowing that the group was engaging in terrorist activity. A superseding indictment filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago alleges that Brown illegally possessed four loaded handguns in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime that included distributing methamphetamines. The superseding indictment also accuses Brown of distributing fentanyl and conspiring to possess marijuana plants with the intent to distribute.
Brown, 38, of Lombard, Ill., has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest in 2019. He pleaded not guilty to the new charges during arraignment today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani.
The superseding indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the U.S. Department of Justice; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Substantial assistance was provided by the Illinois State Police, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, Lombard (Ill.) Police Department, and Addison (Ill.) Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shoba Pillay, Sean Driscoll and Nicholas Eichenseer of the Northern District of Illinois, with support from the National Security Division, Counterterrorism Section.
The public is reminded that charges contain only accusations and are not evidence of guilt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The charges in the superseding indictment and the maximum sentence for each count are as follows: Three counts of attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization (20 years); one count of drug conspiracy involving the possession of marijuana plants (life in prison, and a minimum sentence of ten years); one count of distribution of a controlled substance involving fentanyl (life in prison, and a minimum sentence of ten years); one count of distribution of a controlled substance involving marijuana (30 years); one count of possession of methamphetamines with intent to distribute (life in prison, and a minimum sentence of 15 years); one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a convicted felon (ten years); and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (life in prison, and a minimum sentence of five years).
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man from a north suburb of Chicago was sentenced today to 12 years in federal prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization also known as ISIS.
U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood imposed the sentence on JOSEPH D. JONES, 38, of Zion, Ill. A jury in 2019 convicted Jones on one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; John C. Demers, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Zion, Ill., Police Department provided valuable assistance. The case was investigated by the Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is comprised of numerous federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and David Rojas of the Northern District of Illinois, and Trial Attorney Alexandra S. Hughes of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Evidence at trial revealed that Jones advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group. In 2015, Jones began meeting with undercover FBI employees and individuals who, unbeknownst to Jones, were cooperating with law enforcement. During the meetings, Jones discussed his devotion to ISIS and his commitment to ISIS principles.
In 2017, Jones furnished cellular phones to one of the cooperating individuals, believing the phones would be used to detonate explosive devices in ISIS attacks overseas. On April 7, 2017, Jones drove with the cooperating individual to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, with the understanding that the cooperating individual would be traveling to Syria to fight with ISIS.
A co-defendant, EDWARD SCHIMENTI, 39, of Zion, Ill., was also convicted of the conspiracy charge, as well as a charge of making false statements to the FBI. Judge Wood set sentencing for Schimenti for April 9, 2021, at 12:30 p.m.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Conspiring to Provide Material Support to ISISRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – An Illinois man was sentenced today to 12 years in prison for conspiring to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al Sham, a foreign terrorist organization (aka ISIS).
Joseph D. Jones, 38, of Zion, Illinois, was convicted by a federal jury on one count of conspiring to provide material support and resources to ISIS in 2019. According to court documents, Jones advocated on social media for violent extremism in support of the terrorist group. In 2015, Jones began meeting with undercover FBI employees and individuals who, unbeknownst to Jones, were cooperating with law enforcement. During the meetings, Jones discussed his devotion to ISIS and his commitment to ISIS principles.
In 2017, Jones furnished cellular phones to one of the cooperating individuals, believing the phones would be used to detonate explosive devices in ISIS attacks overseas. On April 7, 2017, Jones drove with the cooperating individual to O’Hare International Airport in Chicago, with the understanding that the cooperating individual would be traveling to Syria to fight with ISIS.
A co-defendant, Edward Schimenti, 39, of Zion, Illinois, was also convicted of the conspiracy charge, as well as a charge of making false statements to the FBI. U.S. District Judge Andrea R. Wood set sentencing for Schimenti for April 9, 2021 at 12:30 p.m.
U.S. Attorney John R. Lausch Jr. for the Northern District of Illinois; Assistant Attorney General John C. Demers of the Justice Department’s National Security Division; and Special Agent-in-Charge Emmerson Buie Jr. of the FBI Chicago Field Office made the announcement.
The Chicago Joint Terrorism Task Force comprised of numerous federal, state and local law enforcement agencies investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Alexandra S. Hughes of the Justice Department’s National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Barry Jonas and David Rojas of the Northern District of Illinois prosecuted the case.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Two Men in Connection with Violent Robberies of Chicago-Area Retail BusinessesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted two men for allegedly conspiring to violently rob several pawn shops, currency exchanges, and other retail stores in Chicago and the suburbs.
The robbers wore masks and brandished dangerous weapons in 12 heists from July 2020 to January 2021, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The robbers stole jewelry valued at more than $305,000, as well as more than $22,000 in cash, the indictment states.
Charged with conspiracy to commit robbery are FALANDIS RUSSELL, 25, of Chicago, and TERRANCE WILLIAMS, 24, of Chicago. Russell is currently in law enforcement custody. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Tuesday, and he is set to appear for a detention hearing this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. Williams has been ordered released on bond. His arraignment is set for this afternoon before U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by Police Departments in Chicago, Calumet City, Summit, Burbank, Bolingbrook, Round Lake Beach, Hammond (Ind.), Streamwood, and Arlington Heights. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew J. McCrobie.
“The charges in this significant case are the result of the strong partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement in the Chicago area,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue working together to hold violent offenders accountable.”
“The defendants are accused of a multistate, violent crime spree with 12 armed robberies in almost as many communities,” said FBI SAC Buie. “The public should feel safer when doing business at local establishments, and we hope they feel secure knowing that justice is being done.”
The indictment identifies the 12 robberies allegedly carried out as part of the conspiracy:
- July 31, 2020: Russell and others robbed Cash America, located in the 1800 block of River Oaks Drive in Calumet City.
- Aug. 10, 2020: Russell and others robbed EZ Pawn, located in the 6100 block of South Archer Street in Summit.
- Aug. 10, 2020: Russell and others robbed Cash America, located in the 4500 block of South Cicero Avenue in Chicago.
- Aug. 28, 2020: Russell and Williams robbed Midwest Title & Loan, located in the 8300 block of South Cicero Avenue in Burbank.
- Aug. 28, 2020: Russell and Williams robbed Cash America, located in the 6300 block of South Kedzie Avenue in Chicago.
- Sept. 25, 2020: Russell, Williams, and others robbed Helzberg Diamonds, located in the 600 block of East Boughton Road in Bolingbrook.
- Oct. 13, 2020: Russell, Williams, and others robbed EZ Pawn, located in the 300 block of West Rollins Road in Round Lake Beach.
- Oct. 21, 2020: Russell and Williams robbed EZ Pawn, located in the 4800 block of South Ashland Avenue in Chicago.
- Nov. 6, 2020: Russell, Williams, and others robbed Cash America, located in the 3200 block of West Lawrence Avenue in Chicago.
- Dec. 16, 2020: Russell, Williams, and others robbed Cash America, located in the 6800 block of Indianapolis Boulevard in Hammond, Ind.
- Jan. 19, 2021: Russell and others robbed EZ Pawn, located in the 900 block of East Irving Park Road in Streamwood.
- Jan. 22, 2021: Russell and Williams robbed EZ Pawn, located in the 1700 block of West Algonquin Road in Arlington Heights.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The charge in the indictment is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court with Inciting Rioting Last SummerRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been charged in federal court with inciting rioting involving multiple incidents of property damage and looting in the city last summer.
JAMES MASSEY, 22, is charged with one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to incite a riot. According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Massey on Aug. 9, 2020, posted multiple videos and messages on Facebook calling for people to travel to downtown Chicago to engage in property damage and looting, the complaint states. In the early morning hours of Aug. 10, 2020, numerous individuals damaged and looted retail stores, predominantly in downtown Chicago and the city’s Near North Side.
Massey was arrested this morning on the federal charge. He made an initial court appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Sunil R. Harjani and was ordered released on bond with electronic monitoring and subject to a curfew. A preliminary hearing was scheduled for March 18, 2021, at 1:30 p.m.
The complaint was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Matthews and Sheri L. Wong.
The investigation was jointly conducted by the Chicago Police Department and FBI.
According to the complaint, Massey sent Facebook messages to numerous individuals directing them to meet at a certain location in Chicago to travel together to the downtown area. Several people responded to the messages throughout the night to discuss, among other things, the location of property damage and looting activity, the complaint states. In one of the messages, a Facebook user allegedly stated to others in the group, “We like 13 cars deep.”
One of the locations discussed in the Facebook messages was a marijuana dispensary in the 900 block of West Weed Street on the Near North Side of Chicago. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on Aug. 10, 2020, several individuals broke into the dispensary by smashing a window with tools they had retrieved from the trunk of Massey’s vehicle, which was parked in the dispensary’s parking lot, the complaint states.
Another incident cited in the complaint occurred at a retail store in the 800 block of North Michigan Avenue in Chicago. At approximately 1:25 a.m. on August 10, 2020, Massey approached the store with a tire iron while another individual broke a store window, the complaint states. Massey and several others entered the store, stole numerous coats, and returned to Massey’s vehicle, the complaint states. Shortly thereafter, an individual allegedly wrote to the Facebook group, “We just hit the [partial name of retail store].”
Massey and others later looted a convenience store in the city’s South Loop neighborhood after individuals broke windows to gain entry and then broke display counters inside, the complaint states. Shortly before 6:00 a.m., Massey and several others looted a cell phone store in the West Loop neighborhood after offenders broke the side door of the store to gain entrance, the complaint states.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Inciting a riot is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Executive of Chicago Staffing Company Sentenced in Federal Court for Assisting Client with Hiring of Undocumented WorkersRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former executive vice president of a Chicago staffing company was sentenced today in federal court for assisting a factory owner with the hiring of undocumented workers.
SERGIO BADANI used his role as Vice President of Operations for a large Chicago staffing company to knowingly conceal from the U.S. government the true identities of 17 undocumented workers. The workers had previously been identified by law enforcement as undocumented during a civil audit of the factory. After the factory owners assured the government that the undocumented workers were terminated, the factory owners worked with Badani to hire them back using false identity documents. Badani admitted that he learned of the illegal scheme and assisted in concealing the information from the government while his staffing company continued to collect more than $1 million in fees from the factory owners. Badani admitted that he received a portion of the profit from this contract in the form of monetary bonuses.
Badani, 51, of St. Charles, Ill., pleaded guilty last year to one count of conspiracy to commit alien harboring for purposes of commercial advantage. U.S. District Judge Sara L. Ellis sentenced Badani to two years’ probation and fined him $15,000.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and R. Sean Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of U.S. Homeland Security Investigations. The U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General and U.S. Social Security Administration provided valuable assistance.
“Undocumented workers are at a significant disadvantage in the workplace, making them much more likely to be exploited by employers,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher V. Parente and Ashley A. Chung argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum.
“When businesses knowingly hire an illegal workforce, it threatens the integrity of our country’s immigration system, economic health and puts the security of our homeland at risk,” said HSI Acting SAC Fitzgerald. “HSI is committed to protecting our communities from the abuses of corrupt business owners seeking to gain an illegal advantage and make a steep profit off the backs of others.”
Four employees of the staffing agency’s manufacturing client, KSO MetalFab Inc. of Streamwood, Ill., were previously charged in federal court with knowingly hiring and harboring undocumented workers. They pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Four New Defendants Added to Federal Indictment Alleging Multi-Million Dollar Embezzlement Conspiracy Resulting in Failure of Chicago BankRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — An ongoing federal criminal investigation into the failure of Washington Federal Bank for Savings has resulted in charges against four new defendants, three of whom are alleged to have embezzled a total of more than $23 million from the Chicago bank.
Washington Federal was shut down in December 2017 after the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency determined that the bank was insolvent and had at least $66 million in nonperforming loans. Four former Washington Federal employees, including the bank’s Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, were indicted last year for allegedly conspiring with an Illinois attorney – ROBERT M. KOWALSKI, of Chicago – and others to embezzle money from the bank in the years preceding the closure. On Thursday, a federal grand jury in Chicago returned a superseding indictment that added four more defendants, including the bank’s former Vice President, bringing the total number of charged defendants to ten.
The new charges allege that the Vice President – JAMES R. CROTTY, 41, of Tinley Park, Ill. – joined several of the other defendants in a conspiracy to embezzle at least $31 million in bank funds. Crotty and the other conspirators transferred bank funds to the attorney and the three other new defendants – real estate developers BOGUSLAW KASPROWICZ, 63, of Burbank, Calif., and MIROSLAW KREJZA, 62, of Chicago, and contractor MAREK MATCZUK, 57, of Park Ridge, Ill. – and others, without all of the required documentation and often without any documentation whatsoever, the indictment states. The conspirators allegedly falsified bank records to conceal the embezzlement from the OCC and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
The new charges further allege that, of the $14.3 million that Kasprowicz embezzled, at least $1.6 million was used by Kasprowicz for the benefit of the bank’s former President, who has since died and is not charged in the indictment. Kasprowicz allegedly paid credit card accounts in the name of the bank President or an entity associated with him, and also made payments to another bank for a loan on the purchase of a $450,000 Sea Ray powerboat called “Expelliarmus.”
The superseding indictment charges all ten defendants with conspiracy to commit embezzlement. Kasprowicz also faces several tax charges for allegedly underreporting his personal and corporate income in numerous tax returns. The indictment also renews tax charges against Robert Kowalski, as well as bankruptcy fraud charges against Robert Kowalski and his sister, JAN R. KOWALSKI, of LaGrange, for allegedly defrauding Robert Kowalski’s creditors and the trustee in his bankruptcy case.
In addition to Crotty, the former bank employees charged in the conspiracy are: ROSALLIE C. CORVITE, of Chicago, who served as Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; JANE V. IRIONDO, formerly known as Jane V. Tran, of Boise, Idaho, who served as Corporate Secretary; ALICIA MANDUJANO, of Chicago, who worked as a loan servicer; and CATHY M. TORRES, of Chicago, who worked as a loan officer.
Arraignments on the new charges are set for March 4, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall in Chicago.
The superseding indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Jay N. Lerner, Inspector General of the FDIC’s Office of Inspector General; Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation in Chicago; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Catherine Huber, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Central Region of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, Office of Inspector General; Brad Geary, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General in Chicago; Joseph M. Ferguson, City of Chicago Inspector General; and Elissa Rhee-Lee, Chicago Housing Authority Inspector General. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Trustee Program and the Department of the Treasury, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian Netols, Michelle Petersen, Jeremy Daniel, and Nicholas Eichenseer.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Former Postal Service Employees Among Eleven Individuals Charged in Conspiracy to Steal Credit Cards from the MailRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Former U.S. Postal Service employees are among eleven individuals charged with conspiring to steal credit cards and other financial instruments from the mail.
Law enforcement uncovered the 18-month conspiracy through a federal investigation dubbed Operation Cash on Delivery. The former USPS employees, who at the time worked as mail carriers in the Chicago area, stole credit cards and other financial instruments from the mail and provided them to others in exchange for cash or other items, according to a 20-count indictment unsealed Thursday in federal court in Chicago. Two of the defendants unlawfully obtained USPS customers’ personal identifying information, including dates of birth and Social Security numbers, which was then used to fraudulently activate the stolen cards and make purchases at various retailers, including Best Buy, Fry’s Electronics, Walmart, and Meijer, the charges allege.
Many of the defendants were arrested Thursday and have begun making initial appearances in federal court in Chicago.
The indictment and arrests were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William Hedrick, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; Andre Martin, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Great Lakes Area Field Office of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General; and R. Sean Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Shy Jackson and Paige Nutini, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Madrinan.
“Individuals who attempt to steal from the mail or illegally access personal identifying information must be held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our office will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute these serious offenses.”
“Postal Inspectors are committed to ensuring the public’s trust in the U.S. mail system,” said USPIS Inspector-in-Charge Hedrick. “The U.S. Postal Service relies on its employees to perform their duties with honor and pride. Postal Inspectors, along with our federal partners, bear the burden of holding responsible those individuals who compromise the security of the U.S. mail at the expense of the public. Furthermore, this investigation aims to restore the integrity of the mail and deliver justice to the victims of those arrested today.”
“These arrests represent our commitment to work with our law enforcement partners to maintain the integrity and trust in the U.S. mail,” said USPS-OIG SAC Martin. “The majority of postal employees are hard-working public servants dedicated to moving mail to its proper destination. The USPS OIG, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office, remain committed to safeguarding the integrity of the U.S. mail and ensuring the accountability and integrity of U.S. Postal Service employees.”
“The actions in this case demonstrate our commitment to protecting our communities from criminal enterprises seeking to steal identities and defraud honest, hard-working people,” said HSI Acting SAC Fitzgerald. “HSI is proud of the work we’ve accomplished with our law enforcement partners in this investigation.”
Charged with conspiring to steal mail and commit unauthorized access device fraud are former USPS employees REBECCA OKUNOREN, 28, of Chicago, JESSICA JEFFERSON, 32, of Broadview, Ill., MONIQUE D. LOVE, 29, of Chicago, MYIESHA WEAVER, 34, of College Park, Ga., and DOMINIQUE SYKES, 28, of Chicago. Also charged in the conspiracy are DAVEY HINES, 28, of Naperville, Ill., BILLYE HARRIS, 26, of Harvey, Ill., TERRANCE SCALES, 29, of Chicago, STEPHON JOHNSON, 33, of Alsip, Ill., LOREAL ROSS, 31, of Chicago, and BRITTNAY P. SHEPARD, 28, of Chicago. Hines, Harris, Johnson, and Ross also face charges of unauthorized access device fraud and aggravated identity theft.
The federal investigation previously resulted in charges last summer against five other individuals, including four other former U.S. Postal Service employees.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Three Individuals Charged with Federal Tax OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three individuals have been indicted on tax offenses in separate indictments returned in federal court in Chicago.
EDWARD ACEVEDO, 57, of Chicago, is charged with four counts of willfully failing to file an income tax return and two counts of tax evasion. MICHAEL ACEVEDO, 34, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of willfully failing to file an income tax return and one count of willfully filing a false tax return. ALEX ACEVEDO, 35, of Chicago, is charged with two counts of willfully filing a false tax return.
Arraignment for Alex Acevedo is set for March 3, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Edmond E. Chang. Arraignment for Michael Acevedo is set for March 3, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge Beth W. Jantz. Arraignment for Edward Acevedo is set for March 5, 2021, at 1:30 p.m., before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly.
The indictments were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amarjeet S. Bhachu, Sarah E. Streicker, Diane MacArthur, Timothy J. Chapman, Matthew L. Kutcher, and Michelle Kramer.
According to the indictment against Edward Acevedo, Edward Acevedo received gross income from an Illinois company in the calendar years 2017 and 2018 but he attempted to evade taxes for those years by receiving payments in cash and handling his affairs in a manner so as to avoid the creation and maintenance of customary business and accounting records, the indictment states. He also willfully failed to file individual income tax returns for those years, as well as for the calendar years 2015 and 2016, the indictment states.
The charges against Michael Acevedo allege that he willfully failed to file an income tax return for the calendar years 2016, 2017, and 2018, while the charges against Alex Acevedo accuse him of willfully filing a false tax return for the calendar years 2016 and 2018.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Indictment Charges Three Individuals with Setting Fire to Chicago Transit Authority VanRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — Three individuals have been charged with arson for allegedly setting fire to a Chicago Transit Authority van during a period of civil unrest last spring.
DENZAL STEWART, 24, of Chicago, LAMAR TAYLOR, 23, of Chicago, and DARION LINDSEY, 19, of Park Forest, are each charged with one count of arson, according to an indictment unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Chicago. The indictment accuses the three of maliciously damaging and destroying the CTA van by setting fire to it on May 30, 2020.
Stewart and Taylor were arrested Wednesday morning. They pleaded not guilty at their arraignments Wednesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge M. David Weisman. Detention hearings for Stewart and Taylor are scheduled for Friday at 10:30 a.m. Lindsey was already in law enforcement custody on an unrelated charge. Lindsey’s arraignment on the arson charge has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in Chicago; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the Chicago Transit Authority, U.S. Marshals Service, and U.S. Transportation Security Administration. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Albert Berry III.
The arson charge is punishable by a minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum of 20 years. The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Consultant Indicted on Federal Charges for Allegedly Providing Bribes to City of Chicago Officials to Benefit ClientsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A consultant has been indicted on federal charges for allegedly offering and providing bribes to City of Chicago officials in an effort to benefit his clients.
ROBERTO CALDERO in 2016 offered and arranged for bribes to be provided to a City of Chicago alderman and a Chicago Public Schools employee in exchange for them taking official actions to benefit Caldero’s clients, who were seeking a custodial services contract at CPS, an honorary street name designation in Chicago, and the renaming of a Chicago park, according to an indictment returned Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The benefits Caldero allegedly offered the CPS employee included future employment, champagne, discounted event space for a family event, and admission to an annual benefit for a museum. To influence the alderman, Caldero arranged for campaign contributions to be made to political organizations affiliated with the alderman or his ward, the indictment states. Unbeknownst to Caldero, the alderman was cooperating with the FBI and acting at the direction of law enforcement in connection with Caldero’s bribery efforts, the indictment states.
The indictment charges Caldero, 68, of Chicago, with four counts of honest services wire fraud, two counts of federal program bribery, and two counts of using a facility in interstate commerce to facilitate bribery. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Public Schools Office of Inspector General participated in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Matthew Kutcher and Michelle Kramer.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Honest services wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. Federal program bribery is punishable by up to ten years. Using a facility in interstate commerce to facilitate bribery is punishable by up to five years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Indictment Charges Suburban Chicago Man with Trafficking Fentanyl and Illegally Possessing Loaded GunsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a suburban Chicago man for allegedly trafficking fentanyl, cocaine, and heroin, and illegally possessing loaded handguns.
A 12-count indictment returned in federal court in Chicago charges DENNIS GERMAN, 34, of Robbins, Ill., with using the firearms in furtherance of his drug-trafficking activities in 2019 and 2020. The indictment also accuses German of conspiring with two others – NICOLE SCHMIDT, 34, of Midlothian, Ill., and JOHN P. SEIWERT, 40, of Orland Park, Ill. – to traffic cocaine and heroin in Robbins last year. A fourth defendant – MARCUS WASHINGTON, 23, of Markham, Ill. – is charged in the indictment with trafficking cocaine and illegally possessing a loaded handgun in Robbins in 2019.
German, Seiwert, and Washington are in law enforcement custody, and an arrest warrant has been issued for Schmidt. Arraignments for German and Washington are set for March 2, 2021, before U.S. District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly. Arraignment for Seiwert is set for March 5, 2021, before Judge Kennelly.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives in Chicago. Substantial assistance was provided by the Midlothian Police Department, Orland Park Police Department, and Dolton Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Maureen Merin and Ramon Villalpando.
“Fentanyl, heroin, and cocaine are extremely potent drugs that have wreaked havoc in too many of our communities,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “We will continue to focus our efforts on individuals and groups who traffic these dangerous drugs and prosecute those offenders in federal court.”
“Individuals who possess firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking activity pose a significant threat to public safety,” said ATF SAC deTineo. “We will continue to investigate individuals in partnership with the United States Attorney’s Office to ensure the safety of the community.”
The charges in the indictment and the maximum sentence for each count are as follows:
- German: Two counts of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime (life in prison, with a mandatory minimum of five years); four counts of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years); one count of maintaining a residence for the purpose of manufacturing and distributing a controlled substance (20 years); two counts of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon (ten years); and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years).
- Schmidt: One count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years); and one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years).
- Seiwert: One count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years).
- Washington: One count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver (20 years); and one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon (ten years).
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chicago Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man for allegedly transporting a minor from Wisconsin to Illinois to engage in commercial sex acts.
The two-count federal indictment charges WILLIAM MCBETH, also known as “Tony,” 35, with sex trafficking of a minor and transporting that victim from Wisconsin to Illinois for purposes of prostitution. The sex trafficking count is punishable by a minimum prison sentence of ten years and a maximum term of life, while the transportation charge is punishable by up to ten years. McBeth is currently in law enforcement custody. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Petersen.
According to the indictment and a criminal complaint previously filed in the case, the minor victim was 15 years old in December 2015 when McBeth enticed her to engage in commercial sex acts in the Chicago area. McBeth transported her to various locations in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs to engage in commercial sex acts, and on at least one occasion brought her from Wisconsin back to Illinois for that purpose, according to the charges.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children by logging on to www.missingkids.com or by calling 1-800-843-5678. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Federal Judge Convicts Man of Conspiring to Steal Cash from Chicago ATMRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been found guilty in federal court of conspiring to steal cash from an automated-teller machine in Chicago during a period of civil unrest last spring.
On the evening of June 1, 2020, RICKIE FOY, 38, of Chicago, joined several others in attempting to break into a Bank of America ATM located in a grocery store parking lot at 620 W. 63rd St. in the city’s Englewood neighborhood. Over the course of approximately eight minutes, Foy and the others used various tools to try to gain access to the machine and steal cash, but they were unsuccessful. Chicago Police officers arrived at the scene and arrested Foy and two others after a foot chase.
U.S. District Judge Thomas M. Durkin on Tuesday found Foy guilty of conspiracy to commit bank theft. A one-day bench trial had been conducted last week entirely via videoconference.
The conviction is punishable by up to five years in federal prison. Judge Durkin set sentencing for May 11, 2021, at 10:00 a.m.
The guilty verdict was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ramon Villalpando and Matthew Madden.
Two other individuals were charged with participating in the conspiracy. They pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
Carjacking in Orland Park Leads to Federal ChargeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been arrested and charged in federal court with carjacking after he allegedly took a vehicle from a victim in Orland Park and fired a shot at a police officer who was pursuing him.
DAVID JOHNSON, 23, of Chicago, is charged with one count of carjacking in connection with the Friday evening incident. Johnson made an initial court appearance Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert and was ordered to remain detained in federal custody. A preliminary hearing was set for Feb. 26, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.
The complaint and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen DeTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; Jason Reid, Chief of the Oak Forest Police Department; David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department; and Joseph Mitchell, Chief of the Orland Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sheri Wong and Scott Edenfield.
According to a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, the victim on Friday evening was sitting in his car parked on the street outside of his home in Orland Park when Johnson approached, pointed a gun at the victim’s head, and demanded the key. Johnson stole the vehicle and drove it to Chicago, where he crashed into another car in the city’s Morgan Park neighborhood, the complaint states. Johnson then fled on foot and fired a shot at an Oak Forest Police officer who was pursuing him, the complaint states. Chicago Police officers arrested Johnson a short time later.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The carjacking charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Gun and Drug Charges Filed Against Suburban Chicago ManRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been arrested for allegedly illegally possessing a loaded handgun and dealing crack cocaine.
LARRY DENNIS, 36, of Markham, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute, and one count of illegal possession of a firearm as a previously convicted felon, according to a criminal complaint unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The complaint alleges that Dennis on three occasions last month sold suspected crack cocaine to an individual who, unbeknownst to Dennis, was cooperating with law enforcement. Dennis also illegally possessed the loaded handgun in his residence on Jan. 20, 2021, the complaint states. Dennis had previously been convicted of multiple state felonies, including robbery and firearm offenses, and was not lawfully allowed to possess a gun.
Dennis was arrested Thursday on the federal charges. He appeared today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert and was ordered to remain detained in federal custody.
The complaint and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen DeTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives; and Daniel Delaney, Chief of the Midlothian Police Department. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Markham Police Department, Dolton Police Department, and Orland Park Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Saurish Appleby-Bhattacharjee.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The drug charge is punishable by a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison, while the firearm count carries a maximum sentence of ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Suburban Chicago Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Prison for Sharing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison for sharing videos of child pornography with users of an online messaging application.
AUSTIN BURCHERT, 22, of Elk Grove Village, possessed on his cell phone more than 3,000 images and approximately 54 videos of children engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Under the screenname “so_raven_,” Burchert on Feb. 12, 2018, shared 13 such images and one video file in a chat group on the Kik online messaging application. There were approximately 50 people in the chat group at the time, including an undercover law enforcement agent.
Burchert pleaded guilty last year to a federal charge of transportation of child pornography. In addition to the nine-year prison sentence, U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso on Tuesday ordered Burchert to pay $65,000 in restitution to the known victims depicted in the pornographic images and videos.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Richard S. Fitzgerald, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of Homeland Security Investigations. Substantial assistance in the investigation was provided by the Elk Grove Village Police Department, Illinois Attorney General’s Office, and Deerfield Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Misty N. Wright and Esther Mignanelli.
“The defendant’s crime contributed to the perpetual victimization of hundreds of children by contributing to the ever-growing market for the creation and distribution of child pornography,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Misty N. Wright argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “Defendant’s victims and their parents have to live with the fact that these photos and videos depicting their abuse were shared and may be viewed for years to come by pedophiles.”
“Let this sentence serve as a reminder that HSI is committed to standing firmly in the way of those who prey on and exploit our most vulnerable population – our children,” said HSI Acting SAC Fitzgerald. “HSI will continue to work closely with our law enforcement and judicial partners to identify and bring to justice individuals who commit these very serious crimes.”
If you believe you are a victim of sexual exploitation, you are encouraged to call the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children at 1-800-843-5678, or log on to http://www.missingkids.com. The service is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Former Operator of Suburban Chicago Nightclub Charged with Underreporting Corporate Income TaxesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former operator of a suburban Chicago nightclub has been charged in federal court with assisting in the preparation and submission of false corporate income tax returns for six years.
ALICIA ARNOLD willfully assisted in the preparation and submission of false and fraudulent income tax returns for the calendar years 2012 to 2017 for Arnie’s Idle Hour, the nightclub Arnold operated in Harvey, Ill., according to a criminal information filed Feb. 5, 2021, in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Each of the false tax returns substantially underreported the nightclub’s gross receipts and sales, the information states.
Arnold, 51, of Las Vegas, Nev., and formerly of Homer Glen, Ill., pleaded not guilty today at her arraignment before U.S. Magistrate Judge Jeffrey T. Gilbert. A status hearing was set for March 3, 2021, at 10:30 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Jorge L. Alonso.
The charges were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Tamera D. Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Thomas J. Dart, Cook County Sheriff. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Grayson Walker and Maureen Merin.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count is punishable by up to three years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Department of Justice Recognizes Assistant U.S. Attorney Ronald DeWald for Outstanding Work on Project Safe NeighborhoodRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The Department of Justice has recognized Ronald DeWald, an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, for his outstanding work in support of the Project Safe Neighborhood (PSN) initiative.
PSN is a nationwide initiative that brings together law enforcement, prosecutors, and community leaders to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in a community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. Through the annual PSN Achievement Awards, the Department of Justice recognizes outstanding individual efforts in achieving safety and security in the United States. The Department in 2020 bestowed on Mr. DeWald an award for “Outstanding Individual Contribution to the PSN Program,” in recognition of his work designing and overseeing violent crime reduction strategies in Chicago and throughout northern Illinois.
“Ron DeWald has served the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois and the United States with tremendous distinction,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “Violent crime can only be addressed with a multi-disciplinary effort involving federal, state, and local law enforcement, community members, and other stakeholders. Ron’s dedication has fostered these important relationships, and for that we owe him a debt of gratitude.”
Mr. DeWald has been an AUSA in Chicago for more than 15 years. In his current position as Counsel to the U.S. Attorney for Violent Crime, Mr. DeWald was instrumental in establishing and leading the office’s various violent crime efforts, including its Gun Crimes Prosecution Team, an initiative that has led to a substantial increase in the effectiveness of federal firearm prosecutions since its inception in 2018.
Mr. DeWald has taught courses at the Chicago Police Academy on federal firearm prosecutions, and he leads the Northern District’s PSN Forums, where state parolees are warned of the consequences of recidivism and presented with offers of social services. Research has found that ex-offenders who attend a notification meeting in Chicago are 30% less likely to commit a new offense than those who did not attend a meeting.
Man Arrested for Allegedly Robbing Chicago Bank at GunpointRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A man has been arrested for allegedly robbing a Chicago bank and holding a customer at gunpoint.
CHRISTOPHER PORTER, 49, of Chicago, is charged with one count of bank robbery for allegedly robbing a Fifth Third Bank branch, 3957 W. 26th St. in Chicago’s Little Village neighborhood, on Feb. 4, 2021. Porter made an initial court appearance Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez. He waived his right to a detention hearing and was ordered to remain in federal custody.
According to a criminal complaint and affidavit filed in U.S. District Court in Chicago, Porter entered the bank shortly after 5:00 p.m. and demanded that a teller place cash in a bag. Porter then put a customer in a headlock, pointed a gun at the customer’s head, and repeatedly said he would shoot the customer if the teller did not comply with his demand, the complaint states. The teller put cash in a bag and handed it to Porter, who fled the bank, the complaint states. The FBI arrested Porter later that evening in the parking lot of a Chicago apartment complex about four miles from the bank.
The arrest and complaint were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Paige A. Nutini.
The public is reminded that a complaint is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. The robbery charge is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Federal Indictment Charges Department of Veterans Affairs Procurement Supervisor with Pocketing KickbacksRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A procurement supervisor at the Jesse Brown Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Chicago pocketed kickbacks from the president of a medical supply company to steer the company at least $1.7 million in product orders, many of which were never fulfilled, according to an indictment returned in federal court in Chicago.
The indictment accuses THOMAS E. DUNCAN, a supervisor in the medical center’s Central Supply department, of receiving approximately $36,250 in kickbacks paid by checks, as well as an additional amount in cash, from DANIEL DINGLE, the president of a medical supply company based in south suburban Dolton. The checks were made payable to Helping Hands Properties LLC – a third-party entity managed by Duncan – and contained false and misleading memo entries in order to conceal and disguise the existence and purpose of the kickbacks, the indictment states. In exchange for the kickbacks, Duncan used his official position at the VA to fraudulently initiate and approve purchases of products from Dingle’s company, knowing that many of the products would not be delivered to the VA, the indictment states.
The alleged fraud scheme began in 2012 and continued until 2019. In late 2018 and early 2019, while the Veterans Affairs Inspector General’s Office was investigating the matter, Duncan told Dingle to falsely tell investigators that the payments Duncan received from Dingle’s company were for work performed by Helping Hands Properties, the indictment states.
The indictment was returned Thursday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. It charges Duncan, 37, of Chicago, with five counts of wire fraud, one count of witness tampering, and one count of falsifying records. Dingle, 50, of Riverdale, is charged with four counts of wire fraud. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Gregg Hirstein, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Heidi Manschreck.
“These charges demonstrate the VA OIG’s commitment to protecting American taxpayers,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Hirstein. “Individuals and companies involved in corrupting the VA’s business practices will be held accountable.”
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 9 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Cocaine and Illegally Possessing FirearmRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee to nine years in federal prison for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm as a convicted felon.
BRIAN KOTLIENTHONG, 33, pleaded guilty to the charges on Aug. 13, 2020. According to a written plea agreement, Kotlienthong distributed a total of approximately 83.6 grams of cocaine to an individual in Rockford in December 2017. Kotlienthong, who had previously been convicted of a felony and was prohibited from possessing a firearm, admitted that on Feb. 8, 2018, he illegally possessed a 9mm rifle and sold it to an individual. Kotlienthong also admitted in the plea agreement that on Dec. 21, 2017, he possessed and sold a 9mm pistol and approximately 27.6 grams of cocaine, and on March 26, 2018, he possessed and sold another 9mm pistol while showing approximately one pound of marijuana that he offered to sell.
The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The investigation was conducted by ATF and the Stateline Area Narcotics Team, which includes law enforcement officers and agents from the Illinois State Police and Ogle County Sheriff’s Office. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Talia Bucci.
Rockford Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for Distributing Crack CocaineRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man has been sentenced to eleven years in federal prison on a drug trafficking charge.
ROMEO TRAMMELL, 32, pleaded guilty to the charge on Sept. 4, 2020. According to a written plea agreement, Trammell distributed approximately 24.8 grams of cocaine base - in the form of crack cocaine - to an individual in Rockford on Apr. 5, 2018.
U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee imposed the sentence Wednesday in federal court in Rockford.
The sentencing was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; and Daniel O’Shea, Chief of the Rockford Police Department. The government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Talia Bucci.
Suburban Chicago Man Pleads Guilty to Conducting Illegal Sports Gambling BusinessRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A suburban Chicago man pleaded guilty in federal court today to conducting an illegal sports gambling business and laundering the proceeds through an offshore company.
VINCENT DELGIUDICE, also known as “Uncle Mick,” 55, of Orland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering, which is punishable by up to 20 years in federal prison, and one count of conducting an illegal gambling business, which is punishable by up to five years. U.S. District Judge Virginia M. Kendall did not immediately set a sentencing date. A status hearing was set for March 8, 2021.
The guilty plea was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago office of the FBI; and Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Terry Kinney, Ankur Srivastava, and Abigail Peluso.
The FBI’s Integrity in Sport and Gaming Initiative (ISG) is designed to tackle illegal sports gambling and combat threats of influence from criminal enterprises.
Delgiudice admitted in a plea agreement that from 2016 to 2019 he directed an illegal bookmaking business in Chicago, Lemont, Frankfort, Orland Park, and Woodridge. Delgiudice and his agents accepted wagers on the outcome of professional football, basketball, baseball, and hockey games, as well as collegiate sporting events, the plea agreement states. Delgiudice further admitted that he retained the services of a company in Costa Rica to manage the accounting, recordkeeping, and website management of his bookmaking operation, and that in 2018 and 2019 he sent the company at least $113,625 to promote the continued operation of the illegal gambling business.
Real Estate Developer Among Four Individuals Charged in Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a real estate developer and three others for allegedly participating in a mortgage fraud scheme that defrauded financial institutions out of at least $3 million.
ANDRZEJ LAJEWSKI, who owned Des Plaines-based Highland Consulting Corp., and Chicago-based Quality Management and Remodeling Inc., schemed with two mortgage professionals and the owner of a remodeling company to fraudulently obtain at least $3 million in mortgage loans by making and causing to be made materially false representations to financial institutions regarding the buyers’ qualifications for the loans, according to an indictment returned Jan. 28, 2021, in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The false representations concerned the buyers’ employment history, income, assets, source of down payment, and intention to occupy the properties, the indictment states. In some instances Lajewski fraudulently claimed to lenders that the buyers were employed by his companies – even though he knew that was untrue – to help the buyers qualify for the mortgage loans, the indictment states.
The alleged fraud scheme lasted from 2010 to 2016 and involved numerous properties on the South Side of Chicago.
The indictment charges multiple counts of financial institution fraud against Lajewski, 53, formerly of Wheeling, the two mortgage professionals – loan originator AGNIESZKA SIEKOWSKI, 46, of Northbrook, and loan processor ALDONA BOBROWICZ, 45, of Arlington Heights – and the home remodeler, ANDRZEJ BUKOWSKI, 66, formerly of Wheeling. Arraignments for Siekowski and Bobrowicz are scheduled for Friday at 10:00 a.m. before U.S. District Judge Martha M. Pacold. Arraignments for Lajewski and Bukowski have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Brad Geary, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kalia Coleman and Jason Yonan.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of financial institution fraud is punishable by up to 30 years in federal prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chicago Man Charged in Federal Court with CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago man has been charged in federal court with carjacking for allegedly violently taking a vehicle from a victim last summer.
OMARION FRANKLIN, 18, carjacked an Infiniti G35 sedan from a victim in Skokie on July 12, 2020, according to an indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment charges Franklin with one count of carjacking, which is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison.
Franklin is currently in law enforcement custody. Arraignment in U.S. District Court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. Valuable assistance was provided by the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Skokie Police Department, and Chicago Police Department. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kelly.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Justice Department Files Civil Action to Shut Down Chicago-Area Tax Return PreparerRead the Press Release
The United States has filed a complaint seeking to bar a Chicago-area tax return preparer from preparing federal income tax returns for others, the Justice Department announced today.
The civil complaint against Lavon Boyd was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and alleges that Boyd prepared federal income tax returns for Chicago-area taxpayers that significantly understated his customers’ tax liabilities by fabricating business losses. The suit alleges that Boyd fabricated or exaggerated his customers’ business expenses. The suit also charges that Boyd allegedly fabricated child care expenses on at least one of his customers’ tax returns.
According to the complaint, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) interviewed 15 of Boyd’s customers, each of whom stated that they did not incur the business expenses reported on their returns prepared by Boyd on their behalf, nor did they give Boyd any reason to believe that such expenses were legitimate. The complaint further alleges that, by repeatedly understating his customers’ tax liabilities, Boyd has caused the United States to lose substantial tax revenue.
Return preparer fraud is one of the IRS’ Dirty Dozen Tax Scams and taxpayers seeking a return preparer should remain vigilant (more information can also be found here). The IRS has information on its website for choosing a tax preparer and has launched a free directory of federal tax preparers. In addition, IRS Free File, a public-private partnership, offers free, online tax preparation and filing options on IRS-partner websites for individuals whose adjusted gross income is under $72,000. For individuals whose income is over that threshold, IRS Free File offers electronic federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free.
In the past decade, the Department of Justice's Tax Division has obtained injunctions against hundreds of unscrupulous tax preparers. Information about these cases is available on the Justice Department website. An alphabetical listing of persons enjoined from preparing returns and promoting tax schemes can be found on this page. If you believe that one of the enjoined persons or businesses may be violating an injunction, please contact the Tax Division with details.
Chicago Investment Manager Detained in Indonesia and Returned to Chicago to Face Federal Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Chicago investment manager who fled the country after being charged in a fraud scheme has been returned to the United States from Indonesia.
MARCUS BEAM was indicted in January 2020 on charges he fraudulently obtained money from women he met online. According to the indictment, Beam falsely claimed to the women and other investors that their funds would be invested in stocks such as Uber and Lyft. Beam instead spent the money for his own personal benefit, including rent, auto loans, and retail purchases, resulting in a loss to investors of at least $500,000, the indictment alleges.
Beam, 50, of Woodridge, fled the United States after being released on bond in January 2020. The U.S. Marshals Service located Beam in Bali, Indonesia, and he was detained there in July 2020 on an INTERPOL Red Notice by the Indonesia National Police, National Central Bureau, and INTERPOL. On Jan. 27, 2021, Beam was deported from Indonesia and returned in custody to Chicago. He pleaded not guilty to ten counts of wire fraud and mail fraud during his arraignment Wednesday afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Heather K. McShain in Chicago.
The arraignment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; William Hedrick, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; Jeffrey A. Monhart, Regional Director of the Chicago Regional Office of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration; Tanya Solov, Director of the Illinois Securities Department of the Illinois Secretary of State; and David Gelement, Chief Deputy U.S. Marshal. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacqueline Stern.
The officials acknowledged the substantial assistance of the news media whose coverage generated leads prior to Beam’s apprehension in Indonesia. The officials also acknowledged the substantial assistance of the Indonesian National Police, National Central Bureau, INTERPOL, the Directorate General of Immigration, and the Bali Regional Police. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance in securing the defendant’s return from Indonesia.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count in the indictment is punishable by up to 20 years in prison. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Download Beam indictment
Federal Indictment Charges Carjacking, Robbery and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A federal grand jury has indicted a Chicago man on carjacking and firearm charges for allegedly violently taking vehicles in Chicago and Cicero and attempting to steal another in Oak Park.
JAHEIM HENYARD, 19, stole a Dodge Charger from an Uber Eats driver in Chicago on Aug. 14, 2020, and a Kia Optima Hybrid LX from a victim in Cicero on Aug. 20, 2020, according to a seven-count indictment returned Tuesday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. Henyard also attempted to steal a Mercedes GLC 300 by brandishing a firearm at a victim in Oak Park on July 17, 2020, but was unsuccessful, the indictment states.
The indictment also accuses Henyard and two others – DARIUS YOUNG and XAVIER TATE – of participating in the robbery of a UPS truck in Oak Park on Aug. 21, 2020. During the robbery, the UPS driver was ordered to lay face down in the street while the offenders removed boxes from the truck and drove off, according to a criminal complaint previously filed in the case.
The indictment charges Henyard with two counts of carjacking, two counts of robbery, one count of attempted carjacking, and one count of using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence. Young, 25, of Berwyn, and Tate, 23, of Chicago, are charged with robbery. Tate also faces a firearm count for allegedly illegally possessing a semiautomatic handgun in Chicago on the same day as the UPS heist. Arraignments in federal court in Chicago have not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Chicago Police Department, Oak Park Police Department, and Cicero Police Department participated in the investigation. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles W. Mulaney, Timothy Storino, and Albert Berry III.
“Our message to would-be carjackers is simple: Committing a senseless act of violence like carjacking will earn you a home in federal prison for a long time,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our office is working closely with our law enforcement partners to pursue, prosecute, and detain violent carjackers and gun offenders in Chicago and surrounding area.”
“Carjackers have long terrorized our local communities with acts of violence, but through the combined efforts of our police, federal, and prosecutorial partners we are bringing perpetrators to justice,” said FBI SAC Buie.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The carjacking and attempted carjacking counts are each punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison. The charge against Henyard for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence carries a minimum prison term of seven years and a maximum term of life, which must be served consecutive to the sentence imposed for the underlying carjacking offense. The maximum sentence for robbery is 20 years. The firearm charge against Tate is punishable by up to ten years. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Lake County Man Charged in Federal Court with Attempted CarjackingRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A Lake County man has been charged in federal court with attempted carjacking for allegedly trying to violently carjack a vehicle at a north suburban golf course last summer.
ZAYVEON THOMAS, 19, of Beach Park, attempted to hijack a 2018 Lexus IS300 sedan from a victim in a parking lot of the golf course in Glencoe on July 2, 2020, according to an indictment returned Monday in U.S. District Court in Chicago. The indictment charges Thomas with one count of attempted carjacking, which is punishable by up to 15 years in federal prison. Thomas is currently in law enforcement custody. Arraignment in federal court in Chicago has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office provided valuable assistance. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Kelly.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Chicago Man Charged in Conspiracy to Sell U.S. Government Checks Stolen from the MailRead the Press Release
CHICAGO —A Chicago man has been indicted on federal criminal charges for allegedly conspiring with a U.S. Postal Service employee and others to sell U.S. government checks stolen from the mail.
An indictment returned Monday in federal court in Chicago charges AKEEM KOSOKO, 26, with one count of conspiracy to steal mail and government funds, three counts of embezzlement of government property, and three counts of receipt of stolen mail. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
According to the indictment, Kosoko conspired with his brother, who worked as a postal carrier, and others to have U.S. Treasury checks taken from the mail and sold to others. The checks were issued last year as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Kosoko’s brother, AHMED KOSOKO, 35, of Chicago, was previously charged by federal criminal complaint with one count of conspiracy to steal mail and government funds.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; Andre Martin, Special Agent-In-Charge of the Chicago Great Lakes Area Field Office of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General; William Hedrick, Inspector-in-Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Chicago; and Tamera Cantu, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division in Chicago. The government is represented by Special Assistant U.S. Attorney M. Claire Nicholson.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. Defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Former City of Rochelle Employee Charged with Fraudulently Obtaining at Least $150,000 from a Non-Profit Business AssociationRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A former employee of the City of Rochelle was charged today with fraudulently obtaining at least $150,000 from a non-profit business association.
SCOTT KOTESKI, 58, of Rochelle, is charged with one count of wire fraud, according to a criminal information filed in U.S. District Court in Rockford. Arraignment has not yet been scheduled.
The charge was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Illinois State Police assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott R. Paccagnini.
According to the information, Koteski was selected by the city to sit on the board of directors of a non-profit business association that provided broadband internet technology to smaller municipalities in northern Illinois. Starting in 2011, Koteski was selected as the treasurer of that association. As treasurer, Koteski handled the invoicing and billing of the member municipalities, and as of February 2012 had signatory authority on the association’s bank account. According to the information, from September 2012 through April 2018, Koteski fraudulently obtained from the association at least $150,000, which he used for his own benefit without the association’s knowledge or consent. Koteski allegedly wrote numerous checks to himself from the association’s bank account and deposited them into his personal bank account for his personal benefit.
Koteski concealed his acts by writing false information on the memo line to make it appear the checks were for reimbursement of personal monies Koteski spent for the association when, in fact, Koteski was not entitled to reimbursement, the information states. In 2018, Koteski made online payments from the association’s bank account to a credit card company to pay balances on his personal credit card, and to an online loan financing company to pay balances on Koteski’s loan, the information states.
Wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an information is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Federal Judge Sentences Chicago Man to Eleven Years in Prison for Illegal Gun Possession and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A convicted felon from Chicago has been sentenced to eleven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a loaded gun and offering to pay witnesses to lie on his behalf.
RAMONE SHAFFERS illegally possessed the handgun and extended magazine on Oct. 16, 2016, in a parked car in the Woodlawn neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. Shaffers had previously been convicted of a felony and was not legally allowed to possess a firearm.
Three passengers were in the car at the time of Shaffers’s illegal possession. After Shaffers was arrested, he directed individuals to offer payment to the passengers in exchange for giving false testimony to law enforcement.
A federal jury in December 2019 convicted Shaffers, 38, on one count of illegal possession of a firearm by a felon, and one count of obstruction of justice. U.S. District Judge John J. Tharp, Jr., imposed the sentence Tuesday in federal court in Chicago.
The sentence was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; and David Brown, Superintendent of the Chicago Police Department.
“Standing alone, the defendant’s possession of a firearm with a serial number plate removed and an extended magazine, is a serious crime,” Assistant U.S. Attorneys Albert Berry III and Kavitha J. Babu argued in the government’s sentencing memorandum. “However, the defendant went further. In a selfish effort to absolve himself, the defendant attempted to disrupt the administration of justice.”
Holding convicted felons accountable through federal prosecution is a centerpiece of Project Safe Neighborhoods and Project Guardian – the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction strategies. In the Northern District of Illinois, U.S. Attorney Lausch and law enforcement partners have deployed the PSN and Guardian programs to attack a broad range of violent crime issues facing the district, particularly firearm offenses.
United States Reaches Agreement with Midwest Can for Clean Air Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Justice announced a settlement today that will require Midwest Can Company, one of the largest manufacturers of portable fuel containers in the United States, to pay a $1.7 million civil penalty to resolve Clean Air Act violations.
The violations resulted from failure to disclose test results showing that Midwest’s portable fuel containers did not meet regulatory standards and emitted higher amounts of pollutants than allowed by federal law. Under the terms of the settlement, Midwest will also conduct two supplemental emission tests in the next four years on its currently certified co-extruded plastic portable fuel containers and submit complete results from those tests to the EPA.
“Today’s settlement with Midwest Can Company marks the Justice Department’s first enforcement action against portable fuel container manufacturers under the Clean Air Act,” said Jonathan D. Brightbill, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This settlement helps maintain the integrity of regulations governing portable fuel containers and ensures that manufacturers who are responsible for complying with the rules do not gain an unfair competitive advantage from subverting regulatory requirements.”
“The defendant submitted false and incomplete information to the EPA and prevented EPA from timely implementing and enforcing regulations intended to protect public health and our air,” said Susan Bodine, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Assistant Administrator. “EPA will continue to enforce against companies that fail to comply with information submission obligations.”
“We are pleased to announce this settlement with Midwest Can Company, one of the largest manufacturers of portable fuel containers in the United States,” said John Lausch Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “In paying a significant penalty and agreeing to perform supplemental testing, Midwest Can Company will be held accountable for its disregard of proper testing and reporting procedures in violation of the Clean Air Act.”
Clean Air Act regulations require that all portable fuel containers sold in the United States must be covered by a certificate of conformity issued by EPA confirming that the containers meet emission limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The complaint filed simultaneously with the settlement alleges that Midwest violated the Clean Air Act because its 2014 applications for certificates of conformity failed to disclose test results showing that the portable fuel containers did not meet regulatory standards and emitted higher amounts of VOCs than allowed by federal law.
EPA discovered the violations following a series of investigative actions from 2016-2018. In 2016, EPA conducted emission testing on five of Midwest’s portable fuel containers sold under the 2014 certificates of conformity. All five containers failed the emission test. EPA proceeded in 2017 to inspect the test lab utilized by Midwest to conduct emission testing of its portable fuel containers. In 2018, EPA received and reviewed additional information from the test lab, which revealed the violations related to Midwest’s applications for certificates of conformity.
VOCs include a variety of chemicals that may produce adverse health effects such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidney, and the central nervous system. VOCs also contribute to the formation of ground level ozone. Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and anyone with lung diseases such as asthma. Ground level ozone can also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.
The consent decree has been lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is subject to public comment for a period of at least 30 days. Notice of the lodging of the consent decree will appear in the Federal Register, allowing for a 30-day public comment period before the consent decree can be entered by the court as final judgment. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. Learn more here: https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violation-general-information.
United States Reaches Agreement with Midwest Can Company for Clean Air Act ViolationsRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Justice today announced a settlement that will require Midwest Can Company, one of the largest manufacturers of portable fuel containers in the United States, to pay a $1.7 million civil penalty to resolve Clean Air Act violations.
The violations resulted from failure to disclose test results showing that Midwest’s portable fuel containers did not meet regulatory standards and emitted higher amounts of pollutants than allowed by federal law. Under the terms of the settlement, Midwest will also conduct two supplemental emission tests in the next four years on its currently certified co-extruded plastic portable fuel containers and submit complete results from those tests to the EPA.
“We are pleased to announce this settlement with Midwest Can Company, one of the largest manufacturers of portable fuel containers in the United States,” said John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. “In paying a significant penalty and agreeing to perform supplemental testing, Midwest Can Company will be held accountable for its disregard of proper testing and reporting procedures in violation of the Clean Air Act.”
“Today’s settlement with Midwest Can Company marks the Justice Department’s first enforcement action against portable fuel container manufacturers under the Clean Air Act,” said Jonathan D. Brightbill, Acting Assistant Attorney General of the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “This settlement helps maintain the integrity of regulations governing portable fuel containers and ensures that manufacturers who are responsible for complying with the rules do not gain an unfair competitive advantage from subverting regulatory requirements.”
“The defendant submitted false and incomplete information to the EPA and prevented EPA from timely implementing and enforcing regulations intended to protect public health and our air,” said Susan Bodine, EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Assistant Administrator. “EPA will continue to enforce against companies that fail to comply with information submission obligations.”
Clean Air Act regulations require that all portable fuel containers sold in the United States must be covered by a certificate of conformity issued by EPA confirming that the containers meet emission limits for volatile organic compounds (VOCs). The complaint filed simultaneously with the settlement alleges that Midwest violated the Clean Air Act because its 2014 applications for certificates of conformity failed to disclose test results showing that the portable fuel containers did not meet regulatory standards and emitted higher amounts of VOCs than allowed by federal law.
EPA discovered the violations following a series of investigative actions from 2016 to 2018. In 2016, EPA conducted emission testing on five of Midwest’s portable fuel containers sold under the 2014 certificates of conformity. All five containers failed the emission test. EPA proceeded in 2017 to inspect the test lab utilized by Midwest to conduct emission testing of its portable fuel containers. In 2018, EPA received and reviewed additional information from the test lab, which revealed the violations related to Midwest’s applications for certificates of conformity.
VOCs include a variety of chemicals that may produce adverse health effects such as eye, nose, and throat irritation, headaches, nausea, and damage to the liver, kidney, and the central nervous system. VOCs also contribute to the formation of ground level ozone. Breathing ozone can trigger a variety of health problems, particularly for children, the elderly, and anyone with lung diseases such as asthma. Ground level ozone can also have harmful effects on sensitive vegetation and ecosystems.
The consent decree has been lodged with the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is subject to public comment for a period of at least 30 days. Notice of the lodging of the consent decree will appear in the Federal Register, allowing for a 30-day public comment period before the consent decree can be entered by the court as final judgment. The consent decree will be available for viewing at https://www.justice.gov/enrd/consent-decrees.
Members of the public can help protect our environment by identifying and reporting environmental violations. Learn more by logging on to https://www.epa.gov/enforcement/report-environmental-violation-general-information.
Chief Financial Officer of Suburban IT Consulting Firm Charged with Embezzling More Than $1.3 Million in Company FundsRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — The former chief financial officer of a suburban IT consulting firm has been indicted on federal fraud charges for allegedly embezzling more than $1.3 million in company funds.
ANTHONY FREMAREK fraudulently caused funds from two of the Schaumburg-based company’s bank accounts to be used to pay his personal credit cards, according to an indictment unsealed Jan. 14, 2021, in U.S. District in Chicago. Fremarek attempted to conceal the embezzlement by falsifying entries in the company’s accounting system to disguise the payments as seemingly legitimate business expenses, the indictment states. The alleged fraud scheme spanned from 2013 to 2019.
The indictment charges Fremarek, 49, of Plainfield, with four counts of wire fraud and two counts of making false statements to a financial institution. Fremarek has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Christopher Diiorio, Special Agent-in-Charge of the U.S. Secret Service Chicago Field Office. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ashley A. Chung.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each false statement count carries a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison, while each count of wire fraud is punishable by up to 20 years. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Silicon Valley Streaming Service Executive Indicted in Alleged “Pump and Dump” Stock Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
CHICAGO — A former executive of a Silicon Valley video streaming service has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Chicago for allegedly engaging in a “pump and dump” stock fraud scheme.
While serving as a director of San Jose, Calif.-based Nanotech Entertainment Inc. (“NTEK”), DAVID FOLEY schemed with an investment manager to manipulate purchases and sales of shares in NanoTech Gaming Inc. (“NTGL”), a Las Vegas, Nev.-based business that had formerly operated as a division of NTEK, according to a ten-count indictment returned Jan. 11, 2021, in U.S. District in Chicago. The indictment charges Foley, 55, of Los Gatos, Calif., and the investment manager, BENNIE BLANKENSHIP, 49, of New Carlisle, Ohio, with wire fraud and securities fraud. Arraignments are scheduled for Jan. 19, 2021, at 10:00 a.m., before U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew Getter.
According to the indictment, Foley acquired shares in NTGL and fraudulently caused them to be unrestricted. Blankenship promoted the NTGL shares by exaggerating the stock’s prospects for success, thereby artificially inflating the share price, the indictment states. Foley then schemed with others to sell the pumped-up stock to the investing public, the indictment states. The fraud scheme lasted from 2013 to 2016, and during a portion of that time Foley was incarcerated in California on an unrelated criminal conviction, the indictment states.
The public is reminded that an indictment is not evidence of guilt. The defendants are presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. If convicted, the Court must impose reasonable sentences under federal statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
Rockford Man Charged with Arson for Allegedly Setting Fire to Retail BusinessRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was arrested Thursday on a federal arson charge for allegedly setting fire to a local retail business.
SEAN CARDENAS, 20, was indicted on Jan. 12, 2021, by a federal grand jury in Rockford on one count of maliciously damaging and destroying, and attempting to damage and destroy, by means of fire, a building at 6260 E. State St. in Rockford. The alleged arson occurred on May 30, 2020.
Cardenas pleaded not guilty at his arraignment Thursday afternoon before U.S. District Judge Steven C. Seeger. Cardenas was ordered to remain in federal custody until a detention hearing on January 19, 2021, at 11:30 a.m.
The indictment and arrest were announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Kristen deTineo, Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Division of the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives. The Rockford Police Department and Rockford Fire Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
The arson charge carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 20 years, in addition to a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Rockford Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Rockford man was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of producing child pornography and committing felony sex offenses while he was required to register as a sex offender.
GARY WILSON, 50, was charged with four counts of producing child pornography via the internet and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor when he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
According to the indictment, between June 2018 and April 2019 Wilson knowingly enticed four minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of the conduct, and then transmitting the depiction via the internet. The indictment also alleges that the production of child pornography by Wilson occurred while he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. Each count of producing child pornography carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of 30 years. The count of committing a felony offense involving a minor carries a mandatory minimum sentence of ten years in federal prison that must be served after any sentence for production of child pornography is completed.
Registered Sex Offender from Freeport Charged with Traveling to Iowa to Engage in Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A Freeport man was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges related to sexual conduct with a minor.
ERICH M. BRINKMEIER, 25, was charged with two counts of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor and one count of committing a felony offense involving a minor when he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI; and Matt Summers, Chief of the Freeport Police Department. The Rockford Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael D. Love.
According to the indictment, Brinkmeier on Oct. 28, 2019, and Nov. 4, 2019, traveled from Illinois to Iowa with the intent of engaging in a sexual act with a 14-year-old child. The indictment also alleges that the interstate travel and sexual acts with a child by Brinkmeier occurred while he was required to be registered as a sex offender.
Each count of travel with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. The count of committing a felony offense involving a minor carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years that must be served after any sentence on the travel counts is completed. If Brinkmeier is convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lake in the Hills Man Charged with Traveling to Kentucky to Engage in Illicit Sexual Conduct with a MinorRead the Press Release
ROCKFORD — A man from Lake in the Hills, Ill. was indicted Tuesday by a federal grand jury on charges of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor.
KEVIN R. DUFFY, 35, was charged with four counts of traveling in interstate commerce for the purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with a minor who was 15 years old and at least four years younger than Duffy.
The indictment was announced by John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Field Office of the FBI. The Lake in the Hills Police Department assisted in the investigation. The government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica S. Maveus.
According to the indictment, Duffy traveled from Illinois to Kentucky on June 25, 2020, July 3, 2020, Aug. 5, 2020, and Oct. 1, 2020, with the intent to engage in sexual conduct with the minor. Duffy has been in law enforcement custody since his arrest on Nov. 18, 2020.
Each count in the indictment carries a maximum penalty of up to 30 years in federal prison, and a fine of up to $250,000. If convicted, the Court must impose a reasonable sentence under federal sentencing statutes and the advisory United States Sentencing Guidelines.
The public is reminded that an indictment contains only charges and is not evidence of guilt. The defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government has the burden of proving guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.