Southern District of Illinois
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Jackson County Man Guilty of Making ‘Meth’Read the Press Release
On June 6, 2013, a Jackson County, Illinois, man pled guilty to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Leslie Blaine Clover, 48, of Desoto, pled guilty in United States District Court in Benton to a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The offense occurred between June 2012 and January 28, 2013, in Jackson and Randolph Counties. Evidence at the plea hearing established that Clover provided pseudoephedrine pills for methamphetamine cooks and assisted in cleaning-up methamphetamine labs after cooks. Clover also acted as a look-out while co-conspirators stole materials needed to manufacture methamphetamine. Clover is currently being held without bond pending an October 3, 2013, sentencing hearing. At that time, Clover faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1,000,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release. Co-defendant Crystal D. Kellems has previously pled guilty to her role in the methamphetamine offense.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, and Randolph County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Former Belleville Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Federal Offenses Charges Include Participating in A Multi-Million Dollar Tax Fraud Conspiracy, Aggravated Identity Theft and Attempting to Obstruct A Federal InvestigationRead the Press Release
Christopher Gilmer, 44, formerly living in Belleville, Illinois, pled guilty to an Information charging, in Count 1, Conspiracy to Defraud the Internal Revenue Service By Submitting False Federal Tax Returns To Make False Claims For Tax Refunds, in Count 2, Aggravated Identity Theft in Using a Social Security Number of Another during and in Relation to Conspiracy to Commit Mail Fraud and Wire Fraud In Submitting false Tax Returns, and in Count 3, attempted Obstruction of Grand Jury Investigation into The Conspiracy to Defraud the Internal Revenue Service By Submitting False Federal Tax Returns To Make False Claims For Tax Refunds, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The offenses carry a statutory maximum sentence of up to thirty-two years in prison, a fine of up to $750,000 and mandatory restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2013.
The prosecution is the result of information from an ongoing federal investigation of a conspiracy to obtain the payment of false and fraudulent federal income tax refunds utilizing stolen identities. The IRS utilizes databases to research possible tax refund fraud schemes. The IRS linked tax returns based on wage amounts, federal tax withholding amounts, bank accounts, employers, email addresses and other factors which revealed a tax refund scheme. The scheme involved the preparation of fraudulent federal 2010, 2011, and 2012 tax returns, which were filed during the 2011, 2012, and 2013 tax filing seasons. This nationwide tax refund fraud scheme consists of thousands of falsified tax returns, which claimed millions in fraudulent tax refunds. The total amount of the fraudulent federal tax refunds sought exceeds $150 million dollars. Some of the refunds were stopped by the I.R.S. All of the tax returns were electronically filed. The first tax return filed in this tax refund fraud scheme was filed on or about March 23, 2011 and the last tax return filed was on or about March 16, 2013. The fraudulent refunds were credited to prepaid debit cards created using stolen identities. People in the United States, including Christopher Gilmer, received the prepaid debit cards and withdrew a portion of the funds utilizing Western Union to electronically wire the funds to other coconspirators in Nigeria. Following the execution of a federal search warrant at a hotel room in Belleville, Illinois where Christopher Gilmer was staying, Christopher Gilmer notified a coconspirator in Nigeria and advised him of the federal investigation.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service with the assistance of the Belleville Police Department. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
To report criminal tax fraud, call the I.R.S. Criminal Investigations at (618) 622-2160, or mail the information to the Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888.
Collinsville Man Sentenced to 6.5 Years in Prison for Viewing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Jonathan S. Mills, 36, of Collinsville, Illinois, was sentenced today in federal court to 6 ½ years in prison for Accessing with Intent to View Child Pornography, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced. Following his prison sentence, Mills will be on federal supervised release for 10 years and will also be required to register as a sex offender for the remainder of his life.
“This was a very just sentence for a very disturbing person.” said United States Attorney Wigginton. “Making such filth available to others assures that the very real children victimized in these images will continue to be victimized time and time again. I hope that this sentence will tell others to stop this abhorrent criminal behavior.”
Court documents establish that in March 2012, during an undercover investigation, agents from the United States Secret Service Southern Illinois Cyber-Crime Unit identified child pornography offered for download from Mills’ computer through the use of a peer-to-peer networking site. Based on the information gathered in the investigation, agents obtained a search warrant for Mills’ residence from which numerous items of computer media were seized. The forensic examination of Mills’ computers revealed that over 69,000 image and video files containing child pornography had been viewed by Mills. During an interview with law enforcement, Mills admitted to viewing images and video files containing child pornography on his computer.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service Southern Illinois Cyber-Crime Unit and the Illinois State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers.
Southern Illinois Resident Sentenced for Defrauding Federal Unemployment Insurance ProgramRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Cymica Grant, 35, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced in United States District Court for defrauding the unemployment insurance program. The District Court sentenced Grant to a 5 year term of probation. Grant also was ordered to pay restitution to the Illinois Department of Employment Security and to pay a $100 special assessment.
“Lying and cheating to receive unemployment compensation is a crime,” said United States Attorney Wigginton. “Those who defraud the unemployment insurance program undermine support for an important public program and hurt and insult every law-abiding citizen of Southern Illinois, particularly as public programs face economic crises. I will continue to place a high priority on pursuing those who steal from the United States Treasury.”
At the time of her guilty plea, Grant admitted to being employed both between July 2008 and June 2009 and also during January 2010 while at the same time filing for and receiving unemployment insurance benefits. In order to receive the benefits, Grant had to certify, approximately every two weeks, to the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) that she was not working and that she was ready, willing, and able to work. She also had to verify that she was actively seeking work. Grant was supposed to inform IDES of any income she received during the certification period, but she did not report that she was employed and earning money, instead choosing to collect both wages and benefits simultaneously. Between July 2008 and January 2010, Grant collected $26,417 in employment insurance benefits to which she was not entitled.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations, the United States Postal Inspection Service, and the Illinois Department of Employment Security, and was prosecuted by Special Assistant United States Attorney Katherine L. Lewis.
From Selling Time to Doing Time: U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois with U.S. Postal Inspection Service Prosecutes 34 in Various Timeshare Resale SchemesRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today his participation in a multi-state, multi-national law enforcement initiative against deceptive timeshare resale scams. The initiative involves over two dozen state attorneys general, various federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, the Federal Trade Commission, and several U.S. Attorneys offices.
"The Southern District of Illinois leads the nation in prosecuting telemarketing fraud - my office prosecuted more defendants in fiscal year 2012 for telemarketing fraud than any other district in the nation," U.S. Attorney Wigginton announced. The Southern District of Illinois prosecuted several timeshare resale scams throughout Florida, as well as in Las Vegas, Nevada. The cases were brought in the Southern District of Illinois because these scams bilked timeshare owners here. So far, thirty-six telemarketers (36) have been convicted. Of those, two dozen have been sentenced with the kingpin of one of the scam companies receiving a sentence of over fifteen (15) years’ incarceration.
"The scams we prosecuted generated over $50 million dollars in ill-gotten gains. Behind this vast fortune lies a vast crime," Wigginton said.
The scams follow a familiar pattern. The timeshare owner, who bought into a dream sold by the timeshare developer, for various reasons, finds that she needs to sell her timeshare unit. Some do because they have lost employment or face some other economic hardship. Some do because they can no longer afford the maintenance costs. Others find that they just don't use it. Whatever the reason, when a telemarketer calls her on telephone and tells her that the telemarketer has a buyer or interested party for her timeshare unit who will pay at, near, or even more than the owner originally paid, the timeshare owner often jumps at the chance. The typical advanced fee of $1,000 to $2,000, which is solicited by the telemarketer who represents it to be closing related expenses like deed preparation, title and maintenance reports, seems a small price to pay for the thousands of dollars that the timeshare owner is guaranteed to receive by cashier's check from the title company which will be closing the sale. But the buyers turn out to be an illusion because there is no substantial market for reselling timeshares where the timeshare owner can get what they paid when originally purchased. When the timeshare owner who paid fees to these companies based upon a lie calls these companies to find out about the status of their closing, they are then lied to further. Few ever get their money back when they complain.
Since there never were any closings, the fees were split among the telemarketers often fueling expensive drug habits. "In the experience of our investigators, this is an industry where having a criminal record and an active drug habit is considered a real asset." (Wigginton was speaking of the cases that have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced.) In the words of one timeshare resale company owner, having a criminal record meant that the prospective telemarketer "was no goody two shoes." Since, in the words of one of the convicted telemarketers, "good salesmen" are "good liars." The ability and willingness to lie is a key job skill for the industry.
“Tens of thousands of people across the country have bought timeshares they can no longer afford to visit or maintain, and those falsely claiming they have a buyer for these timeshares are simply thieves,” said C. Steven Baker, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Midwest Region. “By working together with the U.S. Attorney’s office in the Southern District of Illinois we’ve been able to stop these scammers cold, get money back to victims, and see the crooks get the jail time they deserve.” The FTC has been involved in many of the timeshare resale cases prosecuted in the district.
"At least a bank robber commits his crime without pretense. Telemarketers, by contrast, hide behind a telephone to gain the trust of their victims with lies and manipulation. These crimes are particularly pernicious because the victims are not only robbed of their money, they are also robbed of their ability to trust," said Pete Zegarac, Inspector in Charge, Chicago Division, U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has been the lead agency in all telemarketing and mass marketing cases prosecuted in the Southern District of Illinois.
Wigginton has two words of advice for consumers called by telemarketers offering to sell their timeshare unit…."Hang up!"
Attachment - Spreadsheet
East St. Louis Man Sentenced on Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Detrin C. Spraggins, 46, of East St. Louis, IL, was sentenced in federal district court on June 6, 2013, to 24 months in prison, to be followed by three years supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $200 fine, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Facts presented in court revealed that on February 15, 2012, law enforcement officers patrolling in East St. Louis, Illinois, observed individuals standing around a pickup truck parked across the street from an apartment building. As officers drove closer, the driver of the pickup truck, later identified as Spraggins, closed the driver’s door and quickly sped off. Other officers stopped Spraggins when he pulled into a driveway. Spraggins consented to a body search, where contraband was discovered. This find led to an officer opening the door of the pickup to look for additional contraband. As he did so, he noticed the butt of a firearm sticking out of the driver’s side door pocket.
The case resulted from the efforts of the WAVE (Working Against Violent Elements) Task Force, which focuses its efforts on combating violent crime in East St. Louis, Washington Park, and surrounding communities. The WAVE Task Force receives financial support through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide federal program which endeavors to address gun-related violence.
This investigation was conducted by the WAVE Task Force, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
Mt. Carmel Accountant Faces up to 40 Years in Prison for Fraud and Money Laundering Crimes Against Elderly VictimRead the Press Release
A Mt. Carmel resident pled guilty in federal court to wire fraud and money laundering on June 5, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Kevin C. Williams, 53, was indicted by the federal grand jury on January 8, 2013.
The indictment alleged that Williams, an accountant, developed a personal relationship with an elderly Mt. Carmel resident which enabled him to exert influence over the investment and distribution of her income. Williams admitted in court that he engaged in a lengthy scheme to defraud the victim, by stealing her money while she was alive and altering her will and trust documents so that he would stand to inherit more of her money upon her demise.
Williams admitted orchestrating a fraud scheme against the elderly victim where he conducted a series of financial transactions that caused the victim to lose a total of $2,087,630. He transferred the victim’s funds into his personal checking accounts, his personal savings accounts, his business accounts, and to pay his mortgage. Williams provided the victim with phony account statements so that she would believe that her money was safely invested, when in truth much of her money had been stolen.
Williams also admitted that he committed money laundering by engaging in a series of financial transactions designed to deceive the victim into believing that she was receiving interest payments from investments when no such investments really existed. Williams admitted that he misappropriated the victim’s money to buy cashier’s checks, but then later misrepresented those cashier’s checks to be the proceeds of her investments, when in truth and in fact no such investments existed. According to the terms of the plea, in addition to being ordered to repay the victim, Williams also agreed to pay restitution to the IRS in the amount of $106,438, to a former employer for embezzling $38,547 and to the State of Illinois for fraudulently claiming $16,174 in unemployment benefits.
At sentencing, Williams faces sentences for Wire Fraud, punishable by not more than 20 years in prison, and/or a $250,000 fine, and not more than three years of supervised release, and for Money laundering, which is punishable by not more than 20 years in prison, and/or a $500,000 fine, or both, and not more than three years of supervised release. However, the United States Sentencing Guidelines must be applied to the case and considered by the Court during sentencing. Charges not affecting the calculation of the sentencing guidelines were dismissed as part of the plea. Williams will be sentenced on September 26, 2013.
The investigation was conducted by agents from the Internal Revenue Service / Criminal Investigations, the Illinois Secretary of State Division of Securities, and the US Department of Labor. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
Former Florida Resident Pleads Guilty to Victimizing Consumers in Timeshare Telemarketing ScamRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that Hank Quimby, 35, of Lake Worth, Florida, pled guilty in federal district court on May 31, 2013. The charge arose out of a telemarketing scam which operated in Palm Beach County, Florida that bilked over 22,000 victims of $30 million dollars. Consumers were victimized in all fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, all ten Canadian provinces and the Northwest Territory of Canada. There were at least 54 victims in twenty seven (27) of the thirty eight (38) counties comprising the Southern District of Illinois.
The charge which Quimby plead guilty to states that Quimby was a telemarketer who worked for Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions which conducted a telemarketing timeshare resale scheme targeting timeshare owners throughout the United States and Canada. The information alleges that Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions falsely represented that they had found buyers for the consumers’ timeshare interests and solicited fees of up to several thousand dollars from each consumer in purported pre-paid closing costs and related expenses. The information alleges that the purported sales did not occur, closings were not scheduled as was often represented, and, in fact, Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions did not successfully sell any consumer’s timeshare interest. It is further alleged that Creative Vacation Solutions and Universal Marketing Solutions devoted essentially no resources to marketing their clients’ timeshare interest and simply pocketed the purported closing costs.
Multiple others have been charged in connection with the Creative Vacation Solutions telemarketing scam. On June 30, 2011, Jennifer Kirk pled guilty to a criminal information. She was sentenced on January 9, 2012 to over 16 years in prison and five years’ supervised release. On August 17, 2011, a federal grand jury in East St. Louis charged Steve Folan, Ryan Brazel, and Brian Morris in a multi-count indictment for their involvement in the alleged scheme. Folan, Brazel, and Morris pled guilty. Brazel was sentenced on June 29, 2012 to 121 months in prison and three years’ supervised release. Folan was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years’ supervised release. Morris was sentenced to 168 months and five years’ supervised release. Joel Intravaia pled guilty to conspiracy in an information filed on August 19, 2011. He was sentenced to 60 months in prison and three years’ supervised release on December 9, 2011. Ralph Johnson entered a guilty plea to conspiracy charges filed in a criminal information on September 8, 2011. He was sentenced on December 16, 2011, to 46 months in prison and two years’ supervised release. On September 21, 2011, Kenneth Foote and Joseph Grizzanti were indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis. On October 7, 2011, each filed a consent to transfer their case to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in order to plead guilty to the charges there. On May 11, 2012 in the Southern District of Florida, Foot was sentenced to 60 months in prison and Grizzante to 72 months, respectively. Jeffrey Tracey Fields was charged with conspiracy in a criminal information on October 25, 2011. He filed a consent to transfer his case to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida in order to plead guilty to the charges there. Fields was sentenced to 101 months in prison. John Thomas Egan pled guilty to conspiracy charges filed in a criminal information on January 6, 2012. Egan was sentenced to 90 months in prison. On January 20, 2012, David Johnson and Erin Todd were indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis. Johnson pled guilty and received 36 months in prison. Todd’s case was tried before a jury in September 2012. Todd was found guilty and sentenced to 42 months in prison. In March 2012, John Robert Eddy, Cloyd James Holmes, Jr., Gino Christopher Marquez, and Donald Myers were indicted by a federal grand jury in East St. Louis for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Eddy pled guilty and received 60 months in prison; Holmes pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing; Marquez pled guilty and received 70 months in prison; and Myers pled guilty and received 30 months in prison. In April 2012, Daniel L. Gregg, Joshua G. Schneidau, and Lacey Marie Stone were indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Gregg pled guilty and received 27 months in prison; Schneidau pled guilty and received 60 months in prison; and Stone plead guilty and is awaiting sentencing. In May 2012 Anthony Colon, Troy Dye, Chris Gilkey, Marc Martinangelo, and Robert Santiago were indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Colon pled guilty and received 70 months in prison; Dye pled guilty and is awaiting sentencing; Gilkey pled guilty and received 27 months in prison; Martinangelo pled guilty and received 1 year plus 1 day in prison; and Santiago pled guilty and received 20 months in prison. In July 2012 Daniel James Ferrara and Robert Schmucker were indicted for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud. Both Ferrara and Schmucker pled guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
The criminal charges follow an investigation by the St. Louis Field Office of the Chicago Division of the United States Postal Inspection Service, the Florida Attorney General’s Office, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the Boynton Beach Florida Police Department. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce E. Reppert and Katherine L. Lewis, and U.S. Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Foreign National Sentenced on Firearms, Immigration OffensesRead the Press Release
Emilio Barrios-Cortez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, who most recently resided in Madison, Illinois, was sentenced to prison on June 1, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Barrios-Cortez, who had previously entered a plea of guilty on December 10, 2012, to Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien (Count 1), and Entry Into the United States Without Inspection (Count 2) was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and ordered to pay a special assessment of $110. The Court also ordered that the firearm possessed by Barrios-Cortez be forfeited to the United States. The sentencing Court entered a Judicial Order of Removal, which will require Barrios-Cortez to be deported from the United States following the service of his sentence.
Barrios-Cortez was arrested on August 23, 2012, when federal agents went to a residence in Madison to attempt to arrest two individuals who had been charged as a result of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Agencies participating in that investigation included the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), U.S. Marshal Service, the Granite City Police Department, Fairview Heights Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County (Missouri) Police Department, the St. Charles County (Missouri) Sheriff’s Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. Although those two individuals were not located at that time, agents did locate a sawed-off shotgun, which further investigation revealed had been possessed by Barrios-Cortez. In addition, according to the Stipulation of Facts filed with the Court at the time of the plea, Barrios-Cortez admitted to agents that he was an illegal alien who entered the country in October 2002 near Douglas, Arizona.
This case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey.
Mount Vernon Woman Sentenced for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
A Mount Vernon woman, Mary Barnett-Johnson, 51, convicted of Theft of Government Funds in February of this year, was sentenced in United States District Court on May 31, 2013, to five years of probation and was also ordered to pay $85,353.00 in restitution, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Barnett-Johnson was charged in an indictment on December 11, 2012, by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in East St. Louis, Illinois. At her plea, on February 22, 2013, Barnett- Johnson admitted that she had fraudulently continued to receive and use her deceased mother’s social security benefits knowing that she was not entitled to receive or use those funds for her own personal benefit. Barnett-Johnson admitted that she received $85,353.00 in social security payments from August of 2003 through September of 2011 that were intended for her mother, who died in 2003.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration’s Office of Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ranley R. Killian.
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Firearm and Immigration ChargesRead the Press Release
Antonio Rea-Fabela, also known as Roman Guadarrama, 36, a citizen of Mexico, who most recently resided in St. Louis, Missouri, pled guilty on May 28, 2013, to Possession of a Firearm by an Illegal Alien (Count 1); and Entry Into the United States Without Inspection (Count 2), the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Rea-Fabela, who is currently scheduled to be sentenced on September 13, 2013, faces a possible penalty of not more than ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, not more than three years of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment on Count 1 and up to six months imprisonment, a $5000 fine and a $10 special assessment on Count 2. Rea-Fabela also agreed to the entry of a Judicial Order of Removal, which will require that he be deported from the United States after the service of any sentence of imprisonment.
Evidence for this indictment was gathered during an investigation conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of the Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department. This case has been assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.
Fairview Heights Man Pleads Guilty in Heroin Overdose DeathRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Joseph L. Robinson pled guilty in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, IL, on May 29, 2013, to selling the heroin which caused the death of Donnie T. Bauman on December 21, 2010.
U.S. Attorney Wigginton noted, “This successful prosecution is yet another step in our anti-heroin initiative. Our anti-heroin effort is designed to slow down and reverse the epidemic of heroin overdose deaths among young people in the Southern District of Illinois. As I have said to nearly 10,000 students, the penalties for drug dealers who choose to prey on young heroin users are very severe, and rightly so.”
Robinson, 30, of Fairview Heights, IL, will be sentenced in U.S. District Court in East St. Louis, IL on Monday, September 16, 2013 at 8:00 a.m. Robinson has been confined since his arraignment on the federal charge on November 10, 2011. Robinson faces a sentence of not less than 20 years and not more than life imprisonment.
Donnie T. Bauman was 22 years old when he died at his residence in Fairview Heights on December 21, 2010. According to documents filed with the District Court at Robinson’s change of plea hearing, Robinson sold Bauman two “buttons” of heroin (approximately one fifth of a gram) for $20 in cash about seven hours before family members discovered Bauman’s body. Next to Bauman’s body, police found a syringe, which Robinson admitted he had provided to Bauman.
The investigation which resulted in Robinson’s conviction was conducted by the Fairview Heights Police Department, Metropolitan Enforcement Group of Southwestern Illinois (MEGSI) and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is assigned to AUSA Robert L. Garrison for prosecution.
Centralia Man Sentenced on Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Jason T. Bayles, 34, of Centralia, IL, was sentenced in United States District Court in East St. Louis on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 to 100 months in federal prison for “Possession of Pseudoephedrine for the Manufacture of Methamphetamine.” Bayles pled guilty to that charge on January 24, 2013.
At his change of plea hearing in January, Bayles admitted purchasing hundreds of pseudoephedrine tablets in both Marion and Clinton Counties between 2009 and 2011, knowing that these tablets would be used to manufacture methamphetamine.
The investigation which resulted in Bayles’ conviction and sentence was conducted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, and the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Alton Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
On May 28, 2013, Jared R. Henry, a thirty-four year old Alton, Illinois, man pled guilty in federal district court, in East St. Louis, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Henry is scheduled for sentencing on September 13, 2013, at which time he faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years’ in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, not more than 3 years’ of supervised release after his prison term, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Henry also agreed to forfeiture of the firearms.
Court proceedings revealed that on October 18, 2012, police officers went to a residence in Alton, IL, after receiving an anonymous tip about drug activity at the home. Officers were aware of an active warrant for Henry’s arrest before arriving on the premises. Officers knocked several minutes upon arrival and were allowed to enter the home by a resident answering the door. Once inside, an officer immediately observed Henry lying in bed in a bedroom in direct view of the front door. He was presented with the warrant, arrested and removed from the household. Officers were given written consent to search the premises by the resident answering the door. Five different firearms were recovered during the search.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Alton Police Department, and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak for prosecution.
Two Perry County Women Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Two Perry County, Illinois, residents were indicted by a federal grand jury on May 21, 2013, and charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
On May 24, 2013, Pattsy P. Pelate, 26, Willisville, and Julie A. Keller, a/k/a “Julie Smith,” “Julie Keller-Smith,” 34, Cutler, were arraigned in United States District Court in Benton on their indictment. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between 2010 and November 2012, in Jackson and Randolph Counties. Pelate and Keller are currently being held without bond pending a May 28, 2013, detention hearing.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Pelate and Keller face up to 20 years’ imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Perry County Sheriff’s Office, and Murphysboro Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Randolph County Woman Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Randolph County, Illinois, woman was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 21, 2013, for two methamphetamine-related offenses, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
On May 24, 2013, Rachael S. Holt, 39, Sparta, was arraigned in United States District Court in Benton on a two-count indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine and possession of pseudoephedrine knowing that it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that the offenses occurred between 2009 and March 2013, in Jackson, Randolph, and St. Clair Counties. Holt is currently being held without bond pending a May 28, 2013, detention hearing.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Holt faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, and Sparta Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Jackson County Man Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Jackson County, Illinois, man was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 9, 2013, for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
On May 24, 2013, Charles W. Scallion, 41, of Carbondale, was arraigned in United States District Court in Benton on an indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between May 2012, and March 28, 2013, in Jackson County. Scallion is currently being held without bond pending a July 29, 2013, jury trial.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Scallion faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, 3 years’ supervised release, and a $1,000,000 fine.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Murphysboro Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Las Vegas Fraudster Facing Federal Charges for Multi-Million Dollar Telemarketing OperationRead the Press Release
On May 22, 2013, Michael Patrick Sullivan, Jr., 37, of Las Vegas, Nevada, was charged in a federal indictment with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and mail fraud, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. If convicted, Sullivan is subject to a term of imprisonment of up to 25 years, a fine of $250,000 and five years of supervised release.
The charge arose out of a telemarketing scam which operated in Las Vegas, Nevada, which the indictment alleged bilked over 3,000 victims of approximately 10 million dollars. Consumers were victimized in all fifty states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, all ten Canadian provinces and the Northwest Territory of Canada, as well as Australia, Israel and the United Kingdom. There were at least twelve (12) victims in nine (9) of the thirty-eight (38) counties comprising the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment alleges that the scheme operated from December 5, 2006, until January 24, 2012.
The indictment alleges that Sullivan owned a telemarketing company, Vacation Max, which operated a timeshare resale scam. The company purported to be a Georgia corporation located in Delaware, but actually operated in Las Vegas, Nevada. The indictment alleges that the company falsely represented that they had found corporate buyers interested in acquiring blocks of timeshare units including the consumer's timeshare unit for purported business and tax purposes. The company solicited fees of up to several thousand dollars from each timeshare owner in purported pre-paid closing costs and related expenses. The indictment alleges that the purported sales did not occur and that Vacation Max did not successfully sell any consumer’s timeshare interest except a relatively small number at “firesale” prices.
This case is one of several cases recently prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Illinois relating to timeshare resale fraud.
The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bruce E. Reppert and Nathan D. Stump.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Ridgeway Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing 14 FirearmsRead the Press Release
Frederick J. Zirkelbach, 48, of Ridgeway, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of firearms, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on April 2nd, alleged that Zirkelbach was found to be in possession of 14 firearms and ammunition on March 9, 2013, following the execution of a search warrant at his residence in Ridgeway. Prior to that date Zirkelbach had been convicted of two felony offenses which made it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
Zirkelbach faces up to 10 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration. The firearms and ammunition he illegally possessed are also subject to forfeiture to the United States.
Zirkelbach has been held without bond in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on the federal charges. He was returned to the Marshal’s custody to await sentencing which was set for September 20th at 10:30 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Benton.
The case was investigated by the District 19 office of the Illinois State Police and the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Ridgeway Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Murphysboro Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin in Saline CountyRead the Press Release
Brian L. Cayce, 45, of Murphysboro, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging him with distributing heroin, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on November 6, 2012, alleged that Cayce distributed 1.9 grams of heroin on September 18, 2012, to an agent of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force who was working undercover.
Cayce faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $1 million fine, and a term of 3 years to life on supervised release to follow his incarceration.
Cayce has been held without bond in the custody of the United States Marshal since his arrest on the federal charges. He was returned to the Marshal’s custody to await sentencing which was set for October 3, 2013, at 10:00 a.m. at the United States District Courthouse in Benton.
The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force with the assistance of the United States Drug Enforcement Administration.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Jackson County Man Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A Jackson County, IL, man pled guilty to an indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Anthony R. Renth, 45, of Murphysboro, entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. The indictment alleged that the offense occurred between June 2012 and November 1, 2012, in Jackson and Union Counties. Renth is currently being held without bond pending a September 26, 2013, sentencing hearing. At that time, he will face a penalty of up to 30 years in prison, a $2,000,000 fine, and 6 years of supervised release.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Murphysboro Police Department and Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance of the Union County Sheriff’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Franklin County Woman Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
On May 22, 2013, Rachel L. Mills, 33, of Mulkeytown, IL, plead guilty in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
The factual basis at the time of Mills’ plea established that, between August 2009 and September 4, 2012, Mills was involved with Joseph R. Green and others in the manufacture of methamphetamine in Jackson County. On September 4, 2012, Mills was arrested in Murphysboro after she attempted to steal lithium batteries to be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Mills is currently being held without bond pending her September 26, 2013, sentencing hearing. Green, who previously entered a guilty plea, is being held without bond pending a September 5, 2013, sentencing hearing. The methamphetamine offense carries a penalty of up to 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1,000,000.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff's Office and Murphysboro Police Department. The Jackson County State’s Attorney's Office also assisted in the investigation.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
Former City of Marion Water Department Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
Linda Heyde, 59, of Marion, IL, pled guilty in United States District Court to three counts of theft and embezzlement from a local government which receives federal funds, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced. Each count carries a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison, up to 3 years supervised release following any jail term, a $250,000 fine, a $100 mandatory special assessment, and mandatory restitution. Sentencing is scheduled for September 20, 2013.
Evidence revealed in Court at the plea showed that Heyde had been employed as the manager of the City of Marion Water Department, from 1996 through May, 2012. After being caught stealing funds, an audit was conducted that determined that there was over $500,000 in missing funds for a three year period of May, 2009, through April, 2012. Heyde admitted as part of the plea to embezzling funds from the City of Marion's Water Department in each of those fiscal years but is contesting the total loss amount.
The prosecution is the result of an investigation conducted by the City of Marion Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution was being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Personal Assistant and Beneficiary Sentenced for Fraud on the Medicaid Home Services ProgramRead the Press Release
On May 21, 2013, Daniel Geary, 39, of Caseyville, IL, was sentenced in District Court in East St. Louis, IL, on one count of False Statement related to Health Care Matters, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Having been confined in county jail for four months, Daniel Geary was sentenced to time served, three (3) years of supervised release, a special assessment of $100, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $420 to the State of Illinois and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. On the same offense on April 1, 2013, Cynthia Harmon, age 40, of Alton, IL also had been sentenced to time served, two (2) years of supervised release, a special assessment of $100, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $420. Daniel Geary and Cynthia Harmon, personal assistant and beneficiary, previously pled guilty to defrauding the Illinois Department of Human Services (DHS) Home Services Program, a Medicaid Waiver Program intended to prevent the unnecessary institutionalization of Medicaid beneficiaries who may be satisfactorily maintained at home. Both admitted to making a materially false statement in connection with the delivery of health care services by reporting on a Home Services Time Sheet sent to the Illinois Department of Human Services, Office of Rehabilitation Services, that Daniel Geary performed 44.5 hours of personal assistant work for Cynthia Harmon from February16 through March 15, 2012, even though each defendant knew that, because Harmon was incarcerated in the St. Louis County jail, the personal assistant services were not performed.
The case was investigated by agents of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) and the Illinois State Police, Medicaid Fraud Control Bureau (MFCB). This case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Jude Quinley.
Former Guard Sentenced to Prison for Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
A former federal correctional officer from the Federal Correctional Institution at Greenville was sentenced to a total of six months in prison, a year of supervised release, and $22,108 in restitution to the IRS, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Attillah Ruffin, 43, waived her right to be indicted by the Grand Jury and pled guilty to an Information in US District Court on January 28, 2013, for filing false tax returns. Ruffin admitted falsifying her personal income tax returns each tax year from 2005-2010. During that time period she defrauded the US Government out of $22,108 by claiming false dependents, false child care expenses, false unreimbursed employee expenses, and false residential energy credits. Ruffin also admitted to fraudulently obtaining a larger tax refund by using an inapplicable filing status by claiming to be a “head of household” when her filing status should have been “single.” Ruffin admitted that these crimes occurred while she was employed as a law enforcement officer for the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
Ruffin was sentenced to serve three months of her sentenced while imprisoned at the Bureau of Prisons, with 3 additional months to be served as home confinement. In addition to paying restitution, she was ordered not to open any credit accounts without prior approval and she was directed to undergo counseling for gambling while also signing a self-exclusion from area gaming establishments.
The investigation was conducted by agents from the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Steven D. Weinhoeft.
East St. Louis Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Akai J. Aikens, 29, of East Saint Louis, IL, was sentenced on May 20, 2013, in federal district court, in East St. Louis, IL, on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Aikens was sentenced to 48 months’ in prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment. Aikens pled guilty on December 11, 2012. He also agreed to forfeit the firearm. The charges stem from an October 5, 2012, incident when a law enforcement officer on patrol in East St. Louis, observed a vehicle traveling with numerous objects hanging from the review mirror, obstructing the driver’s view. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle, when it abruptly swerved into a bar and car wash parking lot. Aikens exited the car from the passenger side, running behind the car wash. After repeated demands by the officer for him to return and threats to release a canine, Aikens emerged from behind the building. The canine was released to search the area, locating a Glock Model 22c.40 caliber semi-automatic pistol behind the car wash moments later.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Illinois State Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
East St. Louis Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Joseph L. Edwards, 26, of East St. Louis, IL, was sentenced in federal district court on May 20, 2013, in East St. Louis, IL, to 30 months’ in prison, to be followed by three years’ supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $100 fine, for unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
At his plea, Edwards admitted that on October 25, 2011, he possessed a firearm and ammunition after having been previously convicted on August 21, 2009, of a state felony offense. Court proceedings revealed that law enforcement officials recovered one Smith and Wesson, .38 Special Caliber, five-shot revolver and four .38 special cartridges at his residence in East St. Louis, Illinois, after investigating an anonymous tip regarding the firing of guns at the home.
This case resulted from the efforts of the WAVE (Working Against Violent Elements) Task Force, which focuses its efforts on combating violent crime in East St. Louis, Washington Park, and surrounding communities. The WAVE Task Force receives financial support through the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative, a nationwide federal program which endeavors to address gun-related violence.
This investigation was conducted by the WAVE Task Force, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.
Three Jackson County Men Charged with Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Three Jackson County, Illinois, residents were indicted on May 9, 2013, and charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
On May 13, 2013, and May 14, 2013, Donald Gregory, 47, and Jaben Graff, 35, both of Murphysboro, and Daniel Loden, 30, of Grand Tower, were arraigned in United States District Court in Benton on the charge. The indictment alleges that the offense occurred between March 2011 and March 2013 in Jackson County. At a May 16, 2013, detention hearing, Gregory and Graff were ordered held without bond pending a July 15, 2013, jury trial. Loden was released on bond.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Gregory, Graff, and Loden face a term of a minimum of 5, but not more than 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, and 4 years of supervised release.
The ongoing investigation is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office and Murphysboro Police Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Carbondale Man Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
On May 9, 2013, Andre V. Scott, of Carbondale, IL, plead guilty in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging him with being a felon in possession of a firearm, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Facts revealed at the time of Scott’s plea that, on November 29, 2012, Scott was involved in a dispute in Carbondale. During the dispute, Scott retrieved a Charter Arms, .38 special revolver and threatened multiple persons with the gun. Scott is prohibited from possessing firearms based on a prior felony conviction for Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance. Scott is currently being held without bond pending an August 22, 2013, sentencing date. At that time, he faces a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, up to 3 years’ supervised release following any prison sentence, and a fine of up to $250,000. The firearm Scott illegally possessed is also subject to forfeiture to the United States.
The investigation was conducted by the Carbondale Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson for prosecution.
USP-Marion Inmate Sentenced for Possessing A Weapon in PrisonRead the Press Release
Lamar Elmer Smith, 32, an inmate at the United States Penitentiary at Marion, Illinois, was sentenced to an additional prison term of 24 months today in United States District Court in Benton for possessing a weapon in that prison, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Smith was charged in an indictment by a Federal Grand Jury with possessing a 7 inch long piece of sharpened metal, which appeared to be constructed from fence material and resembled an ice pick. The offense occurred on August 16, 2012. Smith pled guilty to the charge on January 31, 2013.
At the time he possessed the weapon, Smith was serving a 211 month sentence imposed in the Eastern District of Missouri for conspiring to distribute cocaine and possessing a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. The 24 month term of imprisonment was imposed consecutively to that sentence.
In addition to the term of imprisonment, Smith was ordered to pay the United States fines and special assessments totaling $200 and was placed on a 3 year term of supervised release to follow his incarceration.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation with the assistance of the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Mascoutah Man Charged with Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
A Mascoutah man, Michael W. Dawson, 33, was charged in federal court in East St. Louis, in a Criminal Complaint with Bank Robbery, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The alleged violation took place on May 15, 2013, in Washington County, Illinois.
The offense charged in the Complaint alleges that on or about May 15, 2013, Dawson by force, violence, and intimidation, did take from the person or presence of another, money belonging to and in the care, custody, control, management, and possession of the First National Bank of Okawville.
Bank Robbery carries a potential term of not more than 20 years in prison, a fine up to $250,000, or both, and a supervised release term of five years.
A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The information contained in the complaint was obtained through an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Okawville Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by United States Attorney Stephen R. Wigginton and Assistant United States Attorney Deirdre A. Durborow.
Marion Prison Inmate Charged with EscapeRead the Press Release
David John Pederson, 55, an inmate at the Federal Prison Camp at Marion, Illinois, appeared today for arraignment in United States District Court in Benton on charges that he escaped from the custody of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. Pederson was charged by a Federal Grand Jury on May 9th with leaving the extended limits of his confinement while on an unescorted transfer from FPC-Marion to a half-way house in Council Bluff, Iowa. This conduct, under Federal law, is deemed an escape. The indictment alleged that the offense occurred on March 26, 2013, in Jefferson County.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
At the time of the escape, Pederson was serving a 71 month sentence from the Southern District of Iowa for bank robbery. If convicted of the escape offense, Pederson faces up to an additional 5 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration.
Following his arraignment, Pederson was ordered held without bond and was returned to the custody of the Illinois Department of Corrections, where he is serving a 20 year sentence for aggravated vehicular hijacking, to await further proceedings.
The case was investigated by the United States Marshal’s Service with the assistance of the Mt. Vernon Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Prisons.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Foreign National Sentenced for Illegal Re-Entry by an Aggravated FelonRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that Marcos Montes-Jurado was sentenced on Thursday, May 16, 2013 to 63 months in prison for Illegal Re-entry by an Aggravated Felon.
Montes-Jurado, 53, is a Mexican national who was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agents in Belleville, IL, on January 2, 2013. He has been confined since his arrest. Montes-Jurado pled guilty to the federal charge in United States District Court in East St. Louis on February 15, 2013.
According to evidence presented at his change of plea and sentencing hearings, Montes-Jurado has been previously deported from the United States to Mexico four times. He also has five prior felony convictions in the United States, including three prior convictions relating to the distribution of cocaine.
When Montes-Jurado completes his term of imprisonment, he will be placed in civil deportation proceedings.
The investigation which resulted in Montes-Jurado’s arrest and conviction was conducted by ICE agents and the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert L. Garrison.
Equality Woman Pleads Guilty to Methamphetamine OffenseRead the Press Release
Jeanette L. Margenthaler, 41, of Equality, Illinois, pled guilty today in United States District Court in Benton to an indictment charging her with one count of unlawfully possessing pseudoephedrine with the intent that it be used to manufacture methamphetamine, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on February 5, 2013, alleged that the offense occurred in Saline County on January 8th.
Sentencing was set for September 6th at 10:00 a.m. at the United States Courthouse in Benton. At that time, Margenthaler faces up to 20 years’ imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow her incarceration.
Margenthaler, who has been held without bond since her arrest on the federal charge on February 8th, was again remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await sentencing.
The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force with the assistance of the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Brooklyn Man Found Guilty on Firearms ChargeRead the Press Release
Jason L. White, 28, of Venice, was found guilty today by a jury in federal court in East St. Louis of being a previously convicted felon in possession of a firearm, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced. The court set sentencing for August 30, 2013, at which time White may face up to ten years in prison.
The jury found that, between March 23, 2011, and March 31, 2011, in St. Clair County, White knowingly and unlawfully possessed a Glock .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol. White had previously been convicted of a felony, Unlawful Delivery of a Controlled Substance Within 1000 Feet of a Church, in Madison County, Illinois.
The case was investigated by agents and officers of the United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Illinois State Police Metro-East Forensic Science Laboratory, the Illinois Department of Corrections’ Parole Office, the Brooklyn Police Department, and the East St. Louis Police Department. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen B. Clark and Liam Coonan.
Bluford Man Charged with Illegally Possessing A FirearmRead the Press Release
Craig L. Fenton, 47, of Bluford, Illinois, has been charged in United States District Court in Benton with being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois. The indictment, returned by a Federal Grand Jury on May 9th, alleged that Fenton was found to be in possession of a loaded .38 special caliber revolver on April 2, 2013, in Wayne County. Prior to that date Fenton had been convicted of two felony offenses, making it illegal under federal law for him to possess firearms or ammunition.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proved guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
If convicted, Fenton faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release to follow his incarceration. The firearm he illegally possessed is also subject to forfeiture to the United States.
Following a detention hearing held on May 14th, Fenton was denied bond and remanded to the custody of the United States Marshal to await further proceedings. Fenton’s next scheduled court appearance is July 11th at 9:30 a.m. for a final pre-trial conference at the Federal Courthouse in Benton.
The case was investigated by the Carmi office of the Southern Illinois Drug Task Force and the Wayne County Sheriff’s Department with the assistance of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney James M. Cutchin.
Seven Face Federal Methamphetamine ChargesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Benton, Illinois, has charged seven individuals with methamphetamine related offenses, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Those charged with various methamphetamine offenses are:Daniel E. Pickens, 30, of Wheeler, Illinois; Rachel S. Priest, 37, of Wheeler, Illinois; Justin Pocrnich, 28, of Wheeler, Illinois; Deborah S. Rogers, 47, of Wheeler, Illinois; Kimberly A. Barker (Depositer), 32 of Watson, Illinois; Joshua R. Rodgers, 22, of Hidalgo, Illinois, and Savannah L. Ellis, 20, of Newton, Illinois.
The 26 count indictment charges all of the defendants with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine. All of the defendants are also charged with possession of pseudoephedrine with intent that it be used to manufacture methamphetamine. Defendant Pickens is also charged with maintaining a drug house in Wheeler, Illinois, and with several thefts of anhydrous ammonia.
If convicted, those charged with conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine face 10 years to life in prison and a $10 million fine. Those charged with the other methamphetamine related offenses also face up to 20 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
The investigation in this case was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Illinois State Police, Southeastern Illinois Drug Task Force, United States Marshals Service, the Effingham County Sheriff’s Office; the Effingham County State’s Attorney’s Office, the Jasper County Sheriff’s Office and the Jasper County State’s Attorney’s Office.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Tom Leggans.
Belleville Man Sentenced to Prison Term for Felon in Possession of A FirearmRead the Press Release
Courtney Darris, 22, of Belleville, Illinois, was sentenced to 70 months in prison in the federal district court for Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Previously Convicted Felon, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. Darris was also order to pay a $100 special assessment, a $500 fine and to serve a term of 2 years of supervised release following imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system. Darris has been in custody since his arrest on September 17, 2012.
“I hope that cases like this will help send out messages that my office will continue to vigorously prosecute any illegal use of firearms and that the penalties are severe.” said United States Attorney Wigginton.
Court documents establish that on September 17, 2012 at 5:00 p.m., Darris was standing outside the Food Mart on Carlyle Avenue in Belleville, Illinois when a vehicle pulled onto the lot. At that time, Darris withdrew a firearm from his backpack and fired several shots in the direction of the vehicle. Darris was arrested later that same day and found to be in possession of a Hi-Point 9mm pistol with a fully loaded magazine. The serial number of the firearm had been filed off. Darris agreed to a recorded interview with law enforcement at which time he admitted to being in possession of the firearm and to shooting the gun in the direction of the vehicle while at the Food Mart.
The investigation was conducted by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF). The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers.
Seven Indicted on Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today that on May 9, 2013, Martez Moore, a.k.a. “Tez” and “Mo,” 38, of Belleville, Antwone Johnson, a.k.a. “Twon,” 33, of Cahokia; Dewayne Hill, 38, St. Clair County, Brian Matthews, a.k.a. “Caine,” 46, St. Clair County, Jaren Jamison, a.k.a. “J,” 25, of Cahokia, Bryant Sawyer, 27, St. Clair County, and Orlando Ward, 41, of Belleville, were indicted by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, in a four count indictment charging all in Count 1 with Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine, the amount being in excess of five kilograms. All but Ward were also charged in Count 2 with Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime. Moore and Johnson were also charged in Counts 3 and 4 of the Indictment with Distribution of Cocaine Base, in the form commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine. The Indictment also has a forfeiture allegation relating to four firearms.
The conspiracy is alleged to have taken place from April 5, 2013, to May 7, 2013, in St. Clair and Madison Counties. The allegation contained in Count 2 is alleged to have taken place on May 7, 2013, in St. Clair and Madison Counties. The allegation contained in Count 3 is alleged to have taken place on April 5, 2013, and the allegation contained in Count 4 is alleged to have taken place on April 11, 2013, both in St. Clair County.
If convicted, the maximum penalties are as follows: Count 1 – not less than 10 years, up to life in prison, a $10,000,000 fine, not less than 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment; Count 2 – not less than 5 years, up to life in prison consecutive to the sentence on Count 1, a $250,000 fine, up to 5 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment; Count 3 – up to 20 years in prison, a $1,000,000 fine, not less than 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment; Count 4 – not less than 5 years, but up to 40 years in prison, a $5,000,000 fine, not less than 4 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
Information leading to the charges was obtained in an investigation conducted jointly by federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies working in partnership.
Pembrook Man Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
On May 11, 2013, Percy C. Jefferson, 34, of Pembrook, IL, pled guilty in United States District Court in Benton to a one-count indictment charging conspiracy to distribute crack cocaine, announced Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois.
The offense occurred between February 2003, and April 27, 2006, in Jackson and Jefferson Counties, Illinois. Jefferson had been a fugitive until September 12, 2012, when he was arrested by members of the Great Lakes Regional Fugitive Task Force. Evidence at the plea hearing established that Jefferson was involved with others in the distribution of crack cocaine in the Murphysboro area. Jefferson admitted that he was responsible for the distribution of more than 840 grams of crack cocaine.
Jefferson is currently being held without bond pending an August 29, 2013, sentencing hearing. At that time, Jefferson faces a term of imprisonment from 20 years to life, 10 years’ supervised release, and a fine of up to $20,000,000. Eight co-defendants have previously been sentenced to prison terms ranging from 120 months - 288 months for their role in the crack cocaine conspiracy.
The investigation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) operation and is being conducted by the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Murphysboro Police Department, Drug Enforcement Administration, United States Marshals Service, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Amanda A. Robertson.
Herrin Man Indicted for Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Mark P. Troehler, 38, of Herrin Illinois, was indicted by a federal grand jury sitting in Benton, Illinois, on May 9, 2013, and charged with Bank Fraud, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The offense carries a maximum sentence of up to 30 years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to $1,000,000, and mandatory restitution.
The indictment alleges that Mark P. Troehler, from January 2010, and continuing to until August of 2010, engaged in a scheme to defraud the Bank of Marion, in Marion, Illinois, of $71,000. According to the indictment, Mark P. Troehler, who was at the time a contractor, took out a loan from the bank to build a home in Herrin, Illinois, and then utilized the funds for personal and unrelated business expenses, while supplying false documents to the bank indicating the funds were being used to build the home. Troehler ultimately defaulted on the loan.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The case was investigated by agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ranley R. Killian.
Former School Business Official, and Treasurer of the Carterville School District, Charged with Embezzling FundsRead the Press Release
Todd Ryan Frazier, 30, of Grand Rapids, Michigan, was indicted by a grand jury and charged in a sixteen count Indictment with: Counts 1 - 3, Embezzlement and Theft from the Carterville School District - a unit of local government that received federal funds; Counts 4 - 13, Wire Fraud in furtherance of a scheme to defraud the Carterville School District; Count 14, False Statements to the Federal Bureau of Investigation; Count 15, Attempting to Access a Computer of a Financial Institution Without Authorization; and Count 16, Uttering a Forged Check of the Carterville School District, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The offenses each carry a total statutory maximum sentence of up to 250 years in prison, a fine of up to $3.400,000 and mandatory restitution.
The Indictment alleges that Todd Ryan Frazier, from August of 2008, and continuing through February of 2012, engaged in a scheme to defraud the Carterville School District, Unit 5, in Williamson County, Illinois, while he was the School Business Official which included the duties and responsibilities to act as the treasurer and payroll officer for the district. The Indictment further alleges that Todd Ryan Frazier lied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation during its investigation when he stated that he had not stolen money from the Carterville School District nor did he make any false entries into Carterville School District’s payroll system.
An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
Foreign National Sentenced on Convictions Related to Trafficking in Cocaine and MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
A citizen of Mexico, who was named, along with nine others in an indictment returned in August 2012, was sentenced on May 10, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Gonzalo Nunez-Camacho, 38, a citizen of Mexico who most recently resided in West Valley City, Utah, had previously entered pleas of guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine; Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine; and Interstate Travel in Support of Racketeering on January 23, 2013. Nunez-Camacho was sentenced to 168 months imprisonment, followed by five years of supervised release. Nunez-Camacho was also ordered to pay a $300 special assessment and to forfeit to the United States the amount of $532,000, in addition to the $35,738 in United States currency which was seized from him by law enforcement on June 23, 2012. In addition, the Court issued a Judicial Order of Removal, which will require that he be deported from the United States following the service of his sentence.
Five of the ten conspirators charged in the indictment have entered pleas of guilty. Three are awaiting trial, and two remain fugitives. An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, those defendants who have not yet been convicted are presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Evidence in support of the indictment was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Participating agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), U.S. Marshal Service, the Granite City Police Department, Fairview Heights Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County (Missouri) Police Department, the St. Charles County (Missouri) Sheriff's Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. This case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.
Foreign National Sentenced on Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A citizen of Mexico, who was named, along with nine others in an indictment returned in August 2012, was sentenced to prison on May 10, 2013, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Vincente Lopez, 38, a citizen of Mexico, who most recently resided in Madison, Illinois, had previously entered a plea of guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Possess with the Intent to Distribute Cocaine on January 23, 2013. Lopez was sentenced to 46 months imprisonment, followed by two years of supervised release. Lopez was ordered to pay a $100 special assessment and to forfeit $27, 104 to the United States. In addition, the Court entered a Judicial Order of Removal, which will requires that he be deported from the United States following the service of his sentence.
Five of the ten conspirators charged in the indictment have entered pleas of guilty. Three are awaiting trial, and two remain fugitives. An indictment is a formal charge against a defendant. Under the law, those defendants who have not yet been convicted are presumed to be innocent of a charge and is entitled to a fair trial at which the Government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
Evidence in support of the indictment was obtained in an investigation which was conducted under the auspices of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). The OCDETF initiative is designed to bring federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies and resources together to identify, target and dismantle large national and international drug trafficking organizations. Participating agencies include the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Office of Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI), U.S. Marshal Service, the Granite City Police Department, Fairview Heights Police Department, the Collinsville Police Department, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the St. Louis County (Missouri) Police Department, the St. Charles County (Missouri) Sheriff=s Department, and the Nebraska State Patrol. This case was assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Randy G. Massey for prosecution.
Carrollton Man Charged with Enticement of A MinorRead the Press Release
David G. Driskill, 65, of Carrollton, Illinois, was charged in federal district court with Enticement of a Minor, Stephen R. Wigginton, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, announced today. The alleged violation took place between on or about May 1, 2013, and May 10, 2013, in Jersey County. After a detention hearing held today, the Court ordered that Driskill be held without bond pending trial.
The offense charged in the Complaint alleges that, between on or about May 1, 2013, and May 10, 2013, Driskill attempted to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce a minor to engage in sexual activity.
A trial date has not yet been set. If convicted of Enticement of a Minor, Driskill faces a term of in prison of not less than ten (10) years, up to life, a fine up to $250,000, and a term of supervised release of not less than five (5) years up to life.
A criminal complaint is a formal charge against a defendant that is comprised of the essential facts constituting the offense charged. Under the law, a defendant is presumed to be innocent of a charge until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt to the satisfaction of a jury.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc. For more information about internet safety education, please visit www.usdoj.gov/psc and click on the tab “resources.”
This investigation was conducted by the United States Secret Service’s Southern Illinois Cyber-Crime Unit, the Illinois State Police, and the Jerseyville Police Department. The case is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Ali Summers.
Belleville Woman Pleads Guilty to Filing False Federal Income Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Terri M. Boatman, age 45 of Belleville, Illinois, pled guilty in federal court to the offenses of Filing False Federal Income Tax Returns for the years 2009 and 2010, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. The offenses each carry a maximum possible penalty of up to three years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and restitution for the tax loss. Sentencing is scheduled for August 19, 2013.
Boatman admitted as part of the plea that she had false and fraudulent 2009 and 2010 federal income tax returns prepared by Prime Time Tax Services. Delaun Leflore and Carey Herron owned and operated Prime Time Tax Services (PTTS) located in Shiloh, Illinois. During the 2008-2011 filing seasons, Leflore and Herron used electronic software to prepare and file tax returns and they typically applied for refund anticipation loans. Leflore and Herron conspired together and with their clients to prepare false tax returns and claim fraudulent tax refunds. To accomplish this scheme, Leflore and Herron created false and fraudulent Schedule C income and expenses. The purpose of creating the false income was to maximize the earned income credit and other credits which generated large tax refunds. While meeting with their clients, Leflore and Herron discussed how to receive more money back by creating self-employment income. The clients agreed to participate in the scheme in order to receive a larger tax refund. Typically, the clients were referred to Leflore and Herron and visited the tax preparation business knowing they would file fraudulent tax returns. As part of the scheme, the clients were required to pay an extra cash fee to Leflore or Herron from the tax refund received. This amount was generally $500 in cash. This amount was in addition to the tax preparation fee which was automatically deducted from the tax refund by the bank processing the refund anticipation loan (RAL). Following the receipt of the RAL check, Leflore, Herron, or another representative of PTTS escorted the clients to a local check-cashing business named Belleville Quick Stop located in Belleville, Illinois. After the client cashed the RAL check, the client immediately gave the $500 in cash to Leflore, Herron, or another representative of Prime Time. Leflore and Herron have already been prosecuted and are serving their prison sentences.
The Indictment is the result of an investigation conducted by the Internal Revenue Service/Criminal Investigations. The prosecution is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Norman R. Smith.
To report criminal tax fraud call, I.R.S. Criminal Investigations at (618) 622-2160, or send the information to the Internal Revenue Service, Fresno, CA 93888.
Owner of Mississippi River Construction Company Sentenced to Jail for Violating the Clean Air ActRead the Press Release
Franklin A. (“Al”) Bieri, 54, of Lebanon, IL, was sentenced in federal court today for violating the Clean Air Act, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced. The court ordered Bieri to serve an eight-month sentence with five months’ imprisonment and three months’ home confinement, all to be followed by three years’ supervised release. The court also ordered Bieri to pay a fine of $3,000 and a special assessment of $100.
The charges stem from Bieri’s activities at the Emerson Electric Facility, a seven-acre site in Washington Park, which Bieri purchased in order to demolish and salvage the buildings on the site. Bieri knew that the buildings on the site contained asbestos, but, in April 2010, he used untrained workers who failed to use proper removal and disposal procedures, such as wetting asbestos to limit airborne emissions and proper labeling of asbestos waste to alert others to the danger and ensure the waste went to an appropriate section of the landfill. Bieri admitted that he failed to provide written notification to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency at least ten working days prior to beginning asbestos stripping and removal work, an offense punishable under the Clean Air Act. Asbestos is a declared hazardous air pollutant by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.
At sentencing, the district court told Bieri that this was “a profoundly serious crime” and that Bieri put “people’s lives on the line.”
“This well-heeled businessman tried to save a few bucks by sending in untrained and improperly protected people, then had them dispose of this dangerous material improperly, exposing unsuspecting landfill workers.” United States Attorney Wigginton stated. “This conduct is breathtaking, literally. This jail sentence should demonstrate that no one is above the law, and my office will continue to aggressively pursue those who threaten the environment and public safety.”
The investigation was conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant United States Attorneys Kevin F. Burke and William E. Coonan.
If you suspect an environmental crime, please call the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s hotline at 800.621.8431.
Bridgeport Mayor Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud and Obstruction of JusticeRead the Press Release
The United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today that on May 8, 2013, Max R. Schauf, 56, of Bridgeport, Illinois, pled guilty to three counts of mail fraud and one count of obstruction of justice in United States District Court in Benton, Illinois.
Schauf, the Mayor of the City of Bridgeport, in Lawrence County, Illinois, was indicted along with Paul R. Kramer, of Vincennes, Indiana, on November 6, 2012, by a federal grand jury sitting in Benton, Illinois. The indictment charged Schauf with three counts of Mail Fraud and one count of Obstruction Of Justice. Each of the charges carries a maximum penalty of up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release.
“Theft, fraud, and obstruction by one public servant tarnish the image of all those dedicated public servants who serve their communities each day with honesty and integrity,” said United States Attorney Wigginton. “The plea in this case should be a reminder that my office, along with all of its federal and state law enforcement partners, will vigorously investigate and prosecute anyone, such as Schauf, who abuses the privilege and honor of their public service.”
At his plea, Schauf admitted that from July of 2008 until March of 2011, he had engaged in a scheme to defraud the City of Bridgeport, as well as its residents, by submitting false and fraudulent invoices, contracts and bills for services and equipment. Schauf also admitted that on November 10, 2011, he had obstructed justice by telling another person to give false and misleading information to the Federal Bureau of Investigation regarding the investigation into his (Schauf’s) fraudulent activities.
Sentencing for Schauf is scheduled for Thursday, August 8, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. at the United States District Court in Benton, Illinois.
Schauf’s co-defendant, Paul R. Kramer, pled guilty on March 20, 2013, to two counts of Making False Statements to the FBI and is scheduled to be sentenced in United States District Court on June 27, 2013. He faces up to 5 years of in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to 3 years of supervised release on each count.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Ranley R. Killian and William E. Coonan.
Venice Man Pleads Guilty to Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
On May 2, 2013, Justin J. Harper, a 24-year old Venice, Illinois, man pled guilty in federal district court, in East St. Louis, to unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today. Harper is scheduled for sentencing on August 5, 2013, at which time he faces a maximum potential sentence of 10 years’ in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, not more than 3 years’ of supervised release after his prison term, and a mandatory special assessment of $100. Harper also agreed to the forfeiture of the firearm.
Court proceedings revealed that on October 5, 2011, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant at the rear residence of a home in Venice, Illinois. As they entered the residence, Harper was seen exiting a rear bedroom. Upon searching this bedroom, officers observed and recovered a 9mm semi-automatic pistol on the floor protruding from underneath the bed.
This case was investigated the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and is assigned to Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak for prosecution.
East St. Louis Man Sentenced for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
Corey A. Cotton, 33, of East Saint Louis, IL, was sentenced on May 2, 2013, in federal district court, in East St. Louis, on one count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a previously convicted felon, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Stephen R. Wigginton, announced today.
Cotton was sentenced to 71 months in prison, three years’ supervised release, a $100 special assessment, and a $200 fine. Cotton, who previously pled guilty on December 14, 2012, also agreed to the forfeiture of the firearm. The charges stem from a September 27, 2011, incident when law enforcement officials attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Cotton in East St. Louis. Initially, Cotton sped off. After coming to a stop several blocks away, he exited the vehicle, fleeing from officers on foot. While running from officers, Cotton discarded a firearm in a wooded area, which was recovered by pursuing officials.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel T. Kapsak.