Eastern District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
New Orleans Man and Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds and to Make False Statements, and Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
ELIJAH CHARLES SORINA (“ELIJAH”), age 29, and LISA SORINA (“LISA”), age 53, both of New Orleans, Louisiana, were charged by a federal grand jury in a three (3) count superseding indictment on Friday, June 21, 2019, with Conspiracy to Commit Theft of Government Funds and to Make False Statements, and Theft of Government Funds, announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
According to the superseding indictment, on September 21, 2015, ELIJAH and LISA SORINA completed a SSA Form SSA-821-BK, Work Activity Report, in which they claimed ELIJAH stopped working due to his “physical and/or mental condition.” However, ELIJAH and LISA SORINA failed to disclose ELIJAH’s employment as a school bus driver with a local transportation company to the SSA. In addition, on November 5, 2015, LISA and ELIJAH SORINA completed a SSA Form SSA-454-BK, Continuing Disability Review Report, and listed his daily activities as, “I get up about 12:00 pm eat, take a shower, watch TV, then at 8 pm (sic) back to bed.” The two defendants also claimed ELIJAH had difficulty with many daily tasks including but not limited to dressing, bathing, completing chores, driving, walking, and understanding or following directions.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the superseding indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendants must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, ELIJAH and LISA face a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 50 Months for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
CHARLES F. HALL (“HALL”), age 61, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday for Possession of Child Pornography, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2252(a), announced United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser.
The case against HALL began on April 12, 2018, when HALL entered the Social Security Administration’s (“SSA”) offices located on the fifth floor of 400 Poydras Street, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The SSA offices are leased by the General Services Administration (“GSA”) and are within the jurisdiction of the Federal Protective Service (“FPS”), a department of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The SSA office employs an administrative security screening process for all visitors whereby Paragon Systems Incorporated Protective Security Officers (“PSO”) conduct a search for weapons and explosives. As part of this screening process, HALL was instructed to take all metal items out of his pockets prior to passing through the magnetometer. When HALL produced a cellular phone from his pocket, the PSOs asked HALL to silence his cellular phone while he was in the office. When HALL accessed his cellular phone to silence it, the screen lit up and displayed an image depicting the sexual victimization of a prepubescent child. HALL was taken into custody by officers with the FPS, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, and Homeland Security Investigations. A subsequent computer forensic search of HALL’s phone revealed he was in possession of 195 images and two videos of child pornography.
HALL was sentenced to 50 months by United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance. HALL was also sentenced to a period of seven (7) years of supervised release after his term of imprisonment. Judge Vance also ordered HALL to register as a sex offender pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration Notification Act.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 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.”
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Federal Protective Service, Paragon Systems Incorporated Protective Security Officers, and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and Financial Crimes Unit Supervisor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba.
Eastside Hollygrove Resident Charged in Heroin and Fentanyl Conspiracy Sentenced to Ten YearsRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DONALD MARCELIN, a/k/a “Golfer,” a/k/a “Black,” a/k/a “Snook,” age 41, of New Orleans, was sentenced yesterday after pleading guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and a quantity of fentanyl.
United States District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced MARCELIN to ten years of imprisonment followed by (5) five years of supervised release.
According to court records, during the timeframe of the charged drug conspiracy, MARCELIN conspired with codefendants Jonathan LAWRENCE, Brandon HALL, Aloysius KORIEOCHA, Brian MAXSON, Dwayne LABRANCH, Lance STOVALL, Vonzo MAGEE, and others, to distribute heroin and fentanyl throughout the New Orleans area. These individuals were members of a drug-trafficking organization that operated primarily in the Eastside Hollygrove neighborhood of New Orleans. Collectively, the group referred to their neighborhood as “The Zoo,” a name derived from a popular rap song and video filmed in the neighborhood. Each of the eight defendants has been linked to drug activity in Eastside Hollygrove through law enforcement controlled purchases, Title III wire and electronic interceptions, witness statements, drug seizures, and other evidence. Each of the eight defendants in this case has pleaded guilty. Thus far, only MARCELIN and KORIEOCHA have been sentenced.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the FBI New Orleans Gang Task Force (NOGFT), which led this investigation and was assisted by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New Orleans Police Department, St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s Office. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon S. Long, David Haller, and Edward Rivera are in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Sentenced to 3 Years Probation after Previously Pleading Guilty to Trafficking in $193,980 Worth of Counterfeit GoodsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that MAHER SALIM, age 41, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Jay A. Zainey to (3) years after previously pleading guilty to trafficking in counterfeit goods, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2320(a)(1). Judge Zainey scheduled a hearing to determine restitution owed to the victims for September 24, 2019.
According to court documents, SALIM owned and operated BRANDS 4 LESS, a business located at 4200 Washington Avenue, Unit A, in New Orleans. On about November 6, 2016, agents with the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) conducted a cargo inspection of a suspicious package addressed to SALIM at the DHL Express facility in Kenner, Louisiana. The package contained 32 pairs of Nike shoes that were determined to be counterfeit. Thereafter, a Nike representative entered BRANDS 4 LESS during its business hours and purchased another pair of counterfeit Nike shoes. Based on this information, HSI agents executed a federal search warrant on BRANDS 4 LESS on January 19, 2017. During the search, agents seized numerous counterfeit goods SALIM was selling that bore the false marks of makers of clothing and luxury goods, including True Religion, Rock Revival, Michael Kors, Coach, Louis Vuitton, Polo, Timberland, New Era, Nike, Adidas, Dolce & Gabbana, Mitchell & Ness, and North Face. The collective fair market value of all the items was approximately $193,980.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security – Homeland Security Investigations. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg was in charge of the prosecution.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Kilograms of Fentanyl Analogue from ChinaRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that LEROY SMITH, age 35, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 100 grams or more of heroin and one count of possessing firearms in furtherance of his drug trafficking. On the drug charge, SMITH is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a maximum sentence of life, a possible fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release upon his release from prison. On the firearms charge, SMITH is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a possible fine of up to $250,000, and no more than five years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
According to court records, SMITH conspired with his codefendant, Carl J. Hurst, and others, to order kilograms of acetylfentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, from a Chinese manufacturer. SMITH admitted that he sold the acetylfentanyl as “heroin.” The government’s evidence in this case includes multiple undercover purchases of heroin and acetylfentanyl from SMITH, wiretaps on SMITH’s phones, drug seizures, and eyewitness testimony. On May 31, 2019, codefendant Hurst also pleaded guilty to conspiring to sell acetylfentanyl and heroin.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle will sentence SMITH on September 25, 2019.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Long and Nicholas Moses are responsible for the prosecution.
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Justice Department and Dillard University Agree to Renewal and Extension of Settlement AgreementRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana announced today the renewal and extension of a settlement agreement with Dillard University, a Historically Black College and University in New Orleans, Louisiana, under Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
The settlement agreement consummates a 17-year effort to resolve a compliance review of the campus that devolved from a complaint lodged against Dillard regarding an inaccessible building. The campus-wide compliance review revealed that most of the buildings and facilities were not accessible to people with mobility impairments. The original 2002 settlement agreement the parties entered into called for self-surveying by Dillard of all of the inaccessible features of its campus and the formulation and funding of a plan to remediate them. Due to financial difficulties and the near destruction of the campus by Hurricane Katrina, the university was afforded extensions of time to fulfill the terms of the original settlement.
In 2016, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Disability Rights Section of the Civil Rights Division of the Department of Justice, conducted another campus-wide survey to determine the accessibility of the Dillard campus. After receiving the results of the updated survey, Dillard made a vigorous and sincere commitment to making its campus fully accessible. With the aid of qualified ADA architects, Dillard devised a remediation plan with DOJ approval and identified funding to fulfill the plan within two years. Even prior to signing the settlement agreement, Dillard advertised and awarded the contract for the requisite renovations with work scheduled to begin during the summer of 2019.
Once the remediation plan is completed, Dillard will be one of only three HBCUs in the country with a fully accessible campus.
The ADA protects individuals with disabilities from discrimination by public accommodations, including colleges and universities, in their full and equal enjoyment of goods, services and facilities. More information about the ADA and be found at www.ada.gov . Further inquiries about this settlement or regarding any other disability access issue can be pursued by contacting the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (504) 680-3000.
Federal Grand Jury Indicts Marrero Man for Drug and Firearm ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced on Thursday, June 20, 2019 that OLIN D. GRANT, JR., age 22, a resident of Marrero, Louisiana was charged in a four-count indictment by a federal grand jury. In count one, GRANT is charged with possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of a mixture or substance containing a quantity of marijuana. In count two, GRANT is charged with possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. In count three, GRANT is charged with possession of a machine gun; and in count four, GRANT is charged with possession of a non-registered firearm.
If convicted of count one, GRANT faces a maximum sentence of 5 years of imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 2 years, and a mandatory assessment fee of $100.00. If convicted of count two, GRANT faces a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 5 years, to run consecutive to any other sentence imposed, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 5 years, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. As to counts 3 and 4, GRANT faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release up to 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone. Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions made turning the tide of rising violent crime in America a top priority. In October 2017, as part of a series of actions to address this crime trend, then Attorney General Sessions announced the reinvigoration of PSN and directed all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to develop a district crime reduction strategy that incorporates the lessons learned since PSN was launched in 2001.
The case was investigated by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Melissa Bücher and Brittany Reed of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to Forty-One Months for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on Wednesday, June 19, 2019, JAMIE PAUL EARLY, age 36, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced to forty-one months of imprisonment for violating federal law by committing a bank robbery on July 27, 2018 at the Capital One Bank at 3001 Tulane Avenue in New Orleans. Additionally, EARLY must serve (3) years of supervised release and pay a !00.00 special assessment fee.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn McHugh.
New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOHN JONES, age 45, of New Orleans, pled guilty Thursday, June 13, 2019 to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin on June 13, 2019.
According to court documents, JONES and others conspired to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin.
JONES faces a minimum term of imprisonment of ten years and a maximum term of life imprisonment. A fine of up to $10,000,000 may also be imposed. JONES will be placed on supervised release after imprisonment for a period of not less than five years. Additionally, a $100 special assessment fee will be assessed. U.S. District Court Judge Ashe set sentencing for September 19, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Maria M. Carboni are in charge of the prosecution.
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Louisiana Couple and Their Business Plead Guilty to Operating Sham Medical Reimbursement Account Program That Defrauded the IRS and Program Participants Out of over $48 MillionRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A Covington, Louisiana, couple and their company pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to create, market and operate a fraudulent medical reimbursement program that defrauded the IRS and program participants out of over $48 million.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steve Grell of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s (DOL-OIG) Dallas Regional Office and Regional Director James Purcell of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office made the announcement.
Denis Joachim, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; Donna Joachim, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States; and The Total Financial Group, Inc. (TTFG) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements and representations in connection with a multiple employer welfare arrangement and five counts of making false statements and representations in connection with a multiple employer welfare arrangement. All the pleas took place before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 30, 2019, and were unsealed yesterday. Sentencings have been scheduled for Sept. 5, 2019, before Judge Barbier. As part of their guilty pleas, the defendants have agreed to forfeit assets previously seized with a collective value of approximately $6.3 million. Additionally, the defendants acknowledged a potential loss to the victims totaling more than $48 million and agreed to repay restitution for the amount of loss.
According to admissions made as part of the guilty pleas, TTFG was a Louisiana business incorporated by Denis Joachim and Donna Joachim with the Louisiana Secretary of State that was most recently located at 406 N. Florida Street in Covington. TTFG and its owners created and marketed a medical reimbursement account program called “Classic 105,” which operated from about 2012 until January 2017. Classic 105 claimed to be a multiple employer welfare arrangement that was marketed to employers as a supplemental benefits plan for their employees to reimburse for medical expenses such as co-pays and deductibles; participants in Classic 105 were required to have a primary health insurance plan unrelated to and in addition to Classic 105.
According to the defendants’ admissions, Classic 105 claimed to be comprised of several components: a tax-exempt contribution of between $1,000 and $1,600 per month made by an employee (which reduced the employee’s taxable income), a loan from a financial institution back to the employee to make up for the contribution, an insurance policy payable to the lender at the employee’s death to repay the loan and fees paid by the employee and the employer directly to TTFG. TTFG told prospective employer-clients that participants would never have to make out-of-pocket payments to repay the loan and that as a result of the tax savings, most participants would receive an increase in their net take home pay. TTFG also told prospective employer-clients that the contributions would be stored in a unique account for each employee-participant and that any money not used by the end of each calendar year would revert to TTFG. TTFG also charged employee-participants a fee of between $150 and $250 per month and the employer a fee of five percent of each employee’s contribution amount. At its peak, over 350 employer-clients and 4,400 employee-participants nationwide were enrolled in TTFG’s Classic 105 program. In total, TTFG took in not less than at least $25,543,340.70 in fees from the employer-clients and employee-participants, the defendants admitted.
According to the defendants’ admissions, TTFG never obtained a single loan or insurance policy for the Classic 105 program, and participants never made any actual contributions. Rather, TTFG arranged for the contribution, loan and insurance policy to appear as a series of “paper transactions” that, in effect, did nothing more than reduce participants’ taxable wages and employers’ FICA payments improperly, without their knowledge of the impropriety. Consequently, TTFG and the Joachims admittedly caused the underpayment of at least $23,343,442.70 in federal FICA taxes, as well as the underreporting and underpayment of personal federal income taxes. federal unemployment taxes and state unemployment taxes—amounts for which the employer-clients and employee-participants may be individually responsible. It also exposed participants to other adverse financial consequences, including fees and penalties on the unpaid tax and ineligibility from certain government programs, including unemployment payments and reduced Social Security payments, the defendants admitted.
In truth, the only money actually paid to TTFG were the fees, which the Joachims used to make numerous personal expenses, including the purchase of a 26-foot boat, a 2016 Grand Design Solitude recreational trailer, a Chevrolet Corvette, a Jeep Wrangler, a Dodge Ram truck, a Mercedes-Benz CL 550 automobile, a GMC Yukon XL Denali, multiple CAN-AM Maverick 1000R off-road vehicles, jet skis, their 13,000 square foot Covington residence, real property located adjacent to their Covington residence, two residences located in Madisonville, Louisiana, 40 acres of property in Bush, Louisiana, and 125 acres of property in Spring City, Tennessee, the defendants admitted.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI, the FBI, the DOL-OIG and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg and Maria Carboni of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Jared Hasten of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Senior Trial Attorney Rebecca Pyne of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Labor-Management Racketeering Unit also provided assistance with the prosecution.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
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Justice Department Settles Housing Discrimination Lawsuit Against St. Bernard Parish, LouisianaRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – The Department of Justice announced Thursday, June 20, 2019 that St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, has agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the Parish violated the Fair Housing Act when it refused to allow two small group homes for up to five children with disabilities to open in single-family neighborhoods.
“The Fair Housing Act prohibits local governments from applying their zoning laws in a manner that discriminates against persons with disabilities,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Civil Rights Division. “This settlement underscores the Civil Rights Division’s commitment to ensure that children with disabilities have access to housing in all communities.”
“Access to safe, sanitary, and secure housing is a fundamental civil right for all persons within the Eastern District of Louisiana, and this settlement agreement continues efforts to ensure compliance to The Fair Housing Act,” said U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “I commend the cooperative efforts of St. Bernard Parish to reach a resolution that is in the best interests of our community.”
“Persons with disabilities have a right to have access to the type of housing that meets their needs,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “Today’s settlement sends a strong message that HUD and the Justice Department are committed to ensuring that cities and municipalities fully adhere to the requirements of the Fair Housing Act.”
The United States’ suit, filed in U.S. District Court in New Orleans, Louisiana, in December 2018, alleged that St. Bernard Parish violated the Fair Housing Act when it denied requests for reasonable accommodations to its zoning ordinance to allow the two group homes to operate in single-family neighborhoods of the Parish. Shortly after learning that the homes were planning to open, the Parish amended its zoning code to prohibit group homes of any size in single-family neighborhoods. The two group home operators filed complaints with HUD, which in turn referred the complaints to the Department of Justice. The group home operators filed a lawsuit in 2016, which they have settled with the Parish.
Under the settlement, St. Bernard Parish will pay $975,000 in monetary damages and attorneys’ fees to the two group home operators, and a $60,000 civil penalty to the United States. The Parish amended its zoning ordinance to permit small group homes in single-family residential districts, amended its reasonable accommodation policy, and will take a number of actions to guard against further housing discrimination. These other actions include training officials and individuals involved in zoning and land use, designating a fair housing compliance officer, and reporting periodically to the Department of Justice during the term of the agreement.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on disability, race, color, religion, national origin, sex and familial status. Individuals who believe that they may have been victims of housing discrimination can call the Justice Department at 1-800-896-7743, e-mail the Justice Department at [email protected], or contact the Department of Housing and Urban Development at 1-800-66-9777 or through its website at https://www.hud.gov/program_offices/fair_housing_equal_opp. More information about the Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at www.justice.gov/crt.
Bookkeeper Sentenced to 30 Months after Pleading Guilty to Failing to Declare More Than $700,000 in Stolen Money on Tax Return and Stealing over Five Million Dollars from New Orleans Law Firm and Real Estate CompanyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that PEGGY NAGELE, age 65 of Thibodeaux, Louisiana was sentenced Thursday, June 13, 2019 to serve 30 months in federal prison. She previously pled guilty to a one-count bill of information, charging her with violating Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206, making false statements on an income tax return in January 2019.
In papers signed by NAGELE and filed in open court, NAGELE admitted to failing to declare more than $727,847.80 in funds she had stolen on her 2011 Federal tax form 1040, as charged in the Bill of Information. NAGELE was employed as a bookkeeper with Law Firm A, a New Orleans law firm. NAGELE further admitted to theft of $5,083,601 from Firm “A” and Business “A”, a real estate management company.
NAGELE further admitted to having unfettered access to both entities checkbooks and financial assets. She wrote checks to herself from operating accounts at Firm “A”. She disguised her thefts by making the checks payable to routine vendors, or simply did not record the checks in the check register. The checks were then deposited into either Mortgage Lending Group, a business NAGELE and her family controlled or Nagele Corporation, another business controlled by the defendant.
“The role of IRS Criminal Investigation becomes even more important in embezzlement and fraud cases due to the complex financial transactions that can take time to unravel,” said Demetrius Hardeman, Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Atlanta Field Office – New Orleans Post. “The federal tax laws are normally violated in these cases which can add to additional jail time. As we often see, the victims are not only the taxpayers, but also the individuals and entities who suffer the financial harm.”
NAGELE was also ordered to pay $5,083,601 in restitution to her victims. She is to report to prison in August, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division for their thorough investigation. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice Jr.
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Slidell Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements in an Application for a PassportRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that DARRYL SANDERS, a/k/a Daryl Saunders (“SANDERS”), age 62, of Slidell, Louisiana, pled guilty yesterday to making False Statements in an Application for a Passport, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542.
According to Count 2 of the Indictment, on March 27, 2018, SANDERS knowingly made false statements in an application for a 2018 U.S. Passport when he falsely claimed his name was Daryl Saunders, with a date of birth of 09/03/XXXX.
SANDERS faces a maximum penalty of ten (10) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000.00, and a mandatory $100 special assessment as to each count. Sentencing in this matter is scheduled for September 10, 2019, before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service and the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin Conspiracy and Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that GERARD HARRISON, age 31, of New Orleans, pled guilty to violations of the federal Controlled Substances Act and the federal Gun Control Act.
On June 13, 2019, HARRISON pled guilty to a two-count bill of information charging him with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one hundred grams or more of heroin and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. According to court documents, federal agents intercepted wiretapped calls involving HARRISON and surveilled him as he conducted drug transactions. Law enforcement agents also executed a search warrant at HARRISON’s home, and recovered an assault rifle, a large capacity magazine, and bags of heroin.
For his violation of the Federal Controlled Substances Act, HARRISON faces a minimum term of five years and a maximum term of forty years of imprisonment, a fine of up to $5,000,000, not less than four years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. Additionally, for his violation of the Federal Gun Control Act, HARRISON faces a consecutive sentence of not less than five years imprisonment up to life imprisonment, not less than 5 years of supervised release, a fine of not more than $250,000, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Court Judge Ashe set sentencing for September 19, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Jonathan L. Shih and Maria M. Carboni are in charge of the prosecution.
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Louisiana Couple and Their Business Plead Guilty to Operating Sham Medical Reimbursement Account Program that Defrauded the IRS and Program Participants Out of over $48 MillionRead the Press Release
A Covington, Louisiana, couple and their company pleaded guilty for their roles in a scheme to create, market and operate a fraudulent medical reimbursement program that defrauded the IRS and program participants out of over $48 million.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Holloman of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation’s (IRS-CI) Atlanta Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office, Special Agent in Charge Steve Grell of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General’s (DOL-OIG) Dallas Regional Office and Regional Director James Purcell of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration’s Kansas City Regional Office made the announcement.
Denis Joachim, 53, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering; Donna Joachim, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States; and The Total Financial Group, Inc. (TTFG) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements and representations in connection with a multiple employer welfare arrangement and five counts of making false statements and representations in connection with a multiple employer welfare arrangement. All the pleas took place before U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier of the Eastern District of Louisiana on May 30, 2019, and were unsealed yesterday. Sentencings have been scheduled for Sept. 5, 2019, before Judge Barbier. As part of their guilty pleas, the defendants have agreed to forfeit assets previously seized with a collective value of approximately $6.3 million. Additionally, the defendants acknowledged a potential loss to the victims totaling more than $48 million and agreed to repay restitution for the amount of loss.
According to admissions made as part of the guilty pleas, TTFG was a Louisiana business incorporated by Denis Joachim and Donna Joachim with the Louisiana Secretary of State that was most recently located at 406 N. Florida Street in Covington. TTFG and its owners created and marketed a medical reimbursement account program called “Classic 105,” which operated from about 2012 until January 2017. Classic 105 claimed to be a multiple employer welfare arrangement that was marketed to employers as a supplemental benefits plan for their employees to reimburse for medical expenses such as co-pays and deductibles; participants in Classic 105 were required to have a primary health insurance plan unrelated to and in addition to Classic 105.
According to the defendants’ admissions, Classic 105 claimed to be comprised of several components: a tax-exempt contribution of between $1,000 and $1,600 per month made by an employee (which reduced the employee’s taxable income), a loan from a financial institution back to the employee to make up for the contribution, an insurance policy payable to the lender at the employee’s death to repay the loan and fees paid by the employee and the employer directly to TTFG. TTFG told prospective employer-clients that participants would never have to make out-of-pocket payments to repay the loan and that as a result of the tax savings, most participants would receive an increase in their net take home pay. TTFG also told prospective employer-clients that the contributions would be stored in a unique account for each employee-participant and that any money not used by the end of each calendar year would revert to TTFG. TTFG also charged employee-participants a fee of between $150 and $250 per month and the employer a fee of five percent of each employee’s contribution amount. At its peak, over 350 employer-clients and 4,400 employee-participants nationwide were enrolled in TTFG’s Classic 105 program. In total, TTFG took in not less than at least $25,543,340.70 in fees from the employer-clients and employee-participants, the defendants admitted.
According to the defendants’ admissions, TTFG never obtained a single loan or insurance policy for the Classic 105 program, and participants never made any actual contributions. Rather, TTFG arranged for the contribution, loan and insurance policy to appear as a series of “paper transactions” that, in effect, did nothing more than reduce participants’ taxable wages and employers’ FICA payments improperly, without their knowledge of the impropriety. Consequently, TTFG and the Joachims admittedly caused the underpayment of at least $23,343,442.70 in federal FICA taxes, as well as the underreporting and underpayment of personal federal income taxes, federal unemployment taxes and state unemployment taxes—amounts for which the employer-clients and employee-participants may be individually responsible. It also exposed participants to other adverse financial consequences, including fees and penalties on the unpaid tax and ineligibility from certain government programs, including unemployment payments and reduced Social Security payments, the defendants admitted.
In truth, the only money actually paid to TTFG were the fees, which the Joachims used to make numerous personal expenses, including the purchase of a 26-foot boat, a 2016 Grand Design Solitude recreational trailer, a Chevrolet Corvette, a Jeep Wrangler, a Dodge Ram truck, a Mercedes-Benz CL 550 automobile, a GMC Yukon XL Denali, multiple CAN-AM Maverick 1000R off-road vehicles, jet skis, their 13,000 square foot Covington residence, real property located adjacent to their Covington residence, two residences located in Madisonville, Louisiana, 40 acres of property in Bush, Louisiana, and 125 acres of property in Spring City, Tennessee, the defendants admitted.
This case was investigated by the IRS-CI, the FBI, the DOL-OIG and the Employee Benefits Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jordan Ginsberg and Maria Carboni of the Eastern District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Jared Hasten of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case. Senior Trial Attorney Rebecca Pyne of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, Labor-Management Racketeering Unit also provided assistance with the prosecution.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Honduran National Sentenced for Illegal Re-entryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that FAUSTO FIGUEROA-MATUTE, age 30, a native of Honduras, was sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to a one-count indictment for illegal reentry of a removed alien.
United States District Court Judge Jay C. Zainey sentenced FIGUEROA-MATUTE to time served, followed by 1 year of supervised release, and a $100 special assessment fee. The defendant will be surrendered to the custody of Immigration and Customs Enforcement for removal proceedings.
According to court documents, FIGUEROA-MATUTE was previously removed from the United States on October 31, 2011. He was later found in the Eastern District of Louisiana on December 23, 2017, and had not received permission from the Attorney General of the United States or the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to reenter.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of Customs and Border Protection in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Military Serviceman Charged with Aggravated Sexual AbuseRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Federal agents arrested a Louisiana man and former member of the United States Navy stationed in Japan, relating to a 2004 sexual assault. The arrest was based on a two-count indictment returned Friday by a federal grand jury in New Orleans.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana made the announcement.
Travis Lamont Murray, 36, from Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, is charged with one count of aggravated sexual abuse and one count of sexual abuse. He had his initial court appearance Friday, June 14, 2019 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Dana M. Douglas for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
The indictment alleges that on or about the late evening hours of May 25, 2004, and the early morning hours of May 26, 2004, in Yokosuka City, Japan, Murray did knowingly cause a victim to engage in a sexual act by the use of force and by threatening and placing the victim in fear that she would be subjected to death and serious bodily injury. Murray was identified as the assailant after a DNA sample of his was submitted to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) by the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office during an unrelated investigation in 2018 and was determined to be consistent with a DNA profile obtained during the sexual assault investigation previously entered into CODIS.
All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service. The prosecution is being handled by Senior Trial Attorney Frank Rangoussis of the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn McHugh of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Firearm and Drug ViolationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that defendant LARMONDO ALLEN, a/k/a “Nino,” 22 years of age, of New Orleans, Louisiana, pled guilty Thursday, June 13, 2019 before the Honorable Mary Ann Vial Lemmon to being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Specifically, ALLEN pled guilty to a one count Superseding Bill of Information charging him with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Sections 922(g)(1) and 924(a)(2). ALLEN faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, up to a $250,000 fine, three years supervised release and a $100 special assessment fee. ALLEN’S sentencing is scheduled for Thursday, August 22, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U. S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the New Orleans Gang Task Force, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Liz Privitera.
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Haitian National Pleads Guilty to Running Visa Fraud Scheme Involving More Than 100 Fraudulent Visa ApplicationsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that EMMANUEL PRIVA, age 38, a citizen of Haiti, pleaded guilty Thursday, June 13, 2019 to one count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud and to two counts of visa fraud. PRIVA admitted that from 2013 to 2018, he attempted to fraudulently obtain visas for more than 100 aliens, some of whom succeeded in obtaining visas to travel to the United States.
PRIVA ran the scheme from his home in Harvey, Louisiana, and other locations. In exchange for money, PRIVA agreed to assist Haitian nationals in fraudulently obtaining visitor visas to travel to the United States. After receiving payment from the Haitian nationals, PRIVA submitted online visa applications containing false information, created false documents to support the applications, and coached the aliens on how to deceive consular officers at interviews for the visas. The scheme was focused on making it appear that the Haitian nationals intended to temporarily visit, as opposed to illegally immigrating to the United States.
At sentencing, which is scheduled for October 3, 2019, PRIVA faces maximum terms of imprisonment of (10) ten years for each visa fraud conviction and (5) five years for the conspiracy conviction, supervised release of up to three years, and a fine of up to $250,000.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Department of State's Diplomatic Security Service (DSS), Criminal Fraud Investigations and Overseas Criminal Investigations Divisions, in jointly investigating this matter, with support from its New Orleans Resident Office. U.S. Attorney Strasser also thanked the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Fraud Detection and National Security Directorate and the Haitian National Police’s Direction Centrale de la Police Judiciaire (Central Directorate of the Judicial Police) for their assistance.
Assistant United States Attorney Chandra Menon is in charge of the prosecution.
Ponchatoula Woman Pleads Guilty to Obstructing JusticeRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ANGEL PERILLOUX, age 38, of Ponchatoula, pleaded guilty to a one-count bill of information charging her with obstruction of justice.
According to the court documents, PERILLOUX obstructed a federal grand jury investigation by soliciting individuals to remove evidence from an impounded vehicle. PERILLOUX discussed several unsuccessful attempts to break into the vehicle on recorded jail calls. Ultimately, at PERILLOUX’s direction, an employee of Cooper’s Salvage Yard and Wrecker Service removed a firearm and drug money from a vehicle and provided them to PERILLOUX.
PERILLOUX faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of $250,000, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Carl J. Barbier set sentencing for October 3, 2019.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated this matter. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Maria M. Carboni.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Hancock Whitney Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOHN L. MURRAY, age 66, pled guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Eldon E. Fallon to a one count indictment for bank robbery in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 2113(a).
According to court documents, MURRAY robbed the Hancock Whitney Bank located at 2421 St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans, Louisiana on February 13, 2019. MURRAY faces a sentence of up to twenty years, a $250,000.00 fine, and three years of supervised release after imprisonment. Sentencing is scheduled for September 19, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Julia K. Evans is in charge of the prosecution.
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Honduran National Sentenced for Making a False Statement on a Passport ApplicationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO, age 41, a citizen of Honduras, was sentenced yesterday after previously pleading guilty to a one-count Bill of Information with making a false statement in a United States passport application, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1542.
According to the Bill of Information, WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO falsely stated in the application that his name was Omar Orlando Cuadrado when in fact he is Wilmer Adonys Osorto.
WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO was sentenced to time served, a $100.00 special assessment and remanded to Immigration and Customs Enforcement for deportation proceedings.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Theft of MailRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that COURTNEY C. DUPLESSIS (“DUPLESSIS”), age 30, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday for Theft of Mail, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1709.
According to court records, DUPLESSIS was employed by the United States Postal Service as a Letter Carrier originally assigned to the Carrolton Station Post Office and then to the Elmwood Station Post Office. After an investigation by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), it was determined that on various dates from October 2017 to June 2018, DUPLESSIS stole several pieces of mail containing gift cards and cash. On June 19, 2018, special agents with the USPS-OIG determined DUPLESSIS opened an envelope and removed cash from the envelope. The USPS-OIG agents confronted DUPLESSIS and advised her of her Miranda rights. During an interview, DUPLESSIS admitted to opening several articles of mail and removing cash and gift cards. Agents discovered an additional 54 articles of mail during a subsequent search of DUPLESSIS’S personal vehicle.
U.S. District Judge Eldon E. Fallon sentenced DUPLESSIS to three (3) years of probation.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the USPS-OIG. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that KEVIN CRAWFORD (“CRAWFORD”), age 34, of New Orleans, pled guilty yesterday to being a felon in possession of a firearm, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 922(g)(1).
The Court set sentencing in this matter for August 21, 2019. CRAWFORD faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten (10) years, a maximum $250,000 fine, three (3) years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN, the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts, is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives along with the New Orleans Police Department on investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the case.
Se le condena a un hombre de Luisiana por conspirar a vulnerar los derechos federales a la vivienda de una mujer discapacitadaRead the Press Release
Jody Lambert, de 24 años, fue condenado hoy en el Distrito Oriental de Luisiana a 120 meses de cárcel por conspirar con otros miembros de su familia a impedir que D.P., una mujer con discapacidades cognitivas, ejerciera su derecho a alquilar y ocupar una vivienda sin ser víctima de lesiones, intimidación e interferencia por motivos de sus discapacidades cognitivas.
«Lambert y sus coconspiradores conspiraron a privarle a una víctima vulnerable de un lugar seguro para vivir, obligándola a vivir afuera en una jaula encerrada, por motivos de su discapacidad», declaró el Fiscal General Auxiliar Eric Dreiband. «Esta conducta desgraciada constituye un delito de odio, y la lucha contra los delitos de odio seguirá siendo una de las prioridades principales del Departamento de Justicia. La condena de hoy refleja nuestro compromiso a buscar justicia para las víctimas».
«Una de las metas primordiales de nuestro país es la protección de los derechos civiles de todas las personas, sobre todo los de los más vulnerables», afirmó Peter G. Strasser, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Oriental de Luisiana. «La condena del Sr. Lambert envía un mensaje claro que se hará rendir cuentas a cualquier persona que deniegue a un ciudadano sus derechos».
«La condena hoy de Jody Lambert, por su trato inhumano de un miembro de su familia, sirve como claro recordatorio que la justicia prevalecerá», comentó Eric Rommal, el Agente Especial Encargado del Buró de Investigaciones Federales (FBI, por sus siglas en inglés) en Nueva Orleans. «Como la agencia federal principal encargada de hacer cumplir las leyes federales de derechos civiles, la Oficina Local del FBI en Nueva Orleans seguirá investigando agresivamente todo alegato creíble de vulneraciones de derechos civiles en el Estado de Luisiana».
El 18 de octubre del 2018, Lambert se declaró culpable ante un cargo de conspiración contra los derechos civiles. En la audiencia en la que se declaró culpable, Lambert admitió que durante algunos meses antes del 30 de junio del 2016, en Amite, Luisiana, él conspiró con otros parientes suyos para obligar a D.P. a vivir dentro de una jaula encerrada en su patio por motivo de sus discapacidades cognitivas y porque no querían que cohabitara con ellos en su hogar móvil. Lambert admitió que él y otros miembros de su familia encerraban a D.P. en la jaula en las noches con una cadena de metal y un candado, y que él y otros miembros de su familia habían colocado ramas y lonas por encima de la jaula para ocultarla de la vista. Más aún, Lambert admitió que, estando encerrada en la jaula, a D.P. se le requería usar un cubo de cinco galones como inodoro. Lambert también admitió que antes de obligar a D.P. a vivir en la jaula, él y su familia habían forzado a D.P. a vivir en su patio en una tienda de campaña y en una caseta cerradas con llave. Lambert admitió que durante todo el tiempo que D.P. vivía con la familia en Amite, Luisiana, Lambert y sus coconspiradores la sometían a violencia física rutinaria y amenazas de violencia física con el fin de intimidar a D.P. a aceptar estas condiciones de vida.
Este caso fue investigado por la Oficina Local del FBI en Nueva Orleans, Luisiana, la Oficina del Sheriff de la Parroquia de Tangipahoa y la Fiscalía de Distrito de la Parroquia de Tangipahoa. El caso está siendo enjuiciado por los Abogados de Litigios Risa Berkower y Nicholas Reddick de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, la Fiscal Federal Auxiliar Julia Evans, de la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito Oriental de Luisiana, y la Fiscalía de Distrito de la Parroquia de Tangipahoa.
Louisiana Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Violate the Federal Housing Rights of Woman with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
Jody Lambert, 24, was sentenced today in the Eastern District of Louisiana to 120 months imprisonment for conspiring with members of his family to prevent D.P., a woman with cognitive disabilities, from exercising her right to rent and occupy a dwelling without injury, intimidation, and interference because of her cognitive disabilities.
“Lambert and his co-defendants conspired to deprive a vulnerable victim of a safe and secure place to live, forcing her to live outside in a padlocked cage, because of her disability,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “This disgraceful conduct is a hate crime, and the Department of Justice will continue to make combatting hate crimes a high priority. Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to seeking justice for victims.”
“Ensuring the Civil Rights of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable is paramount to our country,” said Peter G. Strasser U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The sentencing of Mr. Lambert sends a clear message that anyone who denies a citizen her rights will be held accountable.”
"Today's sentencing of Jody Lambert, for his inhumane treatment of a family member, serves as a stark reminder that justice does prevail,” said Eric Rommal, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge. “As the primary federal agency charged with enforcing federal civil rights statutes, the FBI New Orleans Field Office will continue to aggressively investigate all credible civil rights allegations in Louisiana."
On Oct. 18, 2018, Lambert pleaded guilty to one count of civil rights conspiracy. At the plea hearing, Lambert admitted that for several months prior to June 30, 2016, in Amite, Louisiana, he conspired with other members of his family to force D.P. to live in a locked cage in their backyard because of her cognitive disabilities and because they did not want her living in the family’s mobile home. Lambert admitted that he and his family members locked D.P. in the cage at night with a metal chain and padlock, and that he and other family members had placed branches and a tarp over the cage to hide it from view. Lambert further admitted that while locked inside the cage, D.P. was required to use a five-gallon bucket as a toilet. Lambert also admitted that, prior to forcing D.P. to live in the cage, he and his family had forced D.P. to live in their backyard in a locked tent and in a locked shed. Lambert admitted that throughout the time D.P. lived with the family in Amite, Louisiana, Lambert and his conspirators subjected D.P. to routine physical violence and threats of physical violence in order to intimidate D.P. into these living conditions.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Field Office in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Risa Berkower and Nicholas Reddick of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Assistant United States Attorney Julia Evans, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and by the Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney’s Office.
Louisiana Man Sentenced for Conspiring to Violate the Federal Housing Rights of Woman with DisabilitiesRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – Jody Lambert, 24, was sentenced today in the Eastern District of Louisiana to 120 months imprisonment for conspiring with members of his family to prevent D.P., a woman with cognitive disabilities, from exercising her right to rent and occupy a dwelling without injury, intimidation, and interference because of her cognitive disabilities.
“Lambert and his co-defendants conspired to deprive a vulnerable victim of a safe and secure place to live, forcing her to live outside in a padlocked cage, because of her disability,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “This disgraceful conduct is a hate crime, and the Department of Justice will continue to make combatting hate crimes a high priority. Today’s sentencing reflects our commitment to seeking justice for victims.”
“Ensuring the Civil Rights of all citizens, especially the most vulnerable is paramount to our country,” said Peter G. Strasser U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Louisiana. “The sentencing of Mr. Lambert sends a clear message that anyone who denies a citizen her rights will be held accountable.”
"Today's sentencing of Jody Lambert, for his inhumane treatment of a family member, serves as a stark reminder that justice does prevail,” said Eric Rommal, FBI New Orleans Special Agent in Charge. “As the primary federal agency charged with enforcing federal civil rights statutes, the FBI New Orleans Field Office will continue to aggressively investigate all credible civil rights allegations in Louisiana."
On Oct. 18, 2018, Lambert pleaded guilty to one count of civil rights conspiracy. At the plea hearing, Lambert admitted that for several months prior to June 30, 2016, in Amite, Louisiana, he conspired with other members of his family to force D.P. to live in a locked cage in their backyard because of her cognitive disabilities and because they did not want her living in the family’s mobile home. Lambert admitted that he and his family members locked D.P. in the cage at night with a metal chain and padlock, and that he and other family members had placed branches and a tarp over the cage to hide it from view. Lambert further admitted that while locked inside the cage, D.P. was required to use a five-gallon bucket as a toilet. Lambert also admitted that, prior to forcing D.P. to live in the cage, he and his family had forced D.P. to live in their backyard in a locked tent and in a locked shed. Lambert admitted that throughout the time D.P. lived with the family in Amite, Louisiana, Lambert and his conspirators subjected D.P. to routine physical violence and threats of physical violence in order to intimidate D.P. into these living conditions.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Field Office in New Orleans, Louisiana, the Tangipahoa Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Tangipahoa District Attorney’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Risa Berkower and Nicholas Reddick of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, Assistant United States Attorney Julia Evans, of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana, and by the Tangipahoa Parish District Attorney’s Office.
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Georgia Optician Pleads Guilty to Identity TheftRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOHN ANTHONY MARSH, age 55, of Atlanta, Georgia pled guilty yesterday to a one-count bill of information charging him with identity theft in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1028(a)(7).
According to court documents, in 2016, MARSH opened a business in New Orleans called Magazine Medical Group & Associates, LLC (“Magazine Medical”) that provided ophthalmological services. MARSH opened Magazine Medical at the same location as another medical clinic that had provided ophthalmological services, Business 1. Between June 2016 and September 2016, MARSH used Business 1’s name when submitting claims for medical services to Medicare and other health care benefit programs to make it appear that those purported medical services were performed at Business 1.
Additionally, according to court documents, during that same time period, MARSH used the National Provider Identifier of Physician 1, who previously worked for Business 1, to submit claims to Medicare and other health care benefit programs making it appear as though Physician 1 performed medical services at Magazine Medical. Physician 1 neither worked for MARSH or Magazine Medical nor treated any patients for ophthalmological services at that clinic.
As reimbursement for the fraudulent claims that MARSH was responsible for submitting through Magazine Medical, Medicare and other health care benefit programs issued checks to Business 1 and Physician 1. MARSH received and deposited these checks into his bank account. In total, between June 2016 and September 2016, MARSH fraudulently caused billings to Medicare and other health care benefit programs totaling approximately $77,198 for medical services that were not provided by Physician 1, and received approximately $20,669.67 for these fraudulent claims.
MARSH faces a possible maximum sentence of 15 years imprisonment and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Health and Human Services for their work investigating the case.
The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jared Hasten of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Duane A. Evans.
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Georgia Inmate Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud for His Role in Grand Jury ScamRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that NICHOLAS ROTUNDA ALLEN, age 39, an inmate in Jimmy Autry State Prison in Pelham, Georgia, pleaded guilty yesterday before United States District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 371, for his role in perpetrating a grand jury fraud scam and victimizing a resident of the Eastern District of Louisiana.
According to court documents, ALLEN was sentenced to a period of incarceration as part of a felony conviction on February 22, 2016 in the State of Georgia. He began serving his sentence at Jimmy Autry State Prison, a Georgia Department of Correction facility located in Pelham, Georgia, on about March 30, 2016. Jimmy Autry State Prison housed approximately 1,700 adult male inmates and had approximately 119 correctional officers employed by the Georgia Department of Corrections overseeing them. In about 2016, several inmates and correctional officers at Jimmy Autry State Prison were the subject of a series of federal prosecutions related to a scheme by which inmates bribed correctional officers to smuggle contraband, namely cellular phones, into the prison.
On November 6, 2017, and November 7, 2017, ALLEN used a contraband cellular telephone to contact Victim A, a resident of Metairie, Louisiana, from inside the state prison. Although he was not permitted to have a phone inside the jail, ALLEN obtained the phone from a non-incarcerated co-conspirator. The cellular telephone ALLEN used was associated with two Georgia-based phone numbers, but he attempted to avoid detection and make it appear as though he was located within the New Orleans area by utilizing a “spoofing” application that made it appear to Victim A that someone with a local phone number, (504) XXX-5237, was contacting him.
ALLEN pretended to be a Deputy United States Marshal and informed Victim A that he had unlawfully failed to report for jury duty service for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana. ALLEN further told Victim A that because he had failed to appear for jury duty, a warrant had been issued out of the Eastern District of Louisiana for Victim A’s arrest. ALLEN said that Victim A had the choice of either being arrested on the warrant or paying a $5,500 fine to have the arrest warrant dismissed. Victim A paid the fine by buying a series of pre-paid cash cards and giving the account numbers to ALLEN. Thereafter, Victim A paid ALLEN by buying a total of eleven (11) pre-paid cash cards and giving the cards’ account numbers to ALLEN.
ALLEN faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment. Sentencing before Judge Feldman has been scheduled for August 28, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Marshal Service and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, Supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin ConspiracyRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that QUINTON RISIN, a/k/a “Quentin Risin,” age 36, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty yesterday to one count of conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. RISIN is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years’ imprisonment, a maximum sentence of 40 years’ imprisonment, a possible fine of up to $5,000,000, and at least four years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
According to court records, RISIN conspired with codefendant Arthur Johnson and others to distribute heroin throughout the New Orleans area. RISIN had been a customer of Johnson’s. The evidence against RISIN includes numerous intercepted communications, physical surveillance, and witness statements.
U.S. District Judge Susie Morgan will sentence RISIN on September 17, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the FBI’s New Orleans Gang Task Force in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brandon S. Long is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Investigator with District Attorney’s Office for the 22nd Judicial District Sentenced to 3 Years Probation after Pleading Guilty to Making False Statements to Federal AuthoritiesRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JEFFERY B. MONTALBANO, age 58, a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge Susie Morgan to three years of probation after previously pleading guilty to making false statements to federal authorities, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1001(a)(2).
According to court documents, MONTALBANO was the president of an entity called “JBM OIL Sales” and from about February 2013 to April 2018 worked for the Office of the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District as an investigator in the domestic violence unit. While employed as an investigator, MONTALBANO was responsible for collecting and preparing evidence in domestic violence investigations and trials and coordinating witness and victim testimony.
On January 23, 2018, MONTALBANO met with a special agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigation at 3601 Highway 190, Mandeville, Louisiana, within the Eastern District of Louisiana as part of an investigation the FBI was conducting into approximately $20,000 paid by a defendant in a criminal matter pending in the 22nd Judicial District (“Defendant A”) to MONTALBANO’S associate (“Person 1”). The investigation concerned the nature of the payment and whether MONTALBANO took official action to benefit Defendant A in an ongoing criminal matter in exchange for receiving the payment.
During the interview, MONTALBANO made numerous materially false statements and omissions related to the investigation in response to questions posed to him by FBI Special Agents. In particular, MONTALBANO said that neither he nor Person 1 had ever received money from Defendant A and that he had no idea federal agents visited the Office of the District Attorney for the 22nd Judicial District to investigate the allegations that MONTALBANO had received money from Defendant A in exchange for using his influence to benefit Defendant A. In truth, however, MONTALBANO knew that Defendant A gave Person 1 two checks in the amount of $10,000 each on November 22, 2013 and December 30, 2013, that Person 1 gave MONTALBANO checks for half the money he received from Defendant A on November 26, 2013, and December 30, 2013, and that FBI Special Agents had interviewed MONTALBANO’s colleagues on October 8, 2015. The false statements impeded FBI Special Agents from determining whether (1) payments from Defendant A were in exchange for beneficial action for Defendant A and (2) MONTALBANO communicated truthfully with his supervisors.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg was in charge of the prosecution.
Company Guilty of Harboring Illegal AliensRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC., a company that does business within the Eastern District of Louisiana, entered a guilty plea yesterday to harboring two illegal aliens, in violation of Title 8, United States Code, Section 1324(a)(1)(A)(iii).
According to court records, Special Agents from Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) received information that AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. was harboring illegal aliens. As a result, surveillance was performed at the business location on several occasions. Agents observed vehicles and the drivers that parked at the business location and also noticed an auxiliary building on the property that appeared to house several of the workers. On April 25, 2014, Louisiana State Police assisted HSI in conducting a traffic stop on a 2013 black Dodge Ram pick-up truck that appeared to be parking at night at the location. A State Trooper asked the driver for identification as well as the registration for the vehicle. The driver only produced a Mexican passport, and a Mexican identification card. The vehicle was registered to the owner of AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. The passenger identified himself and both occupants indicated that they were working for AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC., and that they were on their way to a jobsite in Laplace, Louisiana. Additionally, the driver indicated that he resided at 1688 St. Patrick’s Road in Ponchatoula, Louisiana (same address as the business location).
HSI agents continued surveillance and on May 6, 2014, proceeded to 1688 St. Patrick’s Road in Ponchatoula, and knocked on a door of the building. They observed that the door led to an apartment that was connected to the business. The apartment consisted of two bedrooms (each containing 2 beds), a bathroom, a fully-equipped kitchen, a sofa, and a kitchen table. Present at the apartment that day were the same individuals that were encountered during the April 25, 2014 traffic stop. The driver agreed to be interviewed and admitted that he was a citizen and national of Mexico and was in the United States illegally. He stated that AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. hired him in February 2014, and that he was not asked if he had permission to work in the United States. When asked for identification, he stated that he produced the Mexican identification documents and an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) that he received from the Department of Treasury. He did not have any documentation that allowed him to be present in the United States. He also stated that he resided at the apartment and that the owner of the company paid the apartment’s electricity and water bills, and did not charge him rent. He indicated that the owner of AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. also allowed him to use the 2013 black Dodge Ram pickup truck for work purposes.
The passenger also agreed to be interviewed and stated that he was also a citizen and national of Mexico who was also in the United States illegally. He stated that he had been working for AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. for approximately six (6) months. About a month after being hired, the owner of AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. asked him for his Social Security number and he explained that he told the owner that he did not have one, thus indicating that he was in the United States illegally. The passenger also admitted that he resided at the same apartment as the driver and that the owner paid the apartment’s electricity and water bills, and did not charge him rent. He also said that the owner allowed him to utilize his 2013 black Dodge Ram pickup for work purposes.
On May 6, 2014 HSI agents served an I-9 “Notice of Inspection” and an immigration enforcement subpoena upon AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. A Form I-9 Inspection is an administrative inspection process used to verify employment eligibility for a business’s employees. By law, employers are required to maintain Forms I-9 for all current employees, and the Form I-9 Inspection is a review of the relevant forms. AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. did not require that the two (2) aliens complete the Department of Homeland Security Employment Eligibility Verification Form I-9 and did not require those aliens to present identification documents as proof of their lawful presence in the United States.
On May 9, 2014, the owner met with the agents and said that he constructed the building at 1688 St. Patrick’s Road as a warehouse to store his equipment. The owner later admitted that there is an apartment located within the business that was there to provide housing, thus acknowledging paying for lodging for his workers. He also admitted that he allowed the illegal aliens to drive the 2013 black Dodge Ram pickup for work purposes. The owner of AA STUCCO AND MASONRY, LLC. also admitted that the two (2) illegal aliens were hired for work purposes, and that he knew or recklessly disregarded the fact that the employees living in the apartment were illegal aliens, not lawfully in the United States.
United States District Court Judge Susie Morgan set sentencing for September 17, 2019 at 2pm.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jon Maestri is in charge of the prosecution.
Hammond Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Being Felon in Possession of a Firearm Charge and Armed Career CriminalRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that on Wednesday, June 5, 2019, United States District Court Judge, Jane Triche Milazzo, sentenced ALFRED MONTGOMERY, age 29, of Hammond, to 15 years of imprisonment for violating the federal law of being a felon in possession of a firearm. MONTGOMERY received a sentence of 5 years after pleading guilty to distribution of marijuana. The sentences, which will run concurrently, will be served in the custody of the United States Bureau of Prisons. MONTGOMERY’s 15 year sentence, imposed for two separate counts of felon in possession of a firearm, are mandatory minimum sentences imposed under the federal Armed Career Criminal Act. The Act enhances the sentence of individuals who have been previously convicted of certain crimes of violence. MONTGOMERY was previously convicted of seven counts of simple burglary of an inhabited dwelling in Tangipahoa Parish.
MONTGOMERY’s case has been designated as a Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) case. PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hammond Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
Former Postal Employee Sentenced for Misappropriation of Postal FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JACQUELINE M. BATISTE a/k/a Jacqueline Batiste Francois, age 48, of New Orleans, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday for Misappropriation of Postal Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 1711.
According to documents filed in federal court, BATISTE was employed by the United States Postal Service (“USPS”) as a City Letter Carrier/Supervisor working in the New Orleans Bywater Station (“Bywater”) Post Office. One of BATISTE’s responsibilities was to prepare and dispatch the Bywater Station’s daily remittances for deposit with the New Orleans Process and Delivery Center Registry Section (“PDCRS”). The case against BATISTE began when the PDCRS contacted the USPS Office of Inspector General (“OIG”) because the Bywater Post Office failed to submit remittances. The USPS OIG’s investigation revealed that Bywater employees gave deposit money to BATISTE for remittance to the Registry Section.
On March 29, 2018, Batiste agreed to meet with special agents of the USPS OIG. BATISTE was advised of her Miranda rights and was told that the agents wanted to discuss financial issues in the Bywater Post Office. BATISTE told the agents that she had a gambling issue and liked to play the slot machines at Boomtown Casino. BATISTE said, on the date in question, she notified a fellow postal employee that she was going to place the deposit money in the safe. Special agents asked BATISTE if that happened and BATISTE replied, “No, I had the urge.” BATISTE admitted to taking the deposit money for March 10, 2018 and going to Boomtown. Special agents asked BATISTE if it was safe to say the missing $1,214.00 was now at Boomtown and she replied “Yes sir.” According to BATISTE, she had already lost her own money at Boomtown on Saturday before losing the rest of the money she had taken from the USPS.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced BATISTE to one (1) year of probation and restitution to the United States Postal Service in the amount of $1,214.00.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Office of Inspector General for the United States Postal Service. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Avondale Man Sentenced for Theft of Social Security FundsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JERRY CAMPBELL (“CAMPBELL”), age 60, of Avondale, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday for Theft of Government Funds, in violation of Title 18, United States Code, Section 641.
According to documents filed in federal court, CAMPBELL’s sister was authorized to receive Social Security Administration (“SSA”) Title XVI Supplemental Security Income (“SSI”) disability benefits up until her death, which occurred on November 8, 2013. An investigation by special agents with the SSA Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police revealed CAMPBELL was in possession of his late sister’s Chase Bank ATM card and began withdrawing money from her account after her death. CAMPBELL admitted to federal authorities on January 22, 2018, that he used his late sister’s ATM card to pay for his own personal expenses knowing he was not entitled to her Social Security benefits. CAMPBELL failed to notify the SSA of his sister’s death and took approximately $32,836.00 in SSI benefits from her account.
U.S. District Judge Sarah S. Vance sentenced CAMPBELL to three (3) years of probation and restitution to Social Security Administration for $32,836.00.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana State Police. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U. S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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New Orleans Man Sentenced to 100 Months in Heroin Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that EUGENE MCGEE, age 28, of New Orleans, was sentenced today after previously pleading guilty for his role in a conspiracy to distribute heroin in the New Orleans metropolitan area.
According to court documents, on January 9, 2019, MCGEE pled guilty to Count One of the Indictment, which charged him and two other individuals with conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. The defendants were members of a drug conspiracy that distributed heroin throughout the New Orleans metropolitan area beginning from on or about June 2015 through June 2017. The investigation into this trafficking organization included multiple court-authorized wiretaps by the Drug Enforcement Administration’s High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) group, including taps of cell phones used by Akeem Fleming to communicate with customers and other co-conspirators.
U.S. District Judge Martin L.C. Feldman sentenced MCGEE to 100 months imprisonment on the heroin distribution charge, to be followed by a 4-year term of supervised release. MCGEE was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,434.49 to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for damages caused to law enforcement vehicles when he attempted to evade arrest on October 26, 2016.
On April 3, 2019, Judge Feldman sentenced MCGEE’s co-defendants, Akeem Fleming and Terrance Milton, to 131 and 60 months imprisonment, respectively.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the HIDTA Task Force Group of the Drug Enforcement Administration in investigating this matter. Assistance was also provided by Narcotics Group IV at the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Gretna Major Crimes Task Force, and Louisiana State Police. Assistant United States Attorneys Shirin Hakimzadeh and André Jones were in charge of the prosecution.
Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that JOSE LUIS RAMIREZ-HERNANDEZ, age 38, a citizen of Mexico, was charged Monday, June 3, 2019 in a one-count bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a).
According to the bill of information, JOSE LUIS RAMIREZ-HERNANDEZ reentered the United States in or about 2018, after having been previously removed therefrom on or about September 20, 2017.
If convicted, JOSE LUIS RAMIREZ-HERNANDEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, one year supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mandeville Resident and Former Department of Energy Contractor Charged with Accessing a Protected Computer without Authorization and Recklessly Causing DamageRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that GARY PETER SIMON, JR., age 56, a resident of Mandeville, Louisiana, was charged today in a one-count bill of information with intentionally accessing a protected computer without authorization and recklessly causing damage resulting in loss of more than $5,000 during one year, in violation of 18 U.S.C. '' 1030(a)(5)(B) and 1030(c)(4)(A).
According to the bill of information, on about October 21, 2018, SIMON, intentionally accessed and attempted to access a protected computer without authorization, and as a result of such conduct, recklessly caused damage, namely loss to the United States Department of Energy-Strategic Petroleum Reserve Office, in the amount of at least $5,000.
If convicted, SIMON faces a maximum term of five (5) years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000.00, up to three (3) years of supervised release after imprisonment, and a mandatory $100 special assessment.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Jordan Ginsberg, supervisor of the Public Corruption Unit, is in charge of the prosecution.
Kenner Woman Charged with Failure to Pay Employment TaxesRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced yesterday that a two-count Bill of Information was filed against defendant MARTHA BUEZO MARTINEZ, age 48, of Kenner, LA, for failing to account for and pay over employment taxes to the Internal Revenue Service, in violation of Title 26, United States Code, Section 7202. MARTINEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of five (5) years, a $10,000 fine, three years supervised release following any term of imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment fee.
U.S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a Bill of Information is merely an accusation and that the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Duane A. Evans is prosecuting the case.
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New Orleans Tax Preparer Charged for Failing to Declare More Than $144,401 in Fees on Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced the filing on Friday, June 3, 2019 of a one count bill of information charging QUINCY E. IRVIN, age 41 of New Orleans, Louisiana with one count of violating Title 26, United States Code, Section 7206, making false statements on an income tax return.
The bill of information charged IRVIN with failing to declare more than $144,401 in funds on his 2012 individual tax return 1040. IRVIN was self-employed as a tax preparer with Discount Tax Service and Quincy Irvin Tax Service. IRVIN failed to declare the $144,401 in fees he charged to prepare other individual’s tax returns.
The maximum period of incarceration should IRVIN be convicted or plead guilty is 3 years incarceration, a $250,000 fine, the cost of the investigation, as well as restitution to the IRS. U.S. Attorney Strasser emphasized that a bill of information is simply an allegation. Each element of the offense must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt to convict IRVIN.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation Division for their thorough investigation. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Carter K.D. Guice Jr.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Obtaining Kilograms of Fentanyl Analogue from ChinaRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS - U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that CARL J. HURST, age 35, of New Orleans, pleaded guilty Friday, May 31, 2019 to one count of conspiring to distribute 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 100 grams or more of heroin. HURST is facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment, a maximum sentence of life, a possible fine of up to $10,000,000, and at least five years of supervised release upon his release from prison.
According to court records, HURST conspired with others to order kilograms of acetylfentanyl, an analogue of fentanyl, from a Chinese manufacturer. HURST admitted that he conspired to order up to 9 kilograms of the acetylfentanyl in 2014 and 2015. HURST and his coconspirators mixed the acetylfentanyl with heroin or sold it as a standalone product in the New Orleans area.
U.S. District Judge Ivan L.R. Lemelle will sentence HURST on October 23, 2019.
This prosecution is part of an extensive investigation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF). OCDETF is a joint federal, state, and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Drug Enforcement Administration and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorneys Brandon Long and Nicholas Moses are responsible for the prosecution.
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Bookkeeper Charged in Nine Count Indictment for Wire FraudRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that LATANYA A. BRITTON, age 41, resident of LaPlace, Louisiana, was indicted on Thursday, May 30, 2019, by a federal grand jury for nine (9) counts of Wire Fraud. BRITTON was arrested by members of the United States Secret Service. She appeared in U.S. Magistrate Court on Monday, June 3, 2019, and was released on a $50,000 bond.
According to the indictment, on January 22, 2018, BRITTON was hired as a bookkeeper in the client accounting services department at Accounting Firm A. Accounting Firm A was located in New Orleans, Louisiana and provided client accounting services to local businesses and individuals. Client B, a restaurant located in the New Orleans French Quarter, was a small business client of Accounting Firm A. BRITTON became the bookkeeper for Client B and was entrusted with the daily accounting and bill paying for Client B’s account. Accounting Firm A utilized a cloud-based accounting software called Restaurant 365 to manage the account for Client B. Restaurant 365 allowed BRITTON authorized access to Client B’s bank account. BRITTON’s position allowed her to issue checks to Client B’s vendors that contained an electronic signature of the managing shareholder of Client B.
On August 16, 2018, BRITTON established an entity named Lagniappe Accounting Services, L.L.C. (“Lagniappe”). Navy Federal Credit Union (“NFCU”) was a domestic financial banking institution headquartered in Vienna, Virginia. All check images received by NFCU either from a NFCU branch, ATM, e-deposit, or other channel, were transmitted to computer servers located in Vienna, Virginia. On August 24, 2018, BRITTON opened bank account No. ******2479 with NFCU under the name Lagniappe.
BRITTON devised and implemented a scheme to defraud Client B by embezzling approximately $32,000 from Client B’s bank account. BRITTON accessed Restaurant 365 software to delete approximately 31 check entries payable to Lagniappe that she fraudulently issued from Client B’s account. BRITTON opened an account with NFCU in the name Lagniappe in order to deposit funds she embezzled from Client B. BRITTON used her NFCU Lagniappe account debit card to pay for personal expenses at retailers such as Bed Bath & Beyond, Dillard’s, JCPenney’s, Old Navy, DSW, and at various nail spas. It was further part of the scheme and artifice to defraud, and in an effort to conceal her conduct, that on or about December 30, 2018, BRITTON made false statements in an email to Client B’s managing shareholder after he contacted BRITTON regarding a suspicious check written to Lagniappe. BRITTON was terminated from Accounting Firm A on January 3, 2019.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
If convicted, BRITTON faces a maximum penalty of twenty (20) years imprisonment, followed by up to three (3) years of supervised release, and a $250,000.00 fine per count.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the United States Secret Service. The prosecution of the case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Mexican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that RIGOBERTO FRANQUIS-HERNANDEZ, age 35, a citizen of Mexico, was charged yesterday in a one-count bill of information with illegal reentry of a removed alien, in violation of 8 U.S.C. ' 1326(a).
According to the bill of information, RIGOBERTO FRANQUIS-HERNANDEZ reentered the United States on or about May 16, 2019, after having been previously removed therefrom on or about January 25, 2014.
If convicted, RIGOBERTO FRANQUIS-HERNANDEZ faces a maximum term of imprisonment of two years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, one year supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that a bill of information is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
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Loranger Man Sentenced for Possessing Firearms as a FelonRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that yesterday United States District Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced PHILLIP GUIDRY to 21 months of imprisonment, to be followed by three years of supervised release, for possessing firearms as a felon. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes from possessing firearms.
GUIDRY, age 49, of Loranger, Louisiana was arrested on March 2, 2018 for possessing a firearm as a felon. Upon a search of his residence that same day, law enforcement found numerous firearms, including an automatic rifle without a serial number. GUIDRY plead guilty to a one count indictment of possessing a firearm as a felon on February 7, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Louisiana State Police. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney David Howard Sinkman.
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New Orleans Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WALTER OLIVER, age 28, of New Orleans, pled guilty as charged to a one count federal indictment for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes from possessing firearms after being convicted.
OLIVER faces a maximum sentence of 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $250,000.00, a period of supervised release of 3 years, and a mandatory special assessment of $100.00. The Honorable Jane Triche Milazzo will sentence OLIVER on September 4, 2019.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the New Orleans Police Department in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Brittany L. Reed is in charge of the prosecution.
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Mandeville, Louisiana Neurologist Pleads Guilty for Role in Scheme to Unlawfully Dispense Controlled Substances and to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
A neurologist from Mandeville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to unlawfully prescribe controlled substances, namely oxycodone and hydrocodone, without performing required face-to-face examinations, and his role in a scheme to commit health care fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office and Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Regional Office made the announcement.
Anil Prasad, M.D., 62, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Sentencing is set for Sept. 4, 2019, before Judge Milazzo.
In pleading guilty, Prasad admitted that he conspired with others to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances at a medical clinic that was, in actuality, a pill mill. Prasad admitted that he rarely performed face-to-face examinations of patients at the clinic to determine whether any medical necessity existed for the controlled substances that he dispensed to them. Instead, Prasad admitted he pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances for patients. Those patients then picked up the prescriptions from the clinic after making a cash payment to the clinic. Prasad also admitted that he pre-signed prescriptions before traveling internationally, and that patients would pick up those prescriptions while he was out of the country. Further, Prasad admitted that he knew certain patients who received the pre-signed prescriptions used their Medicare and Medicaid benefits to fill the prescriptions at area pharmacies. In total, Medicare and Medicaid paid approximately $1,657,461.15 for those prescriptions, Prasad admitted.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Trial Attorney Jared Hasten of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan Lieberman of the Eastern District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
Mandeville, Louisiana Neurologist Pleads Guilty for Role in Scheme to Unlawfully Dispense Controlled Substances and to Commit Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
WASHINGTON – A neurologist from Mandeville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today for his role in a scheme to unlawfully prescribe controlled substances, namely oxycodone and hydrocodone, without performing required face-to-face examinations, and his role in a scheme to commit health care fraud.
Assistant Attorney General Brian A. Benczkowski of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser of the Eastern District of Louisiana, Special Agent in Charge Eric J. Rommal of the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office and Special Agent in Charge C.J. Porter of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (HHS-OIG) Dallas Field Office made the announcement.
Anil Prasad, M.D., 62, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo of the Eastern District of Louisiana to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances and one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Sentencing is set for Sept. 4, 2019, before Judge Milazzo.
In pleading guilty, Prasad admitted that he conspired with others to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances at a medical clinic that was, in actuality, a pill mill. Prasad admitted that he rarely performed face-to-face examinations of patients at the clinic to determine whether any medical necessity existed for the controlled substances that he dispensed to them. Instead, Prasad admitted he pre-signed prescriptions for controlled substances for patients. Those patients then picked up the prescriptions from the clinic after making a cash payment to the clinic. Prasad also admitted that he pre-signed prescriptions before traveling internationally, and that patients would pick up those prescriptions while he was out of the country. Further, Prasad admitted that he knew certain patients who received the pre-signed prescriptions used their Medicare and Medicaid benefits to fill the prescriptions at area pharmacies. In total, Medicare and Medicaid paid approximately $1,657,461.15 for those prescriptions, Prasad admitted.
This case was investigated by the FBI, HHS-OIG, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana. Trial Attorney Jared Hasten of the Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Sharan Lieberman of the Eastern District of Lousiana are prosecuting the case.
The Medicare Fraud Strike Force is part of a joint initiative between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country. Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, which maintains 14 strike forces operating in 23 districts, has charged nearly 4,000 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $14 billion. In addition, the HHS Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
To learn more about the Health Care Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), go to www.stopmedicarefraud.gov.
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Honduran National Pleads Guilty to False Statement in Passport ApplicationRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO, age 41, a citizen of Honduras, pled guilty to a one-count bill of information with making a false statement in a U.S. passport application, in violation of 18 U.S.C. ' 1542.
According to the bill of information, WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO falsely stated in the application that his name was Omar Orlando Cuadrado when in fact he is Wilmer Adonys Osorto.
WILMER ADONYS OSORTO, a/k/a OMAR ORLANDO CUADRADO faces a maximum term of imprisonment of ten years, a fine of up to $250,000.00, three years supervised release after imprisonment, and a $100 special assessment. U.S. District Judge Nannette Jolivette Brown set sentencing for June 13, 2019.
U.S. Attorney Strasser praised the work of the United States Department of State Diplomatic Security Service in investigating this matter. Assistant United States Attorney Irene González is in charge of the prosecution.
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Former Manager of North Kenner Post Office Sentenced to 30 Months for Stealing More Than $630,000 in Postal StampsRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS – United States Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced today that RYAN S. CORTEZ, age 47, of Des Allemands, Louisiana, was sentenced today for Misappropriation of Postal Funds.
According to court records, special agents with the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”) were notified by PayPal and eBay regarding significant quantities of U.S. Postal stamps being sold by CORTEZ on eBay. A subsequent investigation by Postal OIG revealed that, as manager, CORTEZ had increased the North Kenner Post Office’s reserve stamp stock by more than $600,000. Subpoenaed records from CORTEZ'S Regions Bank account revealed substantial deposits, including more than $58,000 in a one-month period in the summer of 2018.
During their investigation, Postal OIG agents determined CORTEZ withdrew thousands of dollars on a regular basis at the Harrah’s Casino in New Orleans. Harrah’s records revealed CORTEZ lost over $667,000 since 2011 and lost over $220,000 in 2017. Postal records indicate CORTEZ earned an annual salary of $70,818.
On October 10, 2018, Postal OIG special agents executed a federal search warrant issued by a federal magistrate judge at CORTEZ’s residence in Des Allemands. Agents found evidence linking CORTEZ to the ordering of the stamps from the Stamp Fulfillment Center thus increasing the reserve stamp stock for the North Kenner Post Office. During the search of the Post Office, Postal OIG special agents advised CORTEZ of his Miranda rights and told him that they wanted to discuss financial issues with the Post Office. CORTEZ admitted to Postal agents that he had stolen stamps from the North Kenner Post Office and sold them on eBay. When asked to estimate the dollar amount of stamp stock that had been stolen, CORTEZ responded, “Hundreds of thousands.” CORTEZ claimed he began selling stamps on eBay in 2015. CORTEZ said he was addicted to gambling and the money obtained from the illegal sale of stamps was to support his gambling addiction. CORTEZ confirmed he manipulated stamp stock counts by using another supervisor’s password to access the computer system. As a result, existing internal controls failed to detect the theft of these stamps.
In total, Postal records reveal that CORTEZ stole over $630,000 in U.S. stamps and sold them on eBay. According to Postal authorities, CORTEZ’s illegal activities constitute one of the largest internal Postal thefts by a Postal Service employee in the history of the U.S. Postal Service.
United States District Court Judge Barry W. Ashe sentenced CORTEZ to 30 months imprisonment, followed by three (3) years of supervised release, and ordered CORTEZ to pay restitution in the amount of $856,801.41.
U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser praised the work of the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. The prosecution of this case is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian M. Klebba, Supervisor of the Financial Crimes Unit.
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Federal Grand Jury Indicts Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – U.S. Attorney Peter G. Strasser announced that ANTHONY HORTON, age 45, a resident of New Orleans, Louisiana, was charged on Friday, May 24, 2019 in a one-count indictment by a federal grand jury for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Federal law prohibits individuals who have been convicted of certain crimes from possessing firearms after being convicted.
If convicted, HORTON, who is alleged to be an armed career criminal, faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years of imprisonment and a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, a fine up to $250,000, a period of supervised release of not more than 5 years, and a mandatory special assessment fee of $100.00.
U. S. Attorney Strasser reiterated that the indictment is merely a charge and that the guilt of the defendant must be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The case was investigated by the Louisiana State Police and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Brittany Reed and Melissa Bucher of the Violent Crime/Strike Force Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.