Middle District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Baton Rouge Man Falsely Holding Himself as a Medical Doctor Pleads Guilty to False Statements Relating to Health Care MattersRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced that Samrat Mukherjee, 35, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to false statements relating to health care matters. Mukherjee’s conviction is punishable by a term of imprisonment of five years, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and a term of supervised release of three years.
According to admissions made as a part of his guilty plea, Mukherjee was a licensed paramedic who worked for Acadian Ambulance Service, Inc. Mukherjee did not attend or graduate from medical school. However, he admitted that while employed by Acadian Ambulance he falsely held himself out to co-workers and friends as a licensed medical doctor. In order to perpetuate his lies, Mukherjee created a fake medical degree, fake residency match letter, and attended a celebration for his medical school graduation, despite having never attended medical school.
By falsely holding himself out as a medical doctor, Mukherjee was given physician access privileges at several hospitals where he spent time seeing patients in the intensive care unit, among other areas of the hospital. Mukherjee wore “M.D.” and “Flight Surgeon” insignia on his clothing and was given badges from area hospitals and Acadian Ambulance identifying him as a physician.
From in or around May 2019, and continuing through in or around November 2022, Mukherjee called in prescriptions to various pharmacies for himself and others. In doing so, he falsely and fraudulently claimed to be two doctors and had authority to write the prescriptions. Mukherjee caused the pharmacies to submit claims to health care benefit programs, including Medicaid and BCBSLA, for reimbursement.
In one example, on or about October 3, 2022, he wrote a prescription for Ondansetron-ODT, 4mg tablets for a patient who was undergoing cancer treatment at the time and forged the signature of a doctor on the prescription. Aside from his lack of medical school education and certification required to write the prescription himself, Mukherjee did not consult with the patient’s oncologist before writing the prescription and did not have the authority of the doctor to write the prescription.
Acting U.S. Attorney April M. Leon for the Middle District of Louisiana, Supervisory Official Matt Galeotti of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) made the announcement.
The case was investigated by HHS-OIG and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen L. Craig, Trial Attorney Samantha E. Usher, and Assistant Chief Justin M. Woodard.
The Fraud Section leads the Criminal Division’s efforts to combat health care fraud through the Health Care Fraud Strike Force Program. Since March 2007, this program, currently comprised of nine strike forces operating in 27 federal districts, has charged more than 5,400 defendants who collectively have billed federal health care programs and private insurers more than $27 billion. In addition, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to hold providers accountable for their involvement in health care fraud schemes. More information can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit.
Federal Jury Convicts Walker Man of Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
Acting United States Attorney April M. Leon announced the conviction of Richard Lance Cline Jr., age 34, of Walker, Louisiana. After a two-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge John W. deGravelles, the jury unanimously convicted Cline of distribution of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on February 25, 2021 and March 3, 2021, Cline sold 50 grams or more of methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer. On March 9, 2021, he was arrested in possession of 50 grams or more of methamphetamine while attempting a third sale to an undercover law enforcement.
As a result of his conviction, Cline now faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, as well as significant fines, restitution, and supervised release.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. This case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Robert W. Piedrahita and Ellison C. Travis.
April Leon Named Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
April M. Leon has been named as the Acting United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana following the departure of Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. who had served as the United States Attorney since 2021. As Acting U.S. Attorney, Mrs. Leon serves as the chief federal law enforcement officer for the Middle District of Louisiana, which covers a nine-parish region with a population of approximately one million people and oversees the investigation and litigation of all criminal and civil cases brought on behalf of the United States in the District.
Mrs. Leon stated, “I am honored to continue my commitment to public service as Acting United States Attorney and fulfill the mission of the Department by collaboratively working with our federal, state, and local partners.”
Mrs. Leon previously served as First Assistant United States Attorney, the second most senior official in the United States Attorney’s Office, and as an Assistant United States Attorney within the Special Matters Unit. She is a career prosecutor with over fifteen years of prosecutorial experience on both the federal and state levels.
Mrs. Leon received her Juris Doctor from Southern University Law Center. During her law school tenure, she was selected as a member of the moot court and mock trial competition teams. As a law student, she externed at East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney's Office as a Special Assistant Rule 20 Prosecutor and tried her first case as a prosecutor before graduating law school. Mrs. Leon is also a graduate, magna cum laude, of Howard University.
Repeat Child Sex Offender Sentenced to 270 Months in Federal Prison for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced James Tyra Bowman, age 30, of Appleton, Wisconsin, to 270 months in federal prison following his convictions for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. The Court further sentenced Bowman to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to complete sex offender treatment and register as a sex offender upon his release.
Bowman, while in Wisconsin, used social media applications and the name “Genius_Outlaw” to attempt to convince someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Bowman offered her gifts to entice her to engage in the sexual acts. The 11-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Bowman also sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his genitals and demanded that she send him sexually explicit videos and images of herself. Bowman also planned an arrangement to train the supposed 11-year-old girl (undercover officer) in illegal sex acts in Wisconsin. Bowman was arrested by law enforcement in January of 2024. Bowman was previously convicted and sentenced for child sexual exploitation crimes in Wisconsin in 2017.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
St. Francisville Man Sentenced to 240 Months in Federal Prison for Assault of a Federal Employee in Performance of Official DutyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana, to 240 months in federal prison following his conviction for assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury. Haile must serve three years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.
Father and Son Duo Sentenced to Federal Prison for Distribution and Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Bobby Glenn Wall, Jr., age 46, of Parchman, Mississippi, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall, Jr. must serve fifteen years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on December 14, 2021, while using the Facebook Messenger application on a cell phone in the Wilkinson County Jail in Mississippi, Wall, Jr. knowingly transmitted five images of child pornography to his father, Bobby Glenn Wall, in Denham Springs Louisiana, with each image depicting a prepubescent female. Wall Jr. had access to, at a minimum, 100 images of child pornography that he sent to his own Facebook Messenger account, five of which he then sent to his father in Denham Springs via Facebook Messenger.
His father, Bobby Glenn Wall, age 68, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to 160 months in federal prison following his conviction for the same incident involving distribution and receipt of child pornography. Wall must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment and ordered to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Wall knowingly received five images of child pornography on his Facebook Messenger application, from his son, Wall, Jr. Wall received one image of child pornography from his son, and, after telling his son “to keep them coming,” received 15 additional images of child pornography, to include images depicting masturbation and sex acts.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
Mexican National Residing in Georgia Charged with Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Victorino De La Cruz, age 42, of Mableton, Georgia, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. De La Cruz appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, between August 8, 2024 and November 22, 2024, De La Cruz knowingly attempted to employ, use, persuade, entice, and coerce an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, according to the indictment, on August 11, 2024, De La Cruz, using a means of interstate commerce, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to an individual he believed had not attained the age of 16 years old.
Attempted production of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 15 – 30 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements. Attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. De La Cruz also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Anderson.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Denham Springs Man Sentenced to 78 Months in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Barry Paul Vining, age 57, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, to 78 months in federal prison following his conviction for distribution of child pornography. Vining must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered Vining to pay $357,000 in restitution and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images. In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 211 Months in Federal Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearms ViolationsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Demarlo Brown, age 42, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 211 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Brown to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited.
This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea,from March through September 2019, Brown operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with Brown, they seized over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin, and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl. Two firearms and 38 rounds of ammunition were also seized from Brown that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales. In total, six firearms and 168 rounds of ammunition were seized in the raids.
Brown was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In April 2024, prior to possessing the two firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the 19th Judicial District Court of armed robbery and was sentenced to 10 years at hard labor.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Mexican National Residing in Georgia Charged with Attempted Production of Child Pornography and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that a federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Victorino De La Cruz, age 42, of Mableton, Georgia, with attempted production of child pornography and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. De La Cruz appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to the indictment, between August 8, 2024 and November 22, 2024, De La Cruz knowingly attempted to employ, use, persuade, entice, and coerce an individual he believed was a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, according to the indictment, on August 11, 2024, De La Cruz, using a means of interstate commerce, knowingly attempted to transfer obscene material to an individual he believed had not attained the age of 16 years old.
Attempted production of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 15 – 30 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements. Attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor is punishable by a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison. De La Cruz also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
This matter is being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Benjamin Anderson.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Baton Rouge Woman Sentenced to 13 Months in Federal Prison for COVID-19 FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Gernesia Williams, 47, of Baton Rouge, to 13 months in federal prison following her conviction for knowing conversion of government funds. The Court further sentenced Williams to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $110,030.47 in restitution.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, between approximately April 2020 and January 2023, Williams knowingly converted more than $100,000 in loan proceeds she obtained as part of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s COVID-19 Economic Injury Disaster Loan (“EIDL”) program for her own use. As a condition to obtaining the loans, she promised to use the proceeds solely as working capital to alleviate economic injury caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, Williams misspent at least $110,030.47 of the loan proceeds on herself and others, including more than $30,000 on jewelry and more than $20,000 on a destination wedding in Florida.
Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Convicted Felon Sentenced to 105 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ConvictionsRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Damond Reynard Lockett, age 51, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 105 months in federal prison following his convictions for possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The Court further sentenced Lockett to serve four years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered the firearms involved be forfeited.
According to admissions made during his plea, on May 6, 2020, narcotic detectives with the East Baton Rouge Parish Sherriff’s Office executed a search warrant on Lockett’s Bayou Fountain apartment. During the search of the residence, detectives located three bags containing over 100 grams of a mixture of heroin and fentanyl in Lockett’s bathroom and a loaded firearm in his bedroom closet.
Lockett committed this offense while he was on supervised release for his 2015 federal conviction of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base, possession with the intent to distribute cocaine, and unlawful use of communication facilities, in the Middle District of Louisiana.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Eli Abad and Jessica Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of Economic Crimes.
Baton Rouge Man Indicted for Distribution of Heroin and Fentanyl with Death and Serious Bodily Injury Resulting from the Use of the Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury recently returned a two-count indictment charging Ecknozzio C. Jackson, Jr., age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with distribution of heroin and fentanyl with death and serious bodily injury resulting from the use of the heroin and fentanyl. On January 2, 2025, Jackson appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charges.
According to court documents, on or about December 16, 2019, Jackson distributed a substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, with serious bodily injury resulting from the use of the heroin after being ingested by an individual. Then on or about December 17, 2019, Jackson distributed a substance containing detectable amounts of heroin and fentanyl with death and serious bodily injury of an individual resulting from the use of said heroin and fentanyl.
The indictment counts are each punishable by a mandatory minimum term of imprisonment of 20 years and up to life.
This matter is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Gonzales Man Charged in Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud the COVID-19 Employee Retention Credit ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that a Bill of Information has been filed charging Damian R. Raby, age 41, of Gonzales, Louisiana, with conspiracy to launder money and obstructing the administration of the internal revenue laws, relating to a multimillion-dollar scheme to defraud a COVID-19 economic relief program.
According to the Bill, between August 2022 and April 2023, Raby devised a scheme to defraud the United States, through the Internal Revenue Service, by preparing and filing tax forms fraudulently claiming Employee Retention Credit (ERC) tax credits on behalf of numerous businesses purportedly located in the Baton Rouge area, businesses that either did not exist during the COVID-19 pandemic or that did not have any legitimate business activity prior to the pandemic. The ERC program was a new tax credit provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES” Act), intended to encourage businesses to keep employees on their payroll during the COVID-19 pandemic.
As part of the scheme, Raby would file documents with the IRS asking the IRS to assign Employer Identification Numbers (EINs) to the fraudulent businesses, he would open bank accounts in the names of the fraudulent businesses, and he would file tax forms in which he falsely represented the businesses’ number of employees and payroll amounts and falsely claimed that the businesses were entitled to large tax credits. According to the Bill, Raby filed fraudulent applications on behalf of dozens of businesses and caused the IRS to issue more than 30 checks totaling approximately $4.4 million.
According to the Bill, as Raby and his associates received the proceeds of the fraudulent scheme, they would quickly make additional financial transactions to move the fraudulent proceeds among the various accounts Raby controlled, in an attempt to conceal, disguise, and spend the proceeds. The Bill alleges that Raby used the proceeds to make large payments on numerous luxury vehicles, the mortgage of his personal residence, and numerous other large purchases.
Finally, according to the Bill, after Raby became aware of a pending investigation into his conduct, he obstructed and impeded the investigation, including by making false statements to an IRS agent, sending fictitious documents to the IRS, and encouraging one of the witnesses to provide false information to the IRS.
This matter was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, and the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, with valuable assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel, and J. Brad Casey.
NOTE: A Bill of Information is an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty.
Honduran Man Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison for Drug ConvictionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Marvin Martinez-Ruiz, age 42, of Honduras, to 63 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and cocaine. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Martinez-Ruiz to serve three years of supervised release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on August 21, 2023, deputies with the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a white van for improper lane use. The driver of the van was identified as Martinez-Ruiz and after obtaining consent to search the van, deputies located 416.1 grams of methamphetamine, 150.9 grams of cocaine, and two digital scales inside the van. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Martinez-Ruiz admitted that the narcotics belonged to him.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Justice Department Awards $1.5 Million to Louisiana State Police for Sexual Assault Kit InitiativeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $1,500,000 to Louisiana State Police for the National Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) to research, review, and collect lawfully-owed DNA from arrestees and convicted offenders for enrollment in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) in hopes that they will return hits to generate new investigative information in unsolved cases.
The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab (LSPCL) in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, is responsible for receiving, verifying acceptability, and analyzing lawfully-owed arrestee and convicted offender DNA collections, as well as developing and uploading DNA profiles into the CODIS database. LSPCL also retains the collected DNA samples for match verification and other quality assurance purposes. The State of Louisiana began collecting and enrolling lawfully owed convicted offender samples into CODIS in 2002 and has been a trailblazer regarding lawfully owed arrestee collections, becoming the first state in the country to collect and enroll lawfully owed arrestee samples into CODIS (2003), and analyze lawfully-owed arrestee samples as a part of the booking process using Rapid DNA technology (2022).
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].
Texas Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with the Intent to Distribute CocaineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Marco Godinez, age 36, of Houston, Texas, to 60 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with the intent to distribute cocaine. The Court further sentenced Godinez to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on November 8, 2022, Godinez was pulled over by an Iberville Parish law enforcement officer for a traffic violation. He voluntarily consented to a search of his vehicle after being advised that he would receive a traffic warning violation. During the search of Godinez’s truck bed, officers found five kilograms of cocaine.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jene C. Clayton.
Former Law Enforcement Officer Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Multimillion Dollar Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Pandemic Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, to 84 months in federal prison following his conviction for making a false statement to a bank in connection with numerous fraudulent applications that he filed to obtain funds from the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The Court further sentenced Hebert to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to pay $2,450,639.93 in restitution to the United States Small Business Administration. Previously in the investigation, the United States seized a significant share of the proceeds from the offense, as well as a residence in New Orleans, and three vehicles, including a 2013 Ghost Rolls Royce, a Lexus ES 350, and Ford F-250.
According to court documents, between April of 2020 and July of 2020, Hebert submitted at least 12 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of seven different companies to five different banks seeking more than $4.2 million in PPP loan funds, that were designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who were suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On these applications, Hebert made false representations regarding his businesses and their operations. In support of these fraudulent applications, Hebert created false tax forms and other documents, which included the real personal identifiable information of people to facilitate his crime. Hebert’s pandemic fraud scheme caused a loss of more than $2.4 million.
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe stated, “This strong sentence is a testament to the significant crime that this former law enforcement officer committed. Hebert was trained to serve and protect but instead he took advantage of a government safety net program to line his own pockets during the worst pandemic in over a century. Prosecuting pandemic fraud is a high priority for our office and we will continue to use every resource available to investigate and prosecute those who commit this type of crime. I want to commend our prosecutors and the team of agents for their diligent work in bringing this defendant to justice.”
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, the United States Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of the Economic Crime Unit, M. Patricia Jones, who also serves as the Appellate Chief, and Brad Casey.
Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Postal Employee Pleads Guilty to Pandemic Relief Program FraudRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Myaika Gross, age 40, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to wire fraud in connection with her defrauding of the COVID-19 relief programs.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, Gross worked as a United States Postal Employee in Louisiana between May of 2020 and June of 2021. Yet, during that time period she applied for Pandemic Unemployment benefits in five different states (California, Kansas, Indiana, Colorado and Louisiana), claiming she worked in each and had been laid off for COVID-19 related reasons. Additionally, Gross applied for and received a Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan using fraudulent information during this time frame. In total, Gross took $65,928 in pandemic funds she was not entitled to receive.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Postal Service-Office of Inspector General, and the United States Department of Labor-Office of Inspector General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of the Economic Crime Unit.
Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that James S. Burland, age 69, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to possession of child pornography. Burland was remanded to the custody of the U.S. Marshal’s Office pending sentencing. His conviction is punishable by a maximum penalty of twenty years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 11, 2022, Burland uploaded a file containing an image of child pornography to his internet-based cloud storage account. A subsequent investigation identified that between that date and April 9, 2024, Burland possessed at least 150 additional files containing images of child pornography in his internet-based cloud storage account and on some of his personal computers and storage devices. Some of the images of child pornography depicted prepubescent minors and minors under the age of 12.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Former Regions Bank Manager Sentenced to 30 Months for Embezzlement and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, to 30 months in federal prison following his convictions for embezzlement and bank fraud. The Court further sentenced Schouest to serve two years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered Schouest to pay $86,375.89 in restitution.
Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch. In his capacity as branch manager, he had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of customer accounts.
Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customers and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts. He also sent false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to conceal his scheme from other Regions Bank employees. Some of the traceable fraudulent funds were used to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car. Through his scheme, Schouest misappropriated more than $250,000 from Regions customer accounts.
This matter was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
Former Baton Rouge City Parish Contractor Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Blake Joseph Steiner, age 37, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to distribution of child pornography. Steiner’s conviction is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release - which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, Steiner initiated a conversation on a mobile application group chat with an undercover agent (“UCA”). Steiner hoped to gain access to a group that he thought was dedicated to disseminating child pornography. The UCA sent Steiner a message stating, “Live face video saying today’s date.” Steiner then sent the UCA a video of himself stating “Today is March 4th.” As a final effort to gain access to what he thought was a mobile application child pornography group, Steiner sent a video of a child under 12 years old being sexually assaulted by an adult male.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations, and the Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jene C. Clayton.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Federal Law Enforcement Initiative Leads to Charges Against Six Individuals for Drug Trafficking and Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. has announced that an investigation into a drug trafficking organization based out of Ascension Parish has resulted in a federal grand jury indictment leading to the arrest of six individuals on various charges, including firearm and drug trafficking offenses.
According to the Indictment, the defendants engaged in an extensive drug trafficking venture where they distributed cocaine, fentanyl, methamphetamine, oxycodone, and heroin in the Middle District of Louisiana. During the investigation, agents seized over 443 grams of substances containing a detectable amount of fentanyl and 68.1 grams of cocaine, along with several firearms: a Springfield Armory pistol, model Saint, 5.56 Nato caliber; a Taurus, model Judge, .45 caliber and 410 gauge revolver; a Kimber pistol, model Stainless Ultra Carry II, .45 ACP caliber; and a Davis Industry Derringer, model DM-22, .22 Mag caliber pistol.
Charged and arrested as part of this initiative were the following individuals:
Leroy Miles, age 45, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Joseph Brown, age 37, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
James Miles, age 47, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Corey Powe, age 55, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Marishell Ealem, age 39, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances and distribution of heroin and fentanyl.
Destiny Renee McBride, age 35, of Donaldsonville, Louisiana, for conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration and task force officers from the Baton Rouge Police Department, Iberville Sheriff’s Office, Gonzales Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office with critical assistance from Homeland Security and the Internal Revenue Service. This matter is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
The investigation is another effort by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Program that was established in 1982 to mount a comprehensive attack against organized drug traffickers. Today, the OCDETF Program is the centerpiece of the United States Attorney General’s drug strategy to reduce the availability of drugs by disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations and money laundering organizations and related criminal enterprises. The OCDETF Program operates nationwide and combines the resources and unique expertise of numerous federal, state, and local agencies in a coordinated attack against major drug trafficking and money laundering organizations.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.
Former Baton Rouge Pediatrician Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Antonio Felipe Belda, age 39, of Ontario, Canada, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to possession of child pornography. Belda’s conviction is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements. Belda, a Canadian citizen, may also be removed or deported from the United States upon completing his sentence.
According to admissions made during his plea, Belda used internet-based accounts and mobile applications to obtain child pornography, and he possessed the illegal content on various computers and electronic storage devices. Belda possessed approximately 171 total videos and 3,034 total images of child pornography—some involving the sexual assault of children as young as eight years old.
This matter was investigated by the United States Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, and the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief; First Assistant United States Attorney April Leon Johnson; and Trial Attorney Adam William Braskich of the Department of Justice’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (“CEOS”).
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Oklahoma Man Sentenced to 84 Months in Federal Prison for Receipt of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced David John Ballance, age 58, of Tulsa, Oklahoma, to 84 months in federal prison following his conviction for receipt of child pornography. Ballance must serve five years of supervised release upon completing his term of imprisonment. The Court also ordered Ballance to pay $3,000 in restitution and ordered him to register as a sex offender upon his release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, in July 2021, Ballance, located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, began communicating with a 13-year-old minor located in the Middle District of Louisiana. Ballance told the minor that he was 23 years old, when he was in fact 54 years old, and identified himself by a false name. The communications began via an on-line gaming application that allowed for direct messaging between players. Ballance then began using a separate social media platform that allowed for one-on-one communications between parties. During the period of communications, he knew that the individual with whom he was communicating was younger than 16.
Between July 2021 and October 2021, Ballance started introducing intimate language in the communications with the minor, and knowingly sent images containing explicit content. The minor then sent explicit images of themself to Ballance via the internet. The image was taken by the minor and transmitted to Ballance by the minor in October 2021 through an application set to allow images to remain visible for five seconds. During those five seconds, however, for the aforementioned image and others of the minor, Ballance was able to capture them before they disappeared from the social media application.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
New Iberia Woman Sentenced to 37 Months in Federal Prison for Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Jazmine Johnnie, age 23, of New Iberia, Louisiana, to 37 months in federal prison following her conviction for bank robbery. The Court further sentenced Johnnie to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $3,500 in restitution.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea, on October 9, 2023, Johnnie drove in a rented Dodge Challenger to the branch location of JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., at 7346 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She wore sweatpants, a sweatshirt, a bonnet, eyeglasses, and a blue surgical-style mask over her mouth. She spoke with a teller before saying she would leave the bank and return the next day. Johnnie left the bank in the rented Challenger and drove away.
On October 10, 2023, Johnnie, wearing the same outfit she had worn the previous day, drove the Challenger back to the same bank. After walking into the bank’s lobby, she stopped at a desk, picked up a blank withdrawal slip, and wrote the following note on the back of the slip, “This bomb in my bag will go off in 5 minutes! My BF is speaking to the teller with a AK & is ready to shoot if cops are (sic) security is notified[.] You have 15 seconds to give me 45,000 are (sic) everyone dies. Timer is on. You try anything or notify anyone & the bomb will go off. Clock is ticking.” At the bottom of the note “$45,000” was written with a circle around it.
After writing the note, Johnnie walked to the teller station in the rear of the bank carrying a purse, a cell phone, and the demand note that she had just written. Once she reached the teller station, Johnnie slid the note to the teller. She then set her purse on the teller counter and showed the screen of her cell phone to the teller. The screen showed a timer counting down.
The teller ultimately gave Johnnie $3,500 in cash. After putting the cash into her purse, Johnnie exited the bank, got back into the Challenger, and drove away. After a warrant was issued for her arrest, Johnnie surrendered to police. During a post-arrest interview, she admitted to committing the robbery.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Georgia Woman Sentenced to 63 Months in Federal Prison for Embezzling More Than $1.6 Million from Local Business and Laundering the Fraudulent ProceedsRead the Press Release
BATON ROUGE, LA – United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Thanh Hoa Thi Bui, also known as Xena Bui, age 42, a resident of Valdosta, Georgia, to 63 months in federal prison following her convictions for wire fraud and making unlawful monetary transactions. The Court further sentenced Bui to serve three years of supervised release following her term of imprisonment and ordered her to pay $1,694,095.59 in restitution.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty pleas, between 2017 and 2020, Bui lived in Denham Springs, Louisiana. She worked at a small business located on North Sherwood Forest Drive in Baton Rouge, which has been in business for more than a decade, and where Bui was trusted to assist with the company’s bookkeeping and accounting, among other tasks. Beginning in or about September 2017 and continuing through November 2020, however, Bui embezzled more than $1.6 million from the business by using the company’s bank account to make hundreds of fraudulent transactions and concealing the scheme from her employer.
Bui accomplished the scheme in several different ways. On more than 100 different occasions, she used her access to the victim’s bank account to generate checks that were payable to herself and then used fraudulent pretenses to induce her employer to sign the checks, which she would then deposit into one of her personal bank accounts. Bui also used the victim’s bank account to pay the electricity and gas for a large chicken farm that she maintained in Mississippi and to make payments to a company in Covington, Louisiana, to which she owed money for real estate that she and another individual had purchased. In total, as the Court found at today’s sentencing, Bui embezzled $1,694,095.59 from the victim and caused the victim a substantial financial hardship.
Bui took extensive steps to conceal her scheme, including by providing her employer with altered copies of the company’s bank statements and by using her access to the company’s accounting program to disguise the fraudulent transactions as payments to the company’s regular vendors and suppliers.
Finally, as Bui obtained proceeds from the scheme, she would quickly move the proceeds through her bank accounts, withdraw the funds in cash, and make other transactions. For instance, on October 6, 2020, she fraudulently obtained a check in the amount of $56,252.52, payable to herself, which she deposited into one of her personal bank accounts. She immediately withdrew $50,000 from the account and then, beginning later that day and continuing through the following day, she purchased more than $50,000 in chips at a local casino.
In July 2023, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bui with the criminal conduct described above, and the Court issued a warrant for her arrest. Her location was unknown, however, and she remained a fugitive until October 2023, when agents located her in Las Vegas, Nevada, and arrested her.
This matter was investigated by the United States Secret Service, with valuable assistance from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Louisiana State Police. The matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Alan A. Stevens, who also serves as Senior Litigation Counsel.
Leader of Area Drug Trafficking Organization Sentenced to 260 Months in Federal Prison for Drug and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Corey Terrell Gardner, age 33, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 260 months in federal prison following his convictions for conspiracy to distribute and possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and fentanyl and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. The Court further sentenced Gardner to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered that the proceeds from his drug trafficking crimes, as well as firearms and ammunition seized by law enforcement, be forfeited. As part of the sentence, the Court found that Gardner operated a stash house and was an organizer, leader, manager, or supervisor.
This case was the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish and surrounding areas.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty pleas, from March through September 2019, Gardner operated a drug distribution organization in the Baton Rouge area where he and others distributed methamphetamine, fentanyl, and heroin. When law enforcement raided his home and other locations associated with him, over 27 ounces of methamphetamine, 2.7 ounces of heroin and 1.6 ounces of fentanyl was seized, as well as four firearms and 130 rounds of ammunition from Gardner that he illegally possessed to protect himself, his drugs, and his cash proceeds from drug sales.
Gardner was a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing the firearms and ammunition. In January 2018, prior to possessing the four firearms and ammunition, he was convicted in the U.S. Middle District Court of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to over twelve months in prison.
This matter was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Baton Rouge City Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lyman E. Thornton, III and Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Justice Department Awards over $3 Million to the Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance, has awarded $3,364,666 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”) to provide resources to help Louisiana agencies fight the drug epidemic and violent crime throughout the state of Louisiana.
The project activities include providing state and local units of government funding to enforce drug control laws and to improve the functioning of the criminal justice system, with an emphasis on violent crime and serious offenders. Expected outcomes for this program include continuing programs to improve drug control via enforcement of the laws against violent and non-violent crime; addressing recidivism by strengthening the areas of the criminal justice system that focus on prevention of crime and on drug abuse intervention; and responding to the need for specialized law enforcement and prosecution training. Subrecipient activities will be determined by data gathered from district planning meetings, as well as information collected by the Louisiana Law Enforcement Commission staff and policy board. These activities along with other statutory program areas will include promoting law enforcement, prosecution and adjudication efforts necessary to provide for a safe and drug-free society.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about this award, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].
Baton Rouge Man Charged with Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that a Bill of Information was filed charging James S. Burland, age 69, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with possession of child pornography.
According to the Bill of Information, between on or about November 11, 2022, and April 9, 2023, Burland did knowingly possess material that contained images of child pornography involving prepubescent minors who had not attained 12 years of age.
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Office of the Attorney General, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
NOTE: A Bill of Information is an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty.
Wisconsin Man Pleads Guilty in Federal Court to Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a Minor and Attempted Transfer of Obscene Material to a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that James Tyra Bowman, age 30, of Appleton, Wisconsin, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to attempted coercion and enticement of a minor and attempted transfer of obscene material to a minor. As a result of his convictions, Bowman faces potential life in prison, a $250,000 fine, and up to a lifetime period of supervised release—which includes sex offender registration requirements.
According to admissions made during his plea, Bowman used social media applications and the name “Genius_Outlaw” to attempt to convince someone he believed was an 11-year-old girl to have an illegal sexual relationship with him. Bowman offered her gifts to entice her to engage in the sexual acts. The 11-year-old girl was actually an undercover law enforcement officer. Bowman also sent the undercover officer a picture of himself and his penis and demanded that she send him sexually explicit videos and images of her. Bowman also planned an arrangement where Bowman would have the supposed 11-year-old girl (undercover officer) for a period to train her in illegal sex acts in Wisconsin. Bowman was arrested by law enforcement in January of this year.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Edward H. Warner, who also serves as Deputy Criminal Chief.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
Denham Springs Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Barry Paul Vining, age 56, of Denham Springs, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to distribution of child pornography.
According to admissions made during his plea, on November 27, 2022, Vining knowingly distributed the two images of child pornography when he uploaded them to a file sharing service accessed via the internet, and that allowed other users of the service around the world to download and share the images. In addition, at the time Vining distributed the child pornography, he possessed files that contained numerous images and videos of child pornography.
U.S. Attorney Ronald Gathe stated, “Our office will remain steadfast in the prosecution of the horrific crime of child pornography, a crime that preys on the most vulnerable, our youth. I want to thank our Project Safe Childhood Partners, especially the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations for their hard work in investigating this illegal act.”
This matter was investigated by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - Homeland Security Investigations and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Paul L. Pugliese.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. Appoints Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Thornhill as Election Officer for the Middle District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Jessica Thornhill will lead the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 5, 2024, general election. AUSA Thornhill has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the Middle District of Louisiana, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
United States Attorney Gathe said, “Every citizen must be able to vote without interference or discrimination and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process.”
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers, and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
United States Attorney Gathe further stated, “The franchise is the cornerstone of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are entitled to the franchise can exercise it if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt it are brought to justice. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA/DEO Thornhill will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 225-389-0443.”
In addition, the FBI will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 225-291-5159.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
United States Attorney Gathe said, “Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. It is important that those who have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud make that information available to the Department of Justice.”
Please note, however, in the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for EscapeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Deshawn Henderson, age 26, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 18 months in federal prison following his conviction for escape. The Court further sentenced Henderson to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, in 2022, Henderson was sentenced to 50 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession of firearms by a convicted felon. In February 2024, prior to completing his sentence, Henderson was assigned to City of Faith Residential Reentry Center, a community corrections facility located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to serve the remainder of his federal sentence. On the evening of April 1, 2024, employees at City of Faith directed Henderson to submit to a urinalysis and a breath analysis. While he was being escorted to a security trailer at the facility to be tested, he became irate and began to damage the interior of the security trailer. Shortly thereafter, the defendant exited the facility without permission and did not return. Henderson’s whereabouts remained unknown for about 14 days, when he surrendered to the U.S. Marshals Service on the evening of April 15, 2024.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Marshals Service and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Stephen R. Vick, Jr.
Bob Dean Jr. and Affiliated Corporate Entities Agree to $8.2M Consent Judgment to Resolve Allegations of Financial Misconduct Stemming from Evacuation of Nursing Homes During Hurricane IdaRead the Press Release
Bob Dean Jr. and several companies that he owned and operated have agreed to an $8.2 million consent judgment to resolve allegations that they violated the National Housing Act of 1934 (NHA), by misappropriating and misusing the assets and income of four nursing homes in Louisiana before and after Hurricane Ida’s landfall in August 2021. The four nursing homes, all of which were owned and operated by Dean and his companies, and had loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), are Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Houma; Maison De’Ville Nursing Home in Harvey; Maison Orleans Healthcare in New Orleans; and West Jefferson Health Care Center in Harvey.
The FHA, part of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), provides mortgage insurance on loans that cover residential care facilities, such as nursing homes, pursuant to the NHA. To encourage lenders to make loans to such facilities, FHA mortgage insurance provides lenders with protection against losses that result from borrowers defaulting on their mortgage loans. To obtain such FHA-insured loans, loan recipients must enter into regulatory agreements with the FHA that provide, among other requirements, that the assets and income of an FHA-insured nursing home may only be spent on goods and services that are reasonable and necessary to the operation of the nursing home. The NHA permits the United States to recover twice the amount of any assets and income of FHA-insured nursing homes that were improperly distributed or misspent.
In 2023, the government filed a complaint against Dean and his corporate entities alleging that they misspent the nursing homes’ assets and income. The United States alleged that in the five years leading up to Hurricane Ida, Dean funneled money that should have been used to prepare an evacuation site for nursing home residents to his personal bank accounts, leaving his nursing homes — and, more importantly, the nursing homes’ residents — unprepared for a hurricane. As a result, when Hurricane Ida made landfall in August 2021, the residents of Dean’s nursing homes had to ride out the storm in an overcrowded and ill-prepared industrial warehouse Dean owned through a corporate entity. The United States alleged that at Dean’s evacuation center, his nursing homes’ residents languished in squalor and did not receive adequate care, leading to the Louisiana Department of Health evacuating the nursing home residents from Dean’s warehouse and revoking Dean’s nursing homes’ licenses. The United States further alleged that, following the hurricane, Dean did not use the homes’ income and assets solely to operate or maintain the nursing homes, but instead to purchase personal goods and services, including antiques, firearms and cars.
“This settlement demonstrates the department’s continuing commitment to holding accountable those who put their own financial gain over the needs of our nation’s seniors,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “We will continue to take action to protect the integrity of federal programs designed to ensure that nursing home residents, who are among our most vulnerable citizens, receive appropriate care.”
“As the residents of Louisiana well know, hurricanes and natural disasters can devastate people’s lives,” said U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe Jr for the Middle District of Louisiana. “Nursing home operators like Mr. Dean have an obligation to protect their residents during such events, particularly if they are going to rely on federal programs to support or sustain their businesses. This settlement will ensure that those individuals charged with caring for our community’s most vulnerable residents take seriously their duty to have proper safeguards and plans in place to avoid tragedies like the one we saw in Independence, Louisiana, after Hurricane Ida.”
“Nursing home providers have obligations to protect the health, safety, and welfare of residents entrusted to their care,” said HUD General Counsel Damon Smith. “Owners of FHA-insured nursing homes should be on notice that we will hold them accountable when we learn of allegations that they have failed to meet those obligations.”
“By the time Hurricane Ida bore down on the vulnerable nursing home residents at properties operated by Mr. Dean, he illegally skimmed funding from those facilities and failed to maintain sanitation and adequately equip the warehouse he designated as the evacuation site,” said HUD Inspector General Rae Oliver Davis. “He unfairly enriched himself while residents under his charge endured horrid conditions including insufficient food and medical care. HUD OIG will continue to work with our law enforcement and prosecutorial partners to hold accountable those who misappropriate funds at the expense of vulnerable populations.”
The Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the case, with substantial assistance from HUD and HUD’s Office of Inspector General. Trial Attorneys Christopher Reimer and Samuel Robins of the Civil Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Davis Rhorer Jr. and Chase Zachary for the Middle District of Louisiana handled the matter.
The United States’ complaint stemmed from an investigation that the Justice Department initiated as part of its Elder Justice Initiative, which supports the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement and other elder justice professionals to combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation, with the development of training, resources and information. Learn more about the Justice Department’s Elder Justice Initiative at www.justice.gov/elderjustice.
The claims settled by this agreement are allegations only. There has been no determination of liability.
National Center for Disaster Fraud Reminds the Public to be Aware of Fraud in the Wake of Hurricane HeleneRead the Press Release
On September 26, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend Region and quickly caused major devastation there and across states including Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, and others. In the wake of Helene, fraudsters will target victims of the storm along with citizens across the country who want to do what they can to assist individuals affected by the storm. Unfortunately, criminals exploit disasters for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating deceiving websites designed to solicit contributions.
The U.S. Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to deter, investigate, and prosecute fraud in the wake of disasters. United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., serves as the Executive Director of the NCDF. More than 50 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Complaints of fraud may be reported online at www.justice.gov/DisasterComplaintForm. Complaints may also be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721, a hotline that is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
The public should exercise diligence before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations or individuals offering to assist those affected by Helene. Solicitations can originate from phone calls, texts, social media, e-mail, door-to-door collections, flyers, mailings, and other similar methods. Before making a donation to benefit victims of Helene, individuals should adhere to certain guidelines, including:
- Make contributions directly to known organizations rather than relying on others to make the donation on your behalf.
- Do not be pressured into making contributions as reputable charities do not use such tactics.
- Do not respond to any unsolicited communications (e.g., e-mails and texts), and never click links contained within those messages because they may be targeting your personal information, to include bank and credit card account information, and other identifiers such as dates of birth and social security numbers.
- Rather than clicking on a purported link to a charity, verify its legitimacy by utilizing various Internet-based resources that may assist in confirming whether the organization is a valid charity.
- Beware of organizations with copy-cat names similar to but not exactly the same as those of reputable charities.
- Avoid cash donations if possible. Pay by credit card or write a check directly to the charity. Do not make checks payable to individuals.
- Know that legitimate charities do not normally solicit donations via money transfer services, and their website will normally end in .org rather than .com.
- Be cautious of e-mails that claim to show pictures of the disaster areas in attached files because the files may contain viruses. Only open attachments from known senders.
Federal Jury Convicts St. Francisville Man of Assault Upon a Federal Officer in Performance of Official DutyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Lionel Haile, age 31, of St. Francisville, Louisiana. After a four-day trial before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles, the jury unanimously convicted Haile of assaulting a U.S. Postal employee with a dangerous weapon and inflicting bodily injury.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, on December 31, 2021, Haile attacked a U.S. Postal employee with a sharp object as she was delivering mail to an apartment complex in Zachary, Louisiana, inflicting a stab wound on her right leg. The victim fought against Haile’s repeated attempts to stab her on her upper body and legs. She escaped Haile, ran towards a vehicle as it was exiting the apartment complex, jumped inside the vehicle, and rode off with her rescuer. Haile fled the scene. Authorities arrested Haile on January 6, 2022, following the publication of his photograph on CrimeStoppers.
As a result of his conviction, Haile now faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years.
This case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection Service, East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Zachary Police Department, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson and Robert W. Piedrahita.
Federal Jury Convicts Prairieville Man of Attempted Coercion and Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced the conviction of Darryl Felder, age 43, of Prairieville, Louisiana. After a three-day trial before U.S. District Court Judge John W. deGravelles, the jury unanimously convicted Felder of attempted coercion and enticement of a minor.
As the evidence at trial demonstrated, over an 8-day period in January 2023, Felder enticed an undercover agent whom he believed to be 15 years old, to engage in sexual activity using cell phones and the internet.
As a result of his conviction, Felder now faces a minimum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a maximum term of life.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation for the Office of the Attorney General and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Paul L. Pugliese and Stephen Vick.
Justice Department Awards over $15 Million in Grants to Louisiana Commission on Law EnforcementRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Office for Victims of Crime and Office on Violence Against Women has awarded $15,454,563 to the Louisiana Commission on Law Enforcement (“LCLE”).
LCLE was awarded $2,362,000 to enhance State Victim Compensation payments to eligible crime victims to provide financial assistance to federal and state victims of crime; $10,662,795 to provide funds from the Crime Victims Fund to enhance crime victim services in the state; and $2,429,768 to develop and strengthen law enforcement, prosecution, and court strategies to combat violent crimes against women and to develop and strengthen victim services, including community-based, culturally specific services, in cases involving domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.
LCLE is a foundation located in Baton Rouge dedicated to improving the operations of the criminal justice and juvenile justice systems and to promoting public safety by providing progressive leadership and coordination within the criminal justice community.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected] or the Office on Violence Against Women at 202-307-6026 and ask for the Policy, Communication, and Evaluation Division.
Sex Offender Sentenced to 116 Months in Federal Prison for Possession of Obscene Visual Representations of the Sexual Abuse of ChildrenRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles sentenced Michael Becnel, age 56, of Baton Rouge, to 116 months in federal prison following his conviction for possessing obscene visual representations of the sexual abuse of children. The Court further sentenced Becnel to serve five years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment and ordered him to forfeit his interest in property used to commit the offense.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on June 6, 2023, Becnel knowingly possessed more than three obscene visual depictions of minors engaging in sexually explicit conduct. He had previously downloaded the visual depictions to his cellphone from a website, which cellphone was found in his possession when law enforcement agents were executing a search warrant of his residence.
At the time Becnel was found in possession of the unlawful visual depictions in June 2023, he was on federal supervised release following a previous federal conviction for failing to register as a sex offender. In April 2024, U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson revoked his term of supervision and sentenced him to serve 14 months consecutively to the term of imprisonment ordered today.
This matter was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ben Wallace.
Justice Department Awards $500,000 to East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office for Systems UpgradeRead the Press Release
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $500,000 to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office to acquire a new digital High Definition (HD) Forward Looking InfraRed (FLIR)/camera system for the Air Support Unit's helicopter. The purpose of the proposed project is to improve the quality of aerial surveillance, search and rescue operations, criminal investigation and apprehension and other activities which require the use of this important tool. The service area for this project is the City of Baton Rouge/Parish of East Baton Rouge and the surrounding eight parishes that encompass the Baton Rouge Metropolitan area. Additionally, the new system will allow for improved safety for personnel, as the improved resolution will ensure that officers can more easily spot potential dangers and take appropriate action.
For more information about these awards, please contact the OJP Office of Communications at 202-307-0703 or [email protected].
Harvey Man Pleads Guilty to Multimillion-Dollar Scheme to Defraud COVID-19 Pandemic Relief ProgramRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Richard Hebert, Jr., age 57, of Harvey, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson to making a false statement to a bank in connection with his filing of numerous false and fraudulent applications for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in 2020.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, Hebert owned and operated several businesses including Brookland Realty, LLC, Interstate Construction and Demolition Group, Inc., K-Bear Investments, LLC. Hebert Real Estate Holdings, LLC, Interstate Construction Group, Inc., Albritton Home Construction Group, Inc., and R&M Builders and Real Estate, LLC.
Between April of 2020 and July of 2020, Hebert submitted 12 fraudulent PPP loan applications on behalf of seven different companies to five different banks attempting to get more than $3.4 million in PPP loan funds. On these applications, he falsely inflated each business’s average monthly payroll and its number of employees in order to get the banks to pay out larger PPP loans. In support of these fraudulent applications, Hebert provided false tax forms and other documentation. As a result of his fraudulent submissions to the banks, more than $2.2 million in pandemic funds were paid out.
This matter is being investigated by the United States Secret Service, and the United States Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General. This case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica M.P. Thornhill, who also serves as the Deputy Chief of the Economic Crime Unit and Assistant United States Attorney M. Patricia Jones, who also serves as the Appellate Chief.
Anyone with information about allegations of pandemic fraud can report it by calling the Justice Department’s National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 75 Months in Federal Prison for Interference with Commerce by RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Tyler Dunn, age 23, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 75 months in federal prison following his conviction for interference with commerce by robbery. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Dunn to serve three years of supervised release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on or about November 17, 2019, four masked and armed men, one of which was Dunn, entered the Dollar General store on 4755 Prescott Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The four robbers all brandished handguns. In the store, one robber walked up to a Dollar General cashier and pointed his handgun at the cashier. That robber then jumped over the register and, unlawfully and against their will, took money from the safe while directly in the presence of a Dollar General employee. During the robbery, Dunn forced an employee to move from the back of the store to the front of store while pointing a handgun at her. The robbers obtained approximately $7,000 from Dollar General.
On or about November 21, 2019, four robbers, which included Dunn, approached two employees of the Dollar General store located at 6365 Scenic Hwy as they stood outside the front door getting ready to lock the security gate. All robbers were wearing masks and armed with guns. The robbers, brandishing their guns, forced the two employees to open the door and enter the store. One robber ordered an employee to the back of the store while pointing a handgun at him and had the employee turn off an alarm. While in the presence of the robbers, an employee, against her will, removed approximately $1,200 from a safe and provided it to the robbers.
This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Jeremy S. Johnson.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 192 Months in Federal Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr., announced that U.S. District Judge Brian A. Jackson sentenced Allen Ambrose, age 47, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, to 192 months in federal prison following his conviction for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. In addition to the term of imprisonment, the Court further sentenced Ambrose to serve five years of supervised release.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office narcotics agents were investigating the drug trafficking activities of Ambrose and his live-in girlfriend, which included physical surveillance, ping warrants, and controlled purchases of methamphetamine. On June 22, 2022, agents located Ambrose at a hotel on Energy Drive in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and planned execution of an arrest warrant and several search warrants. Ambrose fled when he saw agents, and during the pursuit, he discarded approximately three ounces of methamphetamine over a fence.
During execution of the search warrants and Ambrose’s person, agents located over four kilograms of methamphetamine, $4,850 in various denominations, a scale, a pill press, and a quantity of suspected marijuana, LSD, and MDMA.
The defendant was questioned after his arrest and admitted knowing and intentional possession of the narcotics located in the hotel room.
This case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Baton Rouge Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Jonathan Wayne Lanaute, age 40, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick to bank robbery.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on the morning of May 3, 2024, Lanaute entered United Community Bank, located on Bluebonnet Boulevard in Baton Rouge, and stated that he needed to cash a check. Lanaute approached a counter and passed a handwritten note to the bank teller which stated “give me all the money in the cash resgister [sic] before everybody die in here.” The teller, fearful of bodily harm, directed the bank’s computer to begin dispensing $100 bills. While waiting for the bills to be dispensed, Lanaute was fidgeting in his sweatshirt pockets as if he had a firearm. Lanaute told the teller to “hurry up, hurry up,” and not to make any moves.
The machine dispensed fifty, $100 bills at a time, and ran through four (4) cycles. When complete. Lanaute took the money from the teller and walked towards the bank to leave. Before exiting the building, Lanaute heard the machine continuing to dispense money and he returned to the teller counter to retrieve the additional bills. Lanaute then exited the building with twenty-thousand dollars ($20,000).
Law enforcement was dispatched to the scene and retrieved video footage from the bank’s surveillance system. The surveillance footage showed Lanaute entering the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt and a black Saints baseball cap, and ultimately fleeing the scene in a dark colored sedan with a spoiler on the rear of the vehicle. Law enforcement identified the vehicle as a dark grey Mitsubishi Lancer which had been reported stolen during an armed robbery near the bank the previous night.
The vehicle was identified around the immediate area of United Community Bank and law enforcement visually confirmed the driver to be the same individual identified as the robber from the bank’s video surveillance. Officers attempted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Lanaute refused to stop and a vehicle pursuit ensued. During the pursuit, Lanaute drove the vehicle into ongoing traffic, ran another motorist off the road, and drove in the wrong direction on the interstate. The pursuit of the vehicle ended when the driver crashed head-on into an innocent motorist on the interstate.
After the crash, Lanaute fled on foot. Following a short foot pursuit, Lanaute was apprehended and taken into custody. Lanaute was wearing the same clothing as seen in the bank’s video surveillance. Approximately $8,207.89 was recovered from Lanaute’s person.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Baton Rouge Police Department, and the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen Lundin Craig.
Baton Rouge Man Sentenced to 160 Months in Federal Prison for Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced the sentencing of Timothy Franklin, age 40, a resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles as the result of an extensive federal, state, and local investigation by the Middle District Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) aimed at a drug trafficking network based and operating in East Baton Rouge Parish.
Franklin, a career offender, was sentenced to 160 months imprisonment in federal prison following his conviction for four counts of distribution of heroin. The Court further sentenced Franklin to serve three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, on February 25, 2019, during controlled calls with a confidential source (“CS”), the CS requested to meet for a drug transaction that the two had previously discussed. The CS was fitted with an audio and video recording device and travelled to meet Franklin. When the CS arrived at the location, he entered the front passenger side of Franklin’s vehicle, provided $10,000 to Franklin, and received a plastic bag containing 112.2 grams of heroin. The CS later identified Franklin to be the lone occupant of the vehicle. Agents conducted surveillance and confirmed Franklin’s identity.
On April 24, 2019, the CS participated in four controlled calls with Franklin to arrange the purchase of two ounces of heroin for $4,800. The CS requested “two” and for Franklin to “make it good.” Franklin agreed he’d make it strong and requested “24,” which referred to $2,400 per ounce. They met in Baton Rouge where the CS entered the front passenger seat of Franklin’s vehicle and tendered $4,800 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 53.96 grams of heroin.
On May 30, 2019, the CS participated in three controlled calls with Franklin to arrange the purchase of two ounces of heroin for $5,000. Franklin arrived at the gas station, and the CS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and tendered $5,000 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 56 grams of heroin.
After the three initial controlled buys, agents obtained court authorization to intercept calls and text messages occurring to and from Franklin’s cell phone. On July 30, 2019, while wiretapping the telephone, the CS placed a controlled call to Franklin asking for “3” for his customers; Franklin said he needed about two hours. Several hours later, the CS called Franklin, and they discussed the CS paying “34” for the drugs.
Franklin arrived at the gas station, and the CS entered the front passenger seat of the vehicle and tendered $5,000 to him in exchange for a plastic bag containing 51.18 grams of heroin. Agents conducted aerial surveillance, which showed Franklin meet with the CS.
This investigation was led by the Drug Enforcement Administration, with the assistance of Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge Police Department, Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Office, West Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office, and Denham Springs Police Department. This matter was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Jarreau, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Organized and Violent Crime Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Three Baton Rouge Individuals Charged in Federal Court in Connection with the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement ActionRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced criminal charges against three individuals in connection with an alleged scheme to acquire controlled substances by fraud, to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, and to defraud Medicaid. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.
Kevan Andre Hills, age 30, Devin Tyrone Stampley, Jr., age 32, and Asia Deshan Guess, age 27, all of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, were charged by indictment for their respective roles in a conspiracy to acquire and obtain controlled substances by fraud, to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute controlled substances, and to commit health care fraud, in the Middle District of Louisiana and elsewhere. As alleged in the indictment, beginning in or around April 2021, and continuing through at least February 2023, Hills, Stampley, Guess, and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained controlled substances from pharmacies in the Baton Rouge area and elsewhere using at least 97 forged and fraudulent prescriptions bearing the DEA registration numbers and other identifying information of at least 12 physicians and other medical professionals without authority. It is alleged that, in April 2022, Stampley also burglarized a pharmacy in Louisiana and stole 54 different controlled substances worth approximately $10,600 from said pharmacy.
The charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 193 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.75 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $231 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
“It does not matter if you are a trafficker in a drug cartel or a corporate executive or medical professional employed by a health care company, if you profit from the unlawful distribution of controlled substances, you will be held accountable,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The Justice Department will bring to justice criminals who defraud Americans, steal from taxpayer-funded programs, and put people in danger for the sake of profits.”
“Today’s charges underscore our unwavering commitment to combating health care fraud and opioid abuse, which threaten the well-being of our communities and the integrity of our health care system,” said United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. “The defendants allegedly exploited the trust placed in our health care system to unlawfully acquire and distribute controlled substances, causing harm not only to the individuals directly affected but to the entire community. We will continue to work tirelessly with our federal, state, and local partners to bring those who engage in such fraudulent activities to justice.”
“We will not tolerate fraud that preys on patients who need and deserve high quality health care,” said the Honorable Christi A. Grimm, the Department of Health and Human Services Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “The hard work of the HHS-OIG team and our outstanding law enforcement partners makes today’s action possible. We must protect taxpayer dollars and keep Americans safe from harms to their health, privacy, and financial well-being.”
The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Eastern District of Tennessee, Middle District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Texas, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Virginia, Western District of Virginia, Southern District of West Virginia, and Eastern District of Wisconsin; and State Attorney Generals’ Offices for Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team. Descriptions of each case involved in today’s enforcement action are available on the Department’s website at https://www.justice.gov/criminal/criminal-fraud/health-care-fraud-unit/2024-national-hcf-case-summaries.
The Middle District of Louisiana in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the following law enforcement organizations to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period: the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Louisiana State Police (LSP) Fugitive Task Force and Criminal Investigation Division.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Kristen L. Craig of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Gary A. Crosby II and Samantha E. Usher of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Regions Bank Manager Pleads Guilty to Embezzlement and Bank Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Eric Jason Schouest, age 53, of Plaquemine, Louisiana, pled guilty before U.S. District Judge John W. deGravelles to embezzlement and bank fraud. Schouest’s embezzlement and bank fraud convictions are each punishable by a maximum penalty of 30 years in prison, a fine of $1 million, and a period of supervised release.
According to admissions made during his plea, Schouest was employed at Regions Bank from 2010 to 2021 as a branch manager overseeing business transactions and practices at the Regions Bank Plank Road branch. In his capacity as branch manager, he had the authority to access customer accounts, instruct others to open and close accounts, issue cashier’s checks, and transfer funds in and out of bank customers’ accounts.
Beginning in or about 2020, and continuing through in or about April 2021, Schouest exploited his position of trust at Regions Bank to embezzle funds from customer accounts and deposit the money into his personal bank accounts. He also sent false and fraudulent emails and forged documents to other Regions Bank employees to conceal his scheme. Some of the traceable fraudulent funds were used to make loan payments on personal items such as a house and a car. Through his scheme, Schouest misappropriated more than $250,000 from Regions customer bank accounts.
This matter is being investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of the Inspector General, the United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, and the U.S. Secret Service. The case is being prosecuted by Deputy Criminal Chief Edward H. Warner and Litigation Counsel Jennifer M. Kleinpeter.
Miami Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Federal Prison for Operating an Illegal Money Transmitting BusinessRead the Press Release
United States Attorney Ronald C. Gathe, Jr. announced that Chief Judge Shelly D. Dick sentenced Oluwafemi Osinowo, age 35, of Miami, Florida, to 41 months in federal prison following his conviction for operating an illegal money transmitting business. The Court further sentenced Osinowo to three years of supervised release following his term of imprisonment.
According to admissions made as part of his guilty plea, from December 2016 to January 2019, Osinowo operated an unlicensed money transmitting business. He confessed that the business conducted foreign currency exchange business without complying with required federal registration requirements. During the course of operating the business, money was transmitted from third parties from the Middle District of Louisiana and elsewhere to bank accounts located in Miami, Florida. Once the money was in the bank accounts in Miami, Florida, an individual acting as an agent of Osinowo’s business wired the money to a bank in Lagos, Nigeria. Those wire transfers included approximately 51 separate transmissions in the aggregate total of approximately $722,177 dollars.
This case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jeremy S. Johnson.
Baton Rouge City Parish-Contractor Indicted for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury recently returned an indictment charging Blake Joseph Steiner, age 37, of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, with distribution of child pornography. Steiner appeared for his arraignment and pled not guilty to the pending charge.
According to the criminal complaint that preceded the indictment, in March 2024, Steiner sent a video of child pornography to an undercover agent. The video depicts a child engaging in sexually explicit conduct with an adult male. Steiner also expressed his sexual interests in children to the undercover agent, which included incest and bestiality.
Distribution of child pornography is punishable by a maximum penalty of 20–40 years in prison, depending on sentencing enhancements. Steiner also faces potential sex offender registration, supervised release, restitution, and monetary penalties.
This matter is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jene C. Clayton.
NOTE: An indictment is an accusation by a grand jury. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless adjudicated guilty at trial or through a guilty plea.