Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lake Charles man pleads guilty for lying on paperwork to buy a firearm at a pawn shopRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Darrien Lamont Rogers, 23, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. for hiding his criminal background on gun purchase paperwork.
According to the guilty plea, Rogers attempted to purchase a Taurus, Model PT 111, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on March 4, 2019, at a pawn shop in Lake Charles. He lied on an ATF Form 4473 by indicating that he had no felony convictions. Rogers pleaded guilty to one count of simple burglary on September 27, 2018, in the 14th Judicial District Court. Because of the conviction, Rogers is prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
Rogers faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for November 14 2019.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Former Lake Charles police officer pleads guilty to using excessive forceRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Robert Hammac, 45, a former officer of the Lake Charles Police Department, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. for using excessive force against an arrestee, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana, Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and FBI’s New Orleans Field Office Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Anderson.
Hammac pleaded guilty to a single count of deprivation of rights under color of law, in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 242. According to documents filed today, Hammac was involved in a vehicle pursuit of G.T. on May 8, 2017, for several miles. The car was brought to a stop, and G.T. raised his hands in the air in a manner indicating surrender. Other officers then ordered G.T. out of the car and began pulling him out of the car. Hammac ran to the front passenger side door, opened it, grabbed G.T. before he could exit, pulled him back into the car, and repeatedly punched G.T.’s head with a closed fist. The victim was not resisting in any way or posing a threat.
“Law enforcement officers put their lives on the line every day to keep our communities safe,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “The vast majority of law enforcement officers perform their difficult and dangerous duties with integrity and courage. However, law enforcement officers who betray the badge and the public’s trust, as the defendant did here, also dishonor their profession and their fellow officers. This behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana.”
“Law enforcement officers must uphold and defend the constitution,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “When an officer abuses their power, the public’s trust in law enforcement is compromised. The Department of Justice will continue to hold such officers accountable under the law.”
“Police officers respond to challenging and dynamic situations every day,” stated FBI Acting Special Agent in Charge Andrew Anderson. “They are trained to maintain professionalism and adhere to standards of conduct in any situation. In this instance, the officer did not apply his training and violated the constitutional rights of the victim. Instances such as this are unacceptable and will continue to be high priority investigations of the FBI.
Hammac faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for Nov. 14.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla Bynog of the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorney Mary J. Hahn of the Civil Rights Division are prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon sentenced for possessing pistolRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Earl Vinson III, 21, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to serve 20 months in federal prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He previously pleaded guilty to the federal firearm charge on April 10, 2019.
Shreveport police made contact with Vinson on April 24, 2018, outside a restaurant after receiving a call regarding Vinson being a possible suspect in an automobile burglary. The officers found that Vinson was in possession of a Keltec .380-caliber pistol. Vinson admitted that he knew he was not allowed to have a firearm as a convicted felon. He was convicted on December 18, 2017, in state court for accessory after the fact to armed robbery. Under federal law, it is illegal for felons to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Keithville convicted felon sentenced to seven years in federal prison for illegal possession of pistolRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Michael Roy Reed, 44, of Keithville, Louisiana, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to serve seven years in federal prison for illegally possessing a .380-caliber pistol. Reed previously pleaded guilty on February 12, 2019, to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Shreveport Police received a call on January 23, 2018, from a concerned citizen about a Colt, Model: Mustang XSP, .380-caliber pistol. The caller informed the police that he had received the firearm from Reed as payment for performing work on Reed’s truck. After investigating the matter further, police officers learned that the Mustang Colt pistol was one of seven firearms reported stolen from a pawn shop days earlier and that Reed was a convicted felon.
Reed was convicted in Ouachita Parish on July 8, 2013, for illegal possession of stolen things, conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Reed was indicted September 27, 2018. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Haughton man sentenced to 90 months in federal prison for persuading a minor to engage in illegal sexual activityRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Blake Lee Bissell, 28, of Haughton, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to serve seven and a half years in prison for persuading a minor to travel with him from West Virginia to Louisiana in order to engage in illegal sexual activity. Bissell previously pleaded guilty on January 16, 2019, to one count of coercion and enticement to travel to engage in criminal sexual activity.
Blake Bissell began an online relationship with a 14-year-old in early 2018. He used a cell phone and social media applications to send text messages and other electronic communications to the victim in order to convince the victim to travel to the Western District of Louisiana. Shortly thereafter, Bissell traveled to West Virginia on June 30, 2018, picked up the minor and transported the minor back to Louisiana where they engaged in illegal sexual activity.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Shreveport FBI office number is (318) 861-1890.
The FBI and the Wheeling Police Department of West Virginia conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian C. Flanagan and Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
Leader of anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy pleads guiltyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Bossier City man pleaded guilty today for his leadership role and participation in an anabolic steroid distribution conspiracy in the Shreveport/Bossier City area, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Brant R. Landry, 39, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids, and manufacturing anabolic steroids. According to documents filed along with the guilty plea, from October 2016 to May 2018, Brant Landry was involved in a scheme to manufacture and distribute anabolic steroids in the Shreveport-Bossier City area along with his wife Julie Landry, 42, and Mike Mosura, 44, of Bossier City.
United States Postal officials in Benton, Louisiana, identified large volumes of mail that contained suspected drugs, many of which came from other countries, including China. On one occasion, a postal official observed Brant Landry using gloves and a towel to place parcels in a collection box. The parcels were examined and found to contain illegal drugs.
When a Bossier Parish deputy stopped Brant Landry’s vehicle on May 22, 2018, for a traffic violation, the deputy searched his vehicle and found a plastic bag containing 11 vials of a yellow liquid substance later identified as steroids. After questioning Landry further, he admitted to importing the drugs, distributing them and storing the drugs at his home. Deputies searched his residence and found numerous vials of liquid steroids, empty vials, labels, and an industrial size pill mixer and pill press apparatus. Residue on the pill press tested positive for steroids.
Brant Landry and Mosura face 10 years in prison for conspiracy, and Brant Landry faces 10 years for possession with intent to distribute anabolic steroids and manufacturing anabolic steroids. Additionally, they both face two years to life of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. Mosura pleaded guilty on August 8, 2019, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids. Foote set Brant Landry’s sentencing for December 4, 2019. Mosura’s sentencing date is set for December 5, 2019. Julie Landry is scheduled for trial on September 9, 2019.
The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting case.
Final Two Defendants in Methamphetamine Distribution Conspiracy SentencedRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Matthew A. Beaudion, 30, and Jessica N. Davis, 34, both of Monroe, were sentenced Wednesday, to 120 months in prison and 92 months in prison, respectively, by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for conspiring to distribute methamphetamine in Ouachita Parish.
On August 14, 2017, Matthew Beaudion, Jessica Davis, and co-defendant Justin Jenkins, traveled to Houston, Texas, for Beaudion to purchase methamphetamine that he and Davis planned to distribute once they returned to Monroe. Davis personally assisted with the planned distributions of the methamphetamine by coordinating with a customer as to when they would return to Monroe with the drugs. Beaudion paid Jenkins to drive because he was the only one who had a valid driver’s license. After returning to Monroe on August 15, 2017, law enforcement agents stopped the vehicle and discovered 690.5 grams of methamphetamine hidden behind the radio under the dashboard of the vehicle.
Justin D. Jenkins, 34, of Monroe, Louisiana, previously pled guilty to the conspiracy count on January 24, 2018 and was sentenced on May 2, 2019. Beaudion and Davis previously pled guilty to the federal charges on April 10, 2019.
The DEA and the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Bossier Parish School Board member pleads guilty to anabolic steroid distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Caddo Parish School Board member pleaded guilty today for his role in an anabolic steroid distribution scheme. Mike Mosura, 44, of Bossier City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute anabolic steroids.
From January 2016 to May 2018, Mosura was involved in a scheme to distribute anabolic steroids in the Shreveport-Bossier City area, along with co-defendants Brant R. Landry, 39, and wife Julie Landry, 42, both of Bossier City. When a Bossier Parish deputy stopped Brant Landry’s vehicle on May 22, 2018, for driving erratically, Brant Landry told the deputy that he had a .45-caliber pistol and medication inside the vehicle. After searching it, the deputy found a plastic baggie containing a white powdery substance that was later identified as Xanax and 11 vials of yellow liquid, later determined to be anabolic steroids.
Further investigation revealed that Brant Landry distributed steroids to Mosura, who in turn consumed and distributed the steroids to third parties. Mosura admitted to receiving and distributing the steroids.
Mosura faces 10 years in prison, two years to life of supervised release and a $500,000 fine. Judge Foote set Mike Mosura’s sentencing date for December 5, 2019. Brant Landry and Julie Landry are scheduled for trial on September 9, 2019.
The DEA, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting case.
Former bookkeeper for Apex Equipment Inc. sentenced to 2 years in prison for $148,000 embezzlement schemeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDNRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Otavia L. Lewis, 38, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to two years in prison and ordered to pay full restitution in the amount of $148,735.28 for stealing from her former employer, Apex Equipment Inc. Lewis, who pleaded guilty on May 1, 2019, to wire fraud, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell in U.S. District Court in Alexandria.
According to admissions made as part of her guilty plea and documents filed in court, Lewis was employed as the office manager and bookkeeper for Apex Equipment Inc., a privately-held company located in Crowley. As bookkeeper, Lewis was responsible for initiating direct deposits of Apex employees’ paychecks into their respective bank accounts. Lewis used her position and access to the company’s accounting software between May 2014 and May 2016 to defraud Apex out of $148,735.28. As part of the scheme, Lewis used Quickbooks’ direct deposit feature to transfer funds from Apex’s bank account to bank accounts and prepaid debit cards controlled by herself and others, and concealed her fraud in Quickbooks by using other employees’ names to make the transfers.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.
Convicted felon pleads guilty morning of trialRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – After reaching a plea deal this morning before trial was scheduled to begin, Derrick Curry, 39, of Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s deputies observed Curry on July 12, 2018, on a bicycle violating traffic laws by traveling down a street against the flow of oncoming traffic and without a functioning rear light. When the deputies attempted to make contact with him, Curry jumped off of his bike and started to run, while throwing an object in the air that he had pulled from his waistband. When the deputies caught up to Curry, they found him wearing a black nylon gun holster attached to his belt and found a Taurus, Model: PT-92 AF, 9 mm-caliber pistol, loaded with 16 rounds of 9 mm bullets, 10 feet from where he was taken into custody.
Under federal law, a felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition. At the time of his arrest on July 12, 2018, Curry, who was previously convicted of armed robbery on May 9, 1990, knew that he was prohibited from possessing the firearm and ammunition.
Curry faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Doughty set the sentencing date for November 7, 2019.
The ATF and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Cytheria D. Jernigan prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Federal jury finds former Fort Polk soldier guilty for sexually abusing a minorRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury handed down a guilty verdict on all counts against a former Fort Polk U.S. Army soldier who sexually abused a minor beginning when the minor was under the age of 12 years old.
Ronald W. Allen Jr., 40, of Fort Polk, Louisiana, was convicted after a two-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey. The jury deliberated for approximately 30 minutes before the defendant was found guilty of aggravated sexual abuse of a child under the age of 12 and sexual abuse of a minor.
Testimony presented during the trial showed that from April 2012 until June 2016 the defendant sexually abused the minor on numerous occasions on the Fort Polk Military Base, where the defendant lived. The abuse was exposed when the minor gave details to an individual at a school she was attending in a community near Fort Polk. Local law enforcement agents were later notified, the victim was interviewed and a warrant was executed on the defendant’s residence. Agents obtained DNA evidence from where abuse occurred and matched it to the defendant’s DNA.
Allen faces 30 years to life in prison for Aggravated Sexual Abuse of a Child under the Age of 12, and 15 years in prison for Sexual Abuse of a Minor. The defendant also faces no less than five years to life of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court did not set a sentencing date.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Lake Charles FBI office number is (337) 433-6353.
The FBI, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Daniel J. Vermaelen prosecuted the case.
Federal jury convicts northeast Louisiana couple for armed bank robbery spreeRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a federal jury in Monroe convicted two northeast Louisiana residents for robbing three financial institutions at gunpoint and for multiple firearms violations. The verdict came in this afternoon following a four-day trial, which was presided over by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty.
Lakendria Nicole Goings, 35, of Monroe, and David Ray Johnson, 36, of Winnsboro, Louisiana, were convicted of all counts submitted to the jury – two counts of bank robbery, one count of credit union robbery, and three counts of using, carrying, brandishing and discharging a firearm during a crime of violence. In addition, Johnson was found guilty of two counts of convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
“Today’s verdict brings justice for the victims of these armed robberies and reinforces my office’s resolve to assist those Louisiana communities that suffer under the menace of violent crime,” said David C. Joseph, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana. “We cannot undo the terror these defendants caused during their rampage, but we can take solace that they have been held accountable by a jury of their peers, and will be spending substantial time in federal prison as a result of their crimes. I am thankful for the extraordinary efforts and teamwork of the federal and local law enforcement officers that investigated these crimes and those Franklin Parish Sheriff’s deputies who put their lives on the line to stop the defendants before anyone was hurt.”
Evidence presented at trial showed that Goings and Johnson’s spree began when they robbed the Guaranty Bank branch in Epps, Louisiana on November 10, 2017. The defendants entered the bank wearing hoodies to obscure their faces, and waiving semi-automatic handguns in the direction of customers and employees. Johnson stood at the entrance door acting as lookout and rear guard, while Goings directed the gun at the face of a bank teller, ordering the bank teller to fill a bag with money. The robbers left Guaranty Bank with approximately $17,307. After the robbery, Epps Police Department officers and West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s detectives found a cloth work glove worn by Johnson during the robbery, several rolls of coins, and a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun, in a vacant lot close to the bank. DNA from the glove matched David Ray Johnson’s DNA, which was in a North Carolina DNA database as a result of Johnson’s 2012 felony conviction for financial card theft.
The second and third robberies occurred on November 27, 2017 (Barksdale Federal Credit Union in Cotton Valley, Louisiana), and December 18, 2017 (Winnsboro State Bank in Gilbert, Louisiana). On both occasions the defendants entered dressed in black, bulky hooded clothing with dark fabric covering their faces, waiving semi-automatic firearms at bank customers and employees and demanding money from the tellers. They left Barksdale FCU with $12,756, and Winnsboro State Bank with $28,447.
After the robbers left Winnsboro State Bank with a duffel bag full of money, Franklin Parish Sheriff’s deputies located the getaway car and began a high-speed chase with the defendants’ Toyota Sequoia, sometimes exceeding 100 mph. During the chase, Johnson, who was driving, pointed a semi-automatic handgun out of the driver’s window and fired several times at the deputies. The vehicle later crashed in a residential area in Winnsboro, Louisiana, and the defendants surrendered to authorities. Johnson exited the vehicle with a .40 caliber pistol in his hand, loaded with a round in the chamber and four live rounds in the magazine, which dropped to the ground as he submitted to arrest. This .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol was of the same make, model and caliber handgun that investigators found in the vacant lot near the Guaranty Bank robbery in Epps.
In the Sequoia, deputies found a duffel bag with $28,477 in cash, black clothing, hooded jackets, black fabric consistent with the masks worn during the robberies, and paper coin wrappers bearing handwritten account numbers belonging to Barksdale FCU customers. Officers also found a Double Star Brand, Model Star 15, .223-caliber semi-automatic AR-type rifle, which Johnson had just brandished in the Winnsboro State Bank robbery, loaded with a live round in the chamber and 27 rounds in a detachable magazine.
Goings and Johnson face seven years in prison for each count of using of a weapon during a crime of violence and 25 years in prison for each count of bank robbery. Johnson faces up to 10 years for discharging the weapon during the high speed chase, and he also faces up to 10 years in prison for the convicted felon in possession of a firearm counts. Judge Doughty set the sentencing date for David Ray Johnson on November 6, 2019, and for Lakendria Nicole Goings on November 7, 2019.
The FBI, ATF, Louisiana State Police, Franklin Parish Sheriff’s Office, East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office, Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office, Epps Police Department, Cotton Valley Police Department, and Winnsboro Police Department investigated the case, and the federal prosecution was greatly aided by District Attorney Mack Lancaster’s office, Fifth Judicial District of Louisiana. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Aaron Crawford and Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), which is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Elm Grove man sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking pure methamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Jonathon J. Hernandez, 39, of Elm Grove, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr., to serve 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute 381 grams of pure methamphetamine. The sentence will be served consecutive to a state imposed sentence that Hernandez received for a parole violation related to a firearms conviction in the 26th Judicial District Court, Benton, Louisiana.
On November 14, 2018, a Haughton Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on Hernandez’s vehicle, near the intersection of Interstate 20 and Louisiana Highway 157, and discovered that he was operating an uninsured vehicle, was driving on a suspended driver’s license and had several past arrests for drugs and weapons offenses. Hernandez consented to a search of the vehicle, where the officer found a small baggie of methamphetamine, a gallon-sized bag containing more than 50 grams of methamphetamine, and other drug paraphernalia including a scale, a glass pipe, a syringe, propane torches and empty pill capsules. Hernandez later admitted to traveling to Dallas, Texas, to pick up one kilogram of methamphetamine and that he was transporting the drugs found in his vehicle.
Under federal law, certain drug charges carry mandatory minimum sentences. In this case, Hernandez possessed more than 50 grams of actual methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, which carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
The DEA and Haughton Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 18 months for financial aid fraud scheme at Bossier Parish Community CollegeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a Shreveport man was sentenced for his role in a financial aid fraud scheme at Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC), which caused a loss of more than $400,000.
Deundre Fleeks, 27, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to serve 18 months in federal prison and one year of supervised release following imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $391,839 restitution.
Fleeks enrolled 20 individuals in BPCC and completed a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Master Promissory Notes in each of the students’ names. Once the money was received, Fleeks would attend classes and complete coursework for the students. In return, each student paid Fleeks $1,000 per semester from the money the students received in Direct Loans and Pell Grants. The Department of Education disbursed $262,793 in Federal Direct Stafford Loans and $144,052 in Federal Pell Grants during the course of the scheme, which took place from August 2014 to September 2016. Fleeks pleaded guilty on December 13, 2018.
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Former Bossier Parish school superintendent pleads guilty and will pay $100,000 fine for drug possession chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Former Bossier Parish Superintendent of Schools Wendell Scott Smith, 61, of Bossier City, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to possession of Valium, Ambien, Soma and Lyrica in four separate counts, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. Smith was sentenced to one year of supervised release and was fined $100,000.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents intercepted a DHL package containing Diazepam, also known as Valium, addressed to a Bossier City residence on January 31, 2019. After the Diazepam tested positive, the agents conducted a controlled delivery of the package, which originated in India and contained a forged prescription. Smith was confronted by law enforcement agents after he picked up the package and placed it in his vehicle, and agreed to a search of his vehicle, resulting in the Diazepam package being recovered. In an interview later that evening, Smith admitted to purchasing controlled substances illegally online without a valid prescription for six years, spending more than $10,000 on controlled substances during this time. Also during the interview, agents seized Diazepam and Propranolol that Smith removed from his pocket. Smith agreed to a search of his property and showed agents where he kept the drugs he had purchased from the internet.
The following controlled substances were seized from the master bedroom area of Smith’s residence:
Tadalafil Tablets – 53 tablets
Promethazine Hydrochloride Tablets – 99 tablets
Zolpidem (Ambien) Tablets – 43 tablets
Carisoprodol (Soma) Tablets – 54 tablets
Gabapentin Sustained Release Tablets – 174 tablets
Zolpidem Aurobindo – 52 tablets
Ondansetron Tablets – 63 tablets
Sanval – 9 tablets
Quetiapine Tablets – 17 tablets
Propanolol Hydrochloride Tablets – 102 tablets
Diazepam (Valium) – 50 tablets
Nebivolol Hydrochloride Tablets – 93 tablets
Propanolol Hydrochloride Tablets –7 tablets
Quetiapine Tablets – 51 tablets
Pregabalin (Lyrica) Capsules – 47 capsules
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
Benton man sentenced to 322 months in federal prison for methamphetamine, firearms chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Eric Charles Means, 33, of Benton, Louisiana, was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to 322 months in federal prison and five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Means pleaded guilty on February 19, 2019.
Law enforcement agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration encountered Means on January 24, 2018 in a vehicle in the parking lot of a hotel on Industrial Drive in Bossier City, Louisiana. Inside the vehicle were plastic baggies containing 12.6 grams of methamphetamine and two firearms in a duffel bag on the front passenger seat. Means admitted to distributing methamphetamine and that he possessed the firearms while distributing the drugs. The two firearms confiscated from the duffel bag were a Smith & Wesson .357-caliber pistol and a Glock .45-caliber pistol, along with ammunition.
The DEA and ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
Lafayette felon sentenced to 100 months in federal prison for illegally possessing handgun and rifleRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Shelby Jude Darby, 27, of Lafayette, was sentenced Tuesday to 100 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for illegally possessing a 9 mm pistol and an AK-47 style rifle. He pleaded guilty on March 27, 2019, to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Lafayette Police Department officers pulled over Darby’s vehicle on November 1, 2017, because of illegally dark tint on the vehicle’s windows. Darby stepped out of the vehicle and immediately fled on foot down an alley between a residence and a garage. Officers chased him, placed him under arrest and found an SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on the ground where Darby had been laying. The officers then returned to Darby’s vehicle where they saw a Romarm/Cugir, Model WASR 10/63 UF, 7.620-caliber semi-automatic rifle, which was located between the driver’s seat and center console along with various illegal narcotics.
Darby is a felon who was previously convicted in February of 2016 for possession of Hydrocodone. According to federal law, a convicted felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Alexandria man sentenced to 4 and a half years for being a felon in possession of a stolen pistolRead the Press Release
ALEXANDNRIA, La. – Freddie Lewis, 28, of Alexandria, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to serve 54 months in federal prison and one year of supervised release for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. Lewis previously pleaded guilty to the federal charge on April 16, 2019.
A Louisiana State Trooper stopped Freddie Lewis in Alexandria on December 12, 2017, and found that he was in possession of a loaded Glock 22, .40-caliber pistol that was reported stolen. Lewis is prohibited from possessing a firearm because of previous felony convictions that include possession of cocaine (2010), aggravated flight from an officer and simple burglary of a religious building (2013), obscenity (2015) and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon (2017). Under federal law, felons are not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Shreveport investment advisor pleads guilty to bilking clients out of $3.5 millionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Gregory Alan Smith, 55, a Shreveport investment advisor, pleaded guilty before Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to information presented in court, Smith used his influence and status as an investment advisor to persuade multiple victims to “invest” approximately $3.5 million with Smith and co-defendant Kirbyjon H. Caldwell. The victims’ investments were purportedly in historical Chinese bonds, which are bonds issued by the former Republic of China prior to losing power to the communist government in 1949. These bonds are not recognized by China’s current government and, accordingly, have no investment value.
Smith began approaching existing clients and acquaintances in the spring of 2013 about what he described as an opportunity to invest in Chinese historical bonds. His usual sales pitch to investors was that Caldwell, the senior pastor at Windsor Village United Methodist Church in Houston, Texas, was: (1) putting the bond deal together on behalf of investors, (2) had the bonds in his possession or was obtaining them and (3) was brokering a deal to sell the bonds. Smith also promised that by investing money with him and Caldwell, the victims would obtain a partial ownership of the bonds and would quickly receive exponential returns on their investments. The victims were not told of the true nature of the bonds nor were they informed that no previous investor had ever obtained the promised return on investment. The victims were encouraged to cash out any other investments they might have if they could not otherwise afford to participate.
After Smith made the fraudulent pitch, the victims were instructed to wire funds to various bank accounts under Caldwell’s control. The funds were then divided between Smith, Caldwell and others. Smith received $1.08 million of the total $3.5 million. He used it to pay down loans, purchase two luxury sport utility vehicles, place a down payment on a vacation property and maintain his lifestyle. After time passed and investors began to question why they had not received the promised returns, Smith and Caldwell offered excuses, defended the legitimacy of the deals and assured victim-investors that they would receive the promised returns.
Under the terms of his plea agreement, Smith faces five to seven years in prison. He also faces a $1 million fine, restitution, forfeiture and five years of supervised release. Smith’s sentencing is scheduled for December 11, 2019. Caldwell’s trial is scheduled for December 2, 2019.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and C. Mignonne Griffing are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Joseph noted that this case was included in the Justice Department’s largest-ever nationwide elder fraud sweep, which includes hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. A list of Elder Fraud cases by the Department of Justice is provided on this interactive map.
For more information about DOJ’s efforts to prevent and combat elder abuse, please visit the Elder Justice website at https://www.justice.gov/elderjustice. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP. The Department of Justice provides a variety of resources relating to elder fraud victimization through its Office of Victims of Crime, which can be reached at www.ovc.gov.
Federal jury convicts three Monroe residents of illegal drug traffickingRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A federal jury handed down guilty verdicts against three Monroe residents late Friday afternoon for trafficking illegal narcotics, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Thomas J.M. Goodin, 37, Meko R. Walker, 37, and Brittany S. Gix, 30, all of Monroe, were convicted after a four-day jury trial presided over by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty.
All three defendants were found guilty of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. In addition, Goodin was found guilty of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine and possession with intent to distribute more than 10 grams of phencyclidine (PCP), and Walker and Gix were found guilty of attempted possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine.
Testimony presented during the trial showed that Goodin traveled to California on October 4, 2017, and shipped approximately a pound of pure methamphetamine inside of a gift-wrapped present to Gix. Agents intercepted the package and conducted a controlled delivery of the package to Gix’s home. After Gix received the package, Walker arrived at the home to pick up the package, and left with the methamphetamine. At that point, the Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish arrested Walker and Gix.
In a second incident, a Louisiana State Trooper pulled over Goodin’s vehicle on November 30, 2017, in West Monroe on Interstate 20 traveling eastbound bearing California license plates. After a K-9 alerted on the vehicle, the trooper searched it and found additional gift-wrapped presents containing two drink bottles filled with liquid determined to be 92.8 grams of pure PCP and a candle containing a plastic bag determined to be 343.1 grams of pure methamphetamine.
“Illegal drugs are wreaking havoc on our communities and prosecuting those responsible for selling this poison is a priority of our office,” Joseph stated. “These defendants will be spending substantial time in federal prison as a result of their crimes. I want to thank the federal, state, and local law enforcement for their hard work and exemplary teamwork in tracking these defendants and investigating this case. I also want to thank the prosecutors and staff for their work conducting this trial professionally and effectively.”
Goodin faces 25 years to life in prison, and Walker and Gix face 10 years to life in prison. The defendants also face five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The court set sentencing for November 6, 2019.
The DEA, Metro Narcotics Unit of Ouachita Parish, Ouachita Sheriff’s Office and Monroe Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Anderson Thompson of Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Office, Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.
Morgan City resident sentenced for possessing rifleRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Travis Trumaine Singleton, 35, of Morgan City, Louisiana, was sentenced today to 50 months in prison and two years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays for possessing an assault rifle after being convicted of a felony, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. Singleton previously pleaded guilty to the federal charge on April 16, 2019.
Morgan City Police executed a search warrant on January 19, 2019 at his mother’s home and found an Eagle Arms, Model Eagle 15, multi-caliber, semi-automatic rifle and 29 rounds of .223-caliber ammunition. He later admitted that he was in possession of the rifle, and that he also took a photo of the firearm on January 17, 2019, which further documented his possession of the weapon.
Singleton is a felon with a previous drug felony in state court. Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
The ATF, Chitimacha Tribal Police and Morgan City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Lafayette felon sentenced for illegal possession of firearmRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Nicholas Joseph Felix, 27, of Lafayette, was sentenced today to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. Felix pleaded guilty on March 11, 2019.
During a traffic stop of Felix’s vehicle on May 6, 2018, Lafayette police officers approached the vehicle and encountered the smell of burnt marijuana. They searched his vehicle and found a Charter Arms, Model Bulldog, .44 Special revolver in the trunk. Nicholas Felix has two prior felony convictions for aggravated battery and obstruction of justice. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Lafayette business owner sentenced for stealing nearly $300,000 from three finance companiesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Leonard Espree, 56, formerly of Lafayette, was sentenced to 20 months in prison and five years of supervised release by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. for stealing nearly $300,000 from three finance companies. Espree was also ordered to pay $294,292.12 restitution. He pleaded guilty April 3, 2019.
Leonard Espree was the owner and operator of Ameritek Office Solutions in Lafayette, which sold and serviced office equipment. Espree submitted false documentation in the names of existing local businesses to three finance companies in 2015 and 2016 to obtain payment for office equipment supposedly supplied to these businesses. The three companies approved eight of the transactions for which Espree received a total of $294,292.12. However, Espree never sold or delivered equipment to any of the businesses.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Delhi farmer pleads guilty to lying to various business and government entities to steal nearly $17 millionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A Delhi, Louisiana, farmer pleaded guilty Monday to lying to more than seven financial institutions, insurance providers and government entities in an effort to obtain nearly $17 million illegally, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. Thomas Dickerson, 45, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty for making false statements to the Commodity Credit Corporation.
According to the guilty plea, Dickerson was a Franklin Parish Louisiana farmer who, during the 2015 crop year, used at least 13 farming entities he was either a part of or was the sole owner of to certify farming acreage in Catahoula, Franklin, Tensas, Richland, Madison and Morehouse parishes in Louisiana, as well as Ashley, Chicot and Drew Counties in Arkansas. He applied for crop production and grain storage loans from AG Resource Management, farm operating loans from various FDIC insured banking entities, credit from seed and chemical dealers such as Greenpoint AG LLC and Jimmy Sanders Seed, advances on contracts with Kennedy Rice Dryers, insurance policies and claims from Producers Agriculture Insurance Company and CGB Insurance Company, and several marketing assistance loans from the Commodity Credit Corporation. Dickerson lied on many of these applications in order to obtain loans and other compensation by overstating or understating the amount of crops produced or claiming crops as collateral when he’d already sold the crops or didn’t possess them. He stole $16,985,409.71 during the course of the scheme.
“This case should serve as a warning to those who engage in crooked financial schemes,” Joseph stated. “The Department of Justice is committed to protecting taxpayer money set aside to help our farmers and prosecuting those who cheat financial institutions and insurance companies for personal gain. The defendant’s conduct in this case not only caused significant financial loss to victims throughout northeast Louisiana, but also undermined the integrity of our agricultural finance system. This type of behavior will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana.”
Dickerson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2019.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, investigated the case. United States Attorney David C. Joseph and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields are prosecuting the case.
Sulphur resident sentenced to 3 years in prison for illegally possessing a shotgun and pistolRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Sulphur, Louisiana, man was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. to 37 months in prison and five years of supervised release for illegally possessing a shotgun and pistol. James Bergeron, 29, previously pleaded guilty for possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon on April 11, 2019.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement officers executed a search warrant on October 19, 2018 at Bergeron’s Sulphur residence where they found a Browning 12-gauge shotgun and a Ruger .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol. Bergeron, a convicted felon, was present at the time of the search and admitted to ownership and use of the firearms.
He was convicted in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas on September 26, 2013, for bank robbery and in the 14th Judicial District Court, Calcasieu Parish, on August 25, 2017, for possession of methamphetamine. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF, Lake Charles Police Department and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for reductions in crime.
Lake Charles man sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for illegal firearm possessionRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a Lake Charles man who led police officers on a vehicle pursuit that ended in a crash was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release. Dane Darbonne, 29, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge James D. Cain Jr. after pleading guilty on April 11, 2019, for illegally possessing a firearm.
According to information presented in court, Darbonne purchased a Savage Model 110-caliber, 30-06 rifle from an individual on August 10, 2018. One day after taking possession of the firearm, Darbonne led Lake Charles police in a high-speed car chase. Darbonne crashed the car and fled the scene on foot. Officers recovered the rifle from the vehicle Darbonne was driving.
Darbonne is a felon who was previously convicted for possession of a firearm in a firearm free zone, assault by drive-by-shooting, attempted manslaughter, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of cocaine. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Maurice resident pleads guilty in federal court for lying on firearm purchase formRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Alex Joseph Suire, 25, of Maurice, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst for making a false statement during the purchase of a firearm, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, Suire attempted to purchase a Smith & Wesson SD9VE, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on January 25, 2019, at a Lafayette sporting goods store. In order to purchase the firearm, he was required to fill out an ATF Form 4473 in order to complete a background check. Suire answered “no” to the question which asks the applicant to report pending felony charges. At the time, he was aware that he had been charged with a variety of felony offenses in state court, which included home invasion, simple battery, domestic abuse battery, simple assault, intimidating witnesses and simple burglary.
Suire faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for November 7, 2019.
The ATF investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
West Monroe Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possessing Child Pornography ImagesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Emerson Eugene Stanton, 56, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty to 10 years in federal prison for possessing child pornography that included sexually explicit images of juveniles. Judge Doughty also sentenced Stanton to five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to information presented in court, Stanton’s employer found internet searches for nude images of children on the defendant’s cell phone, and took the phone that day to the West Monroe Police Department. Officers obtained and executed a search warrant for Stanton’s cell phone and discovered images of child pornography involving prepubescent minors. A search warrant was also executed at Stanton’s home where officers found another cell phone containing more images of child pornography involving prepubescent minors, including one of the same images officers found on the phone Stanton possessed at work. Stanton pled guilty to these charges on March 8, 2019.
Homeland Security Investigations and West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
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New Orleans Resident Sentenced for Lying to FEMA to Receive Disaster Assistance BenefitsRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – A New Orleans, Louisiana, resident was sentenced Wednesday to 71 months in prison and five years of supervised release for fraudulently obtaining disaster-assistance benefits from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) following severe flooding in Monroe, Louisiana, announced United States Attorney David C. Joseph.
Chad Lightfoot, 47, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty, who presided over the trial in this case. Judge Doughty also ordered the defendant to pay $23,684.71 in restitution to FEMA and a $10,000 fine. Lightfoot was convicted on March 14, 2019, after a four-day trial.
Evidence presented at trial showed that, after a federal disaster was declared on March 13, 2016 following severe flooding in Monroe, Louisiana, Lightfoot applied for disaster grant assistance with FEMA for damage to property he owned on South Fourth Street in Monroe. Lightfoot listed the property as his primary residence, when in reality, the property was abandoned and unoccupied and he lived in the New Orleans area. Prior to the property’s inspection by FEMA on March 30, 2016, Lightfoot obtained a Louisiana Identification Card to appear as though he lived there. He also submitted a fraudulent bill to FEMA from Cox Communications to establish proof of occupancy. A Cox representative testified at trial that Cox does not provide services in Monroe. As a result of his fraudulent claims, FEMA sent Lightfoot $23,684.71 for home repairs, rental assistance, and personal property. Lightfoot also submitted two appeals to FEMA, which included $115,669 and $122,500 in repair estimates.
The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath and Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Members of the public who suspect fraud, waste, abuse, or allegations of mismanagement involving disaster relief operations, or believe they have been the victim of fraud from a person or organization soliciting relief funds on behalf of disaster victims, should contact the National Disaster Fraud Hotline toll free at (866) 720-5721. You can also fax information to the Center at (225) 334-4707, or email it to [email protected] (link sends e-mail). Live operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
To learn more about the NCDF please visit the website at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud.
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Alexandria man indicted for $198,000 bank fraud scheme, lying on loan applicationsRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment on June 26, 2019, charging Roger D. Boggs, 50, of Alexandria, with bank fraud and making false statements on loan applications in order to receive more than $190,000. Boggs was charged with one count of bank fraud and two counts of false statements on loan applications.
According to the indictment, Boggs engaged in a series of schemes to obtain a commercial loan from Red River Bank between May 2015 and March 2016. Boggs submitted fraudulent stock certificates and signed a fraudulent mortgage in support of his loan request, specifically, on June 5, June 11 and September 25 of 2015. Among other things and in an effort to influence the bank to grant his loan application, Boggs falsely claimed that he owned 26 million shares of the company American Specialty Alloys Inc. (ASA), which he valued at $9 a share and pledged 1 million ASA shares to the bank as collateral. Boggs requested an additional disbursement to the loan on June 11, 2015, and he renewed the existing loan on September 25, 2015, both times pledging 1 million shares of ASA stock as collateral.
Boggs also fraudulently offered the bank a mortgage on real estate he allegedly owned in Kentucky but failed to inform the bank that he had previously sold the property on September 12, 2015. The bank disbursed a total of $198,712 to Boggs in reliance on the false information he provided.
If convicted, Boggs faces 30 years in prison for each count of bank fraud and false statement on a loan application. He also faces up to five years of supervised release, a $1 million fine and restitution.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Oak Grove woman sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for trafficking pure methamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – An Oak Grove woman who trafficked methamphetamine was sentenced today to 10 years in federal prison followed by five years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, which tested to be 98% pure, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty also sentenced Sedonnia Axl Lee Bass, 28, during a revocation hearing to serve an additional 15 months in prison, to run consecutive with the 10-year sentence, for violating her supervised release conditions related to a previous conviction stemming from a federal drug charge in the Middle District of Florida.
West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded to a domestic violence call on November 25, 2018, at an Oak Grove residence and made contact with Bass, who was sitting in the driver’s seat of a vehicle parked in the driveway. Bass told the deputy that she had not seen the altercation and would not say why she was there. While talking with Bass, the officer noticed that she was trying to conceal something near the center console.
A search of the car revealed a black bag containing small baggies, a scale, a spoon and a pink glass-smoking pipe wrapped in a handkerchief on the floorboard area of the driver’s side. The deputy also found a clear plastic bag between the center console and the driver’s seat containing 117.0549 grams of 98% pure methamphetamine. Bass admitted that the methamphetamine found in the vehicle belonged to her and stated that she sold methamphetamine in and around the Oak Grove area.
When Bass identified herself, the deputy recognized her name and knew that she had active arrest warrants and placed her under arrest. At the time of her arrest, Bass was on supervised release for a previous drug conviction in the Middle District of Florida, where she received a sentence on March 25, 2010, of 120 months in federal prison and 60 months of supervised release following her confinement, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The DEA, West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office and Oak Grove Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for possessing pistol at Monroe halfway houseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Tommy Devereaux Warren, 40, of Shreveport, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to serve 57 months in federal prison and three years of supervised release following his incarceration, for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon. Judge Walter also sentenced Warren to serve an additional three months in prison for violation of his supervised release conditions.
According to information presented in court, Warren was a resident of the City of Faith Halfway house in Monroe and was serving a term of federal supervised release. As a resident of the halfway house, Warren was subject to searches of his property, which included a pickup truck he was allowed to drive and park on the property. Halfway house employees conducted a search of Warren’s vehicle on December 11, 2018 and found a pistol in a bag behind the driver’s seat. They called Monroe Police who seized a Raven Arms pistol, model: MP-25, .25-caliber pistol loaded with seven rounds of ammunition. Warren pleaded guilty to the current federal charge on March 21, 2019.
Tommy Warren has prior felony convictions including a 2007 conviction in the Western District of Louisiana for possession of a firearm by a felon. Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
The ATF and Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Rodessa resident sentenced to serve 10 years in federal prison for drug chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Rodessa, Louisiana resident was sentenced in federal court Wednesday for possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute, said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
Stanley Simmelkjaer, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to 10 years in federal prison after pleading guilty on March 22, 2019. Walter also ordered the defendant to serve five years of supervised release following his incarceration.
According to information presented in court, Shreveport Police observed Simmelkjaer using three properties that he owned on Sumner Street in Shreveport to distribute illegal narcotics. Simmelkjaer sold marijuana from two of his Sumner Street properties between February 2018 through July 2018 while his tenant sold marijuana from his third property located on Sumner. During this time, police conducted surveillance on Simmelkjaer and observed him travel to two properties on East Front Street in Rodessa before and after the drug sales. Law enforcement agents executed search warrants on August 1, 2018, at all five locations and recovered digital scales and approximately 1 kilogram of methamphetamine, some of which appeared to be packaged for distribution, from one of the properties located on Sumner Street and one located on East Front Street.
Under federal law, certain drug charges carry mandatory minimum sentences. In this case, Simmelkjaer possessed more than 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute, which carries a mandatory minimum prison sentence of 10 years.
The DEA and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
Lecompte man sentenced on firearms crime after tyring to dispose of pistol during arrestRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – A Lecompte man who pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon on March 8, 2019, after trying to dispose of the firearm during his arrest, was sentenced Tuesday to serve time in federal prison, said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
United States District Judge Dee D. Drell sentenced Timothy Jackson Van Mol, 35, to 18 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. According to federal law, as a convicted felon, Van Mol is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Rapides Parish Sheriff’s deputies made contact with Van Mol on March 5, 2018 on Lamourie Road near Lecompte while executing an outstanding state warrant for non-support. Upon exiting his vehicle, Van Mol removed a chrome handgun from his waistband and threw it toward a nearby ditch full of water. The firearm retrieved by officers just off the bank of the ditch was a Sig Sauer, model SP2022, .40-caliber pistol. Van Mol has multiple felonies in state court in 2009 including burglary and drug possession.
The ATF and Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Bossier Parish Community College comptroller, 2 others indicted for stealing more than $250,000Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury indicted Carol Bates, 48, Faith Alexander, 27, and Marquise Perry, 34, all of Shreveport, Wednesday for stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from Bossier Parish Community College (BPCC).
All three were charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. In addition to the conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Bates was charged with 12 counts of wire fraud and Perry was charged with three counts of wire fraud.
According to the indictment, as the BPCC comptroller, Bates used her position to access an internal BPCC computer system and issue approximately $259,591.87 in refunds to Alexander, Perry and five others from 2013 to 2016. They were not qualified to receive the funds, and, in most cases, they were not even attending BPCC during the semesters they received the monies. In total, Bates caused 45 fraudulent refunds to be issued. Perry received seven refunds totaling $49,524.65 from 2015 through 2016 and Alexander received eight refunds totaling $45,482.65 from 2014 through 2016. The remaining 30 refunds were issued to five unnamed co-conspirators who, after receiving the money, transferred two-thirds or a half of it to Bates.
If convicted, the defendants face 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine for each count.
The U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, and the Louisiana Office of State Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Natchitoches man sentenced to 25 years in prison for methamphetamine, firearm offensesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Reginald T. Warren, 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, was sentenced Tuesday to 300 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents with the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on March 7, 2018, for Reginald Warren’s residence in Natchitoches. Agents found a total of more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the residence. They also found a loaded Charter Arms .38-caliber revolver in close proximity to 1 pound of the methamphetamine. Warren admitted to possessing the illegal drugs and firearm at a March 21, 2019 guilty plea hearing.
Warren’s co-defendant Temisan Smith, 32, of Pasadena, Texas, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute ecstasy on December 13, 2018. According to her guilty plea, she was transporting illegal drugs at Warren’s direction that same day from the Houston area to Natchitoches Parish when law enforcement conducted a traffic stop on her vehicle. Agents found a shoebox in the trunk containing approximately 16,000 ecstasy pills and a pint of suspected promethazine syrup.
“Illegal drugs are wreaking havoc on our communities and prosecuting those responsible for selling this poison is a priority of our office,” Joseph stated. “This defendant will be spending 25 years in prison for his crimes. I want to thank the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and the Natchitoches Parish District Attorney’s Office for their hard work and collaboration with federal law enforcement and my office in this case.”
“Methamphetamine brings turmoil into the lives of those who are addicted to or live around it,” DEA Special Agent in Charge Brad L. Byerley said. “DEA, together with our law enforcement partners, will continue to attack the scourge of methamphetamine distribution in the Western District of Louisiana and beyond. The lengthy sentencing of this individual should be a warning to those who want to sell drugs. We are going to catch you and put you in prison for a long time if you distribute this poison in our communities. ”
“I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their diligent efforts in this case and for their ongoing partnership with us in investigating and prosecuting illegal narcotics cases in Natchitoches Parish,” said Natchitoches Parish District Attorney Billy Joe Harrington. “I also thank the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force for their continued relentless work in identifying and arresting narcotics traffickers and, in effect, curbing the flow illegal narcotics in our parish.”
Smith was sentenced to 27 months in prison and three years of supervised release on April 15, 2019.
The DEA, Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force and Liberty County Sheriff’s Office in Texas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
Lake Charles man sentenced to serve time in federal prison for stealing firearms from pawn shopRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Ryan Taylor, 19, of Lake Charles, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to serve 26 months in federal prison for firearm theft from a licensed firearm dealer.
According to information presented in court, Taylor and at least two other individuals stole three firearms on July 8, 2018 from a pawnshop in Lake Charles. Video surveillance from that night revealed a truck driving up to the business and someone attaching a rope to the front of the truck and then the other end to the front door of the business. The driver then backed away shattering the glass on the front door. Three individuals then entered the business and stole the following firearms from the shop’s inventory: a Savage, model 110, 30-60-caliber rifle, a Tikka, model M695, .270-caliber rifle, and a Savage, model 111, 30-06-caliber rifle. Taylor was later arrested and one of the stolen firearms was found with him. During his guilty plea on February 15, 2019, Taylor admitted to taking part in the theft.
The ATF and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Allen Correctional Center inmate sentenced to serve time in federal prison for making death threats against President TrumpRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Buddy Keith Myers, 24, originally from Simms, Texas, and an inmate at Allen Correctional Center in Kinder, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to serve three years and one month in federal prison for making threats against the President of the United States. Summerhays also ordered Myers to serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
Myers wrote a series of letters from February 12, 2018 to March 10, 2018, while he was an inmate at the Allen Correctional Center, threatening death or bodily injury against President Donald Trump. Myers drafted most of the letters on inmate request forms and submitted them to prison officials, and mailed at least one of the letters to the Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections. According to court documents presented during his guilty plea on August 28, 2018, Myers acknowledged to law enforcement officers that his threats were serious.
The U.S. Secret Service and Louisiana Department of Public Safety and Corrections conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips prosecuted the case.
Convicted felon from Monroe pleads guilty to illegally possessing loaded pistolRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Derrick Antonio Hall, 37, of Monroe, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
According to the guilty plea, Hall drove to a gas station in Monroe on July 20, 2018, and left the car idling with loud music playing as he entered the gas station. Monroe police arrived shortly thereafter and observed the unattended vehicle. When the officers approached Hall upon his return to the vehicle, they smelled marijuana coming from inside the car and saw a bag of suspected marijuana. During a search of the vehicle, an officer found a Glock, Model: G26, 9 mm-caliber pistol with an extended magazine containing 24 rounds of ammunition.
Hall was convicted in 2001 in state court for carrying a firearm on school property and sentenced to three years in prison. He was also convicted in 2004 in state court for distribution of cocaine and sentenced to five years in prison. Under federal law, a felon is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
Hall faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for October 2, 2019.
The ATF and Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten is prosecuting the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mississippi couple sentenced for transporting cocaine through Webster ParishRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Demyia S. Porter, 39, and Naquita N. Graves, 40, both of Canton, Mississippi, were sentenced Friday to 51 months and 57 months in prison, respectively, by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. They were also sentenced to five years of supervised release following imprisonment.
A Louisiana State trooper initiated a traffic stop August 20, 2018, on Interstate 20 in Webster Parish on a vehicle Porter was driving. After questioning Porter and Graves, who was the passenger of the vehicle, the trooper obtained consent by Porter to search the vehicle. He found $2,647 in Graves’ purse and approximately 10 kilograms of suspected cocaine in a suitcase discovered in the trunk of the car. Graves and Porter admitted to traveling to Dallas, Texas, to pick up the illegal drugs for a third unnamed individual. Graves pleaded guilty on February 7, 2019, and Porter pleaded guilty on February 15, 2019.
The DEA and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and Jessica D. Cassidy prosecuted the case.
Former Avoyelles Correctional Center warden and ex-wife sentenced to prison for stealing taxpayer money for personal benefitRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Nathan Burl Cain II, the former warden of the Avoyelles Correctional Center in Cottonport, Louisiana, and his ex-wife, Tonia Bandy Cain were sentenced to 38 months and 8 months in prison, respectively, by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell. They were also sentenced to two years of supervised release following imprisonment and were ordered to pay $42,501.95 in restitution.
On March 13, 2019, Nathan Burl Cain, II, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in the middle of a trial that began on March 11, 2019. Tonia Bandy Cain pleaded guilty on July 9, 2018 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
Nathan Cain conspired with his ex-wife, who served as the manager of the business office of the facility, to use Louisiana Department of Corrections bank cards to purchase personal items, while misrepresenting that such items were purchased for official business. The bank cards were used to purchase furniture, pet supplies, toilet paper, gun parts, Christmas decorations, yard tools, tires, a pressure cooker that was given as a gift to a third party, and other items.
Additionally, Nathan Cain commissioned the construction of a house on prison grounds for himself and did not bid the construction as required by law. Instead, purchases for the construction were made on bank cards structured in a manner to avoid detection by the Louisiana Department of Corrections.
“Our public officials have a duty to uphold the law and act in the interests of those they serve,” Joseph stated. “This prosecution and sentence of imprisonment should send a clear message: corruption by our public servants will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I hope the resolution of this case serves to repair our citizen’s trust in the many public servants who faithfully and honestly fulfill their duties every day. I want to thank Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street’s office and the FBI for investigating this case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Walker and David Ayo for their work prosecuting this matter.”
“The people of Louisiana are absolutely fed up with corruption by public officials,” said Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street. “The sentences handed down today should make it clear to anyone who abuses the public trust and corrupts their office for personal gain: no matter who you are or what connections you think you have, you had better be prepared to go to jail. The Louisiana OIG remains committed to working with our law enforcement partners to make sure of it. Thanks again to United States Attorney David Joseph and his staff for their outstanding professional work in prosecuting this matter.”
The FBI and the Louisiana Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to 10 years in prison for drug and firearms offensesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Shreveport man was sentenced on Wednesday to serve time in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. sentenced Bryan Thomas Robinson, 38, to 10 years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Robinson pleaded guilty to these charges on February 20, 2019.
According to information presented in court, a Shreveport police officer conducted a traffic stop on Robinson’s vehicle on October 28, 2017, for no tag information on the vehicle. The officer smelled marijuana and conducted a search of the vehicle where he found a cooler in the trunk of the car containing a glass bong, 49 grams of marijuana in a blue bag, pills, a digital scale, additional packaging baggies and a Hi Point .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun. Robinson admitted to possessing the firearm telling officers that his neighborhood was dangerous and he needed the gun for protection.
At the time of his arrest, Robinson was a felon who was convicted on February 25, 2013, for possession with intent to distribute marijuana and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. Under federal law, a felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
Mexican citizen living in Benton sentenced for re-entering U.S. after multiple deportations and illegally possessing firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that illegal alien and felon Shandy Salgado-Almendaris, 39, a Mexican citizen living in Benton, Louisiana, was sentenced on Wednesday. Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. sentenced Salgado-Almendaris to 21 months in prison for illegally re-entering the United States after being removed and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Bossier Parish Narcotics Task Force agents conducted an investigation on August 9, 2018, at a Benton residence and encountered Salgado-Almendaris. Agents searched the home and found a Rohm GmbH (RG Industries), Model: RG-14, .22-caliber revolver in the master bedroom area. The firearm was seized and Salgado-Almendaris was arrested. Salgado-Almendaris had been previously removed from the United States three times at locations in Texas and Louisiana. The defendant is a convicted felon who has a previous criminal history involving possession of cocaine. He pleaded guilty to the current federal charges on February 20, 2019, and faces removal from the United States after serving his prison term.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, the ATF, and the Bossier Parish Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien sentenced to two years in prison for re-entering the U.S. after six prior deportationsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Andres Garcia-Mora, 28, a Mexico citizen, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for illegally re-entering the United States after being previously deported six times.
Louisiana State Police arrested Andres Garcia-Mora on August 23, 2018, in Bossier Parish for possession of a controlled substance, driving while intoxicated, no driver’s license and an open container. Louisiana State Police notified Homeland Security Investigations agents about the arrest, who then discovered that Garcia-Mora was in the United States illegally after being removed from the United States six times between 2009 and 2016. During that time, Garcia-Mora used at least eight aliases in his attempts to enter the United States. The last removal took place on December 30, 2016, near Del Rio, Texas. Garcia-Mora’s criminal history includes three convictions for federal immigration offenses and three state misdemeanor convictions in Texas and Louisiana for simple battery, a liquor violation and driving while intoxicated. He pleaded guilty to the current federal charge on May 30, 2019, and faces removal from the United States after serving his prison term.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten prosecuted the case.
Former Bossier Parish deputy sentenced to 51 months in prison for possessing child pornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that James Goldman Grant, 67, of Benton, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to four years and three months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for possession of child pornography. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender.
According to information presented in court, law enforcement agents discovered that James Grant’s friend, James Robert Wilson, 34, of Bossier City, Louisiana, had been downloading child pornography. During a search of Wilson’s home on November 6, 2017, agents found more than 100 images of child pornography on electronic devices. Wilson admitted to possessing and distributing images and videos of child pornography and also told the agents that he had met with James Grant, a retired Bossier Parish Sheriff’s deputy, at Grant’s home to view and exchange child pornography. During a search of Grant’s home on November 6, 2017, agents discovered a thumb drive containing approximately 18 videos and 23 images of child pornography. After his arrest, Grant admitted to meeting with Wilson at his home and admitted to downloading the child pornography to watch together with Wilson while he was there. James Grant pleaded guilty on February 11, 2019.
James Robert Wilson pleaded guilty on December 11, 2018 for distributing child pornography, and he was sentenced on March 20, 2019 to 188 months in prison, five years of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
The Homeland Security Investigations, FBI, and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Cyber Crime Unit, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Un hombre de Luisiana es acusado de delitos de odio federales por prender fuego a iglesias de la Parroquia de St. LandryRead the Press Release
Holden James Matthews, de 21 años, vecino de Opelousas, Luisiana, fue acusado hoy por un gran jurado federal, en una acusación formal sellada abierta hoy, por prender fuego y destrozar tres iglesias de la Parroquia de St. Landry, anunciaron Eric Dreiband, el Fiscal General Auxiliar de la División de Derechos Civiles del Departamento de Justicia, y David C. Joseph, el Fiscal Federal para el Distrito Occidental de Luisiana.
Según la declaración formal de seis cargos, durante un período de diez días, Matthews prendió fuego intencionalmente a la Iglesia Bautista St. Mary en Port Barre, Luisiana, el 26 de marzo, a la Iglesia Bautista Greater Union en Opelousas, Luisiana, el 2 de abril, y a la Iglesia Bautista Mount Pleasant en Opelousas, Luisiana, el 4 de abril. La acusación formal alega que fue motivado a prender los fuegos por el carácter religioso de las propiedades. A Matthews se le acusa de tres cargos de daño intencional a propiedades religiosas, los cuales son cargos por delitos de odio bajo la ley de Prevención de Incendios Provocados en Iglesias, y de tres cargos de uso de incendio para la comisión de un delito grave.
«Las leyes federales protegen nuestra libertad de culto en un entorno seguro sin amenazas de discriminación o violencia», dijo el Fiscal General Auxiliar Eric Dreiband. «El Departamento de Justicia toma muy en serio toda presunta vulneración de derechos civiles federales y la enjuiciará».
«Los ataques contra un individuo o un grupo por motivos de sus creencias religiosas no se tolerarán en el Distrito Occidental de Luisiana», afirmó el Fiscal Federal David C. Joseph. «Las iglesias son un lugar esencial de culto y confraternización para nuestros ciudadanos y nos unen como comunidad. Hay que proteger celosamente nuestra libertad para reunirnos en estas iglesias de manera segura y practicar nuestras creencias religiosas. Hoy hemos tomado un paso más hacia la justicia para los feligreses de estas iglesias y las comunidades de la Parroquia de St. Landry que se vieron afectados por estos actos. Mi oficina seguiría trabajando diligentemente con nuestras agencias asociadas del orden público para investigar y enjuiciar cualquier tipo de delito de odio».
De ser condenado, Matthews se enfrenta a una encarcelación máxima de 20 años por cada cargo de daño intencional a una propiedad religiosa. Asimismo, Matthews se enfrenta a una pena mínima adicional de 10 años por el primer cargo de uso de fuego para cometer un delito grave y de 20 años por los demás cargos; estas penas se servirían consecutivamente. También se enfrenta a libertad supervisada de hasta tres años, una sanción de $250.000 e indemnizaciones por cada uno de los cargos.
La Agencia de Control de Bebidas Alcohólicas, Tabaco, Armas de Fuego y Explosivos (ATF, por sus siglas en inglés), el FBI, el Jefe de Bomberos del Estado de Luisiana, la Oficina del Sheriff de la Parroquia de St. Landry, la Fiscalía de Distrito para la Parroquia de St. Landry, la Policía Estatal de Luisiana, la Unidad de Delitos Cibernéticos del Fiscal General de Luisiana Jeff Landry y la Oficina del Jefe de Bomberos del Estado de Florida llevaron a cabo la investigación.
Los Fiscales Federales Auxiliares Dominic Rossetti y John Luke Walker, juntos con la Abogada de Litigios Risa Berkower, de la Sección Penal del Departamento de Justicia, División de Derechos Civiles, son responsables del enjuiciamiento del caso.
Para más información sobre el trabajo del Departamento de Justicia para combatir y prevenir los delitos de odio, vaya a www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: es un portal único con enlaces a recursos del Departamento de Justicia relacionados con delitos de odio para la policía, los medios de comunicación, investigadores, víctimas, grupos de apoyo, y otras organizaciones y personas.
Una acusación formal es sencillamente una acusación y al acusado se lo considera inocente mientras no se pruebe su culpabilidad más allá de cualquier duda razonable.
Download matthews_indictment_6_12_19.pdf
Opelousas man charged with federal hate crimes for setting fire to three St. Landry Parish churchesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Holden James Matthews, 21, of Opelousas, Louisiana, was charged by a federal grand jury in an indictment unsealed today for setting fire to and destroying three churches in St. Landry Parish, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana and Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division.
According to the six-count indictment, in a span of 10 days, Matthews intentionally set fire to St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, Louisiana, on March 26, Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisian, on April 2, and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas on April 4. The indictment alleges that he was motivated to set the fires because of the religious character of these properties. Matthews is charged with three counts of intentional damage to religious property, hate crime charges that fall under the Church Arson Prevention Act, and with three counts of using fire to commit a felony.
“Attacks against an individual or group because of their religious beliefs will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana,” U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph stated. “Churches are vital places of worship and fellowship for our citizens and bind us together as a community. Our freedom to safely congregate in these churches and exercise our religious beliefs must be jealously guarded. Today we are one step closer to justice for the parishioners of these churches and the St. Landry Parish communities affected by these acts. My office will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any type of hate crime.”
“Federal law protects our freedom to practice religion in a safe environment without the threat of discrimination or violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Any alleged violation of federal civil rights laws are taken extremely seriously by the Justice Department and will be prosecuted.”
If convicted, Matthews faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years per count of intentional damage to religious property. Matthews faces an additional mandatory minimum of 10 years for the first count of using fire to commit a felony and 20 years for the subsequent counts, all to run consecutively. He also faces up to three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution for each of the counts.
The ATF, FBI, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Cybercrime Unit, and the Florida State Fire Marshal conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic Rossetti and John Luke Walker, along with Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the Justice Department’s Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Louisiana Man Charged with Federal Hate Crimes for Setting Fire to Three St. Landry Parish ChurchesRead the Press Release
Holden James Matthews, 21, of Opelousas, Louisiana, was charged by a federal grand jury in an indictment unsealed today for setting fire to and destroying three churches in St. Landry Parish, announced Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana.
According to the six-count indictment, in a span of 10 days, Matthews intentionally set fire to St. Mary Baptist Church in Port Barre, Louisiana, on March 26, Greater Union Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisiana on April 2, and Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Opelousas, Louisiana on April 4. The indictment alleges that he was motivated to set the fires because of the religious character of these properties. Matthews is charged with three counts of intentional damage to religious property, hate crime charges that fall under the Church Arson Prevention Act, and with three counts of using fire to commit a felony.
“Federal law protects our freedom to practice religion in a safe environment without the threat of discrimination or violence,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Any alleged violation of federal civil rights laws are taken extremely seriously by the Justice Department and will be prosecuted.”
“Attacks against an individual or group because of their religious beliefs will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana,” U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph stated. “Churches are vital places of worship and fellowship for our citizens and bind us together as a community. Our freedom to safely congregate in these churches and exercise our religious beliefs must be jealously guarded. Today we are one step closer to justice for the parishioners of these churches and the St. Landry Parish communities affected by these acts. My office will continue to work diligently with our law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute any type of hate crime.”
If convicted, Matthews faces a maximum term of imprisonment of 20 years per count of intentional damage to religious property. Matthews faces an additional mandatory minimum of 10 years for the first count of using fire to commit a felony and 20 years for the subsequent counts, all to run consecutively. He also faces up to three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution for each of the counts.
The ATF, FBI, Louisiana State Fire Marshal, St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office, St. Landry Parish District Attorney’s Office, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Cybercrime Unit, and the Florida State Fire Marshal conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dominic Rossetti and John Luke Walker, along with Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the Justice Department’s Criminal Section, Civil Rights Division, are prosecuting the case.
For more information about the Department of Justice’s work to combat and prevent hate crimes, visit www.justice.gov/hatecrimes: a one-stop portal with links to Department of Justice hate crimes resources for law enforcement, media, researchers, victims, advocacy groups, and other organizations and individuals.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Felon from Plain Dealing sentenced to 78 months in prison for possessing loaded shotgunRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Johann Gary Barnes, 47, of Plain Dealing, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to six and a half years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
A Benton police officer pulled over Barnes’ pickup truck on January 29, 2018. While the officer was speaking to Barnes and the passenger, he observed a small amount of marijuana in the center console of the pickup truck and a sawed-off shotgun at the foot of the driver’s seat. The shotgun was an Ithaca, model: 37 Featherlite, 12-gauge shotgun loaded with four rounds in the magazine tube and one in the chamber. Barnes pleaded guilty to the current federal charge on November 15, 2018.
Barnes was previously convicted on March 1, 2004 in Caddo Parish for possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I drug and was convicted on September 27, 2005 for possession of a firearm by a felon. Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Benton Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
West Monroe felon sentenced for unlawful possession of a loaded pistolRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Michael Holder, 41, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was sentenced Wednesday to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Officers with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and West Monroe Police Department conducted a traffic stop on June 9, 2017 of Holder’s vehicle and discovered that Holder had an outstanding arrest warrant from the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office. As Holder was exiting the vehicle, he stated to the officers that he was sitting on a BB gun, which turned out to be a Glock, Model 17, 9mm-caliber pistol, loaded with two bullets in the magazine. The officers also found a glass smoking pipe with suspected methamphetamine in Holder’s back pocket.
Holder was convicted of aggravated flight from an officer on January 12, 2015 in Ouachita Parish. Under federal law, convicted felons are prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Holder pleaded guilty to the federal charges on January 17, 2019.
The ATF, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office, and West Monroe Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Project Safe Neighborhoods is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.