Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Lafayette business owner pleads guilty to stealing nearly $300,000 from three finance companiesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Leonard Espree, 55, formerly of Lafayette, pleaded guilty yesterday before Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for stealing nearly $300,000 from three finance companies.
According to the guilty plea, 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.
Espree faces up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $1 million fine for one count of wire fraud. The court set a July 10, 2019 sentencing date.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
Illegal alien from Honduras sentenced to 15 months in prison for re-entering the United States five timesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Selvin Ponce-Hernandez, 28, of Honduras was sentenced to a year and three months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for illegally re-entering the country for a fifth time.
Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrested Ponce-Hernandez on August 9, 2018 for domestic abuse battery, possession of a stolen firearm and resisting an officer. The defendant’s wife reported the battery and deputies found him hiding in the closet of an abandoned apartment. Ponce-Hernandez was previously removed from the United States four times - November 2008, December 2009, January 2012 and October 2015. He also has two previous criminal convictions. He was convicted in August of 2008 of criminal mischief in Houston Texas and in October 2009 in the Southern District of Texas for illegal re-entry of a removed alien. He pleaded guilty on December 20, 2018.
Homeland Security Investigations, the ATF and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Crowley man sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing child pornography on electronic devicesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Kenneth Poullard, 44, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced to 10 years in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks for possessing sexually explicit images of juveniles. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release and must register as a sex offender.
When law enforcement agents learned that Poullard was downloading child pornography to electronic devices in his home, they searched his home on March 13, 2014 and found a desktop computer containing 50 images of child pornography. Poullard, who was present at the time of the search, admitted to intentionally searching for and downloading images and videos of child pornography. He pleaded guilty on October 17, 2018.
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.
Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Attorney General’s Office High Technology Crime Unit conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Starks felon sentenced to 18 months in prison for possessing three firearms, ammunitionRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Ronald Joseph Guillory, 45, of Starks, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for possessing a shotgun, a rifle, a pistol and ammunition.
When Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s officers responded to a disturbance on April 6, 2018 at a home near Vinton, Louisiana, they found Guillory sitting inside of his truck in the driveway. After the officers approached the vehicle, they noticed drug paraphernalia and arrested Guillory. They found a Stevens .16-gauge single-shot shotgun, a Marlin .22-caliber semi-automatic rifle, a Cobra .380-caliber semi-automatic pistol and ammunition on the back seat. Guillory admitted to the officers he was in possession of the weapons. Under federal law, Guillory is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He was convicted of simple burglary in February of 2007. He pleaded guilty in federal court on November 15, 2018.
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.
The ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
Oak Grove woman pleads guilty to distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Sedonnia Axl Lee Bass, 28, of Oak Grove, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for distributing methamphetamine.
According to the guilty plea, a West Carrol Parish Sheriff’s deputy responded to a domestic violence call on November 25, 2018 at an Oak Grove residence. The deputy approached a vehicle parked in the driveway and made contact with Bass, who was sitting in the driver’s seat. She 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. When Bass identified herself, the deputy recognized her name and knew that she had active warrants for her arrest and placed her under arrest. 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 methamphetamine. After questioning Bass at the station, she admitted the methamphetamine was hers and that she sells methamphetamine in and around the Oak Grove area.
Bass faces up to 10 years to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The court set the sentencing date for July 1, 2019.
The DEA, West Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Office and Oak Grove Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.
Lafayette man pleads guilty to possessing handgun, rifleRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Shelby Jude Darby, 27, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to possessing a 9 mm pistol and an AK-47 style rifle.
According to the guilty plea, Lafayette police conducted on November 1, 2017 a traffic stop on Darby’s vehicle because of illegal dark tint. Darby exited the vehicle and ran down an alley between a residence and a garage. Officers chased him, placed him under arrest, and found a SCCY, Model CPX-2, 9 mm semi-automatic pistol on the ground where Darby had been laying. They returned to Darby’s vehicle where officers observed in plain view, 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 a controlled dangerous substance. According to federal law, a convicted felon is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition.
Darby faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for July 5, 2019.
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.
The ATF and the Lafayette Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog is prosecuting the case.
Two Lake Charles felons sentenced for unlawful possession of firearmsRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that two Lake Charles felons were sentenced yesterday by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for illegal possession of a firearm.
Lake Charles felon sentenced to 48 months in prison for possessing handgun
Keelan Broussard, 27, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to four years in prison for possessing a handgun. The Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on May 23, 2018 at Broussard’s home, and found a Taurus .38 Special handgun, ammunition, approximately $2,400 in cash, marijuana and cocaine in Broussard’s bedroom. Broussard is a felon who has been convicted of drug and firearms related charges. Under federal law, convicted felons are not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition. Broussard admitted that he owned the firearm at his guilty plea in federal court on December 14, 2018.
The ATF and the Calcasieu Combined Anti-drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Lake Charles felon sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a rifle
Forrest Cecil Coker II, 33, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for unlawfully possessing a stolen rifle. Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s deputies arrived on April 21, 2018 at a home on Laurel Avenue in Calcasieu Parish searching for an individual with pending felony warrants. When officers approached the home, Coker came out to meet them, and stated he needed to step back inside the residence to subdue an aggressive dog. Upon his return, officers received permission to enter and search the residence. During the search, they found a DPMS Model AR-10, .308-caliber rifle that was reported stolen, a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, four suspected Alprazolam pills and two suspected Citalopram pills, along with marijuana pipes, a methamphetamine pipe, marijuana grinders and an electric scale.
Under federal law, Coker is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. Coker was previously convicted on four separate occasions in the State of Louisiana's 14th Judicial District Court for simple burglary and illegal use of a weapon. He pleaded guilty in federal court on December 17, 2018.
The ATF and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.
Both cases were prosecuted under the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) program, 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 reductions in crime.
Lake Charles man sentenced to 57 months in prison for distributing methamphetamineRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Paul Loudin, 40, of Lake Charles, was sentenced Monday to four years and nine months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for distribution of methamphetamine.
Law enforcement agents executed a search warrant on March 14, 2017 at Loudin’s home in Lake Charles and found approximately 586 grams of methamphetamine and 728 ecstasy pills. Loudin admitted during his guilty plea on December 14, 2018 that he was aware the drugs were located at his residence and that he intended to distribute them.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Combine Anti-Drug Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon who led police in a car chase sentenced to 42 months on gun chargeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Deaunte D. Noyes, 29, of Shreveport, was sentenced yesterday by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to three and a half years in prison for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Noyes was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow imprisonment.
Shreveport police officers engaged in a chase on August 28, 2017 with a vehicle that had been reported stolen. After a high-speed pursuit, Noyes wrecked the vehicle and fled the scene on foot. Upon searching the wrecked vehicle, officers found a Taurus, Model PT99, 9 mm-caliber pistol and ammunition that Noyes had placed under the seat. Noyes was previously convicted of attempted illegal carrying of a weapon while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance and attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, both of which are felonies. According to federal law, Noyes is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on August 24, 2018, to illegally possessing the pistol.
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.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Seven-time convicted felon sentenced to 25 years in prison for possession of a firearmRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Anthony Joseph Meaux, 38, of Crowley, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to 25 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Meaux was called in by his probation officer on December 21, 2016 pursuant to an outstanding warrant and suspicions of his involvement in an armed robbery in Crowley. During that encounter, the probation officer discovered that Meaux was in possession of an Arminius Model HW7 .22 caliber revolver pistol. Meaux has seven prior felony convictions: two for simple burglary, three for simple robbery and two for drug-related offenses. According to federal law, he is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on September 11, 2018.
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.
The ATF and the Louisiana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Natchitoches man pleads guilty to methamphetamine, firearm offensesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Reginald T. Warren, 37, of Natchitoches, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug-trafficking crime.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers with the Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force executed a search warrant on March 7, 2018 for Reginald Warren’s residence in Natchitoches, Louisiana. Agents found a total of more than 4 pounds of methamphetamine in the residence and a loaded Charter Arms .38-caliber revolver in close proximity to the methamphetamine.
Warren faces 10 years to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine offense. He faces at least five years in prison for the firearm offense. Drell set the sentencing date for June 20, 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 is prosecuting the case.
Abbeville man sentenced to 14 months in prison for lying on firearm purchasing form at pawnshopRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Gene Williams III, 22, of Abbeville, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday by U.S. District Judge Dee. D. Drell to 14 months in prison for lying on a firearms application. Williams was also sentenced to three years of supervised release to follow imprisonment.
Williams lied on an ATF Form 4473 on February 26, 2018 in order to purchase a Taurus, Model 740, Slim .40-caliber semi-automatic pistol at a pawnshop in Abbeville, Louisiana. Williams stated on the form that he had no felony charges pending against him when, in fact, at the time he had been charged in the 15th Judicial District Court of Louisiana with a variety of felony offenses, including drug possession, weapon possession, aggravated assault, and racketeering. Williams pleaded guilty in federal court on December 13, 2018 for the false statement he made on the ATF Form 4473.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). Project Safe Neighborhoods 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 conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Illegal alien from Mexico arrested in St. Mary Parish sentenced to 21 years for drugs, firearms chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Raymundo Pizano-Montes, 34, of Mexico, was sentenced yesterday to 21 years in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for distributing LSD in St. Mary Parish and possessing firearms.
A St. Mary Parish deputy pulled over a Mazda SUV in which Pizano-Montes was an occupant on November 18, 2016 for a traffic violation. During a search of the vehicle, the deputy found $14,582 in cash, 319 dosage units of LSD, 82 Xanax pills, marijuana paraphernalia, a scale, and 12 firearms. Six of the 12 firearms — including an AR-15 assault rifle — were reported stolen. Pizano-Montes stated to officers that anything found in the vehicle was his property, and he buys and sells firearms, marijuana, LSD and Xanax. He was deported in 2010 after having been convicted in California for second degree robbery and re-entered the United States illegally.
Homeland Security Investigations, ATF and St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
Federal jury finds Chalmette resident guilty of using Monroe property to illegally receive disaster fundsRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that Chad Lightfoot, 47, of Chalmette, Louisiana, was convicted by a federal jury for using an address at a Monroe house that he did not live in to receive disaster payments. The jury returned the guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately one hour. United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided over the trial that began Monday, March 11, 2019 and ended today.
Evidence presented at trial showed that Lightfoot owned an abandoned, unoccupied property in Monroe, but lived in Chalmette. After a federal disaster was declared on March 13, 2016 following severe storms and flooding in Northeast Louisiana, Lightfoot applied for disaster grant assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for damage to the property he owned on South Fourth Street in Monroe. Lightfoot listed his primary residence as Monroe on his FEMA application, and 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 cable bill to FEMA to establish proof of occupancy. As a result of his fraudulent claims, FEMA sent Lightfoot $23,684 on April 4, 2016 for repairs. Lightfoot also submitted two appeals to FEMA, which included $115,669 and $122,500 in repair estimates.
Lightfoot faces up to 30 years in prison, five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine per count, and restitution. The court set sentencing for July 3, 2019.
The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Allison D. Bushnell are prosecuting the case.
Former supervisor at Richwood Correctional Center pleads guilty to violating civil rights of five inmatesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – The Justice Department today announced that defendant Christopher Loring, a former officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the physical assault of five inmates by officers. Loring, 36, of West Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.
“Abuse of prisoners is illegal and tarnishes the reputation of those correctional officers who work hard every day to perform their duties with distinction and professionalism,” Joseph stated. “To maintain the fairness and integrity of the American justice system, my office will hold accountable any who violate the civil rights of those under their custody.”
“The blatant abuse of power and the obstruction of civil rights will not be tolerated by the Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to protect the victims of these abuses and prosecute those who violate their civil rights.”
According to his guilty plea, Loring worked as a correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, where on Oct. 30, 2016 he and other officers abused inmates and then conspired to cover it up. According to Mr. Loring, he failed to intervene when the other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Mr. Loring and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.
Roderick Douglas, a former supervisor at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 31 for his role in the conspiracy to violate the civil rights of five inmates. Sentencing for Douglas is scheduled for June 5, 2019.
The count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Mr. Loring is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana, who accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Louisiana, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, prosecuted the case. The Monroe Division of the FBI investigated the case.
Former Supervisor at Louisiana Correctional Facility Pleads Guilty to Violating Civil Rights of Five InmatesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that defendant Christopher Loring, a former officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court today for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the physical assault of five inmates by officers. Loring, 36, of West Monroe, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.
“The blatant abuse of power and the obstruction of civil rights will not be tolerated by the Department,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Civil Rights Division will continue to protect the victims of these abuses and prosecute those who violate their civil rights.”
“Abuse of prisoners is illegal and tarnishes the reputation of those correctional officers who work hard every day to perform their duties with distinction and professionalism,” U.S. Attorney Joseph stated. “To maintain the fairness and integrity of the American justice system, my office will hold accountable any who violate the civil rights of those under their custody.”
According to his guilty plea, Loring worked as a correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, where on Oct. 30, 2016 he and other officers abused inmates and then conspired to cover it up. According to Mr. Loring, he failed to intervene when the other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Mr. Loring and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.
Roderick Douglas, a former supervisor at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 31 for his role in the conspiracy to violate the civil rights of five inmates. Sentencing for Douglas is scheduled for June 5, 2019.
The count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Mr. Loring is scheduled to be sentenced on July 3, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana, who accepted the plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Louisiana, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, prosecuted the case. The Monroe Division of the FBI investigated the case.
Former Avoyelles Correctional Center warden pleads guilty fraud chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that the former warden of the Avoyelles Correctional Center in Cottonport, Louisiana, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for his scheme to steal more than $150,000 in taxpayer money for his personal benefit.
Nathan Burl Cain II, 51, of Moreauville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud. A trial started on Monday related to an indictment filed on August 11, 2017 charging Nathan Cain with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and 17 counts of wire fraud. The trial ended today with his plea to two 20-year counts in the indictment.
According to the guilty plea, Nathan Cain conspired with his ex-wife Tonia Bandy Cain, 43, 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 on separate occasions for supplies and materials. Nathan Cain structured the purchases so that they would avoid detection by Department of Corrections monitors.
“Today’s conviction should serve as a warning to any other public official in Louisiana who intends to use public office to illegally line their own pockets,” Joseph stated. “Under my watch, the good-old-boy system of fraud and corruption among our public servants will not be tolerated. It will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I want to thank Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street and the FBI for their hard work and investigating this case. I also want to thank Assistant U.S. Attorneys Luke Walker and David Ayo for their work prosecuting the defendant.”
“Justice was done today,” stated Louisiana Inspector General Stephen Street. “The manner in which Nate Cain repeatedly and brazenly stole money from Louisiana taxpayers was shocking and showed a staggering sense of entitlement on his part. Mr. Cain not only abused the considerable powers given to him as Warden, but also blatantly violated the public’s trust and brought shame to the Louisiana Department of Corrections. This case should send a message in the strongest possible terms that we have zero tolerance for it, and will continue to do everything in our power to bring about severe criminal consequences whenever and wherever there is corruption by Louisiana public officials. I want to acknowledge and thank United States Attorney David Joseph and Assistant United States Attorneys Luke Walker and David Ayo for doing such an outstanding job prosecuting this case. I am also very grateful for our continuing successful partnership with the FBI, which has again yielded outstanding results.”
Nathan Cain faces up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine per count and restitution not to exceed $152,364.69. The court set sentencing for June 17, 2019. Tonya Cain pleaded guilty on July 9, 2018 to wire fraud conspiracy. The court set sentencing for April 12, 2019.
The FBI and the Louisiana Office of Inspector General conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and David J. Ayo are prosecuting the case.
Ball felon sentenced to nearly three years in prison for possessing revolverRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Terrence Taylor, 38, of Ball, Louisiana, was sentenced last week to 34 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. He was also sentenced Friday to three years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, when Alexandria police officers approached Taylor’s vehicle on August 12, 2017 at a local park, they noticed the handle of a firearm under the armrest of the driver’s seat, and later identified the firearm as a Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver, which was loaded with six rounds. A warrant check revealed that Taylor had outstanding warrants for probation violations and he was arrested at the scene. Taylor is a felon who has previously been convicted of forcible rape, illegal use of a weapon and possession of a controlled dangerous substance. As a felon, he is prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm and ammunition. He pleaded guilty on October 30, 2018.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog prosecuted the case.
Alexandria felon sentenced to more than 4 years in prison for possessing pistolRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Theodore Hines, 37, of Alexandria, was sentenced last week to 51 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession of a firearm by a felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. He was also sentenced Thursday to two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a $5,000 fine.
According to the guilty plea, an Alexandria police officer observed Hines on June 26, 2018 remove a pistol from his pocket and throw it onto the ground. Hines told police officers he had the pistol to protect himself. After his arrest, police took possession of the loaded Kel-Tec .380-caliber pistol. Hines has multiple previous felonies related to drug trafficking. According to federal law, Hines is not allowed to possess a firearm or ammunition as a convicted felon. He pleaded guilty on December 11, 2018.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cadesby B. Cooper prosecuted the case.
Alexandria felon sentenced to 18 months in prison for possessing pistolRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Terrance Duane King, 30, of Alexandria, was sentenced last week to a year and six months in prison by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. King was also sentenced Friday to three years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, Alexandria police responded to drug related complaints on February 23, 2017 at an apartment complex on Sunset Drive. As the officers approached a group of men standing between apartment buildings, King fled the area, took a pistol from his waistband and tossed it to the ground. Officers arrested King and retrieved a firearm that was identified as a Springfield Armory, Model XD-40, .40-caliber pistol. King is a convicted felon who was convicted on drug-related charges in 2009, 2011 and 2016. Under federal law, as a convicted felon, he is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. King pleaded guilty November 19, 2018.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana takes part in largest-ever nationwide elder fraud sweepRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Attorney General William P. Barr and U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced today the largest coordinated sweep of elder fraud cases in history, surpassing last year’s nationwide sweep. The cases during this sweep involved more than 260 defendants from around the globe who victimized more than 2 million Americans, most of them elderly.
In the Western District of Louisiana, the sweep included the indictment of Gregory Alan Smith, 56, of Shreveport, and Kirbyjon H. Caldwell, 65, of Houston, Texas, who are charged with defrauding investors out of more than $1 million. According to the indictment returned by a federal grand jury on March 29, 2018, Smith used his influence and status as the operator and manager of Smith Financial Group LLC in Shreveport, and Caldwell used his influence and status as pastor at a prominent Houston church to lure investors into sinking their money into what they thought were high-return investments. Instead of investing the funds, the defendants used them to pay personal loans, credit card balances, mortgages, vehicle purchases and other personal expenses. Some of the victims were seniors.
“In Louisiana we teach our children to honor and respect their elders. Unfortunately, some in our society target the elderly — betraying their confidence and stealing their hard-earned savings,” said U.S. Attorney Joseph. “My office will continue working daily with our law enforcement partners to protect the elderly members of our communities from those who would steal from them through false promises and fraudulent schemes. Make no mistake, we will expose those who prey upon our seniors and bring them to justice.”
“Crimes against the elderly target some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” Attorney General William P. Barr said. “But thanks to the hard work of our agents and prosecutors, as well as our state and local partners, the Department of Justice is protecting our seniors from fraud. The Trump administration has placed a renewed focus on prosecuting those who prey on the elderly, and the results of today’s sweep make that clear. Today we are announcing the largest single law enforcement action against elder fraud in American history. This year’s sweep involves 13 percent more criminal defendants, 28 percent more in losses, and twice the number of fraud victims as last year’s sweep. I want to thank the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch, which led this effort, together with the Department’s Criminal Division, the more than 50 U.S. Attorneys’ offices, and the state and local partners who helped to make these results possible. Together, we are bringing justice and peace of mind to America's seniors.”
The Department took action in every federal district across the country, through the filing of criminal or civil cases or through consumer education efforts. In each case, offenders allegedly engaged in financial schemes that targeted or largely affected seniors. In total, the charged elder fraud schemes caused alleged losses of millions of more dollars than last year, putting the total alleged losses at this year’s sweep at over three fourths of one billion dollars.
The charges are merely allegations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Since President Trump signed the bipartisan Elder Abuse Prevention and Prosecution Act (EAPPA) into law, the Department of Justice has participated in hundreds of enforcement actions in criminal and civil cases that targeted or disproportionately affected seniors. The Justice Department has likewise conducted hundreds of trainings and outreach sessions across the country since the passage of the Act.
A fact-sheet with technical-support fraud case information can be found here.
A fact-sheet with cases on mass mailing fraud can be found here.
A fact-sheet with examples of a few elder fraud cases involving extradition in which the Office of International Affairs played a substantial role can be found here.
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.
Shreveport man pleads guilty to possessing pistol after investigation into drug activityRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Christopher W. Chatman, 37, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty today before Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, the Caddo/Shreveport Narcotics Task Force executed a search warrant on January 18, 2018 at the home where Chatman lived after the Shreveport Police had conducted an investigation on illegal drug activity at the residence. Officers found three firearms, crack cocaine, powder cocaine, MDMA, packaging material, digital scales and mail addressed to Chatman at that address. Chatman admitted that the .40-caliber Berretta pistol, model: PX4 Storm belonged to him. Under federal law, as a convicted felon, Chatman is prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Chatman faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Judge Hicks set the sentencing date for June 13, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF, Caddo/Shreveport Narcotics Task Force and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.
Illegal alien arrested on multiple charges pleads guilty for unlawfully re-entering the U.S.Read the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Eliezer Merino-Tetlactle, 25, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty to one count of re-entry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, West Monroe police arrested Merino-Tetlactle on August 23, 2018 for carnal knowledge of a juvenile, computer aided solicitation of a minor, possession of marijuana and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. His background check showed that he was an illegal alien who had been previously removed from the United States twice.
Merino-Tetlactle faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, Homeland Security Investigations and the West Monroe Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon sentenced to 10 years in prison for possessing 2 firearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Tyvon D. Taylor, 24, of Shreveport, was sentenced today to 120 months in prison by Chief U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for possession of a firearm as a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. Taylor was also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, Taylor was involved in a shooting on August 12, 2017, and was arrested on August 15, 2017 in connection with this incident. During his arrest, police found a Springfield Armory .40-caliber pistol, a Smith & Wesson 9 mm pistol and ammunition in his possession. Taylor has prior felonies from September 2013 and January 2016 for simple burglary. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. Taylor pleaded guilty October 4, 2018.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man pleads guilty to possessing pistol at an apartment complexRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Recardo Catrell Pierce, 22, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, a Shreveport police officer observed Pierce exit an apartment and noticed a black handgun tucked in the front waistband of his shorts as he walked toward a parked car. When the officer approached the vehicle, Pierce attempted to exit the vehicle. As Pierce was climbing out of the vehicle through the door window, the firearm fell out of his pants. After chasing Pierce for about 300 yards, the officer apprehended him and took him back to the scene where the car had been and secured the dropped weapon, a Springfield Armory, Model: SA-XD, 9 by 19-caliber pistol, loaded with 12 rounds of 9mm ammunition.
Pierce is a felon who was convicted of simple burglary on February 10, 2016 in Bossier Parish and was sentenced to six years in prison and five years of probation. Under federal law, felons are not allowed to possess firearms.
Pierce faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for June 18, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Aaron Crawford is prosecuting the case.
Illegal alien from Mexico arrested in Calcasieu Parish pleads guilty to illegally re-entering U.S.Read the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Illegal alien Ernesto Garcia-Flores, 39, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of re-entry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Garcia-Flores was arrested on November 6, 2018 in Calcasieu Parish. After an investigation into his background, law enforcement agents learned that he had been previously deported twice. He was indicted in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, El Paso Division, on October 26, 2011 for re-entry of a removed alien and was deported on January 27, 2012. He was also charged by criminal complaint on February 3, 2013 in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Laredo Division, for unlawfully entering the United States and was removed from the United States on September 5, 2013.
Garcia-Flores faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. The court set the sentencing date for June 13, 2019.
United States Customs and Border Protection and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Additional charges filed against Lynn Cawthorne and his sister related to defrauding a summer feeding programRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United State Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury returned a superseding indictment today that adds 18 money laundering-related charges to the indictment of Lynn D. Cawthorne, 51, and Belena C. Turner, 47, both of Shreveport.
According to the superseding indictment, the Food and Nutrition Service is an agency of the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the Child Nutrition Programs. The Child Nutrition Programs include the Summer Feeding Service Program (SFSP), which was established to ensure that children in low-income areas continue to receive nutritious meals when school is not in session during the summer.
United Citizens and Neighborhoods (UCAN) is a non-profit corporation that participated as a sponsor in the SFSP. Cawthorne is the president of UCAN and Turner represented herself to be its executive director. The indictment alleges that beginning sometime in early 2011 and continuing until sometime in December 2015, the defendants fraudulently obtained more than $536,000 from the SFSP by engaging in numerous activities to defraud, which included filing claims for reimbursement that greatly inflated the number of eligible meals provided, thus claiming more children were fed at UCAN sites than were actually fed. Based on the inflated payments made pursuant to these false claims, money was transferred to catering companies and other entities controlled by the defendants, all to help conceal the fact that Cawthorne and Turner improperly benefitted from the SFSP. According to the indictment, the defendants engaged in money laundering transactions to conceal the payment of personal expenses. These expenses included private school payments, travel, furniture, clothing, car repairs, meals at restaurants, and campaign expenses.
The defendants face 20 years in prison for each wire fraud and money laundering count. The defendants could also face fines of $250,000 for each wire fraud count and $500,000 for each money laundering count. The first indictment was filed on April 26, 2018 and included eight counts related to wire fraud.
The FBI, Louisiana State Inspector General, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Office of Inspector General investigated the case. First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Jury convicts former Jefferson Parish justice of the peace of financial fraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, NEW ORLEANS, LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that a former Justice of the Peace for the Second Justice Court of Jefferson Parish was convicted by a federal jury in New Orleans for using his position to illegally obtain wage garnishments and loans. The jury returned its guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately three hours, ending a trial that began Tuesday, February 19, 2019.
Patrick Hale Dejean, 40, was found guilty this afternoon, of 13 counts of mail fraud and three counts of making false statements to a bank.
“Public corruption by our elected officials will not be tolerated in Louisiana,” said Joseph. “In this case, the Justice of the Peace targeted some of the most vulnerable members of our society and stole their hard earned wages, defrauded banks, and abused the trust placed in him by the public. This verdict should serve as a warning to other Louisiana public officials who may intend to use elected office to line their own pockets.”
Evidence presented at trial proved that from May 2009 through August 2016, Dejean diverted money from a Second Justice Court bank account for his personal use and made false statements to a bank to improperly borrow money on behalf of the court, which he later spent on himself.
During the trial, jurors heard evidence that Dejean systematically abused the Second Justice Court’s garnishment procedures to defraud creditors and debtors with business before the court. As a Justice of the Peace, Dejean judged small claims civil cases for creditors seeking payment from customers who were behind in their payments. If a judgment was obtained by the creditor, Dejean issued garnishment judgments instructing employers of the debtors to send wage garnishments to the Second Justice Court.
Evidence presented at trial proved that Dejean improperly used this process to enrich himself by failing to forward the proper amounts of the wage garnishments collected to the creditors and instead spent the money on himself, primarily to gamble at local casinos. In order to facilitate his scheme, Dejean would continue to garnish the wages on unsuspecting debtors after they had already paid the amount owed under the judgment.
The jury also found that Dejean lied on bank applications in 2012 and 2013 to influence First Bank and Trust to lend more than $50,000 to the Second Justice Court. Dejean applied for bank loans on behalf of the court despite knowing that the court was prohibited by Louisiana law from borrowing money. Rather than using the loan proceeds for expenses related to the court, Dejean gambled with the money and otherwise used it for personal expenses.
Dejean faces up to 20 years in prison for each mail and wire fraud count and up to 30 years in prison for each count related to making a false statement to a bank. United States District Judge Mary Ann Vial Lemmon set Patrick Dejean’s sentencing for May 23, 2019.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana is prosecuting the case because the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana is recused from the case.
The FBI, Louisiana Legislative Auditor, New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission, and Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph and Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and David J. Ayo prosecuted the case.
United States Attorney announces violent crime reduction in Northeast LouisianaRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that the crime rates in Monroe have dropped in the wake of collaborative efforts to reduce violent crime.
Violent crime rates have dropped from a peak in 2016 of 1,493 offenses to 830 offenses in 2018. That is more than a 44 percent drop in the violent crime rate over a two-year period. The homicide rate has also dropped from 18 in 2015 to six last year – a 66 percent decline in Monroe’s homicide rate. This reduction in Monroe’s 2018 violent crime rate corresponds with U.S Attorney Joseph’s focus on federal violent crime prosecutions and collaboration with District Attorney Tew’s office to jointly identify and prosecute the most violent offenders. In the past year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana has prosecuted well over 200 defendants throughout the district for firearm related offenses, including felons and drug dealers in possession of firearms – more than 60 of which have been in the Monroe area. These prosecutions represent approximately three times the number of such cases as were brought in previous years.
The 2018 decline reverses a sharp rise in violent crime that peaked in 2015 and 2016 in the Monroe area. Law enforcement’s efforts to stem this rise in crime have involved local, state and federal law enforcement working together on a daily basis to share information and support one another in the fight against violent crime. Among other measures, the U.S. Attorney’s Office brought in two new prosecutors last year to specifically focus their efforts on violent crime. Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry has contributed to the effort by assigning a prosecutor in Monroe to work as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in Joseph’s office and provide assistance in the prosecution of violent offenders.
“I am pleased to announce that the trend of rising crime in Monroe and Northeast Louisiana has been reversed,” Joseph stated. “Crime rates are dropping in the Monroe area and, as a result, Monroe is safer now than it has been at any time in the recent past. One of my priorities as U.S. Attorney is to make our communities safer by substantially increasing violent crime arrests and prosecutions in the Western District. These efforts, in conjunction with similar efforts by District Attorney Tew’s office and our law enforcement partners, are clearly making a difference. I want to thank Louisiana Attorney General Landry, District Attorney Tew, Sherriff Russell, Mayor Mayo and Chief Ellis for their commitment and assistance to our joint effort. Through the collaboration of state, local, and federal law enforcement in Northeast Louisiana, this effort is seeing success. We expect even greater things to come.”
“The tremendous drop in violent crime shows what law enforcement agencies can accomplish when working together," Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said. "My office will continue to collaborate with our local and federal partners to make Louisiana a safer place for our children and families.”
“The safety and well-being of our citizens is a vital part of our mission,” said ATF New Orleans Field Division Special Agent in Charge Dana Nichols. “ATF, in partnership with the United States Attorney, the Louisiana Attorney General and other Federal, state and local law enforcement partners will continue to focus our investigative resources on arresting and prosecuting the most violent criminals who use firearms to terrorize our communities and on those individuals who supply firearms to this criminal element. Through the utilization of our Crime Gun Intelligence Centers (CGIC), and National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN), we will provide leads to investigators to help identify these criminals to further reduce crime. Protecting neighborhoods from violent crime is a priority for the citizens of Monroe and ATF.”
These efforts are part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing effort to increase targeted prosecutions of violent crime through the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Program. The PSN program is a collaborative effort led by the U.S. Attorney’s Office involving local, state and federal law enforcement. In the Monroe area, participants include the ATF, FBI, DEA, Ouachita Parish District Attorney’s Office, Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Monroe Police Department. The program has been proven to be successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safe for everyone.
The Western District of Louisiana consists of 42 of Louisiana’s 64 parishes and covers the cities of Alexandria, Lafayette, Lake Charles, Monroe and Shreveport.
U.S. Attorney’s Office collects more than $4.8 million in civil, criminal actions for U.S. taxpayers in Fiscal Year 2018Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/MONROE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced today that the Western District of Louisiana collected $4,849,432 in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year 2018. Of this amount, $4,169,901 was collected in criminal actions and 679,530 was collected in civil actions.
Additionally, the Western District of Louisiana worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $83,116,403 in cases pursued jointly by these offices. Of this amount, $3,270 was collected in criminal actions and $83,113,133 was collected in civil actions. The district also handled $87,605 in asset forfeiture actions during FY 2018.
“I want to thank our staff in our civil and criminal divisions for their hard work on these cases and collecting monies owed to the United States and crime victims,” Joseph stated. “We will continue to work on a daily basis to locate and collect any and all money owed to taxpayers and to those whose lives have been impacted by crime.
The civil recoveries in the Western District of Louisiana include $82,319,000 in civil penalties for CITGO Petroleum Corporation’s gross negligence in discharging 2.2 million gallons of oil into U.S. waterways in violation of the Clean Water Act. Additionally, the District received $362,961 in restitution to be paid to the Internal Revenue Service from defendant Gary Scott in June of 2018. Scott was convicted of tax evasion and sentenced in 2013.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, along with the department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the U.S. and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered a physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the department’s Crime Victims Fund, which distributes the funds collected to federal and state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
As a whole, the Justice Department collected nearly $15 billion in civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2018. The $14,839,821,650 in collections in FY 2018 represents is nearly seven times the appropriated $2.13 billion ($2,136,750,000) budget for the 94 U.S. Attorneys’ offices.
“The men and women of the U.S. Attorneys’ offices across the country work diligently, day in and day out, to see that the citizens of our nation receive justice,” said Director James A. Crowell, IV, Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. “The money that we are able to recover for victims and this country as a whole is a direct result of their hard work.”
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration, the Department of Education and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Shreveport felon found with drugs, firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Bryan Thomas Robinson, 38, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Wednesday before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, Shreveport Police stopped Robinson’s vehicle on October 28, 2017 on Linwood Avenue. Police searched his vehicle and found a blue bag with approximately 49 grams of marijuana, pills, a digital scale, additional plastic baggies and a Hi Point .45-caliber semi-automatic handgun in a cooler in the trunk of the vehicle. Robinson is also a felon who was convicted on February 25, 2013 of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance and possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance, which prohibits him from possessing a firearm under federal law.
Robinson faces up to 10 years in prison for possession of a firearm by a felon and not less than five years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He also faces three to five years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
Texas man pleads guilty to escaping from Lake Charles half-way houseRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Mack Warner, 39, of North Silsbee, Texas, pleaded guilty today guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of escape from custody while at a federal detention area in Lake Charles.
According to the guilty plea, Mack was a resident at the CINC II Halfway House in Lake Charles serving a sentence for charges from the Eastern District of Texas. His release date was December 15, 2018, but he left the facility without permission on October 25, 2018. He remained absent from the facility until his arrest on December 12, 2018 in Silsbee, Texas.
Warner was convicted on April 10, 2014 in the Eastern District of Texas of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to five years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. On January 12, 2018, Warner admitted to violating his supervised release and was sentenced to 14 months in prison. He reported to the halfway house on September 17, 2018.
Warner faces five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for June 13, 2019.
The U.S. Marshals Service, U.S. Bureau of Prisons, Harden County Sheriff’s Office and Beaumont Police Department in Texas conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen is prosecuting the case.
Mississippi couple pleads guilty to transporting cocaine through Webster ParishRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney David C. Joseph announced that Demyia S. Porter, 39, of Canton, Mississippi, pleaded guilty last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to conspiracy to possess with the intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote.
On August 20, 2018, a Louisiana State trooper initiated a traffic stop on Interstate 20 in Webster Parish on a vehicle driven by Porter, according to the guilty plea. After questioning Porter and the passenger of the vehicle, Naquita N. Graves, also of Canton, Mississippi, 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 in the trunk of the car. Graves and Porter admitted to traveling to Dallas to pick up the illegal drugs for a third unnamed individual.
The defendants face 10 years in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Graves pleaded guilty on February 7, 2019 to the same charge. The sentencing date for both defendants is June 14, 2019.
The DEA and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Seth D. Reeg and Jessica D. Cassidy are prosecuting the case.
Mexican citizen pleads guilty to illegally re-entering the United States for the seventh timeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Andres Garcia-Mora, 32, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today before Chief Judge Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of re-entry of a removed alien, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, Louisiana State Police arrested Garcia-Mora in Bossier Parish. Homeland Security Investigations discovered that Garcia-Mora was an illegal alien who had been 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. Garci-Mora has three federal convictions for immigration offenses.
Garcia-Mora faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Hicks set the sentencing for May 30, 2019.
Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leon H. Whitten is prosecuting the case.
Many resident pleads guilty to distributing methamphetamine from his homeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Marvin Ray Loucious, 54, of Many, Louisiana, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents observed Loucious selling 5 grams of methamphetamine on July 20, 2018 and 6 grams on July 23, 2018 from his home. Agents executed a search warrant at his home on August 10, 2018 and found 160 grams of methamphetamine, digital scales, plastic baggies and approximately 100 glass smoking pipes. Agents also recovered 55 firearms, with the following five weapons being in close proximity to the methamphetamine: a Glock 32, .357-caliber SIG handgun, a Ruger P90, .45-caliber ACP handgun, a Taurus, TCP, .380-caliber handgun, a Davis Industries, Model DM-22, .22-caliber, 2-shot derringer handgun, and a Century Arms, Catamount Fury, 12-gauge semi-automatic shotgun.
Loucious faces up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. Judge Foote set the sentencing date for June 18, 2019.
The DEA and the Tri-Parish Drug Task Force (DeSoto, Sabine and Red River parishes) conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy is prosecuting the case.
Felon from Mexico living in Benton pleads guilty to illegally re-entering U.S., possessing firearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Illegal alien and felon Shandy Salgado-Almendaris, 39, of Mexico, pleaded guilty today before Chief Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of re-entry of a removed alien and one count of felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, Bossier Parish Narcotics Task Force agents encountered Salgado-Almendaris on August 9, 2018 at his Benton, Louisiana, residence. Agents discovered a Rohm GmbH (RG Industries), Model: RG-14, .22-caliber revolver in the master bedroom area. Agents seized the firearm and arrested Salgado-Almendaris. He was later found to be an illegal alien who had been previously removed from the United States three times - September 30, 2010, November 10, 2010, and September 12, 2013 in Texas and Louisiana. The defendant is also a felon who was convicted of possession of cocaine in 2003.
Salgado-Almendaris faces 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. Hicks set the sentencing date for May 30, 2019.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bossier Parish Narcotics Task Force investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
Benton man pleads guilty to methamphetamine, firearms chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Eric Charles Means, 33, of Benton, Louisiana, pleaded guilty yesterday before U.S. District Chief Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, law enforcement officers with the DEA 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 for his protection 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.
Means faces up to 40 years in prison for methamphetamine distribution and at least five years in prison for firearms possession. He also faces five years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. The court set the sentencing date for May 23, 2019.
The DEA and ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian C. Flanagan is prosecuting the case.
Two Texas men sentenced to more than five years for trafficking in enough fentanyl to kill millionsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Two Texas men were sentenced to 63 months in prison today for trafficking more than 10 kilograms fentanyl through Louisiana, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Felipe Rodriguez, 22, of McAllen, Texas, and Brandon Montoya, 24, of Kaufman, Texas, were sentenced by Elizabeth E. Foote for possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. They were also sentenced to five years of supervised release.
According to the guilty plea, a Louisiana State Police trooper stopped a vehicle on May 10, 2018 traveling on Interstate-20 eastbound in which Felipe Rodriguez was the driver and Brandon Montoya was the passenger. During a search of the vehicle, 10 one-kilogram packages containing pure fentanyl and a fentanyl derivative were found. Rodriguez and Montoya told agents they were approached in Mexico about work, asked to drive to California to obtain the drugs and then take the drugs to Atlanta, Georgia, where they would be paid for the delivery. The defendants understood that the work they were asked to do meant transporting the deadly narcotics. Both defendants pleaded guilty on September 13, 2018.
“The seizure of these drugs and the prosecution of these defendants is part of the Department of Justice’s ongoing fight against fentanyl and other deadly opioids,” Joseph stated. “These drugs are now the leading cause of accidental death in the United States -- more than even car accidents. This case alone involved enough fentanyl to kill every person in the state of Louisiana. I want to thank the dedicated law enforcement agents and prosecutor for the arrest and conviction of these defendants.”
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid that is 80 to 100 times stronger than morphine. Pharmaceutical fentanyl was developed for pain management treatment of cancer patients, applied in a patch on the skin. Because of its powerful opioid properties, fentanyl is also diverted for abuse. Fentanyl is added to heroin to increase its potency or be disguised as highly potent heroin. Many users believe that they are purchasing heroin and actually don’t know that they are purchasing fentanyl, which often results in overdose deaths. Clandestinely-produced fentanyl is primarily manufactured in Mexico. For more information about fentanyl, visit www.dea.gov/factsheets/fentanyl.
The DEA, Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields prosecuted the case.
Former St. Martinville, Louisiana, Deputy Chief Sentenced for Excessive Force, Obstruction, and ConspiracyRead the Press Release
The Honorable Judge Elizabeth Foote, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sentenced defendant Codi Dodge, 35, the former Deputy Chief of Investigations for the St. Martinville Police Department (SMPD), to serve nine years in prison on four felony counts related to his abuse of an arrestee. Dodge was convicted at trial in November on charges of violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force against him, and of obstructing justice and conspiring with others to do so.
“Illegal conduct by officers who abuse their power and violate the civil rights of the citizens they promise to serve harms the public trust and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Department will continue to vigorously enforce our nation’s laws and hold officers who break the law accountable.”
“Law enforcement officers are sworn to uphold and defend the laws of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “When they themselves break those laws, they violate not just the rights of their victims, but also compromise the public's trust in law enforcement. This case is a prime example of my commitment to hold accountable officers who threaten the mission of law enforcement by breaking the law.”
After five days of trial, a jury convicted Dodge of using excessive force on an arrestee, resulting in bodily injury to the arrestee. Evidence presented at trial established that, on Aug. 13, 2016, Dodge forced entry into the home of an individual he suspected had stolen from him, and then threatened the individual before striking him in the face with a firearm. Dodge then arrested the individual, took him to the St. Martinville Police Department, and continued to threaten him. Later, after learning that the incident had been reported to the FBI, Dodge conspired with other members of the SMPD to falsify reports regarding the incident, and to mislead the FBI in its investigation of the matter. Based on this evidence, the jury also convicted Dodge of obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Lafayette, Louisiana, Resident Agency. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Bobbi Bernstein and Trial Attorney Tim Visser of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker of the Western District of Louisiana. Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the Civil Rights Division participated in the investigation of the case.
Former St. Martinville deputy chief sentenced to 9 years for excessive force, obstruction and conspiracyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – The Honorable Judge Elizabeth Foote, of the United States District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, sentenced defendant Codi Dodge, 35, the former Deputy Chief of Investigations for the St. Martinville Police Department (SMPD), Thursday to serve nine years in prison on four felony counts related to his abuse of an arrestee. Dodge was convicted at trial in November on charges of violating the civil rights of an arrestee by using excessive force against him, and of obstructing justice and conspiring with others to do so.
“Illegal conduct by officers who abuse their power and violate the civil rights of the citizens they promise to serve harms the public trust and will not be tolerated,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Department will continue to vigorously enforce our nation’s laws and hold officers who break the law accountable.”
“Law enforcement officers are sworn to uphold and defend the laws of our nation,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “When they themselves break those laws, they violate not just the rights of their victims, but also compromise the public's trust in law enforcement. This case is a prime example of my commitment to hold accountable officers who threaten the mission of law enforcement by breaking the law.”
After five days of trial, a jury convicted Dodge of using excessive force on an arrestee, resulting in bodily injury to the arrestee. Evidence presented at trial established that, on Aug. 13, 2016, Dodge forced entry into the home of an individual he suspected had stolen from him, and then threatened the individual before striking him in the face with a firearm. Dodge then arrested the individual, took him to the SMPD, and continued to threaten him. Later, after learning that the incident had been reported to the FBI, Dodge conspired with other members of the SMPD to falsify reports regarding the incident, and to mislead the FBI in its investigation of the matter. Based on this evidence, the jury also convicted Dodge of obstruction of justice and conspiracy.
This case was investigated by the FBI’s Lafayette, Louisiana, Resident Agency. The case was prosecuted by Deputy Chief Bobbi Bernstein and Trial Attorney Tim Visser of the Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker of the Western District of Louisiana. Trial Attorney Risa Berkower of the Civil Rights Division participated in the investigation of the case.
Tank vessel operator convicted and sentenced for oil discharge offense, captain indictedRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Interorient Marine Services Limited, a vessel operating company, was convicted and sentenced yesterday in the Western District of Louisiana, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oil from the tank vessel Ridgebury Alexandra Z, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana.
Interorient Marine Services Limited admitted that oil cargo residues and oily bilge water were illegally dumped from the Ridgebury Alexandra Z directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. The company also admitted that false entries were made in the vessel’s Oil Record Book to conceal the illegal dumping. Specifically, senior ship officers employed by Interorient Marine Services Limited discharged oily waste into the ocean by flushing the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment sensor with fresh water. This flushing of the sensor tricked the system into detecting a much lower effluent oil content than what was actually being discharged. These senior officers then falsified the vessel’s Oil Record Book, recording that 87,705 gallons of oily wastewater had been discharged properly through the pollution prevention equipment, when in fact they knew that this pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with.
“By illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean, Interorient intentionally violated federal law that protects valuable marine resources and wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Clark. “This conviction shows that corporations and individuals that willfully flout our nation’s environmental laws will be held accountable by criminal prosecution.”
“My office is charged with enforcing federal and international laws designed to protect our oceans from pollutants carried by commercial vessels,” U.S. Attorney Joseph stated. “Tankers are required to offload their waste oil at disposal facilities at ports and not into the Gulf of Mexico. This case should serve as a deterrent to other individuals and companies that ignore our laws, pollute our waters, and damage our environment.”
“The Coast Guard takes its responsibilities to protect the marine environment seriously,” said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Daniel H. Cost, CO of Marine Safety Unite Lake Charles. “When potential criminal violations of our nation's pollution laws are identified, we work closely with the Department of Justice to ensure any illegal activities are prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.”
Interorient Marine Services Limited pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, 33 U.S.C. § 1908(a), for failing to accurately maintain the Ridgebury Alexandra Z’s Oil Record Book. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the company will pay a total fine of $2 million and serve a 4-year term of probation, during which all vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan.
The vessel’s captain, Vjaceslavs Birzakovs, was charged in a six-count indictment by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Louisiana on November 29, 2018, for his involvement in this case. The indictment alleges that Birzakovs directed circumvention of the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment, falsified records, obstructed justice, made false statements, and conspired with other crewmembers to falsify the vessel’s Oil Record Book and to obstruct the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement of the law in conjunction with the illegal discharges from the Ridgebury Alexandra Z. The charges and allegations contained in Birzakovs’ indictment are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Tank Vessel Operator Convicted and Sentenced for Oil Discharge Offense, Vessel Captain IndictedRead the Press Release
Interorient Marine Services Limited, a vessel operating company, was convicted and sentenced yesterday in the Western District of Louisiana, for maintaining false and incomplete records relating to the discharge of oil from the tank vessel Ridgebury Alexandra Z, announced Assistant Attorney General Jeffrey Bossert Clark of the Environment and Natural Resources Division and United States Attorney David C. Joseph for the Western District of Louisiana.
Interorient Marine Services Limited admitted that oil cargo residues and oily bilge water were illegally dumped from the Ridgebury Alexandra Z directly into the ocean without being properly processed through required pollution prevention equipment. The company also admitted that false entries were made in the vessel’s Oil Record Book to conceal the illegal dumping. Specifically, senior ship officers employed by Interorient Marine Services Limited discharged oily waste into the ocean by flushing the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment sensor with fresh water. This flushing of the sensor tricked the system into detecting a much lower effluent oil content than what was actually being discharged. These senior officers then falsified the vessel’s Oil Record Book, recording that 87,705 gallons of oily wastewater had been discharged properly through the pollution prevention equipment, when in fact they knew that this pollution prevention equipment had been tampered with.
“By illegally dumping oily waste into the ocean, Interorient intentionally violated federal law that protects valuable marine resources and wildlife,” said Assistant Attorney General Clark. “This conviction shows that corporations and individuals that willfully flout our nation’s environmental laws will be held accountable by criminal prosecution.”
“My office is charged with enforcing federal and international laws designed to protect our oceans from pollutants carried by commercial vessels,” U.S. Attorney Joseph stated. “Tankers are required to offload their waste oil at disposal facilities at ports and not into the Gulf of Mexico. This case should serve as a deterrent to other individuals and companies that ignore our laws, pollute our waters, and damage our environment.”
“The Coast Guard takes its responsibilities to protect the marine environment seriously,” said U.S. Coast Guard Commander Daniel H. Cost, CO of Marine Safety Unite Lake Charles. “When potential criminal violations of our nation's pollution laws are identified, we work closely with the Department of Justice to ensure any illegal activities are prosecuted to the fullest extent of law.”
Interorient Marine Services Limited pleaded guilty to a felony violation of the Act to Prevent Pollution from Ships, 33 U.S.C. § 1908(a), for failing to accurately maintain the Ridgebury Alexandra Z’s Oil Record Book. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the company will pay a total fine of $2 million and serve a 4-year term of probation, during which all vessels operated by the company and calling on U.S. ports will be required to implement a robust Environmental Compliance Plan.
The vessel’s captain, Vjaceslavs Birzakovs, was charged in a six-count indictment by a Grand Jury in the Western District of Louisiana on Nov. 29, 2018, for his involvement in this case. The indictment alleges that Birzakovs directed circumvention of the vessel’s pollution prevention equipment, falsified records, obstructed justice, made false statements, and conspired with other crewmembers to falsify the vessel’s Oil Record Book and to obstruct the U.S. Coast Guard’s enforcement of the law in conjunction with the illegal discharges from the Ridgebury Alexandra Z. The charges and allegations contained in Birzakovs’ indictment are merely accusations, and he is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Unit Lake Charles, and the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Stephen Da Ponte of the Environmental Crimes Section of the Department of Justice, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel J. McCoy of the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Louisiana.
Shreveport man indicted on federal firearms and methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced that a federal grand jury returned a three-count indictment yesterday afternoon charging Glenn Frierson, 38, of Shreveport, with felon in possession of a firearm, possession with the intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Local authorities arrested Frierson on January 15, 2019, in connection with the death of Shreveport Police Officer Chateri Payne.
According to the indictment, Frierson possessed a Smith & Wesson, model SD40, .40-caliber pistol, ammunition and methamphetamine on May 3, 2018. The indictment also alleges that Frierson possessed the Smith & Wesson in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime related to the methamphetamine possession charge. Frierson is a convicted felon and under federal law, it is illegal for him to possess a firearm or ammunition.
If convicted, the defendant faces 10 years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, 20 years in prison for the drug distribution and 20 years in prison for possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking. He also faces five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cadesby B. Cooper 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.
Shreveport felon sentenced to 46 months in prison for possessing revolverRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Roderick Charles Scott, 43, of Shreveport, was sentenced Tuesday by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to three years and 10 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm, announced U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph.
Shreveport police responded to a shooting on June 23, 2017 in the Hollywood area and observed Scott entering a home on Miles Street, according to the guilty plea. When Scott exited the house, he had a Rossi .38 special caliber revolver clenched in his right hand. Police officers confiscated the gun and arrested Scott.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. In 2004, Scott was convicted in the Western District of Louisiana for being a felon in possession of ammunition. Roderick Scott was indicted on June 27, 2018 and pleaded guilty on October 11, 2018.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron J. Crawford is prosecuted the case.
Keithville felon pleads guilty to possessing pistolRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Michael Roy Reed, 44, of Keithville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
Shreveport Police received a call on January 23, 2018 from a concerned citizen about a Colt, Model: Mustang XSP, .380-caliber pistol, according to the guilty plea. 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 weapon was previously reported stolen and that Reed was a convicted felon.
Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. 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.
Michael Reed faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for June 14, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica D. Cassidy and Allison D. Bushnell are prosecuting the case.
Sabine Parish felon sentenced to 68 months in prison for possessing four firearms at pawn shopRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Joseph Seth Rivers, 36, of Converse, Louisiana, was sentenced Monday to five years and four months in prison by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for possession of firearms by a convicted felon. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following imprisonment.
According to the July 10, 2018 guilty plea, Rivers pawned four firearms at a pawnshop in Many, Louisiana on August 20, 2016: a Smith & Wesson revolver, model: 66, .357 caliber; a Ruger rifle, model: 10-22, 22LR caliber; a Browning shotgun, model BPS, 16 gauge; and a Remington rifle, model: 700, .270 caliber. According to store policy, a photo license or identification card must be presented by the person pawning the firearms. Rivers’ name, address and Louisiana driver’s license number matched the information included on the pawn ticket for these four firearms. Under federal law, it is illegal for anyone who has been convicted of a felony to be in possession of any firearm or ammunition. In 2009, Rivers was convicted for aggravated assault with a firearm.
Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath prosecuted the case.
Lake Charles man pleads guilty to possessing a revolverRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – John Casimere, 33, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty last week before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of possession of a firearm by a prohibited person, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced.
According to the guilty plea, Lake Charles police encountered Casimere on May 28, 2018 at a Lake Charles residence after responding to a domestic disturbance involving a firearm. At the time of this incident, Casimere possessed an RG Industries .22-caliber revolver, and had been previously convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence and was subject to a protection order, which prohibited him from possessing a firearm.
Casimere faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for May 9, 2019.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The ATF and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport man found guilty for role in check fraud scheme that resulted in nearly $200,000 stolenRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A federal jury found Carlos A. Spann guilty Thursday night for his role in a fraudulent check scheme resulting in the theft of nearly $200,000, U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph announced. The jury deliberated for approximately one hour before finding Spann guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud and two counts of wire fraud.
Evidence admitted at trial showed that Spann, 41, Phelix K. Williams, 28, and Anthony E. Johnson, 23, all of Shreveport, conspired to cash counterfeit checks using fraudulent identities at banks and retail establishments throughout Louisiana. During the conspiracy, the co-defendants negotiated more than 100 counterfeit checks resulting in nearly $200,000 in illegally obtained proceeds.
United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided over the trial that started Monday and ended Thursday. Hicks set Spann’s sentencing for May 23, 2019.
Johnson pleaded guilty on January 17, 2019 to one count of conspiracy and two counts of bank fraud. Johnson is scheduled to be sentenced May 1, 2019. Williams pleaded guilty Monday to one count of conspiracy, 12 counts of bank fraud and two counts of wire fraud. Williams is scheduled to be sentenced May 30, 2019. The defendants face up to 30 years in prison, five years supervised release and a $1 million fine.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany Fields and First Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook prosecuted the case.
Former officer at Richwood Correctional Center pleads guilty for role in conspiracy to cover up physical assault of five inmatesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – The Justice Department and the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that Quintail Credit, a former officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the physical assault of five inmates by officers. Credit, 26, of Winsboro, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.
“Any officer who conspires to cover up any crime or physical assault against an inmate violates federal law and will be held accountable under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Justice Department will continue to prosecute unlawful misconduct by correction officers.”
“Criminal conduct by correctional officers will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “Correctional officers deserve our respect for the jobs they do, but we must also hold them accountable when they willfully break the law and cover up the abuse of inmates.”
According to his guilty plea, Credit worked as a correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, where on Oct. 30, 2016, he and other officers abused inmates and then conspired to cover it up. According to Mr. Credit, he and other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Mr. Credit and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.
Roderick Douglas, a former supervisor at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court on January 31, 2019 for his role in the conspiracy to violate the civil rights of five inmates. Sentencing for Douglas is scheduled for June 5, 2019.
The count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Quintail Credit is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana, who accepted the plea.
The case was investigated by the Monroe Division of the FBI. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section, are prosecuting the case.
Former Officer at Louisiana Correctional Center Pleads Guilty for Role in Conspiracy to Cover up Physical Assault of Five InmatesRead the Press Release
The Justice Department today announced that defendant Quintail Credit, a former officer at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court yesterday for his role in a conspiracy to cover up the physical assault of five inmates by officers. Credit, 26, of Winsboro, Louisiana, pleaded guilty to conspiring with other officers to falsify documents with intent to obstruct and influence the investigation of a matter within federal jurisdiction. Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband for the Civil Rights Division and U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana David C. Joseph made the announcement.
“Any officer who conspires to cover up any crime or physical assault against an inmate violates federal law and will be held accountable under the law,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “The Justice Department will continue to prosecute unlawful misconduct by correction officers.”
“Criminal conduct by correctional officers will not be tolerated in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph. “Correctional officers deserve our respect for the jobs they do, but we must also hold them accountable when they willfully break the law and cover up the abuse of inmates.”
According to his guilty plea, Credit worked as a correctional officer at the Richwood Correctional Center in Richwood, Louisiana, where on Oct. 30, 2016 he and other officers abused inmates and then conspired to cover it up. According to Mr. Credit, he and other officers sprayed a chemical agent directly in the faces and eyes of five inmates while the inmates were handcuffed, compliant, kneeling on the floor, and not posing a physical threat to anyone. Following that abuse, Mr. Credit and the other officers conspired to hide their conduct by submitting false reports.
Roderick Douglas, a former supervisor at the Richwood Correctional Center, pleaded guilty in federal court on Jan. 31 for his role in the conspiracy to violate the civil rights of five inmates. Sentencing for Douglas is scheduled for June 5, 2019.
The count of conviction carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a criminal fine of up to $250,000. Mr. Credit is scheduled to be sentenced on May 17, 2019 by U.S. District Judge Terry A. Doughty of the Western District of Louisiana, who accepted the plea.
This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mary Mudrick of the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Western District of Louisiana, and Trial Attorney Anita Channapati of the Civil Rights Division, Criminal Section. The case was investigated by the Monroe Division of the FBI.