Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
U.S. Attorney’s Office indicts 16 for firearms offenses in north LouisianaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that 16 defendants have been indicted in separate cases for firearms offenses.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office is partnering with federal, state, local and tribal law enforcement to specifically identify the criminals responsible for significant violent crime in the Western District of Louisiana. A centerpiece of this effort is Project Safe Neighborhoods, a program that has been historically successful in bringing together all levels of law enforcement to reduce violent crime and make neighborhoods safer for everyone. Today’s indictments are part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program.
“Addressing violent crime is a priority of the Department of Justice,” said Van Hook. “By consistently identifying the leading violent offenders in our communities and employing all available tools to hold them accountable, we will combat violent crime and make our communities safer. These indictments show our commitment to working aggressively toward this goal.”
Those indicted include:
Deontre D. Caldwell, 30, of Shreveport, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Terrence Terze Cochran, 19, of Shreveport, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Bryan D. Gates Jr., 18, of Shreveport, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Alvin Kincerely Law Jr., 30, of Shreveport, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Jeremy Moro, 40, of Minden, La., one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Ivory C. Myles, 28, of Shreveport, one count of interference with commerce by robbery, one count of kidnapping, one count of transportation for purpose of committing criminal sexual activity, and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence.
Tramarciea Jovan Ruffins, 24, of Shreveport, two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Xavier Breonte Strickland, 28, of Shreveport, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
Christopher De’Lanio Taylor, 30, of Homer, La., one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance, and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Jason Brian Wallace, 33, of Shreveport, one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The indictments of six other individuals remain sealed pending their arrest by law enforcement.
The Caddo Parish District Attorney’s Office, ATF, FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service, Shreveport Police Department and other local law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation and arrest of these individuals.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander Van Hook is available for interview today by appointment. Call Henri LeJeune at 337-262-6618 or Lisa Langley at 318-676-3600 to schedule an interview.
U.S. Attorney’s Office indicts 11 for drug conspiracy in Winn ParishRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that 11 defendants were indicted for a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in the Winn Parish area.
Those named in the 13-count indictment are:
Cristina Daniela Santos, 25, of Inglewood, Calif.
Ladarrius James Street, 34, of Winnfield, La.
Dexter Jerome Sapp, 38, of Winnfield, La
Destiney Hamilton, 32, of Winnfield, La.
Kendrick Lamont Davenport, 43 of Winnfield, La.
Stephen Duncan Jr., 25, of Winnfield, La.
Delano C. Hall, 48, of Winnfield, La.
Michael Deangelo Hall, 32, of Winnfield, La.
Jeremy Laraun Mamon, 35, of Winnfield, La.
Rafael M. Powell, 34, of Atlanta, La.
Xavier Deandre Powell, 28, of Atlanta, La.
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine from October 2015 to October 2017 in the Winn Parish area.
For a list of counts the defendants face, see graphic below:
Counts* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 Santos * * * Street ** Sapp * * * * Hamilton * Davenport * Duncan * * Delano Hall * * Michael Hall * Mamon * * * Rafael Powell * Xavier Powell * * * **Count One is conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Counts 2-5 and 7-13 are distribution of methamphetamine, and Count Six is possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
The defendants each face between 10 years to life in prison, a $10 million fine, and forfeiture of seized property. They also face at least four years of supervised release.
The FBI Central Louisiana Safe Streets Gang Task Force, U.S. Marshals Service Violent Offender Task Force of Alexandria and Shreveport, DEA Task Force of Shreveport, Louisiana State Police, Louisiana National Guard Counter Drug Unit, Louisiana Probation and Parole, Winn Parish Sheriff’s Department, Winn Parish District Attorney’s Office, and the Hawthorne, Calif., Police Department participated in the investigation. Assistant U. S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell 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.
Monterey man pleads guilty to being a felon in possession of a .22 caliber revolverRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that Monterey man pleaded guilty Monday to possessing a revolver after having been convicted of a felony.
Marcus L. Cummings, 58, of Monterey, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to the guilty plea, a Louisiana probation agent encountered Cummings on August 25, 2015 at a Monterey gas station. Cummings was on parole for a November 2006 felony conviction. The probation agent asked him if he was in possession of either a controlled substance or a firearm. Possessing either would have been a violation of Cummings’ parole. Cummings said he had a revolver in his vehicle, and they went to his vehicle to retrieve it. The agent found the defendant to be in possession of a .22 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver.
Cummings faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a January 2, 2018 sentencing date.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Louisiana Probation and Parole conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Two illegal aliens plead guilty, third sentencedRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that two illegal aliens pleaded guilty and one illegal alien was sentenced last week for various offenses.
Mexican national pleads guilty to using fraudulent documents
LAFAYETTE, La. – Noe Bautista-Hernandez, 30, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, Abbeville police arrested Bautista-Hernandez on July 18, 2017 on unrelated charges. Police discovered that the name he provided at his arrest belonged to another person. Upon examining the identifying documents submitted to the police, they discovered a Social Security card, a Puerto Rican birth certificate, two Louisiana State identification cards and a Louisiana driver’s license in another name. They were all false and fraudulent. He also possessed a Mexican birth certificate and passport in his own name.
Bautista-Hernandez faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for December 8, 2017.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Abbeville Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
Man from Mexico pleads guilty to illegally returning to the United States
LAFAYETTE, La. – Isais Hernandez-Vasquez, 33, of Mexico, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Hernandez-Vasquez was arrested on July 17, 2014 in St. Martin Parish. He pleaded guilty and was convicted on June 2, 2017 of attempted possession of methamphetamine. Agents later encountered him and discovered that he had been previously removed from the United States. He was removed on August 27, 2009 and April 3, 2014 after criminal convictions. He was not authorized to return to the United States.
Hernandez-Vasquez faces up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for January 12, 2018.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan citizen sentenced to 5 months for illegally reentering country
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Emir Sosa-Morales, 31, of Cuilco, Guatemala, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to five months in prison on one count of illegal reentry following removal. According to the June 13, 2017 guilty plea, Lafayette Sheriff’s deputies arrested Sosa-Morales on January 4, 2017 for a felony. Law enforcement agents later discovered that the defendant had been removed from the United States on two previous occasions. The most recent was on September 17, 2013 in New Orleans.
United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally possessing a rifle, ammunitionRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday to being an illegal alien in possession of a rifle and ammunition.
Juan Martin Frias-Ortiz, 54, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before Chief District Judge Dee. D. Drell to one count of possession of a firearm and ammunition by an illegal alien. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) began investigating Frias-Ortiz after receiving information that he was in the country illegally and had been shooting firearms on his property. Agents determined that Frias-Ortiz was a citizen of Mexico and in the United States illegally after his H-2A Visa expired in 2014. During the execution of a search warrant on Frias-Ortiz’s Bunkie, La., home on August 3, 2017, agents found a Marlin Model 60 22LR rifle, a box of .22LR and 12-gauge shotgun ammunition.
Friaz-Ortiz faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. He also faces forfeiture of the weapons seized. The court set sentencing for January12, 2018.
The ATF, the Department of Homeland Security Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Marshals Service, and the Avoyelles Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mike O’Mara is prosecuting the case.
St. Mary Parish man pleads guilty to shirking sex offender registration requirementsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a St. Mary Parish man pleaded guilty last week to moving to Texas without updating his sex offender registration.
Forrest Tucker, 54, of Morgan City, La., pleaded guilty Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of failure to register as a sex offender. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Tucker was convicted of a felony on April 17, 2008 that required him to register as a sex offender. After he served seven years in prison, St. Mary Parish Sheriff’s officers checked his address after his release in 2014, and Tucker was found absent from his Morgan City residence. A warrant was issued for his arrest, and U.S. Marshals arrested Tucker on May 4, 2017 in a hotel in San Antonio, Texas.
Tucker faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for November 30, 2017.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the St. Mary Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel is prosecuting the case.
Department of Justice awards grant to Lake Charles District Attorney’s Office to fight opioid epidemicRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that $400,000 will go to the Lake Charles District Attorney’s Office to combat the opioid drug epidemic by funding a drug court.
The Office of Justice Programs awarded the 14th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Lake Charles $400,000 for Fiscal Year 2017 to enhance funding for adult drug courts and veteran treatment courts. The grant program furthers the Department of Justice’s aim to reduce opioid abuse and support law enforcement officers, as well as other justice partners, by providing resources and tools that support prevention of future crime by offenders with addictions.
Of the $59 million total awarded to various agencies around the country, 22.2 million will go to 53 jurisdictions to support the drug and veterans treatment courts. About $24 million of the $59 million in federal grants will be awarded to 50 cities, counties and public health departments to provide financial and technical assistance to state, local and tribal governments to create comprehensive diversion and alternatives to incarceration for those impacted by the opioid epidemic. These funds, awarded under the Office of Justice Programs’ Bureau of Justice Assistance’s Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Program, also included funds from the Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program. An additional $3.1 million will be awarded by the National Institute of Justice for research and evaluation on drugs and crime. The research priorities are heroin and other opioids and synthetic drugs.
The Department is also awarding more than $9.5 million under several Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grant programs, including the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court Grant Program and the Family Drug Court Statewide System Reform Implementation Program. These programs help jurisdictions build effective family drug treatment courts and ensure current juvenile drug treatment courts follow established guidelines.
Specific sites and funds awarded can be found online at: go.usa.gov/xRJWE.
“Today, we are facing the deadliest drug crisis in American history,” said Attorney General Jeff Sessions. “These trends are shocking and the numbers tell us a lot, but they aren’t just numbers. They represent moms and dads, brothers and sisters, neighbors and friends. And make no mistake, combatting this poison is a top priority for President Trump and his administration, and you can be sure that we are taking action to address it. Today we are announcing that we will be awarding millions in federal grants to help law enforcement and public health agencies address prescription drug and opioid abuse. This is an urgent problem, and we are making it a top priority.”
“I want to congratulate the Lake Charles District Attorney’s Office for being awarded this grant,” Van Hook stated. “It will be used to improve the lives of those addicted to drugs and will help reduce the demand for illegal drugs in this district. It is with programs like this in conjunction with law enforcement efforts that we can fight the scourge of opioid abuse.”
Finally, read more about the importance of these programs in a new blog by OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan R. Hanson online at go.usa.gov/xRJBp.
The Office of Justice Programs, headed by Acting Assistant Attorney General Alan R. Hanson, provides federal leadership in developing the nation’s capacity to prevent and control crime, administer justice and assist victims. OJP has six bureaus and offices: the Bureau of Justice Assistance; the Bureau of Justice Statistics; the National Institute of Justice; the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention; the Office for Victims of Crime; and the Office of Sex Offender Sentencing, Monitoring, Apprehending, Registering and Tracking (SMART). More information about OJP and its components can be found at www.ojp.gov.
Texas man sentenced to five years in prison for methamphetamine chargesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Houston man was sentenced to 60 months in prison for selling and possessing methamphetamine in the Lake Charles area.
Raymond Earl Neal, 26, of Houston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on one count of distribution of controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the March 24, 2016 guilty plea, Neal sold approximately 2 ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover informant for $1,900. Later that same day, he was stopped by police officers for a traffic violation. They found an additional 8.5 ounces of methamphetamine and a Smith & Wesson .9 mm semi-automatic handgun in Neal’s vehicle.
Homeland Security Investigations, Calcasieu Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Sulphur company bookkeeper sentenced to more than 7 years in prison for stealing more than $4 millionRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former bookkeeper for a Sulphur oil field company was sentenced to 87 months in prison for stealing more than $4 million while working there.
Elizabeth “Missy” Istre, 52, of Sulphur, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter on three counts of wire fraud. She was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $4,348,490.18 restitution. Istre was found guilty by a federal jury after a four-day trial that ended May 4, 2017. According to the evidence presented, Istre worked as a bookkeeper for a family-owned petroleum company in Sulphur, La. From 2004 through January of 2014, Istre issued fraudulent checks payable to herself and her husband from the company’s corporate bank account. During that time, she issued more than 800 checks and used the money for personal expenses.
Istre began writing fraudulent checks payable to herself not long after being hired in 2004. She started writing the checks in small amounts but then increased the amount. By 2011, she was writing fraudulent checks for half a million dollars a year. She was the only person to use the business’ software, and she provided the financial statements directly to the company’s accountant. Because of fluctuations in the oil and gas industry, Istre was able to conceal the stolen funds. She bought several vehicles, took numerous trips, paid bills, bought property, paid family members’ expenses, withdrew cash and made other transactions with the stolen funds.
The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Dominic A. Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Former Omega Protein manager pleads guilty to polluting Vermilion RiverRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a New Orleans man pleaded guilty Tuesday to directing employees to discharge a pollutant into a canal that feeds the Vermilion River.
Aldes K. “Al” Vidrine III, 52, of New Orleans, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst on one count of unlawful discharge of a pollutant into a water of the United States. According to the guilty plea, Vidrine, who worked as a manager at the Abbeville Omega Protein Inc. plant, directed employees on February 1, 2016 to place a hose in a treatment pond and drain process water from the plant’s treatment pond into a canal that emptied into the Vermilion River.
Vidrine faces up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of not less than $2,500 or more than $25,000 per day of the violation. The court set a January 11, 2018 sentencing date.
The criminal investigation divisions of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport felon pleads guilty to possessing sawed-off shotgunRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing a sawed-off shotgun hidden behind a wall.
Dylan G. Fausto, 25, of Shreveport, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to the guilty plea, law enforcement agents searched Fausto’s residence on January 2, 2017 while executing a search warrant for another individual. During the search, they found a sheetrock panel leaning against a wall in the master bedroom closet. Behind the panel, agents could see the end of a shotgun and discovered it was a loaded sawed-off 12-gauge Mossberg pump shotgun. Fausto was previously convicted of a felony and is prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Fausto faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a January 5, 2018 sentencing date.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF, U.S. Marshals Service and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.
Homer man sentenced to 10 years in prison for methamphetamine distributionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Homer was sentenced Thursday to 120 months in prison for possessing with intent to distribute methamphetamine after a bag containing the drug was found in a relative’s clothes dryer.
Vincent McDaniel, 44, of Homer, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to the March 9, 2017 guilty plea, a relative of the defendant contacted law enforcement on November 12, 2015 to report that she had found something suspicious in a bag, which was left in the clothes dryer at her home in Homer. After examining and testing the contents of the bag, law enforcement determined it was 526.7 grams of methamphetamine. McDaniel had asked for access to the home while the relative was away, and after his arrest, had asked other relatives to retrieve the bag for him before law enforcement could obtain it.
The DEA and the Homer Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles prosecuted the case.
Georgetown woman sentenced to 2 years in prison for manufacturing counterfeit moneyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Georgetown woman was sentenced Wednesday to 24 months in prison for making fake U.S. $20 bills.
Gena Armstrong, 20, of Georgetown, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of manufacturing counterfeit U.S. securities. She was also sentenced to two years of supervised release. According to the June 16, 2017 guilty plea, Armstrong bought a copy machine and paper on March 29, 2016 from an Alexandria office supply business. While a friend drover her around the city, Armstrong copied a genuine $20 bill and began printing counterfeit money. In total, she printed a two-sided cut $20 bill, 30 two-sided uncut $20 bills and nine one-sided uncut $20 bills. While driving through the city, the friend stopped at a convenience store, and Armstrong gave the friend the counterfeit $20 bill to make a purchase.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath is prosecuting the case.
New Orleans woman pleads guilty to possessing 282 counterfeit credit/debit cardsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a New Orleans woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to possessing 282 counterfeited credit/debit cards.
Brittany Sanders, 34, of New Orleans, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of possession of 15 or more counterfeit or unauthorized access devices. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, a Louisiana State Police trooper pulled over a rental car January 9, 2015 on Interstate 10 in St. Martin Parish that Sanders and codefendant Bruce Daliet, 33, also of New Orleans, were traveling in. The trooper searched the vehicle and found a pink suitcase that belonged to Sanders. Inside were 282 counterfeit credit/debit cards and $4,000 worth of gift cards. Law enforcement agents discovered that 156 of the credit/debit cards were embossed with Sanders’ name, and 126 were embossed with Daliet’s name. The loss to the credit card companies is $13,907.22.
Sanders faces up to 10 years in prison. Daliet pleaded guilty on August 28, 2017 to access device possession. He faces up to 20 years in prison. They both also face three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court did not set sentencing dates.
The U.S. Secret Service and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office contributes to local food pantries through Feds Feed Families driveRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Shreveport and Lafayette collected more than 294 pounds of food and non-perishable items this week that were delivered to two local food pantries.
In all, federal employees contributed 294 pounds of food to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana in Shreveport and FoodNet: The Greater Acadiana Food Bank in Lafayette. The Shreveport U.S. Attorney’s Office gathered 180 pounds of the total, and the Lafayette U.S. Attorney’s Office gathered 114 pounds. Donation boxes for the Feds Feed Families food drive campaign were located at the federal courthouses in Shreveport and Lafayette. The food drive campaign ended September 1, 2017.
“The Feds Feed Families food drive campaign provides federal employees an opportunity to help their communities,” Van Hook stated. “Food pantries are always in need of assistance, and during the summer, sometimes donations and contributions can run low. I want to thank the federal employees in our office as well as the U.S. Courts and other agencies who gave food, time and other resources.”
The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana began in 1995 when a group of individuals from churches with food pantries and benevolent organizations met to discuss the need to establish a local food bank to serve the parishes of Northwest Louisiana. The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana is the largest distributor of donated food for the seven-parish area and is one of only five food banks in the state. They sort, warehouse and distribute food to more than 120 non-profit organizations in the seven-parish region, which includes: Caddo, Bossier, Bienville, Claiborne, Desoto, Red River and Webster parishes. For more information about the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, visit their website at www.foodbanknla.org or call (318) 675-2400.
FoodNet: The Greater Acadiana Food Bank, a non-profit food bank serving Lafayette Parish, was established in October 1987. FoodNet has distributed tens of thousands of tons of food since opening, and presently serves several agencies including: Faith House of Acadiana women’s shelter, the Children’s Shelter, St. Joseph Shelter for Men, Acadiana Youth Shelter for Girls, St. Joseph Diner, the Red Cross, Alleman Center, Acadiana Cares, St. Francis Foundation for Substance Abuse and the Arc. For more information, visit www.foodnetacadiana.org or call (337) 232-3663.
In the United States, 50 million people are challenged with hunger, including 17 million children. Feds Feed Families was started when Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and former Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry realized that food donations were dropping during the summer months because many families were on vacation. The campaign has run every summer since 2009, and to date, it has collected nearly 70 million pounds of food, including more than 12.5 million pounds last year alone.
For more information visit www.usda.gov/fedsfeedfamilies or call the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, at 337-262-6618.
Opelousas man pleads guilty to possessing a firearm after being arrested for a felonyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that an Opelousas man pleaded guilty to possessing a pistol even though he was previously convicted of a felony and prohibited from possessing a firearm.
Willie Jamal Reynolds, 28, of Opelousas, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, police arrested Reynolds on June 3, 2017 for possessing a Smith and Wesson .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol. After further investigation, police found a 15-minute video online of Reynolds and a friend in the presence of numerous firearms. Reynolds is a felon after receiving a conviction in September of 2013 and is not allowed to possess a firearm.
Reynolds faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court did not set a sentencing date.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and the Opelousas Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United States multiple timesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Mexican citizen pleaded guilty to reentering the United States illegally after being removed at least three times.
Juan Jose Mendoza-Ibarra, 38, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, the defendant was found to be in Lafayette in July of 2017 after an arrest. He had previously been removed from the United States at least three times on March 11, 2016, August 5, 2016 and February 10, 2017.
Mendoza-Ibarra faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a November 27, 2017 sentencing date.
Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Former Homer police officer pleads guilty to conspiring to commit mail fraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former Homer Police officer pleaded guilty to his role in a vehicle fraud theft and insurance scheme.
Donald W. Malray, 52, of Homer, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Hornsby to one count of mail fraud conspiracy. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Malray and another individual planned a scheme to fake a vehicle and trailer theft, and then file an insurance claim to collect the money on the value of the property. On August 4, 2015, Malray and the other individual transferred the ATV and trailer to Malray’s possession after they met in Ruston, La. Malray then instructed the other individual to call the Homer Police Department and report the ATV and trailer stolen. The insurance company paid the individual in the conspiracy with Malray approximately $13,000 on September 8, 2015. Law enforcement agents recovered the ATV and trailer on January 31, 2017 in Ruston, La.
Malray faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of December 6, 2017.
The DEA and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Pineville man pleads guilty to possessing child pornography onlineRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Pineville man pleaded guilty Monday to using an online storage site to house child pornography.
Brandon McNamara, 26, of Pineville, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of possession of child pornography. According to the guilty plea, Canadian law enforcement agents arrested a resident of British Columbia in 2016 for online child pornography distribution. Canadian agents identified McNamara’s online alias as one of 57 different users exchanging child pornography with the Canadian defendant. Canadian agents alerted U.S. law enforcement, and McNamara was questioned on December 9, 2016. He admitted to possessing images of child pornography and said they were being stored on an online storage account.
McNamara faces up to 20 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, mandatory registration as a sex offender and up to a $250,000 fine. The court set the sentencing date for December 15, 2017.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Vancouver Royal Canadian Mounted Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and David J. Ayo are prosecuting the case.
Shreveport man sentenced to more than 12 years in prison for receiving child pornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced Wednesday to 151 months in prison for receiving child pornography.
James Vail, 52, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of receipt of child pornography. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to the April 18, 2017 guilty plea, state police detected Vail downloading and trading images of child pornography using his computer via an internet-enabled electronic device. State police searched his home, and Vail admitted during the search that he used an online peer-to-peer program to trade child pornography. A forensic examination of his computer revealed numerous images of child pornography downloaded from October 2015 to June 2016.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell prosecuted the case.
Monroe man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for methamphetamine possessionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Monroe was sentenced Monday to 121 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine for later sale.
Travis C. Mills, 35, of Monroe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James on one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the May 19, 2016 guilty plea, law enforcement agents arrested Mills on October 7, 2015, as he was leaving his home. They found 115 grams of methamphetamine in a brown paper bag in the front seat of his car. His home was also searched, and 84 grams of methamphetamine were found.
The DEA and Ouachita Parish Metro Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Bayou Vista man pleads guilty to stealing from mailRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a former Morgan City Post Office custodian pleaded guilty to stealing from U.S. mail.
Jerome Guidry, 39, of Bayou Vista, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of theft of mail by a postal service employee. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, the Morgan City Police Department responded to a report that a $50 retail store gift card never reached its recipient. The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General agents investigated the report and interviewed Guidry on January 4, 2017. Guidry admitted to taking the gift card. Agents searched his vehicle and found additional gift cards. His home was also searched, and a U.S. Postal Service money order for $500 was found. Guidry admitted to stealing the money order from a greeting card that had been mailed to New York.
Guidry faces up to five years in prison, one year of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine.
The U.S. Postal Service-Office of Inspector General and the Morgan City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national pleads guilty to illegally reentering the United StatesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Mexican citizen pleaded guilty Monday to reentering the United States illegally after being arrested for trying to obtain a Louisiana Identification Card in Morgan City.
Ruben Angle Verdugo-Barajas, 35, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, the defendant was arrested on April 24, 2017 after attempting to obtain a Louisiana Identification Card at the Morgan City Department of Motor Vehicles. Verdugo-Barajas presented the driver’s license, Social Security card and birth certificate of a Puerto Rican resident and claimed they were his. After questioning, he admitted his true identity. He was previously deported at Nogales, Ariz., on December 10, 2000.
Verdugo-Barajas faces two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a December 8, 2017 sentencing date.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David J. Ayo is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office indicts former Avoyelles Correctional Center warden, wife on fraud chargesRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that the former warden for the Avoyelles Correctional Center and his wife were indicted for fraud.
Nathan Burl Cain II, 50, and Tonia Bandy Cain, 42, both of Moreauville, La., were indicted by a federal grand jury on 18 charges. Count one charges conspiracy to commit wire fraud and counts two through 18 charge wire fraud. According to the indictment, Nathan Cain was the warden of Avoyelles Correctional Center located in Cottonport, La., and Tonia Cain served as the manager of the business office of the facility. They are accused of using Louisiana Department of Corrections credit cards to purchase items for personal use while misrepresenting that the items were bought for official use between December of 2012 and January 2016. The defendants are also accused of structuring purchases.
The defendants face up to 20 years in prison, five years supervised release, and a $250,000 fine per count, and forfeiture in the amount of $152,364.69. An arraignment date has not been set.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Opelousas man sentenced to 57 years in prison for robbing three businesses at gunpointRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that an Opelousas man was sentenced to 684 months and one day in prison for robbing three local businesses at gunpoint.
Carey Wardell Reed, 29, of Opelousas, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Rebecca F. Doherty on three counts of interference with commerce by robbery; two counts of using, carrying and brandishing a firearm during a violent crime; and one count of using, carrying and discharging a firearm during a violent crime. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised released and ordered to pay $3,098.77 restitution.
Reed was found guilty by a jury on March 7, 2017. According to the evidence presented at trial, Reed robbed three commercial establishments in Opelousas in 2014. On May 2, 2014, Reed robbed the Tiger Stop #7 gas station. He fired a shot, and told everyone inside to “get down.” He then had the employees empty the cash register of $704 and fled the scene. One May 10, 2014, Reed robbed the Chicken King restaurant. He entered the restaurant with a gun, which he pointed at the cashier. He demanded money and threatened to harm those present. The cashier turned over $985, and Reed fled. On September 22, 2014, Reed robbed a Family Dollar store. He entered the store with a handgun and demanded money. Before leaving, he also threatened the employees’ lives and took $1,400. The defendant was arrested on September 30, 2014 after police conducted a traffic stop. Extensive ballistic and digital forensic evidence were key in proving Reed to be the perpetrator in all three robberies.
The FBI and the Opelousas Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jamilla A. Bynog and Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Leesville man pleads guilty to counterfeiting $100 billRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Leesville man pleaded guilty to taking part in counterfeiting $100 bills in order to purchase prepaid cards.
Deldrick Shykil Fowler, 24, of Leesville, La., previously of DeQuincy, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of counterfeiting obligations to the United States. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Fowler helped another unnamed conspirator on December 27, 2016 to use a genuine $100 bill to make 58 counterfeit copies. The conspirator then passed $1,500 worth of counterfeit bills at a DeRidder, La., department store in exchange for three prepaid debit cards. The conspirator discarded the unused counterfeit bills in a trashcan at a park. The counterfeit bills were later found and provided to law enforcement officers. The officers located Fowler the next day and discovered him with two of the three prepaid cards. He had already spent the third card.
Fowler faces up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of November 3, 2017.
The U.S. Secret Service, Vernon Parish Sheriff’s Office and the DeRidder Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Abendroth is prosecuting the case.
Federal jury finds Texas man guilty of conspiring to transport illegal drugsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a federal jury found a Texas man guilty of conspiring to transport methamphetamine and cocaine.
Erasmo Aviles Jr., 35, of Spring, Texas, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance, one count of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute a controlled substance. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided over the trial, which started Monday and ended today. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately 2.75 hours.
Evidence admitted at trial revealed that Aviles was traveling east on Interstate 20 in Bossier Parish in one car that was traveling in tandem with another vehicle driven by Francisco Guardiola, 25, of Spring, Texas, on May 12, 2016. Louisiana State Troopers conducted a traffic stop on the vehicles. Aviles denied any wrongdoing and a search of his vehicle produced a camouflaged two-way radio set to channel two. The vehicle Guardiola was driving was searched. Troopers found 1,048 gross grams of methamphetamine and 361.8 grams of powder cocaine. They also found a camouflaged two-way radio of the same type found in Aviles’ vehicle that was also set to channel two.
Aviles faces up to 20 years to life in prison, 10 years of supervised release and a $20 million fine for the conspiracy count; up to 20 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine for the methamphetamine and cocaine distribution counts. Guardiola pleaded guilty on March 15, 2017 to all three counts.
The DEA and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison D. Bushnell and Tennille M. Gilreath are prosecuting the case.
Eunice company’s former IT manager pleads guilty to defrauding employer more than $2.6 millionRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Duson pleaded guilty to wire fraud in connection to a scheme to defraud a Eunice pipeline company out of more than $2.6 million.
Richard Walter Borek Jr., 43, of Duson, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna to one count of wire fraud. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote. According to the guilty plea, Borek worked as the information technology (IT) manager for a Eunice pipeline company from 2012 to 2016. He conducted a scheme where he bought cell phones and electronic tablets using company funds from two nationwide cellular phone companies. He then sold them online to another company and kept the money for his own personal use. He also sold web hosting services and computer equipment to the pipeline company through his own company called Statix even though the web hosting services were being provided by another company and the computer equipment was never delivered to the pipeline company’s office. The loss from both schemes resulted in both cell phone companies charging the pipeline company $2,436,487 and Statix charging the pipeline company $236,234.14 for a total loss to the pipeline company of $2,672,721.14.
Borek faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution and a $250,000 fine. The court set a December 7, 2017 sentencing date.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie is prosecuting the case.
Mexican national pleads guilty to reentering the U.S.. illegally a sixth timeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Mexican citizen pleaded guilty to reentering the United States illegally.
Jose Luis Gamez-Verdugo, 49, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell. According to the guilty plea, Gamez-Verdugo was found on April 9, 2017 in Vermilion Parish. After further investigation, it was determined that he had been removed from the United States on five previous occasions. The most recent removal was on June 16, 2011 in Brownsville, Texas.
Gamez-Verdugo faces 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set a November 3, 2017 sentencing date.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Oregon resident sentenced to 25 years in prison for sexually assaulting, torturing womanRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man living in Oregon was sentenced Thursday to 300 months in prison for sexually assaulting and torturing a woman who he had a child with and who engaged in prostitution.
Gammion McCloud, 37, originally from Washington, D.C., but who was living in Oregon at the time of his arrest, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of travel to engage in criminal sexual activity and one count of interstate domestic violence. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $73,550 restitution. While on supervised release, he must obtain sex offender specific treatment. According to the March 2, 2017 guilty plea, McCloud acted as the “pimp” for the victim who he convinced to engage in prostitution. They were together from 2008 until 2014. He had a child with the victim and thereafter became progressively more abusive to her. He raped and tortured her repeatedly in the presence of her young child. He locked her in a small cage, forcing her to engage in acts of prostitution. She and her child were able to escape while in Louisiana after McCloud doused her in gasoline and set her on fire. During all of these acts, the defendant was in possession of a firearm.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
Youngsville man sentenced to 8 years in prison for receiving sexually explicit image from minorRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Youngsville was sentenced to 96 months in prison for receiving sexually explicit material from a minor and then asking her travel to Louisiana.
Gary Joseph Vincent, 26, of Youngsville, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. on one count of receiving child pornography. He was also sentenced to 20 years of supervised release and is required to register as sex offender. According to the April 13, 2017 guilty plea, Vincent admitted that he received a sexually explicit image via the internet of a minor female who lived in another state on December 17, 2015. Vincent also asked the minor to travel to Louisiana, but law enforcement agents intercepted the minor before she could make the trip.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) also encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) 347-2423. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online by visiting their website at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp or through the Operation Predator smartphone application www.ice.gov/predator/smartphone-app. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Louisiana State Police and Chatham Police Department in Illinois conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Dominic Rossetti prosecuted the case.
Rayne man sentenced to 210 months in prison for recording sexually explicit images of a juvenileRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a man from Rayne was sentenced to 17 and a half years in prison for taking video and photographs of a juvenile girl and sending them to his laptop.
Raylin Richard, 37, of Rayne, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of transportation of child pornography using any means or facility in interstate commerce. The court also sentenced him to 15 years of supervised release, fined him $20,000 and requires him to register as sex offender. According to the March 7, 2017 guilty plea, the mother of a juvenile found sexually explicit videos and images of her daughter on Richard’s cell phone on May 16, 2015. Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies took possession of the phone and found that Richard had taken the video and images while he lived in Crowley, La. After further investigation, Richard’s MacBookAir was searched and the same videos and images were found there as well. Richard later admitted that he knowingly transported the video and images from his phone on April 2, 2015 to his computer.
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.
Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Lafayette FBI office number is (337) 233-2164.
The FBI and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert C. Abendroth and John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
Lake Charles man sentenced to more than 10 years in prison for drug, firearm chargesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lake Charles man was sentenced Wednesday to 130 months in prison for distributing cocaine and possessing firearms.
Kevin Ardoin, 36, of Lake Charles, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey on one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to the May 3, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents recorded Ardoin selling cocaine on June 22, 2016 in Lake Charles. Agents searched his home and found 1.9 ounces of crack cocaine, .5 ounces of powder cocaine, 13 Xanax pills, 14 grams of marijuana and $2,265. The next day, agents learned there were more drugs in Ardoin’s home than was previously found. They searched his home again and found $87,070, 432 grams of cocaine, and four firearms, which included a loaded Taurus .410 caliber pistol, a Masterpiece Arms .45 caliber pistol, a Taurus .40 caliber pistol, and a Smith and Wesson .38 caliber revolver.
The FBI and Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Taskforce conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
Federal jury finds Krotz Springs man guilty of possessing firearms, ammunition illegallyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal jury found a Krotz Springs man guilty Wednesday of possessing firearms and ammunition after being convicted of a felony.
Paul Joseph Viola, 46, of Krotz Springs, La., was found guilty of two counts of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and two counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided over the trial, which started Monday and ended Wednesday. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately two hours.
Testimony and evidence at trial revealed that an anonymous caller reported in October of 2015 that Viola was a felon in possession of firearms. In an undercover operation conducted between October 31, 2015 and November 13, 2015, law enforcement agents obtained photographs of a Remington 1100 12 gauge shotgun, a .22 caliber Remington Speedmaster Model 552 semi-automatic rifle, and a .22 caliber Ruger model 10/22 semi-automatic rifle that were in his trailer in Krotz Springs. While the investigation was still ongoing, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries agents found Viola on November 28, 2015 at the Sherburne Wildlife Management area in St. Martin Parish in possession of a loaded .35 caliber Whelen single shot rifle and a rifle sling containing five rounds of ammunition. ATF agents also searched his trailer in Krotz Springs on December 7, 2015, where they found and seized 13,428 rounds of ammunition. During his arrest on January 21, 2016 in Krotz Springs, law enforcement agents searched Viola’s pickup. At that time, agents found 10 .22 caliber rounds of ammunition in a Ruger 10/22 rotary magazine for a Ruger 10/22 rifle, one round of Hornady .444 Marlin ammunition, three rounds of .243 Winchester ammunition and two rounds of .308 Winchester ammunition.
Viola faces up to 10 years in prison for each count, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. The court also ordered the forfeiture of any right or interest that Viola had in the forfeiture of the firearms and ammunition. The court did not set a sentencing date.
The ATF and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Federal jury finds Baldwin man guilty of cocaine conspiracy operated out of St. Mary ParishRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal jury found a Baldwin man guilty Wednesday for his role in a cocaine distribution conspiracy operated in the St. Mary Parish area.
Barry Druilhet, 43, of Baldwin, La., was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and one count of use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating a drug trafficking crime. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over the three-day trial. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately 45 minutes.
Evidence admitted at trial revealed that Druilhet was a member of a conspiracy to distribute more than 5 kilograms of cocaine in the St. Mary Parish, Ascension Parish and Baton Rouge areas from January 2000 to June 2015. Omar Mascorro, 41, of Houston, Texas, was the source of the cocaine and provided it to Artey D. Foulcard, 38, of Franklin, La., who provided it to Druilhet and others to distribute. Agents recorded the defendants using their cellular phones to facilitate sale of the drugs.
Druilhet faces up to 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count and up to four years in prison for the communication count. He also faces three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for both counts. Sentencing has been set for December 7, 2017. Mascorro pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count on June 21, 2017. The other defendants in the indictment pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count. They are: Michael McDaniel, 44, of Missouri City, Texas, who pleaded guilty on April 25, 2017; Cordell Johnson, 40, of Jeanerette, La., who pleaded guilty on June 26, 2017; Duanyell Williams, 42, of Franklin, La., who pleaded guilty on June 19, 2017; and Calvin Burrell, 50, of Franklin, who pleaded guilty on April 25, 2017. D’Arnold T. Deville, 49, of Bourg, La., was transferred to the Eastern District of Louisiana in New Orleans on July 12, 2017 where he pleaded guilty to the conspiracy count and additional charges. Williams, Mascorro, McDaniel, Johnson and Burrell are scheduled to be sentenced on October 19, 2017. Foulcard was an unindicted coconspirator who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute a Schedule II controlled dangerous substance in a bill of information in January 2016 in the Western District of Louisiana. The case was transferred to the Middle District of Louisiana in Baton Rouge in February 2016, and he was sentenced on March 2, 2017 to 85 months in prison and five years of supervised release.
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Hater Hurterz.” The FBI and the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted the investigation. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert F. Moore and Kelly P. Uebinger are prosecuting the case.
Lafayette tax preparer sentenced to 36 months in prison for making, filing a false tax returnRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Lafayette tax preparation business owner was sentenced last week to 36 months in prison for filing a false tax return and not paying more than $350,000 in taxes owed.
Kevin Dalcourt, 49, of Lafayette, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of making and subscribing a false tax return. He was also sentenced to one year of supervised release, and he was ordered to pay $397,989.78 restitution and an $89,927 fine. According to the April 19, 2017 guilty plea, Kevin Dalcourt was a tax preparer who owned and managed Kevin’s Tax Service in Lafayette. He was incarcerated in 2010 on non-tax related state charges but continued to manage his tax preparation business. He trained his staff and managed his business prior to his incarceration to use false information in customer tax returns to increase the amount of the customers’ returns. The defendant’s wife, Tamiko Dalcourt, assisted in running the company from 2010 to 2013, while her husband was in prison. Tamiko Dalcourt pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of failing to file the couple’s 2012 joint tax return. Kevin’s Tax Service was highly profitable, but Kevin Dalcourt did not report his income to avoid paying taxes for tax years 2009 to 2011. In that time he avoided paying an estimated total of $356,426.78 in taxes for those three years.
Tamiko Dalcourt pleaded guilty on March 23, 2017 to one count of willful failure to file a return, supply information or pay tax. She faces one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $100,000 fine.
The IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
Indian national sentenced to 30 months in prison for selling silencers, planning smuggling operationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that an Indian national was sentenced Tuesday to 30 months in prison for illegally selling silencers and planning to smuggle more.
Mohit Chauhan, 31, of Pitampura, New Delhi, India, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of dealing firearms without a license. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to the April 20, 2017 guilty plea, Chauhan was contacted by someone wishing to buy silencers. Chauhan discussed by email and phone calls manufacturing silencers for the potential client, and importing more silencers and parts by labeling them as “auto parts” to evade U.S. Customs. They set up a meeting, Chauhan arrived in Shreveport on December 1, 2016 to meet the buyer and brought silencer parts with him. He traveled to a Bossier City, La., restaurant to discuss the sale details with the buyer. Agents recorded the meeting. Chauhan did not have a license to deal or conduct a business involving silencers and parts as required by law, and the silencers and parts had traveled in foreign commerce.
The ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Eunice man sentenced to 9 months in prison for stealing cash from bankRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Eunice man was sentenced last week to nine months in prison for entering a Eunice bank and taking more than $5,000 from two teller stations.
Randall Scott Courville, 42, of Eunice, La., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of bank theft. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $5,290 restitution. According to the April 19, 2017 guilty plea, Courville entered a bank on North Second Street in Eunice on January 20, 2017 wearing a surgical mask, hooded sweatshirt and gloves. He walked up to a teller’s station, reached across the counter into the teller’s drawer and removed money. He then moved to another teller’s station and removed money from that teller’s drawer as well. He left the bank with $5,290.
The FBI and Eunice Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Shreveport resident pleads guilty to driving while intoxicated for the fifth timeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated on Barksdale Air Force Base.
Jesus J. Maldonado, 30, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of driving while intoxicated, fifth offense. According to the guilty plea, a Barksdale security officer pulled over Maldonado’s vehicle on April 13, 2017 after it was seen driving erratically and bearing signs of being in a wreck. He was found to have been driving under the influence of alcohol. He was also found to have been convicted on four previous occasions of driving while under the influence on October 20, 2007 in Bossier City, La.; on June 21, 2009 in Los Angeles, Calif.; on March 8, 2013 in Shreveport; and on May 16, 2013 in Shreveport.
Maldonado faces up to 30 years in prison and a $5,000 fine. The court set a sentencing date of November 3, 2017.
The FBI and U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Col. John Odom, U.S. Air Force-retired, are prosecuting the case.
Man from El Salvador sentenced to 11 months in prison for reentering the U.S. illegally for 2nd timeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a citizen of El Salvador was sentenced last week to 11 months in prison for reentering the United States illegally.
Jose Edmundo Martinez-Ortiz, 24, of San Salvador, El Salvador, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of illegal reentry of a removed alien. According to the April 17, 2017 guilty plea, Lake Charles police conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle containing illegal aliens on November 15, 2016. Martinez-Ortiz admitted to being in the United States illegally. Upon further investigation, law enforcement agents found that the defendant had been found guilty of armed robbery in Maryland on September 11, 2014 and had been removed from the United States in 2016.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert F. Moore prosecuted the case.
Federal jury finds Bastrop man guilty of defrauding USDA over fake farm benefit schemeRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal jury found a Bastrop farmer guilty last week of creating shell farms so he could receive more than $1.6 million in subsidy payments to which he was not entitled.
Brad A. McIntyre, 33, of Bastrop, La., was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, five counts of mail fraud and four counts of money laundering related to engaging in monetary transactions in property derived from specified unlawful activity. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. presided over the trial, which started July 10 and ended Friday, July 21. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately five hours.
Evidence admitted at trial revealed that McIntyre, a fourth generation farmer and the owner of Delta Agriculture and Company, sought to avoid the Farm Service Agency direct program payment limitation of $40,000 per year per farm entity member. From August 2009 until February 2013, McIntyre conspired to create fictitious farm operations. When applying for FSA’s direct program payments, McIntyre listed the names of his relatives and employees as the owners of these entities when in fact he controlled and managed all of these farming entities. FSA’s Supplemental Revenue Assistant (SURE) and Crop Assistance Program (CAP) payments were each limited to $100,000 per person who experienced a qualifying crop loss because of disaster. These fake farms also fraudulently received disaster program payments from FSA.
When the Farm Service Agency mailed agricultural subsidy checks to the entities, they went to Post Office boxes in Mer Rouge established and controlled by McIntyre. He unlawfully received more than $1.3 million during the course of the scheme.
“I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s office, OIG special agents and our investigative partners for their hard work on this investigation,” USDA-Office of Inspector General ASAC Dax Roberson stated. “When the integrity of USDA’s farming programs is violated by criminal conduct, the Office of Inspector General will pursue justice to the fullest extent of the law.
“Crimes involving the laundering of monies fraudulently obtained remain a priority for the special agents of IRS–Criminal Investigation,” IRS Special Agent in Charge Jerome R. McDuffie stated. “It is imperative to the achievement of the IRS mission that these cases are investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. I want the law abiding taxpayers to know that we are working diligently to ensure that these individuals are held accountable for their misdeeds with regards to violating the laws enforced by the criminal division of the IRS.”
McIntyre faces 20 years in prison for the conspiracy count, 20 years for the mail fraud counts and 10 years for the money laundering counts. He also faces five years of supervised release, forfeiture of more than $1 million in property and a $250,000 fine for each count. Sentencing has been set for October 4, 2017.
The USDA-OIG and IRS-Criminal Investigation conducted the investigation. Supervisory Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields are prosecuting the case.
Dallas man sentenced to 65 months in prison for role in southwest la methamphetamine conspiracyRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that the last defendant in a drug conspiracy was sentenced last week to more than five years in prison for his role in a methamphetamine distribution scheme that stretched from Mexico to Texas to southwest Louisiana.
Raul Perez-Mendoza, 26, a Dallas Texas resident, originally from San Luis Potosi, Mexico, was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell on one count of conspiracy to posses with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release. Perez-Mendoza and seven other defendants conspired to distribute methamphetamine in southwest Louisiana from January 2012 to July 2013.
In addition to Perez-Mendoza, seven other defendants were indicted. They are: Mario Barazza-Corral, 42, and Omar Ivan Barazza-Corral, 33, of Chihuahua, Mexico, who are brothers; Sergio Reyes Castillo, 51, of Mexico City, Mexico; Jessica Kristin Clark, 43, of Houston, Texas; Lazaro Perez Cribeiro, 53, of Cuba; Brian Keith Hebert, 55, of Ragley, La.; Billy Washington Hyatt, 47, of Singer, La.; and Jarrid James Hargrave, 35, of Abbeville, La. Omar Ivan Barazza-Corral was not arrested and is still being sought for prosecution. These rest of the defendants previously pleaded guilty and were sentenced as shown below:
Defendants Prison term Supervised release Counts* Date Mario Barazza-Corral 108 months — 1, 2-8, 10 Jan. 13, 2016 Omar Barazza-Corral — — — — Sergio Reyes Castillo 120 months 5 years 1 Dec. 10, 2015 Jessica Clark 60 months 5 years 1 Dec. 10, 2015 Lazaro Perez Cribeiro 70 months — 1, 3-8 Jan. 12, 2016 Bryan Hebert 87 months 5 years 1,9 Feb. 25, 2016 Billy Hyatt 120 months 5 years 1 Jan. 11, 2016 Jarrid Hargrave 57 months 5 years 1 July 16, 2015*Count 1 is conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, counts 2-8, 10 and 11 are distribution of methamphetamine, and count 9 is possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
According to Perez-Mendoza’s March 9, 2017 guilty plea, Mario Barazza-Corral was the leader of the conspiracy and imported methamphetamine from Mexico. He would then transport the drugs to points in Texas and then either transport them himself or arrange for others to transport the drugs to Vinton, La. He would supply his brother Omar Ivan Barazza-Corral who lived in Vinton with drugs, and his brother would distribute them to others. Perez-Mendoza assisted the brothers with transporting and distributing 500 grams to 1.5 kilograms of a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine.
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Havana Speed.” Homeland Security Investigations, DEA, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vinton Police Department and Allen Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. The OCDETF program is a joint federal, state and local cooperative approach to combat drug trafficking and is the nation’s primary tool for disrupting and dismantling major drug trafficking organizations, targeting national and regional level drug trafficking organizations, and coordinating the necessary law enforcement entities and resources to disrupt or dismantle the targeted criminal organization and seize their assets.
Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger and Jamilla A. Bynog are prosecuting the case.
Men from El Salvador plead guilty to reentering the United States multiple timesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that two men from El Salvador pleaded guilty Thursday to reentering the country after being deported.
Juan Carlos Yanes-Vasquez, 38, and Nelson Antonio Orellana, 29, both of El Salvador, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of illegal reentry following deportation. According to the guilty pleas, U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents stopped a vehicle February 21, 2017 traveling east on Interstate 10. Agents found eight undocumented illegal aliens and one driver who had lawful status in the United States. Agents discovered Yanes-Vasquez and Orellana among the group. They also discovered the defendants illegally reentered the United States multiples times. Yanes-Vasquez’s most recent deportation took place December 22, 2016 in Laredo, Texas. The defendant admitted to reentering the country on February 17, 2017 after crossing the Rio Grande River into Texas. Orellana also was found to have been deported multiple times with the most recent deportation being March 4, 2016 from Alexandria, La. He reentered the country illegally on February 14, 2017 near Laredo, Texas.
Yanes-Vasquez faces up to two years in prison and one year of supervised release. Orellana faces up to 10 years in prison and one year of supervised release. They also face a $250,000 fine.
United States Customs and Border Patrol conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth is prosecuting the cases.
Man from El Salvador pleads guilty to reentering the U.S. after having been removed four timesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from El Salvador pleaded guilty Thursday to reentering the United States after having been previously removed four times.
Aristides Arevalo-Rodriguez, 44, of El Salvador, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Kathleen Kay to one count of illegal reentry following removal. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the guilty plea, Arevalo-Rodriguez was found in Calcasieu Parish on March 21, 2017. It was discovered that the defendant had been removed four times from the United States. The most recent removal was September 30, 2011 at or near Houston, Texas.
Arevalo-Rodriguez faces up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The court set sentencing for October 27, 2017.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security – U.S. Customs and Border Protection, and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
Houston man pleads guilty to distributing cocaineRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Houston man pleaded guilty Tuesday to possessing with intent to distribute cocaine after the drug was found in his car.
Isidro Badillo, 22, of Houston, Texas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jay C. Zainey to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to the guilty plea, Lake Charles police stopped Badillo’s vehicle August 8, 2016 on Interstate 10. Police searched the vehicle and found 5 kilograms of powder cocaine in the trunk. Badillo knew of the cocaine and said he was driving to an unspecified location outside of New Orleans for delivery and later distribution.
Badillo faces 10 years to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a $10 million fine. The court set sentencing for October 11, 2017.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dominic Rossetti is prosecuting the case.
Gueydan man sentenced for shooting endangered whooping craneRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Gueydan man was sentenced last week to 45 days in prison for shooting a whooping crane and ducks.
Lane Thomas Thibodeaux, 21, of Gueydan, La., pleaded guilty and was sentenced Friday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Carol Whitehurst to one count of taking a migratory bird for which there is no season, one count of taking migratory game birds during closed season, one count of taking migratory game birds from a motor vehicle, one count of wanton waste of migratory game birds, and one count of taking game birds without state hunting license. He was also ordered to pay a $2,500 fine. According to the guilty plea, Thibodeaux shot at a group of birds on November 2, 2014 near a crawfish pond in Vermilion Parish. The shot crippled a whooping crane, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act. Thibodeaux admitted to shooting and killing multiple ducks from the driver’s seat of a moving vehicle on a public road during the closed season on February 14, 2015. Thibodeaux did not retrieve the ducks carcasses from the field, and he did not possess a required Louisiana hunting license.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney T. Forrest Phillips is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office indicts 9 members of ‘Block Boyz’ gang on RICO offenses, drug and firearm conspiraciesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced today that nine members of the “Block Boyz” gang were indicted on RICO offenses, and drug and firearm conspiracies in Shreveport.
The nine Shreveport residents named in the 18-count indictment are:
DeMarcus D. Morris, 28;
Frank J. Morris, 24;
Jimmie R. Durden Jr., 28;
Lonnie D. Johnson, 23;
Gary J. McCain, 22;
Ravion M. Alford, 22;
Rodrick R. Hicks, 23;
Larshanda C. Davenport, 44; and
Golanda W. Atkins, 40.
According to the indictment, beginning in 2012, the defendants took part in a criminal organization known as the “Block Boyz” and the “Get Money Boyz” or “GMB.” The organization distributed controlled substances, murdered, robbed, possessed firearms illegally and conducted other crimes primarily within the Queensborough and Ingleside neighborhoods of Shreveport. The indictment lists 66 acts that members of the organization committed to further the RICO conspiracy. The acts include threats, sale of drugs and shootings. The organization sold crack cocaine, powder cocaine, roxicodone, marijuana, ecstasy and alprazolam. Eight of the defendants were named as part of a Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations or RICO conspiracy in the indictment, which is Count 1 of the indictment.
The indictment alleges that in order to generate income, gang members sold illegal drugs and committed armed robberies. They maintained and circulated a collection of firearms for use in their criminal activity and used cell phones to operate their criminal enterprise. Members of the organization bragged about their illegal activity, such as their possession of firearms, and took pictures of themselves with firearms and money to intimidate others and increase their position in the community.
All defendants have been arrested. In addition to the RICO count, charges include: Count 2 – conspiracy to distribute controlled substances; Count 3 – conspiracy to possess firearms; Counts 4 and 6 – violent crime in aid of racketeering; Counts 5 and 7 – using and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; Counts 8, 12 and 15 – possessing a firearm by a convicted felon; Counts 9, 10 and 11 – distributing crack cocaine; Count 13 – conspiracy to commit a violent crime in aid of racketeering; Count 14 – possessing a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence; and Counts 16, 17 and 18 – distributing powder cocaine.
The defendants face various possible penalties depending on the drug quantity involved, their role in the conspiracy and their criminal history. On the drug conspiracy and distribution counts, some defendants face up to 20 years and one defendant faces up to 40 years in prison. The defendants also face up to life of supervised release. The penalties for illegal use of firearms are up to ten years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for each count. Additionally, the defendants face fines up to $5 million and forfeiture of property seized in the case.
Counts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Demarcus * * * * * * * * * * * * FRANK MORRIS * * * DUREN * * * * * * JOHNSON * * * * * * * MCCAIN * * * * ALFORD * * * * * * HICKS * * * DAVENPORT * * * * * * ATKINS *The FBI Northwest Louisiana Violent Crimes Task Force, Shreveport Police Department, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, ATF and the Gulf Coast High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) participated in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Allison D. Bushnell, James G. Cowles Jr. and 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.
Federal jury finds Sierra Leone national guilty of resisting deportation ordersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a federal jury found a Sierra Leone national guilty Tuesday of refusing to leave the country twice after being ordered to depart.
Sheku Kumalah, 31, of Sierra Leone, was found guilty of two counts of failure to depart. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the trial, which started Monday and ended Tuesday. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for approximately an hour. Evidence admitted at trial revealed that on two occasions U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers attempted to remove Kumalah via an escorted commercial flight from the Alexandria International Airport. The defendant hampered officers’ efforts on July 12, 2016 and August 16, 2016 by verbally and physically resisting attempts to escort him onto the plane.
Kumalah faces four years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. Sentencing has been set for September 29, 2017.
The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement - Enforcement and Removal Operations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys David J. Ayo and Joseph T. Mickel are prosecuting the case.
Dallas man sentenced to 95 months in prison for methamphetamine distribution conspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a man from Dallas was sentenced Thursday to 95 months in prison for conspiring with two other Dallas residents to distribute methamphetamine in the Shreveport/Bossier City area.
Robert Marcus Montes, 38, of Dallas, Texas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote on one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to the February 22, 2017 guilty plea, law enforcement agents identified co-defendants Humberto Vega, 37, and Dawn Nicole Martinez, 34, both of Dallas, planning to distribute methamphetamine in the Shreveport-Bossier City area. Agents observed the defendants visiting a Shreveport Casino on September 11, 2016 with Montes. They were later arrested, and Montes’ car was searched. Agents found approximately 331 grams of methamphetamine inside a shoe box in the car’s trunk.
Vega and Martinez were sentenced on the conspiracy charge on April 26, 2017 to 87 months and 70 months in prison respectively. They were also sentenced to three years of supervised release.
The DEA and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown prosecuted the case.
Shreveport man pleads guilty to possessing a pistol after being convicted of a felonyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Acting U.S. Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook announced that a Shreveport man pleaded guilty Monday to possessing a pistol even though he was previously convicted of a felony.
Neikedrian Edwards, 27, of Shreveport, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to the guilty plea, Edwards pawned a .45 caliber pistol on November 14, 2014 in Shreveport. He had a prior felony conviction and was not lawfully allowed to possess a firearm. Records showed that Edwards had filled out paperwork and used his identification card at the pawnshop.
Edwards faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine.
This investigation and prosecution is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which is a Department of Justice initiative to promote firearm safety and to reduce firearm crimes by preventing the possession and use of firearms by dangerous and persistent felons and others not authorized to possess a firearm.
The ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tiffany E. Fields is prosecuting the case.