Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Shreveport Man Pleads Guilty to Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announcedthat aShreveport man pleaded guilty Monday to possessing firearms and ammunition after being convicted of multiple felonies.
Donzell Joseph Samuels Jr., 35, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter to one count of possessing a firearm after being convicted of a felony. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Samuels was on probation when law enforcement received information that he had a firearm at his residence. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office contacted Samuels at his house and found him in possession of a .380 caliber pistol, a .357 caliber revolver, two 9 mm pistols, and a 16 gauge shotgun. They also found ammunition with each firearm in addition to 16 rounds of 9 mm ammunition in an extended magazine and 33 rounds of .22 caliber ammunition.
Samuels has three prior felony convictions in the First Judicial District Court for Caddo Parish. In 2008 he was convicted of possession of a Schedule II controlled substance, cocaine, and was sentenced to three and a half years at hard labor. In 2001 he was convicted of accessory after the fact – manslaughter and criminal conspiracy to commit a simple burglary and was sentenced to four years at hard labor. In 2000 he was convicted of simple burglary and was sentenced to two years at hard labor, suspended with one year of supervised probation.
Samuels faces up to 10 years in prison and one to three years supervised release. He also faces a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of March 19, 2015 was set.
The ATF and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case as part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to prosecute those who are prohibited from possessing firearms and those who use firearms to commit violent crimes.
Curious Goods LLC Co-Conspirators Sentenced for Synthetic Marijuana Sales SchemeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Curious Goods LLC and six individuals charged in a synthetic marijuana sales and money laundering scheme operated through the company’s retail stores were sentenced today. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over the hearings.
Curious Goods LLC was ordered to pay a $40,000 fine. The company was also ordered to forfeit $859,989 in illegal proceeds derived from the scheme, as well as two cars and a speed boat. Also sentenced today was one of the company’s owners, Richard Buswell of Lafayette. Buswell was sentenced to 103 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Five other co-conspirators were also sentenced today as follows:
Defendants
Prison term
Supervised release
Fine
Counts
Drew Green
117 months
3 years
$20,000
1
Tommy Malone
117 months
3 years
$20,000
1
Boyd Barrow
70 months
3 years
1
Josh Espinoza
61 months
3 years
1
Daniel Francis
42 months
1 year
2
In September of 2012, Curious Goods LLC and co-conspirators: Alexander Derrick Reece, 42 of Gainesville, Fla.; Drew T. Green, 40 of Roswell, Ga.; Thomas William Malone, Jr., 48 of Roswell, Ga.; Boyd Anthony Barrow, 46 of Canton, Ga.; Joshua Espinoza, 51 of Marietta, Ga.; Richard Joseph Buswell, 46 of Lafayette, La.; Daniel Paul Francis, 44 of Dawsonville, Ga.; and Daniel James Stanford, 57, of Lafayette, La., were charged by a grand jury in a 16-count indictment with conspiracy to distribute synthetic drugs (Count 1), conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce (Count 2), conspiracy to commit money laundering, and various money laundering charges (Counts 3 to 16).
At the time of the indictment, Curious Goods LLC was a business based in Lafayette that marketed smoking and other products in stores throughout Acadiana. Curious Goods stores sold a product called “Mr. Miyagi” that was infused with synthetic cannabinoids. Although mislabeled as a potpourri, “Mr. Miyagi” was sold to be smoked for the sole purpose of getting the consumer of the product “high.” The synthetic cannabinoids infused into “Mr. Miyagi” are considered Schedule I controlled dangerous substances under federal law. From March 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011, Curious Goods stores made approximately $5 million from the sale of the illegal “Mr. Miyagi” product.
Barrow and Espinoza controlled and operated Pinnacle Products LLC/Pinnacle Products Group, based in Marietta, Ga. Pinnacle was the manufacturer of the “Mr. Miyagi” products and supplied the products to the local Curious Goods stores. Pinnacle obtained the synthetic cannabinoids used to manufacture “Mr. Miyagi” from NutraGenomics, which was located in an Alpharetta, Ga., and was controlled by co-conspirators Green and Malone. NutraGenomics distributed synthetic cannabinoids throughout the United States.
“This case is a huge victory for the people of Acadiana,” U.S. Attorney Finley stated. “The defendants in this case intentionally sold a dangerous drug that was shamelessly marketed to young people. Too many members of our community were lured into the Curious Goods stores that sold this poison. This case highlights how lucrative this industry is and reveals the lengths that criminals are willing to go to profit while endangering the health and safety of citizens. Dedicated men and women of federal, state and local law enforcement fought to bring these defendants to justice. They are to be commended for years of hard work to get these illegal substances off the streets and hold these criminals accountable. I hope that store owners, franchisees, investors and distributers who want a make a fast buck at the expense of others think twice and understand that we will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute their criminal activity.”
The remaining defendant, Lafayette lawyer Daniel Stanford, is scheduled to be sentenced on January 15, 2014. Stanford was convicted after an eight-day jury trial on August 29, 2014. Read more at: www.justice.gov/usao/law/news/wdla20140829.
The DEA, FBI, IRS, HSI, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Lafayette Police Department conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker, J. Collin Sims, and Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
New Iberia Man Sentenced to 24 Months in Prison for Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a New Iberia man was sentenced to 24 months in prison for lying in order to receive more than $350,0000 in Social Security Administration (SSA) benefits.
Buddy Estelle, 53, of New Iberia, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for one count of making a false statement to the Social Security Administration. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $352,937.20 in restitution. According to evidence presented at the September 12, 2013 guilty plea, Estelle started receiving SSA disability payments in 1984. While attending a routine meeting concerning his benefit eligibility on Feb. 8, 2011, he told SSA staff members at the New Iberia office that he had not worked since 2000. During the guilty plea, Estelle admitted that he has been self-employed since 2000. He owns a business that buys and crushes cars for scrap. Estelle admitted to improperly receiving $352,937.20 of benefits to which he was not entitled.
The Social Security Administration and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
Many Resident Pleads Guilty to Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a man from Many pleaded guilty Wednesday to distributing methamphetamine.
Marcus Johnson, 37, of Many, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agents conducted controlled buys of methamphetamine from Johnson on November 4, 7, and 12 of 2013. Johnson would conduct his methamphetamine sales at various retail stores in Many.
Johnson faces up to 20 years in prison, not less than three years of supervised release, and a $1 million fine.
The DEA and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Texan Sentenced to 120 Months in Prison for Transporting a Minor for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Houston man was sentenced Tuesday to 120 months in prison for bringing a minor from Texas to Louisiana and forcing her to engage in prostitution.
Joshua Baker, 29, of Houston, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of transportation of a minor in interstate commerce with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. He was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release, and must register as a sex offender for life. According to evidence presented at the August 21, 2014 guilty plea, Baker began communicating with a minor in San Antonio, Texas, in 2012. He then transported her from Texas to Shreveport in May of 2013 and forced her to engage in prostitution. For two to three weeks after that, he directed her to engage in prostitution and physically abused her if she refused.
“My office is committed to seeking justice for victims of human trafficking,” Finley stated. “The defendant preyed on a young victim and exploited her for profit. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners to track down and prosecute sex traffickers.”
The FBI, Child Exploitation Task Force, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph G. Jarzabek prosecuted the case.This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Shreveport FBI office number is (318) 861-1890.
Dry Prong Man Pleads Guilty to Damaging Archaeological Site in Kisatchie ForestRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Dry Prong man pleaded guilty Monday to illegally excavating a protected archaeological site in the Kisatchie National Forest.
Robert Edgar Miles Jr., 44, of Dry Prong, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge James D. Kirk to one count of unauthorized excavation, removal, damage, and alteration of archaeological resources. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, U.S. Forest Service officers and archaeologists found a protected archaeological site, which was used as a campsite by native peoples from 2000 B.C. to 700 A.D., in the Kisatchie National Forest that had been heavily excavated leaving deep holes throughout the site. During the one-year investigation, officers captured images of Miles digging at the site in 2013 and later recovered multiple artifacts from the defendant.
Miles faces one year in prison, one year of supervised release and a $10,000 fine. Sentencing was set for March 5, 2015.
The U.S. Forest Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.U.S. Attorney's Office, Western District of Louisiana, Joins TwitterRead the Press Release
Information on case verdicts, pleads and other news being tweeted
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/MONROE/LAKE CHARLES, La.: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office has joined Twitter to assist in providing news, announcements and other information to the public. The office will provide information regarding office events, links to press releases, photos and media advisories.
“Twitter is another avenue to provide information to the public,” Finley stated. “Those who follow us on Twitter will receive our Tweets on their mobile devices, desktop computers, electronic tablets and other internet capable devices. We are excited to offer this online service.”
To follow us on Twitter, go to https://twitter.com/USAO_WDLA, or add our Twitter address, @USAO_WDLA, to the Twitter app on your electronic device. In addition to Twitter, the U.S. Attorney’s Office also maintains a website (www.justice.gov/usao/law), which is the primary source of information relating to functions of the office.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Selling Fake Identification, Illegal Reentry to the U.S.Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Mexican national pleaded guilty Tuesday to his role in a scheme to sell counterfeit identification and also to illegally reentering the United States. A second Mexican national pleaded guilty to hiring an illegal alien.
Nazario Flores-Cordero, 44, of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of fraud and misuse of visas, permits and other documents; one count of false representation of a Social Security account number; and one count of illegal re-entry to the United States following deportation. Jesus Francisco Herrera-Gonzalez, 36, also of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of encouraging or inducing Nazario Flores-Cordero, an illegal alien, to reside in the United States by employing him. They pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks.
According to the evidence presented at the guilty pleas, Flores-Cordero sold counterfeited or altered fake permanent resident cards and Social Security cards from October 2011 to May of 2014 in the Shreveport/Bossier City area that were to be used to falsely show that illegal aliens were lawfully in the United States and could be employed. Each counterfeit permanent resident card showed the name of the individual and photograph of the individual to be employed. Each counterfeit Social Security card falsely used and represented a Social Security account number not assigned to the individual named on the card. Flores-Cordero was also found to be illegally in the United States after he was last removed from the United States to Mexico in 2013.
Flores-Cordero faces five years in prison for fraud and for false Social Security number representation, plus two years in prison for illegal re-entry. Herrera-Gonzalez faces five years in prison. Both face one to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine for each count. The court can also order them deported. A sentencing date of March 23, 2015 was set.
United States Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Former Correctional Officer, Michigan Woman Plead Guilty to Conspiring to Smuggle Phone into PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a former correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., along with a relative of an inmate, pleaded guilty Monday for their roles in a conspiracy to introduce a cell phone into the prison.
Maggie Kay Comeaux, 28, of Ball, La., entered a conditional guilty plea to one count of conspiracy, and Paris Smith, 21, of Detroit, Mich., entered a conditional guilty plea to one count of providing contraband to a prisoner to U.S. Magistrate Judge James D. Kirk. The pleas will become final when accepted by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter. According to the evidence presented at the guilty pleas, from January 2013 to April 2013, Comeaux accepted a $400 bribe from Smith and two other conspirators to smuggle a cell phone and charging cords into the prison. A review of the subscriber information showed that the phone was listed in Smith’s name. Also, a record of a money wire transfer showed that $400 was sent to Comeaux.Comeaux faces up to five years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy, and Smith faces one year in prison and one year of supervised release for providing contraband to a prisoner. They also face up to a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of February 5, 2015 was set for both defendants.
The U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.
Californian Pleads Guilty to Failing to Update his Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a California man pleaded guilty to failing to register as a sex offender after traveling to Alexandria.
Tyrone Bradshaw, 49, of Los Angeles, Calif., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of failure to register as a sex offender. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Bradshaw traveled by bus to Alexandria on August 1, 2012. He obtained a state identification card on August 3, 2012 and listed his address as Lake Charles, La. He did not have his sex offender status included on the identification as required by Louisiana state law. Alexandria police later arrested Bradshaw. The defendant previously pleaded guilty in November of 1985 to state charges in California for kidnapping, forcible rape, and robbery of a 16-year-old. He was released in 1994.
Bradshaw faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of February 26, 2015 was set.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the Alexandria Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael O’Mara is prosecuting the case.
Pennsylvania Man Pleads Guilty to using the Internet to attempt to Exploit a Child in Lake CharlesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Pennsylvania man pleaded guilty to attempting to entice a child in Lake Charles, La., to engage in sexual activity.
Timothy Kelly, 40, of Jeannette, Penn., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of using a facility in interstate commerce to attempt to cause a minor to engage in elicit sexual activity. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Kelly began communicating with a 13-year-old girl in Lake Charles early in 2013. He discussed sexually explicit conduct and sent explicit images of himself to the girl. He also requested that the girl have sex with him and discussed traveling to Louisiana for that purpose. On January 12, 13, and 14 of 2013, the defendant asked the girl to send him sexually explicit pictures of herself.
Kelly faces 10 years to life in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine for each count. A sentencing date was not set.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice launched 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 (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) encourages the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) DHS-2ICE. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp. Tips may be submitted anonymously.Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker and Jamilla A. Bynog are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Collects more than $10.7 Million in Civil, Criminal, Asset Forfeiture Actions in FY 2014Read the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La.: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana collected $10,732,350 through civil, criminal, and asset forfeiture actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2014.
Of the total amount, $6,406,530 was collected in criminal actions and $515,884 was collected in civil actionsThe U.S. Attorney’s Office worked with various other offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $1,166,498.
Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the Justice Department collected $24.7 billionin civil and criminal actions in the fiscal year ending September 30, 2014. The more than $24 billion in collections in FY 2014 represents nearly eight and a half times the appropriated $2.91 billion budget for the 94 U.S. Attorney’s offices and the main litigating divisions in that same period.
Included in the FY 2014 criminal collections, the Western District of Louisiana recovered $948,249.11 from Lake Charles Dr. Lynn Foret. The doctor was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Haik on December 17, 2013, to 12 months imprisonment and three years of supervised release in addition to the restitution amount for health care fraud. From 2003 to 2009, Foret injected his patients’ knees with a steroid solution while falsely billing and receiving payments from Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance companies for a more costly drug called Hyalgan.
Also included in the FY 2014 civil collections, are the Western District of Louisiana Financial Litigation Unit’s recovery of $290,969.71 in court-ordered restitution from Kirby Cole, which will be distributed to the victim, the Phillips Foundation. To date, $1,287,323.10 in restitution has been collected. Cole was sentenced in Shreveport by U.S. District Court Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. in April of 2010 to pay the total restitution of $2,040,715 for mail fraud associated with his work at the Phillips Foundation, where he was trustee of the charitable organization.
The U.S. Attorneys’ Office is responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States 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 of Justice Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
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, Health and Human Services, Internal Revenue Service, Small Business Administration and Department of Education.
“Every day, the Justice Department’s federal prosecutors and trial attorneys work hard to protect our citizens, to safeguard precious taxpayer resources, and to provide a valuable return on investment to the American people,” said Attorney General Holder. “Their diligent efforts are enabling us to achieve justice and recoup losses in virtually every sector of the U.S. economy. And this result shows the fruits of the Justice Department’s tireless work in enforcing federal laws; in protecting the American people from violent crime, national security threats, discrimination, exploitation, and abuse; and in holding financial institutions accountable for their roles in causing the 2008 financial crisis.”
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is dedicated to protecting the public and recovering funds for victims of federal crime and for the federal treasury,” stated U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley. “Victims depend on our office to collect restitution. We will continue to make every effort to collect restitution on behalf of victims and hold accountable those who seek to profit from illegal activities.”
Lafayette Man Sentenced to 200 Months in Prison for Possession of Cocaine with Intent to DistributeRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Lafayette man was sentenced Thursday, to 200 months in prison and five years of supervised release for possession of cocaine.
Calvin James Catalon Jr., 35, of Lafayette, La., was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi on one count of possession of cocaine with intent to distribute. According to evidence presented at the May 22, 2014 guilty plea, a Lake Charles police officer stopped Catalon’s vehicle for a traffic violation on January 17, 2014 on I-10. After the officer conducted a search of the vehicle, the officer found a bag containing white powder which was tested at a DEA laboratory in Dallas and identified as cocaine. The net weight of the illegal substance was approximately 991.8 grams.
“Because of the work of an alert police officer, a large shipment of cocaine was taken off the streets,” Finley stated. “Our goal is to keep communities safe and free of these dangerous substances. We will continue to vigorously prosecute these cases.”
The FBI, DEA, Lake Charles Police Department, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Calcasieu Anti-Drug Team conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Canadian Woman Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Illegal Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that aCanadian womanwas sentenced Thursday to 30 months in prison for conspiring to buy methamphetamine in Houston for sale in the Lake Charles area.
Lisa Odale, 59, of Airdrie, Canada, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of a mixture of a substance containing a detectable quantity of methamphetamine. She was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $3,988 in restitution for extradition costs. According to evidence presented at the June 5, 2014 guilty plea, Odale, a Canadian who was living in Houston at the time of her arrest, conspired with others to distribute methamphetamine from December 2005 to April 2006. On January 30, 2006, police responded to a home invasion complaint when they found methamphetamine among Odale’s possessions. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Odale had been selling the methamphetamine to dealers who would distribute the illegal drugs in the Lake Charles area.
The DEA, Houston Police Department, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Calcasieu Parish Combined Anti-Drug Team participated in this OCDETF investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
The defendants were arrested as part of Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation Operation Whiteout. 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Indicts 4 for Cocaine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal grand jury indicted four people in a cocaine and methamphetamine distribution operation in Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, and Red River parishes.
Those named in the 16-count indictment are: Shawn F. Swift, 35; Linda G. Brown, 59; Ricky R. Swift, 62; and Jarvis D. Randle, 26, all of Shreveport.
According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, and cocaine base from January of 2013 to October of 2014 in Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto and Red River parishes. The indictment also seeks forfeiture of 39 weapons seized during the investigation of this case and more than $360,000. Specifically, the indictment states that $89,700 was seized during a traffic stop on September 21, 2014; $237,753 was seized from the home of Ricky Swift and Linda Brown on October 21, 2014; and $40,457 was seized from the home of Shawn Swift on October 21, 2014.
The defendants face various possible penalties depending on the drug quantity involved and their criminal histories as listed below:
- Conspiracy to Possess and Distribute Cocaine - up to 20 years in prison, and for some, up to life in prison, and up to five years of supervised release;
- Distribution of Cocaine and Methamphetamine and Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine - up to 20 years in prison, and for some, up to 40 years in prison, and up to five years of supervised release;
- Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking - a mandatory five years in prison consecutive to any other sentence and three years of supervised release;
- Possession of Firearms by a Convicted Felon - up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release;
- Possession of Firearms with Obliterated Serial Numbers - up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release; and
- Maintaining a Drug-Involved Premises - up to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
The defendants also face a fine of up to $5 million and forfeiture of the money and property seized in the case.
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation named “Not So Swift.” The FBI, ATF, DEA, Louisiana State Police, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Red River 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 James G. Cowles Jr. and Allison D. Bushnell 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Indicts 14 for Acadiana Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal grand jury indicted 14 people in a methamphetamine distribution conspiracy in Lafayette, New Iberia and the surrounding areas.
Those named in the 20-count indictment are:
Gary Hunt, 58, of Spendora, Texas;
Elliot Jolet, 34, of New Iberia, La.;
Anita Desormeaux, 42, of New Iberia;
Ko Chanhkongshinh, 37, of Youngsville, La.;
Jenee Lynn Hargrave, 29, of Scott, La.;
David Lowery, 32, of New Iberia;
Everette Dupuis, 39, of New Iberia;
Michael Guidry, 44, of Erath, La.;
Tyrone Howard, 42, of Youngsville;
Kevin Jefferson, 31, of New Iberia;
Nared Souphannavong, 29, of New Iberia;
Brandi Boullion, 27, of New Iberia;
Dewey Migues, 35, of New Iberia; and
Corey Freyou, 37, of New Iberia.According to the indictment, the defendants conspired to distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine in New Iberia, Lafayette, and the surrounding areas. Jolet and Desormeaux purchased methamphetamine from Hunt in Texas and other sources and then transported it to the South Central Louisiana area. It was then sold or distributed in reduced quantities among the other conspirators. The investigation also resulted in the seizure of crystal methamphetamine, more than $5,400, a vehicle, and several firearms. Of the defendants, 12 have been arrested. Dupuis and Hargrave still remain at large. If you have information on the location of the defendants who are still at large, please call the DEA at 337-706-3940 or the U.S. Marshal’s Service at 337-262-6666.
The defendants face various possible penalties depending on the drug quantity involved and their drug histories. Some defendants face up to 20 years in prison, and some face up to life in prison, and up to 10 years of supervised release, for the conspiracy to possess and distribute methamphetamine count. The defendants also face up to 40 years in prison, and some up to life, and up to eight years of supervised release, for the distribution of methamphetamine count; they face up to eight years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for the use of a communication facility in causing or facilitating a drug trafficking crime count; and defendant Migues faces up to 10 years in prison and up to three years of supervised release for the possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon count. They also face a fine of up to $20 million and forfeiture of the money and property seized in the case.
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation. The DEA, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafayette Police Department participated in this OCDETF investigation. The U.S. Marshal’s Service, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the Lafayette City Marshal’s Office assisted in the arrests. 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 Myers P. Namie, Daniel J. McCoy and Robert F. Moore 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.
Homer Man Sentenced to 38 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $59,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Homer man was sentenced to 38 months in prison for stealing more than $59,000 from his Claiborne Parish employer’s bank account.
John Bob Jr., 47, of Homer, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for one count of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. He was also sentenced to five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $58,248 restitution. According to the evidence presented at the July 15, 2014 guilty plea, the defendant used his employer’s debit card and personal identification number to make approximately 200 withdrawals totaling $59,602 from May 2012 to July 2013 from banks across northwest Louisiana.
The FBI and Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.Bossier City Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing an Unregistered FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announcedtoday that aBossier City man pleaded guilty to possessing an unregistered firearm.
Daniel L. Dawson, 25, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possessing an unregistered firearm. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Bossier City Police responded to reports of gun fire on March 25, 2014. Dawson was found in possession of an H. Koon, model Snake Charmer, .410 gauge shotgun that had its shoulder stock cut down to a pistol grip. This made the shotgun less than 26 inches in length. The weapon was also found to not have been registered to Dawson through the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record.
Dawson faces up to 10 years in prison, one year of supervised release, a $10,000 fine, and forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition. A sentencing date of January 15, 2015 was set.
The ATF and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods Program, which is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce the possession of unlawful firearms and the use of firearms to commit crimes.
Former Lake Charles Company Employee Sentenced for Conspiring to Steal $900,000 Worth of MerchandiseRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a former purchasing agent for a Lake Charles aviation company was sentenced to 36 months in prison for his role in stealing more than $900,000 worth of aircraft parts in return for cash.
David Kuhl, 54, of Federal Way, Washington, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik, to pay restitution of $930,401 and serve three years of supervised release. Kuhl pleaded guilty on October 10, 2013, to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Kuhl used his position as a purchasing agent for Aeroframe Services LLC in Lake Charles to steal merchandise and then sell that merchandise to other businesses in the aviation industry across the United States. After those aviation companies sold the parts, they would either wire money or send checks to Kuhl who would then pay his co-conspirator at Aeroframe. He was also paid in the form of airline tickets, and on one occasion, in the form of a family vacation. Kuhl took part in the conspiracy from February 26, 2007 to June 10, 2009. Aeroframe is a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)/European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certified Part 145 repair station and maintenance repair operations business.
“This defendant abused his position to satisfy his greed,” Finley stated. “We will prosecute anyone who commits fraud against businesses in the Western District of Louisiana. Thank you to the prosecutors and law enforcement agencies who worked this case.”
The U.S. Secret Service and the Lake Charles Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard A. Willis and Daniel J. McCoy prosecuted the case.Ville Platte Man Sentenced to 102 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery of St. Landry Parish Convenience StoreRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Ville Platte man was sentenced Friday to 102 months in prison for the armed robbery of more than $11,000 from a truck stop and a casino in St. Landry Parish.
Ronald James Doomes, 26, of Ville Platte, La., was sentenced on Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote, to 18 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and 84 months in prison for one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. He was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $2,100 in restitution. A jury convicted Doomes after a four-day trial that ended on July 31, 2014. According to evidence presented at the trial, Arinkskie Tryvon Orlandeze Jones and Dudley Nelson, also of Ville Platte, took part in the armed robbery on April 8, 2011, at the Tiger Trax Truckstop #7 and Video Joker II Casino located in St. Landry Parish. After robbing the truck stop and casino, the defendants left with $11,675 in a white sports utility vehicle. St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s deputies located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. A high-speed chase ensued, three individuals exited the vehicle in a residential area of Opelousas and fled on foot. Nelson was apprehended. Jones and Doomes turned themselves in to authorities six days later.
After a three-day trial that ended on August 27, 2014, a jury found Jones guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery. A sentencing date has not been set. Nelson was sentenced on September 22, 2014 to 105 months in prison for his role in the robbery.
“This robbery placed innocent employees’ and customers’ lives at risk,” Finley stated. “I hope this case serves to dispel the notion that robbery is a quick and easy way to make money. If you commit this type of crime, you will be punished to the fullest extent of the law.”
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety. The PSN attorneys prosecute a variety of federal firearms violations listed in Titles 18 and 26 of the U.S. Code, including illegal possession of firearms and commission of crimes with firearms.
The FBI, ATF and the St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Iberia Parish Man Sentenced for Traveling to North Carolina to have Sex with a MinorRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a New Iberia man was sentenced to 210 months in prison for traveling to North Carolina in order to have sex with a minor.
Ray Paul Dionne, 55, of New Iberia, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik on one count of traveling with the intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. He was also sentenced to a lifetime of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Dionne admitted that he traveled to North Carolina on two occasions in June and August of 2012 to engage in sexual contact with a minor under the age of 12. On August 27, 2012, when law enforcement learned that Dionne was staying at a North Carolina residence, they entered the residence and discovered Dionne lying in bed with the child.
“One of our top priorities in this District is protecting children,” Finley stated. “This case should send a message that Louisiana is not a safe haven for those who exploit children. The U.S. Attorney’s Office, along with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate and prosecute this type of activity to the fullest extent of the law.”
The Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Boiling Point Springs Police Department, Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, and the U.S. Marshal’s Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
U.S. Attorney's Office Announces $255,000 Settlement with Livestock Producers for False Claims AllegationsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a settlement has been reached with Carl Trahan, Melissa Trahan, the Estate of Ernie Little, Thad Little, Stacy Little, T.L. Cattle Co., and Little Cattle Co., for $255,000 in damages associated with claims submitted to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Farm Service Agency (FSA) to qualify for and receive 2005 Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP) payments following Hurricane Rita.
In 2005, the LIP provided payments to livestock producers for livestock deaths resulting from natural disasters, including Hurricane Rita. In order to qualify for disaster payments, producers were required to submit documentation to the FSA office to prove that the death of the eligible livestock occurred in an eligible parish as a direct result of an eligible hurricane. Beginning in June 2006, the settling parties made statements and claims to the FSA to obtain LIP payments which the United States contends were false or fraudulent.
“The federal government set up a program to help livestock producers who sustained significant losses during natural disasters,” Finley stated. “It is unfortunate that there are people who misuse these programs, but they should understand that such conduct will not be taken lightly in this District.”
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Office of Inspector General, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen J. King and Affirmative Civil Enforcement Investigator Christopher Knighton handled the civil case. The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
If you witness or have knowledge of any violations of laws and regulations related to USDA programs, contact the OIG Hotline by telephone at (800) 424-9121 or TDD (202) 690-1202, or by email at [email protected].
Desperado's Owner Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Desperado’s Cabaret owner James Panos was sentenced to 72 months in prison for racketeering conspiracy.
James “Jim” Panos, 56, of Broussard, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for one count of racketeering conspiracy at the now closed Desperado’s Cabaret in Carencro, La. He was also sentenced to two years of supervised release and agreed to forfeit illegal proceeds, 10 firearms already seized, the Desperado’s property, to include the building and land.
In addition to Panos, his wife, Jennifer Panos, 48, of Broussard, was also sentenced to 48 months in prison and two years of supervised release for one count of racketeering conspiracy, as well as forfeiture of the items listed.
The following former Desperado’s employees were also sentenced today for one count of conspiracy to maintain drug involved premises and distribution of controlled substances:
- Tanja Clavier, 29, of Church Point, La. was sentenced to five years probation.
- Acquila Latigue, 28, of New Iberia, La., was sentenced to five years probation.
“The defendants conspired to promote an environment of drug abuse and prostitution in our community without regard to the harm it caused,” Finley stated. “This office will continue to work to prosecute anyone who violates the law and damages our communities with these types of activities. I want to thank the law enforcement agencies for their hard work.”
James Panos, Jennifer Panos, Clavier and Latigue are the last defendants in a 10-count indictment to be sentenced. They were charged on May 15, 2013, in an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy, and firearms charges. The charges are the result of an investigation of drug trafficking, drug distribution, prostitution, and other illegal activity that took place at Desperado’s Cabaret in Carencro located on Northeast Evangeline Thruway.
On August 7, 2014, Desperado’s co-owner Dipak Vora, 70, of Baton Rouge, and five others were also sentenced for their roles in the illegal activity at Desperados’. Vora was sentenced to 10 months in prison, one year of supervised release and a $10,000 fine for one count of interstate and foreign travel or transportation in aid of racketeering, and Gerald Cormier, 44, of Carencro, was sentenced to 29 months in prison and one year of supervised release on his conviction for distribution of cocaine.
The following former Desperado’s employees were sentenced August 7, 2014 for one count of conspiracy to maintain drug involved premises and distribution of controlled substances:
- Elias “E.J.” White, 53, of Lafayette, was sentenced to 54 months of probation;
- Heike Slattery, 42, of Carencro, was sentenced to two years of probation;
- Crystal Sampy, 32, of Lafayette, was sentenced to three years of probation and a $1,000 fine.
- Lydia “Unique” Gauthreaux, 32, of Crowley, was sentenced to three years of probation and a $1,000 fine.
In total, 10 defendants were convicted of felony racketeering and drug charges, approximately $1.2 million in assets and proceeds were seized and forfeited, and Desperado’s has been closed since December 5, 2012, and will remain so indefinitely. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police and Lafayette Metro Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorneys Myers Namie and Daniel McCoy prosecuted the case.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to 60 Months in Prison for Failing to Update his Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United StatesAttorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man was sentenced on Wednesday to 60 months in prison for failing to update his sex offender registration.
Michael Thomas Cupp, 60, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, for one count of failure to update his sex offender registration. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the July 28 2014 guilty plea, starting in April 2009, Cupp listed his sex offender registration as being in Texas. However, upon investigation, it was determined that Cupp had never lived in Texas. Cupp was originally convicted of forcible rape, incest, carnal knowledge of a juvenile and indecent behavior with a juvenile in state district court in Baton Rouge in 1992. After completion of his prison sentence, he began living in Shreveport in 1998. Cupp then registered his address in Panola County (Texas) with the Sheriff’s Office in April of 2009, but after a compliance check of sex offenders in 2012, he was found to have been living and working continuously in Shreveport.The U.S. Marshal’s Service, Panola County Sheriff’s Office in Texas, and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.
Many Resident Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Cocaine BaseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Many resident pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine in Sabine Parish.
Cassius L. Medlock, 32, of Many, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote, to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. Medlock was stopped on August 14, 2014, for speeding and after searching the vehicle, officers observed more than 193 grams of cocaine base and marijuana in the vehicle he was driving. Six children were also present in the vehicle.Medlock faces five to 40 years in prison, four to five years of supervised release and a $5 million fine. A sentencing date of March 5, 2015 was set.
The DEA and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg is prosecuting the case.
Lafayette Man Pleads Guilty to Making a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –U.S. AttorneyStephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lafayette stockbroker and financial consultant pleaded guilty to not reporting more than $350,000 of income on his tax return.
Donald Domingues, 56, of Lafayette, entered a guilty plea before U.S. District Judge Richard Haik for one count of making a false tax return. According to the guilty plea, Domingues, who is a financial consultant and stockbroker in Lafayette, was paid a $351,000 commission in 2007 to help negotiate the sale of Powerhouse Inc., a Louisiana natural gas equipment supply service company. However, rather than take possession of the check in his own name, Domingues had Powerhouse make the check payable to Ray Chevrolet, a car dealership in which he maintained an ownership interest. The day after depositing the check into the dealership’s bank account, he caused the issuance of a check to himself for the same amount. When Domingues filed his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040 for calendar year 2007, he intentionally left out the $351,000 sales commission. The intended tax loss as a result of this transaction was calculated to be $121,050.75.
Domingues faces up to three years in prison, one year supervised release, a $100,000 fine and any applicable restitution. A sentencing date was not set.The IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard C. Parker and David C. Joseph are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes Western District of Louisiana VeteransRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE/ALEXANDRIA/LAKE CHARLES/MONROE, La.: United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that the U. S. Attorney’s Office will honor the men and women of the Western District of Louisiana and their family members who have served in the United States Armed Forces with a video presentation.
The presentation features employees from the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Shreveport and Lafayette, Federal Courthouse employees in Shreveport, Lafayette, Alexandria, Lake Charles and Monroe, and family members. The video will be available for public viewing from November 10th to November 14th in the lobby of the United States Federal Courthouses in Shreveport and Lafayette.
“This video presentation is just a small way that we can honor our veterans,” Finley stated. “As a member of the United States Air Force, I am very aware of how lucky we are to have these veterans in our communities and how important it is for us to recognize their service. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of the men and women who serve and give their lives to safeguard our freedoms.”
Western District of Louisiana employees being honored for their service are:
United States Army – Aaron Broussard, Mike Campbell, U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell, Robert Gillespie, David Joseph, Vincent Mangum, Joseph Mickel, Howard Parker, Edward Prokopf, Victor Sheppard, U.S. District Judge Tom Stagg, Fifth Circuit Judge Carl Stewart, Christ Turner, and U.S. District Judge Donald Walter.
United States Navy – Joseph Jarzabek, Daniel McCoy, and Ryan Turner.
United States Coast Guard – Dennis K. Austin and U.S. Magistrate Judge Patrick Hanna.
United States Marin Corps – Angelo Iorio.
United Stated Air Force – Mitzie Cochrane, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, Samuel Glass, Michael O’Mara, Ryan Peck, Walter Sittig, U.S. District Judge James T. Trimble, Jr., and U.S. Marshal Henry L. Whitehorn, Sr.
Immediate family members of the personnel in the Western District of Louisiana U.S. Attorney’s Office and U.S. District Court System being honored for their service are:
United States Army – Gerald Champagne, Steven L. Dupont, Doyce Ray Hebert, Eric Iorio, Shelton Julian, Joseph LeJeune, David A. McBride, and Michael E. Schaff.
United States Navy – Kyle Alwert, David Cochrane, and Leon Gordon Jones.
United States Air Force – John T. Julian and Alan Williams.
United States Marine Corps – Stephen Box
Of those listed above, three have received Purple Hearts and other medals for their actions during various wars. Shelton Julian, the grandfather of Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen King, served in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was assigned to the 92nd Infantry, Buffalo Division. During his service, he received the Purple Heart and one Oak Leaf Cluster. United States District Court Judge Tom Stagg served in the U.S. Army during WWII in Europe from 1944-1946. During his service, he received the Combat Infantry Badge, the Bronze Star for Valor, the Bronze Star for Meritorious Service, and two Purple Hearts. Steven Dupont, son of FDA Investigator Charles Dupont, served in the United States Army from 2008 until 2010 and was stationed at Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 3d Squadron, 2d Stryker Cavalry Regiment at Rose Barracks in Vilseck, Germany. He was assigned to Ghostrider Company as a Forward Observer during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Dupont was killed in action on October 24, 2010, in Rangrizan, Afghanistan. Specialist Dupont was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the NATO Medal and the Combat Action Badge, posthumously. While on active duty, he received the National Defense Service Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
The Purple Heart is given to military members who are wounded or killed in action. The Bronze Star of Valor is awarded for acts of heroism, acts of merit or meritorious service in a combat zone and is the fourth-highest combat decoration awarded to military members. The Oak Leaf Cluster denotes subsequent decorations and awards.
The U.S. Federal Courthouse in Shreveport is located at 300 Fannin Street, and U.S. Federal Courthouse in Lafayette is located at 800 Lafayette Street. For more information, call 337-262-6618.
In addition, in recognition of Veteran’s Day, United States Attorney Finley and staff members also visited Overton Brooks Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Shreveport on November 7, 2014. Overton Brooks hosted a series of events that included a visit by the United States Marine Corps, a burger burn by Eighth Air Force, Barksdale Air Force Base, a visit from the Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks basketball team, and a dedication of three memorial benches from Hillcrest Funeral Home and Centuries Memorial Funeral Home.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office also attended an event hosted by the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette on Sunday, November 9, 2014, which featured WWII veteran Paul Hilliard. The local museum partnered with the National WWII Museum to present a discussion about WWII events. Mr. Hilliard shared stories of his WWII experience; the museum currently has on exhibit photographs from World War II. To learn more, visit www.hilliardmuseum.org or call (337) 482-2278.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to 18 Months in Prison for Role in LSU Health Sciences Center Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United StatesAttorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a former staff member at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC) was sentenced today to 18 months in prison for mail fraud in connection with a bribery scheme involving a laboratory supply company owner.
Anthony Roggero, 69, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of mail fraud. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $200,000 to LSUHSC payable jointly and severally with his co-conspirators. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea hearings, Roggero, who was the LSUHSC’s Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) laboratory assistant director and had purchasing authority to buy up to $5,000 for reagents and supplies. LSUHSC’s HLA laboratory played a critical support role for solid organ and bone marrow transplants, performing cross matching and tissue typing analyses. Unknown to LSUHSC, Roggero conspired with Sangre Biologicals owner, Rita M. Myler, to buy products from her company from at least June 2001 to July 2008. Sangre Biologicals received more than $540,000 from LSUHSC during the course of the scheme. In return for doing business with Sangre Biologicals, Myler mailed cash kickbacks, of which Roggero deposited approximately $117,000 in cash to his account at a credit union.
Myler, Roggero’s co-conspirator, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud on October 7, 2014. A sentencing date of January 26, 2015 was set.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan is prosecuting the case.
Natchitoches Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Role in Illegal Drug ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Natchitoches man was sentenced to 70 months in prison for conspiring to sell cocaine and methamphetamine.
James R. Smith Jr., 39, of Natchitoches, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Donald Walter for one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the May 16, 2014 guilty plea, Smith conspired with others from 2010 to 2013 to distribute and possess powder cocaine and methamphetamine in Caddo Parish, Bossier Parish, Vernon Parish and Houston, Texas. Authorities recorded Smith selling another man 1 pound of methamphetamine.
Smith was arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation called Operation Styrofoam Cookies. The DEA participated in this OCDETF 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. Attorney James G. Cowles prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney Staff Visit Overton Brooks Medical Center in Observance of Veterans DayRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La.–United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley and five staff members, Aaron Broussard, U.S. Army; Robert Gillespie, U.S. Army; Samuel Glass, U.S. Air Force; Vincent Mangum, U.S. Army; and Mike O’Mara, U.S. Air Force visited the Overton Brooks Veterans Affairs Medical Center today to honor veterans and remember their service. Finley also took a tour of the Overton Brooks VA facilities with Interim Director Toby Mathew and his staff.
Overton Brooks hosted a series of events from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. today which included a Veterans of Foreign Wars Poker Run, Combined Federal Campaign Armed Forces T-shirt sale, U.S. Marine cake cutting ceremony, Barksdale 8th U.S. Air Force Top 3 burger burn, visit from the Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks basketball team, and a dedication of three memorial benches from Hillcrest Funeral Home and the Overton Brooks student volunteers class of 2014.
“It’s an honor to participate and visit the Overton Brooks facility,” Finley stated. “I hope everyone takes a little time this weekend and next week to remember and thank veterans for their service. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of the men and women who serve and have served our nation and safeguarded our freedoms.”
Overton Brooks serves more than 37,000 Veterans per year. The hospital is accredited for 111 inpatient beds and provides more than 462,000 outpatient visits per year. The medical center has an active accredited research program and is one of the regional sites for Veterans Integrated Service Network 16 Hematology/Oncology Center. The medical center manages three Community-Based Outpatient Clinics in Monroe; Longview, Texas; and Texarkana, Ark. For more information, visit www.shreveport.va.gov.
Oakdale Inmate Pleads Guilty to Inflicting Severe Injuries on a Fellow InmateRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that an Oakdale inmate pleaded guilty Thursday to severely beating a fellow inmate twice in one day.
Douglas Darrell Harris, 32, a resident of the Federal Correctional Institution in Oakdale, La., pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to one count of assault at a federal correctional institution. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Harris assaulted a fellow inmate twice on April 1, 2014. One of the beatings was caught on camera, and the other was witnessed by a guard. As a result of the beatings, the injured inmate suffered from fractured fingers, a fractured humerus, blurred vision and head pain. He also suffered a seizure and was admitted into the intensive care unit. Additionally, his hands were so badly injured, they required surgery.
The defendant faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of February 12, 2015 was set.
The FBI investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney, Caddo Sheriff, Shreveport Police, Caddo School Board Join Together to Debut New Tool Teaching Firearm Safety to Students in the Western DistrictRead the Press Release
New demonstration trailer housed in Caddo Parish
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley joined by Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator, Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw and Caddo Parish School Board Superintendent Dr. Theodis Lamar Goree, Jr., debuted the newest tool available to law enforcement to teach firearm safety to children in the Western District of Louisiana.
Students at Werner Park Academy were the first to see the Western District’s new firearm safety trailer in operation today. The trailer is available for use as part of the Louisiana Law Enforcement Gun Safety Program to teach firearm safety to children at area schools. Since its inception in June of 2013, the program has reached approximately 22,100 children.
Until last month, there was only one safety trailer available for use statewide. Now there is a trailer in each of the three federal judicial districts in Louisiana - Western, Middle and Eastern. After Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator agreed to provide space for the training trailer, the Western District was able to launch its program. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office now houses the trailer, which is available for law enforcement agencies in the District to use. Forty-two of the state’s 64 parishes are in the Western District.
The Louisiana Law Enforcement for Gun Safety Program was created in response to the alarmingly high rate of accidental firearm injuries and deaths among children in Louisiana. The program uses certified law enforcement officers to teach parents and children about gun safety through an interactive presentation involving live demonstrations. The program demonstrates the dangers of firearms and tests students’ knowledge of gun safety. The instructors show students various handguns and ask them if the weapons are real or toys. The students in many cases are unable to distinguish between real or toy guns because many toy guns look, feel and weigh the same as real ones. At the end of the program, students are shown the destructive capacity of guns by watching a pistol fire a bullet into a watermelon inside of a protective enclosure. Students are instructed that weapons must be handled safely and with adult supervision.
The program aims to identify the hazards of unsecured firearms, teach individuals how to secure firearms, identify distinguishing characteristics between real and toy guns, and illustrate the destructive force of firearms through the use of the demonstration trailer. Presentations are conducted at schools, camps and community events.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is proud help usher in the next step of this program,” Finley said. “We will now be able to reach even more schools and students using this new trailer. Children’s safety in the Western District of Louisiana is of the utmost concern for this office. The Gun Safety Program helps educate students on how to react when finding a gun. I would like to thank all law enforcement who have joined this effort to keep children safe. This program will save lives.”
“The Caddo Sheriff’s Office looks forward to making the Louisiana Law Enforcement for Gun Safety Program available to the citizens of Caddo Parish,” said Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator. “The accidental injury or death of a child due to firearms is a terrible tragedy and one we hope to prevent by educating children and their parents about the safe handling and storage of weapons. We’ve been successful with presenting this message to elementary-age students at Sheriff’s Safety Town and are excited to have a tool to now reach out to older children and adults.”
“Having seen firsthand the tragic results of accidental firearm injuries, we are well aware of the critical need to teach our children about gun safety and this unique, interactive educational program is the perfect opportunity to partner with other law enforcement entities in a proactive effort to keep our kids safe,” said Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw.
“Each day in Caddo Parish Public Schools we work to better students not only academically, but to ensure their safety and security and provide life skills needed to foster vibrant community members,” said Caddo Parish Superintendent Dr. Theodis Lamar Goree, Jr. “This program is a powerful tool to educate our students on the dangers of firearms and will translate into positive results for our youth. We are grateful for this partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office as well as the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office and Shreveport Police, and their desire to begin this program right here at Werner Park Elementary.”
The program is available for use by all law enforcement agencies in Louisiana through the endorsements of the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for the Western, Middle and Eastern districts, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Baton Rouge City Constable’s Office, Louisiana Department of Corrections, Louisiana Sheriff’s Association, Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police, Louisiana City Marshals and City Constables Association, Louisiana District Attorneys Association, Louisiana State Police, and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office Law Enforcement Community Coordinator Mike Campbell is conducting the training and is assisting with the operation of the program in conjunction with the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office. As LECC, Campbell acts as a liaison between the U.S. Attorney=s Office and local, state, and federal law enforcement. He assists with grants, coordinates and provides law enforcement training, and assists law enforcement agencies with special and community needs.
For more information about the firearms safety program, contact Mike Campbell at the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 318-676-3600 or Mike Gregory at the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-681-1106.
U.S. Attorney Announces November 4 Efforts to Protect Voting Rights, Prosecute Ballot FraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, LAFAYETTE, LAKE CHARLES, ALEXANDRIA, MONROE, La.– United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley advises that federal staff will be available to respond to complaints of possible election fraud and other violations of voting rights during the November 4 general election.
Election-crime complaints should be directed to the local U.S. Attorney’s Office or the local FBI office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office can be reached by the public at 318-676-3600 (Shreveport) or 337-262-6618 (Lafayette). The local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: Shreveport at 318-861-1890 or Lafayette at 337-233-2164. For a complete list of FBI field offices in Louisiana visit www.fbi.gov/neworleans/contact-us/territory-jurisdiction
Finley is joining other federal prosecutors nationwide to participate in the Department of Justice’s election-day program. The U.S. Attorney’s Office is responsible for overseeing and handling election fraud complaints and voting rights abuses in conjunction with the Justice Department.
On Nov. 4, 2014, the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices will work with specially trained FBI personnel in each district to ensure that complaints from the public involving possible voter fraud are handled appropriately. Specifically:
- In consultation with federal prosecutors at the Public Integrity Section in Washington, D.C., the District Election Officers in U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, FBI officials at headquarters in Washington, D.C., and FBI Special Agents serving as Election Crime Coordinators in the FBI’s 56 field offices will be on duty while polls are open, to receive complaints from the public.
- Public Integrity Section prosecutors are available to consult and coordinate with the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the FBI regarding the handling of election-crime allegations.
- Complaints related to violence, threats of violence, or intimidation at a polling place should be reported first to local police authorities by calling 911.
Both protecting the right to vote and combating election fraud are essential to maintaining the confidence of all Americans in our democratic system of government. We encourage anyone who has information suggesting voting discrimination or ballot fraud to contact the appropriate authorities.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.
The Civil Rights Division’s Voting Section enforces the civil provisions of a wide range of federal statutes that protect the right to vote including: the Voting Rights Act; the National Voter Registration Act; the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act; and the Help America Vote Act. Among other things, collectively, these laws:
- prohibit election practices that have either a discriminatory purpose based on race or membership in a minority language group or a discriminatory result of members of racial or language minority groups having less opportunity than other citizens to participate in the political process;
- prohibit intimidation of voters;
- provide that voters who need assistance in voting because of disability or illiteracy can obtain assistance from a person of their choice;
- require minority language election materials and assistance in certain jurisdictions;
- provide for accessible election machines for voters with disabilities;
- require provisional ballots for voters who assert they are eligible but whose names do not appear on poll books;
- provide for absentee ballots for service members, their family members and U.S. citizens living abroad;
- require states to ensure that citizens can register at drivers’ license offices, public assistance offices, other state agencies and through the mail; and
- include requirements regarding maintaining voter registration lists.
For more information on the acts that the division enforces, visit www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/overview.php.
Civil Rights Division staff will be available by phone to receive complaints related to voting rights (1-800-253-3931 toll free or 202-307-2767) or by TTY (202-305-0082). In addition, individuals may also report complaints, problems, or concerns related to voting by fax to 202-307-3961, by email to [email protected], and, by complaint forms that may be submitted through a link on the Department’s website, at http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot.
Ragley Man, Elton Man Sentenced for Roles in Armed Robbery at Coushatta Tribal ReservationRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Ragley man and an Elton man were sentenced Thursday for participating in a home invasion on the Coushatta Tribal Reservation.
John Harold Materne, 22, of Ragley, La., was sentenced to 37 months in prison for one count of Indian Country crime acts robbery, and 84 months in prison for one count of carrying and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. The prison terms will run consecutively. He was also ordered to serve eight years of supervised release. Trevor James Simon, 21, of Elton, La., was sentenced to 24 months in prison and three years of supervised release for one count of Indian Country crime acts robbery. United States District Judge Patricia Minaldi presided over the sentencing hearings.
According to evidence presented at the guilty pleas, the defendants along with Floyd H. Martine, Chanten Keith L. Gautreaux and another suspect traveled to the home of an acquaintance on December 3, 2013 to steal illegal drugs. Simon drove the vehicle, while Materne, who was carrying a shotgun, and Martine entered the home. As they were robbing the inhabitants, Gauthreaux entered the trailer and helped take pills and marijuana. The group was arrested while fleeing the scene. Materne and two of the victims are Native American Indians and members of the Coushatta Tribe.
Martine was sentenced on September 18, 2014 to 84 months in prison and eight years of supervised release. Gauthreaux was sentenced on September 11, 2014 to 24 months in prison and two years of supervised release.
Jurisdiction in Indian Country is based upon the unique sovereign relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes. Congress has extended the territorial jurisdiction of the United States to major crimes committed against Native Americans that take place in Indian Country, which includes all property that the government holds in trust or use by officially recognized Native American tribes. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes all major crimes and misdemeanor cases arising in Indian Country that are within the jurisdiction of this office. The U.S. Attorney’s Office prosecutes cases arising in Indian Country involving felonies where either the defendant or the victim is an Indian or both the defendant and the victim are Indian.
The FBI, ATF, and the Coushatta Tribal Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
Honduran National Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Reentering the U.S. IllegallyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARKES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Honduran man was sentenced Thursday to 30 months in prison for reentering the United States illegally.
Felipe Mercado-Veliz, 39, of Honduras, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to one count of reentry of a deported alien. He was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the July 24, 2014 guilty plea, Louisiana State Police stopped a vehicle on December 31, 2013 for a traffic violation. All three occupants did not have their identification, and U.S. Border Patrol was called. Records showed that Mercado-Veliz had been previously convicted of illegal reentry in 2008 and 2011. He was last removed on May 22, 2013.
United Stated Border Patrol and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
California Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Prison for Sexually Abusing MinorRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Californian pleaded guilty and was sentenced Thursday to 20 years in prison for sexually abusing a minor at Fort Polk.
Michael Anthony Zeno, 61, of Los Angeles, Calif., was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a minor. He was also ordered to serve a lifetime of supervised release. According to the evidence presented at the guilty plea, which also took place Thursday, the defendant entered the room of a minor relative under the age of 12 on June 1, 2007 and began performing a sex act on her while she slept. After the child woke up, Zeno exited the room. The home was located on the Fort Polk Military base.
The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command and the FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Lake Charles FBI office number is (337) 433-6353.
Lake Charles Woman Sentenced to 14 Months in Prison for Stealing more than $250,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lake Charles woman was sentenced to 14 months in prison for stealing more than a quarter of a million dollars from her employer.
Kristen Brady, 47, of Lake Charles, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of bank fraud. She was also sentenced to complete 50 hours of community service and ordered to pay $255,324.04 in restitution. According to the evidence presented at the July 24, 2014 guilty plea, Brady worked for a Lake Charles rental company as a bookkeeper for 12 years before her employment was terminated in November 2013. It was later discovered that she had forged authorizing signatures on more than 200 checks to her benefit in the company’s name, and in the process, received $255,324.04 of which she was not entitled.
The U.S. Secret Service and the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker prosecuted the case.
Prisoners Plead Guilty to Assault ChargeRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that two prisoners at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., pleaded guilty to beating a fellow inmate resulting in traumatic brain injury.
Jeffrey Lovell, 32, and Christopher Simpson, 36, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Dee D. Drell to one count of assault resulting in serious bodily injury. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, video cameras captured Lovell and Simpson assaulting a third inmate outside of his cell on June 11, 2013 at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock. The inmate was struck around his head and torso repeatedly. The prisoner was later brought to a hospital where he was treated for traumatic brain injury, which required a feeding tube.
The defendants face up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of February 13, 2015 was set.
The FBI and the U.S. Bureau of Prisons conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Franklin Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Child PornRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Franklin man pleaded guilty to charges that he downloaded and stored images of child pornography on a hard drive.
Tommie Joseph Beason, 37, of Franklin, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of possession of child pornography. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agents detected Beason downloading child pornography. Law enforcement agents then searched Beason’s residence on June 3, 2014 and found 230 images and 88 videos of hardcore child pornography on an external hard drive. The illegal files found included prepubescent child pornography with very young children and sadistic material.
Beason faces 10 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date has not been set.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) DHS-2ICE. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp. Tips may be submitted anonymously.
Texan Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Entice a Minor into Producing PornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Texan pleaded guilty Thursday to trying to lure a minor into producing a sex video.
Sach Kevin Vu, 32, of Arlington, Texas, entered a guilty plea Thursday before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of attempting to entice a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, an undercover officer posing as a 16-year-old girl responded on February 7, 2014 to an online advertisement seeking models for a photo shoot. Vu began communicating with the officer posing as a 16-year-old girl and set up a meeting in Haynesville, La., where he planned to produce a pornographic video. He communicated in detail beforehand about what kinds of sex acts he wanted performed. Vu was arrested on February 20, 2014 in Haynesville, La., after traveling there from Texas. Sex toys and camera equipment were found in his vehicle.
Vu faces 10 years to life in prison, not less than five years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. He is also required to register as a sex offender. A sentencing date of February 9, 2015 was set.
The FBI and the Claiborne Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, visit .
Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Shreveport FBI office number is (318) 861-1890.Shreveport Man, Texas Man Sentenced for Methamphetamine Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Shreveport man and a Texas man were sentenced Thursday to 219 months and 168 months in prison, respectively, for their roles in a methamphetamine distribution operation that stretched from Natchitoches, La., to Mexico.
Raymond D. Conley, 39, of Shreveport, was sentenced Thursday to 219 months in prison and Santiago Lopez, 41, of Harlingen, Texas, was sentenced to 168 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Donald E. Walter for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine. They were also sentenced to five years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the February 6, 2014 guilty pleas, law enforcement authorities became aware that Conley was storing illegal drugs at a girlfriend’s residence in Natchitoches. The property was searched on September 9, 2013, and Conley and Lopez were found there. They also found three large plastic wrapped bundles, one of which field tested positive for methamphetamine, and 13 one-ounce baggies containing methamphetamine. Conley admitted to storing the drugs at the Natchitoches home, and Lopez admitted to transporting the drugs from Mexico to the Natchitoches area for distribution.
“Those who deal in illegal narcotics will be brought to justice,” Finley stated. “We will continue to protect our communities from those who want to pollute them with dangerous drugs. I want to commend the prosecutor and the law enforcement agencies in this case for their hard work and dedication to this case.”
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation code named “Crystal Bend.” The DEA, ATF, Louisiana State Police, and Natchitoches Multi-Jurisdictional Task Force participated in this OCDETF operation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
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 targeted criminal organizations and seize their assets.Dallas Woman Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Dallas woman was sentenced to 41 months in prison for her role in a cocaine conspiracy in Northwest Louisiana and Texas.
Ericka M. Ruffins, 41, of Dallas, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. She was also sentenced to three years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the June 12, 2014 guilty plea, Ruffins would transport cocaine for co-defendant Renando Johnson from Dallas to Shreveport for distribution in the Shreveport area. Ruffins was recorded in early 2013 discussing cocaine transactions and plans to transport cocaine. The investigation also revealed that Renando Johnson obtained 4 to 6 ounces of powder cocaine from Ruffins a week. It is estimated that she delivered approximately 1.7 kilos of powder cocaine from January to May of 2013.
Ruffins is the last of six defendants to be sentenced in this case. Renando Johnson was sentenced to 38 months in prison, Elijah Johnson was sentenced to 42 months in prison, Emmitt Williams IV was sentenced to 24 months in prison, and Eady J. Horton was sentenced to time served for one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine in June and July of 2014. Tracy Russell was sentenced to 15 months in prison on June 13, 2014 for one count of unlawful use of a communication facility. They were all sentenced to three years of supervised release.
The defendants were arrested as part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) Operation code named “Hustle Hard.” The DEA, Louisiana State Police, Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office, Shreveport Police Department and Bossier City Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
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.
November 2014 ElectionsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La.– United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley advises the public today of the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s role during the upcoming November 4, 2014 and December 6, 2014 primary and general elections.
The Department of Justice’s Election Day Program is centered on deterring election fraud, discrimination at the polls and combating election violations. The goal is to ensure public confidence in the integrity of the election process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible election fraud and voting violations while the polls are open on Election Day.
Federal law protects against such crimes as intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes, and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input.
Early voting is October 21st to October 28th (except Sunday) from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the November 4th primary election, and November 22nd to November 29th (except Sunday) from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. for the December 6th general election. On November 4, 2014, the polls will open at 6:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m., and on December 6, 2014, the polls will open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. Residents should contact their local Registrar of Voters’ Office to determine their voting location. If you would like to download a sample ballot or obtain other election information, visit the Louisiana Secretary of State’s web page at www.sos.la.gov/ElectionsAndVoting.
For those seeking to register to vote, registration is open throughout the year. Registration to be eligible to vote in the November 4th election has ended, but registration to be eligible to vote in the December 6th election is open until November 5, 2014. In Louisiana, eligibility to register to vote in an election ends 30 days before that election. To find out more, call the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office at 225-922-0900.
Complaints of election fraud or voting rights violations should be directed to the FBI, who will have special agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations. The local FBI field offices can be reached by the public at the following telephone numbers: Shreveport at 318-861-1890 or Lafayette at 337-233-2164. For a complete list of FBI field offices in Louisiana visit www.fbi.gov/neworleans/contact-us/territory-jurisdictionThe U.S. Attorney’s Office can be reached by the public at 318-676-3600 (Shreveport) or 337-262-6618 (Lafayette).
Complaints about ballot access problems or discrimination can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Divisions Voting Section in Washington, D.C., at 1-800-253-3931 or 202-307-2767. The division’s email address is [email protected] and voter complaints also can be filed online at www.justice.gov/crt/complaint/votintake.
The Civil Rights Division=s Voting Section enforces six federal statutes. They are the Civil Rights Act, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act of 1984, the Uniformed and Overseas Citizens Absentee Voting Act of 1986, the National Voter Registration Act of 1993, and the Help America Vote Act of 2002. For more information on the acts that the division enforces, visit www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/overview.php.
Jennings Man Sentenced to 188 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Unites States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Jennings man was sentenced Thursday to 188 months in prison for downloading hundreds of movies of child pornography to his computer and other electronic devices.
Seth Ryan Bivens, 30, of Jennings, La., was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of receiving child pornography. He was also sentenced to serve a lifetime of supervised release and is required to register as a sex offender. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea on November 1, 2013, law enforcement authorities discovered that Bivens was downloading child pornography using “peer-to-peer” software. Bivens’ home was searched on November 14, 2012. An examination of Bivens’ computer and other electronic devices uncovered 294 movies and 28 images of child pornography.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security-Homeland Security Investigations and the Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert C. Abendroth prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security/Homeland Security Investigations/Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE) encourage the public to report suspected child predators and any suspicious activity through its toll-free hotline at (866) DHS-2ICE. Investigators are available at all hours to answer hotline calls. Tips or other information can also be submitted to ICE online at www.ice.gov/exec/forms/hsi-tips/tips.asp. Tips may be reported anonymously.
U.S. Attorney, Shreveport Mayor and Police Chief Attend Shreveport/Bossier Night OutRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, and members of her office, Mike Campbell, Law Enforcement Community Coordinator (LECC), and Robert Gillespie, Jr., an Assistant U.S. Attorney/Project Safe Neighborhoods Coordinator, joined Shreveport Mayor Cedric Glover, Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw, Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator’s Office, Bossier Parish Julian Whittington’s Office, Bossier City Police Chief Shane McWilliams’ Office and other local law enforcement and community leaders in neighborhoods throughout Caddo and Bossier parishes Tuesday as part of their annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
Residents unlocked their doors, turned on porch lights and spent the evening outside with family, friends, neighbors, emergency response personnel and city officials. Many neighborhoods throughout Caddo and Bossier parishes hosted a variety of special events such as block parties, cookouts, parades, flashlight walks, contests, youth activities and anti-crime rallies. The Shreveport/Bossier Night Out is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police community partnerships, and send a clear message that neighbors are organized and fighting back.
“The Shreveport/Bossier Night Out is a way for neighbors to join with their law enforcement and community partners to demonstrate that crime does not rule the night and that criminals have no safe haven when the sun goes down,” Finley stated. “The ‘Night Out’ is also a great way to acknowledge the accomplishments of neighborhood organizations that keep communities safe. We are all in this effort together. I really enjoyed having the opportunity to visit with residents of the Shreveport/Bossier City area to discuss concerns and ways to improve law enforcement within our communities.”
“This is a very important event because it reaffirms our commitment to the community,” Shaw stated. “This is a new day to bond with the public. We want the people to know that law enforcement will work together as a team to solve crimes in our region.”
As the District’s Law Enforcement Community Coordinator, Mike Campbell acts as a liaison between the U.S. Attorney's Office and local, state, and federal law enforcement. He assists with grants, coordinates and provides law enforcement training, and assists law enforcement agencies with special and community needs. The mission of the Law Enforcement Coordinating Committee is to develop coordination, communication, and cooperation between local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies throughout the Western District of Louisiana by providing education, training, and technical assistance to all federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies in the district.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie, Jr. is the District’s Coordinator for the Project Safe Neighborhoods Program. Project Safe Neighborhoods (“PSN”), is the anti-gang, anti-gun violence initiative of the United States Department of Justice. It is a comprehensive, strategic approach to reducing gun violence and promoting safe communities around the country. PSN combats gun violence by bringing together local, state, and federal law enforcement officials, prosecutors, and community leaders to implement a multi-faceted strategy to deter and punish gun violence.
Thousands of communities across the United States took part in the 31st Annual National Night Out starting in August. To find out more about National Night Out visit the National Association for Town Watch at http://www.natw.org.
U.S. Attorney Announces more than $161,000 in Grants Awarded to Shreveport, Bossier City Police DepartmentsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley and the Project Safe Neighborhoods Task Force announced today that the Shreveport and Bossier City police departments have been awarded more than $161,000 in grants through a Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), under the Violent Gang and Gun Crime Reduction Program, also known as Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN).
The Shreveport Police Department will receive $132,984. The police department and the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office will use the funds to purchase law enforcement equipment and supplies. The Shreveport Police Department will act as fiscal agent. The goals are to improve criminal justice services and enhance police officer safety.
The Bossier City Police Department will receive $28,856. The police department and the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office will use the funds to purchase law enforcement equipment and supplies. The Bossier City Police Department will act as fiscal agent. The goal is to improve criminal justice initiatives.
The funds were made available through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) program, which is a BJA grant program under DOJ that allows states and units of local government to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own state and local needs and conditions. This program furthers DOJ's mission and violent crime reduction strategy by providing support to state, local and tribal efforts to reduce gun and gang-related violent crime.
Various types of single or multi-grantee grant applications are allowed under the grant program that addresses the following:
- Gang violence and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication, and supervision programs;
- Prisoner reentry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
“These grants mean that law enforcement in our community will be better equipped to protect and serve,” Finley stated. “I want to congratulate the police departments for being awarded these funds. It is through partnerships and grants like these that the mission of law enforcement agencies can be enhanced.”
“The working relationships we have forged with our law enforcement partners are one of the cornerstones of our crime reduction strategies and they have paid tremendous dividends for the citizens of Shreveport,” said Shreveport Police Chief Willie Shaw. “Working together we can accomplish anything and the dramatic decreases in crime across the board in our city are a testament to the importance of those collaborative partnerships.”
“We appreciate the assistance of the U.S. Department of Justice in securing these funds to help keep our city safe,” said Bossier City Police Chief Shane McWilliams. “These monies will enable our officers to increase enforcement in a number of areas including DWI saturation patrols and community policing initiatives including monitoring operations of registered sex offenders in our city.”
Information about the FY2014 PSN Competitive Grant and links to other grants available, and information on the PSN Program can be found at the U.S. Attorney’s web site www.justice.gov/usao/law/ as well as www.justice.gov/usao/law/psn.html or at www.psn.gov and www.bja.gov/Funding/14PSNsol.pdf.
For more information, contact Western District of Louisiana Assistant U.S. Attorney and PSN and Anti-Gang Coordinator Robert W. Gillespie Jr. at (318) 676-3600.
New Iberia Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Failing to Update Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a New Iberia man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for failing to update his sex offender registration.
Rodger Dale Seilhan, 63, of New Iberia, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik for one count of failure to register pursuant to the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. He was also sentenced to 10 years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the May 14, 2014 guilty plea, after failing to report his whereabouts to authorities for two years, the U.S. Marshals Service and other law enforcement agencies located Seilhan in New Iberia at a relative’s residence. He was arrested on March 11, 2014. The Travis County Sheriff’s Office in Texas arrested Seilhan on January 21, 1982 for aggravated sexual assault of a child, and he was later sentenced to 15 years in prison. After being released from prison, Seilhan reported residence changes to authorities while he lived in Texas until September 5, 2012. He was found to not be living at his last known address in Willis, Texas, after a sex offender verification check was conducted.
The U.S. Marshals Service, Travis County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker prosecuted the case.
Department of Justice Awards Hiring Grants to Help Reduce Violent Crime in CommunitiesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) announced funding awards to the Lake Charles Police Department aimed at creating seven new community police officer positions. Nearly $124 million will be awarded nationally, including $745,796 to the Lake Charles Police Department.
The COPS Hiring Program offers grants to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies to hire or rehire community policing officers. The program provides salaries and benefits for officer and deputy hires for three years.
“This grant will allow the Lake Charles Police Department to enhance law enforcement operations and increase protection in the community by hiring new personnel,” Finley stated. “Our office works with all law enforcement agencies within the Western District of Louisiana, and I’m very happy to see this department grow. I also want to congratulate the police department for the hard work taken to obtain this grant.”
Lake Charles Police Chief Donald Dixon said that the department plans on hiring four new officers immediately and then would like to add three more over the next three years, for a total of seven new officer positions. He said the officers will be part of their community policing program. The program works with neighborhood watch groups and maintains contacts with members of the community in order to strengthen policing operations.
“We’re really excited to be able to hire additional officers,” Lake Charles Police Chief Donald Dixon said. “This grant comes at a time of economic expansion for our area, and we want to be ready.”
“The COPS Office is pleased to assist local law enforcement agencies throughout the country in addressing their most critical public safety issues,” said Ronald L. Davis, director of the COPS Office. “Funding from this year’s program will allow many cities and counties to apply new sworn personnel to issues related to violent crime, property crime, and school safety.”
Grantees for the 2014 hiring program were selected based on their fiscal needs, local crime rates, and community policing plans. The COPS Office is a federal agency responsible for advancing community policing nationwide. Since 1995, COPS has awarded over $14 billion to advance community policing, including grants awarded to more than 13,000 state, local, and tribal law enforcement agencies to fund the hiring and redeployment of approximately 125,000 officers and provide a variety of knowledge resource products including publications, training, and technical assistance.
For the entire list of grantees and additional information about the 2014 COPS Hiring Program, visit the COPS website at www.cops.usdoj.gov.
Lawn Care Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Lying to Receive Workers' Compensation BenefitsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that a Breaux Bridge man pleaded guilty to falsely claiming he was unemployed in order to continue receiving workers’ compensation benefits even though he owned and operated a lawn care business.
Mervin J. Noel, 51, of Breaux Bridge, La., entered a conditional guilty plea Tuesday to one count of making false statements to continue receiving workers’ compensation benefits under the Longshore and Harbor Workers’ Compensation Act to U.S. Magistrate Judge C. Michael Hill. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Elizabeth E. Foote.
According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Noel began receiving workers’ compensation and Social Security disability benefits after sustaining an injury while working on an offshore oil platform in 1994. In 2007, Noel began operating a lawn care business without informing either the Louisiana Workers’ Compensation Corporation (LWCC) or Social Security Administration that he was employed and earning income. Noel instead falsely reported on four occasions to LWCC officials that he had no earnings from employment. Noel also falsely reported to Social Security Administration officials on April 11, 2014 that he had not worked since becoming disabled. Noel received $20,776 in workers’ compensation benefits and $118,220 in Social Security benefits to which he was not entitled.
Noel faces up to five years in prison, three years supervised release, and a $10,000 fine. A sentencing date of February 6, 2015 has been set.
The investigation was conducted by the Social Security Administration. Assistant U.S. Attorney David C. Joseph is prosecuting the case.
Florida Woman Pleads Guilty to Mail Fraud in LSU Health Sciences Center Bribery SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United StatesAttorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Florida woman pleaded guilty to mail fraud in connection with a bribery scheme involving a former staff member at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center (LSUHSC).
Rita M. Myler, 52, of Miramar Beach, Fla., pleaded guilty Monday before U.S. District Court Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of mail fraud. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Myler paid LSUHSC’s Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) laboratory assistant director Anthony Roggero kickbacks so that he would continue buying products from her company Sangre Biologicals. From July 2001 to July 2008, Myler mailed cash kickbacks to Roggero’s residence after LSUHSC would make a payment to her company. Sangre Biologicals received more than $540,000 from LSUHSC during the course of the scheme. The HLA laboratory played a critical support role for solid organ and bone marrow transplants, performing cross matching and tissue typing analyses. A former director of the HLA laboratory sought and obtained authority for Roggero to purchase up to $5,000 in Sangre products per month.
Myler faces up to 20 years in prison, five years supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and restitution. A sentencing date of January 26, 2015 was set. Roggero pleaded guilty on October 31, 2012 to one count of mail fraud for his role. Roggero’s sentencing date is November 10, 2014.
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan is prosecuting the case.