Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
West Monroe Man Sentenced to 93 Months in Prison for Possession with Intent to Distribute MethRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a West Monroe man was sentenced to 93 months in prison for possessing methamphetamine that was ready to sell.
Brian T. Menzie, 52, of West Monroe, La., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the July 7, 2014 guilty plea, law enforcement agents searched Menzie’s home on December 9, 2013 and found 121 net grams of methamphetamine at 86.5 percent purity inside a zip lock bag, packaged for sale. Agents also seized $3,565, a firearm, and assorted drug paraphernalia.
The DEA conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Missouri Man Sentenced to 70 Months in Prison for Possessing Cocaine with Intent to SellRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a man from Missouri was sentenced to 70 months in prison for possessing more than 3 kilos of cocaine meant for sale.
Michael Nathaniel Williams, 39, of St. Louis, Mo., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James for one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was also sentenced to four years of supervised release. According to evidence presented at the July 7, 2014 guilty plea, Williams was traveling through Monroe on Interstate 20 on March 14, 2014 when a Louisiana State Police Trooper conducted a traffic stop. The trooper conducted a search of the vehicle and found 3 kilos of cocaine inside a duffle bag. Williams later admitted that he was transporting cocaine from Texas to Missouri.
The DEA and Louisiana State Police conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. prosecuted the case.
Jury Convicts Former Lafayette Postal Service Employee for Stealing Gift Cards from U.S. MailRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that, after a three-day trial, a federal jury found a Lafayette woman guilty of taking gift cards from U.S. mail.
After deliberating for a little over an hour, a federal jury found Crystal S. Boutte, 41, of Lafayette, guilty on two counts of theft of mail. United States District Judge Richard T. Haik presided over the trial that ended on Wednesday. In December of 2012, Boutte stole four Wal-Mart gift cards from the mail while working for the U.S. Postal Service. One gift card was worth $200, and the other three were worth $25 each. The theft was discovered after the recipients of the mail reported the cards missing.
“Ms. Boutte was a postal employee who took advantage of and abused her position,” Finley stated. “Private citizens should not have to worry about their mail being stolen by those entrusted to deliver it.”
“The American public expects to receive their letters and parcels on time and intact,” said Maximo Eamiguel, Office of Inspector General, Special Agent in Charge, Southern Area Field Office. “Citizens have an expectation that their mail will not be stolen, rifled, read or obstructed while in the possession of Postal Service employees. That expectation and trust extends to every one of the millions of mail pieces that travel across the country daily. Anyone who betrays that trust will be thoroughly investigated by OIG special agents. The Postal Service has a long and proud tradition of protecting the ‘sanctity of the seal’ of First-Class Mail. The overwhelming majority of postal employees perpetuate this tradition every day in their efforts to move the nation’s mail to its proper destination. Unfortunately, when a few postal employees abuse the public trust placed in them, it is the job of OIG special agents to identify them and work in cooperation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to ensure they are prosecuted in the criminal courts.”
Boutte faces five years in prison, three years of supervised release, restitution, and a $250,000 fine for each count. The U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker prosecuted the case.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to 15 Months in Prison for Stealing from ATMRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Shreveport man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for stealing more than $30,000 from an ATM located on bank property, causing more than $35,000 worth of damage in the process.
Frederick Charles Davis, 47, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of bank theft. The judge also ordered Davis to serve three years of supervised release and pay $61,640 in restitution. According to evidence presented at the July 1, 2014 guilty plea, Davis broke into an automated teller machine (ATM) on July 13, 2012, located at the end of a drive-through lane at a Richland State Bank in Minden, La., and stole $30,320. He used a power tool and a chain attached to the back of his truck to open the ATM, which caused more than $30,000 in damage.
The FBI, Shreveport Office, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell prosecuted the case.Lake Charles Man Pleads Guilty to Charge in Terrorism HoaxRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a Lake Charles man pleaded guilty to a charge that he lied to federal agents in order to blame his wife for a fake terror plot.
Monte Henry Hurley, 54, of Lake Charles, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi, to one count of making false statements to FBI agents. According to evidence at the guilty plea, Hurley falsely reported on October 18, 2013 that his estranged wife had forwarded a letter to him that contained a white powdery substance leaving law enforcement authorities to believe it may be anthrax, a biological weapon. Authorities quarantined Hurley and responding officers, and engaged in extensive response protocols for anthrax, which included evacuation and testing of the material. About a week later, Hurley claimed responsibility for the letter and powder admitting that he lied to authorities in order to frame his estranged wife.
Hurley faces up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of January 8, 2015, was set.
The members of the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which is composed of the FBI, U.S. Border Patrol, Louisiana State Police, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Lake Charles Fire Department, investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie is prosecuting the case.
Choudrant Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A Choudrant man pleaded guilty last week to distributing methamphetamine from his home, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Christopher Takewell, 38, of Choudrant, La., entered a guilty plea last week before U.S. District Judge Robert G. James, to one count of distribution of methamphetamine. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agencies conducted a controlled purchase of 104.65 grams of methamphetamine in January of 2014 from Takewell at his home. The residence was searched on January 24, 2014, and the $6,250 used in the controlled purchase was recovered.
Takewell faces 10 years to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release, and a $10 million fine. A sentencing date of January 5, 2015 was set.
The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Monroe Field Office, the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team and the Metro Narcotics Unit based in Monroe conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing an Assault Rifle after being Convicted of FeloniesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A Shreveport man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing an assault rifle and ammunition after being convicted of multiple felonies, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Cori Yarborough, 40, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Shreveport Police responded to a complaint on May 3, 2014 that someone was driving in a van with an assault rifle. They stopped Yarborough’s vehicle and found a Colt rifle, model M4, .223 caliber, and ammunition. After examining the rifle, police found that it had been reported stolen. Yarborough has multiple felonies including simple robbery in 1992, aggravated battery in 1997, and attempted burglary of an inhabited dwelling in 2012.
Yarborough faces 10 years in prison, and if the court finds he qualifies as an armed career criminal based on his prior record, he could face a mandatory 15 years in prison. He also faces three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of January 30, 2015 was set.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, which 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 ATF and Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney James G. Cowles Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Many Resident Pleads Guilty to Possessing a Firearm, Ammunition after being Convicted of FeloniesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A Many, La., man pleaded guilty Thursday to possessing a shotgun and ammunition after being convicted of multiple felonies, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Jerry Kenneth Thompson Jr., 44, of Many, pleaded guilty Thursday before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition after a felony conviction. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) agents discovered Thompson on December 31, 2013 in possession of a 12 gauge shotgun and ammunition while hunting on private property without permission and using a stolen deer stand. Thompson admitted to LDWF agents that he had prior felony convictions and knew he could not possess a firearm. Further investigation confirmed that Thompson had seven felony convictions in California. The felony convictions include: two convictions for grand theft, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, second degree burglary of a vehicle, possession with intent to sell a controlled substance with a gang affiliation enhancement, transportation of a controlled substance, and possession for sale of cocaine base. Thompson also had a prior felony conviction in Sabine Parish for simple burglary.
Thompson faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine, and forfeiture of the firearm and ammunition. A sentencing date of January 30, 2015 was set.
The ATF and the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case.
Lafayette Businessman Richard Buswell Sentenced to 126 Months in Prison for Investment Fraud Scheme that Cost Investors MillionsRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that Lafayette investment firm owner Richard Buswell was sentenced to 126 months in prison for a scheme that cost victims millions of dollars.
Richard Joseph Buswell, 46, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik for one count of wire fraud. Buswell was also sentenced to three years of supervised release, and was ordered to pay a $125,000 fine and $6,380,808.03 in restitution to victims of the scheme.
According to evidence presented at the July 24, 2013 guilty plea, Buswell worked as a licensed stockbroker from 2006 until 2009 in Lafayette for his company, Bowman Investment Group LLC. He used Brookstone Securities of Lakeland, Fla., as the company’s broker dealer. Buswell engaged in frequent and excessive stock trades in order to earn commissions. He also placed his clients into high risk products when the clients did not meet the requirements under federal security laws, rules and regulations. In order to do this, he falsified account applications concerning net worth and other client information so that some of the clients would appear to meet the requirements of the federal security laws, rules and regulations. As a result of these practices, Buswell received more than $1.7 million in commissions from Brookstone during 2008 and 2009. When the investments failed to produce a profit, clients lost more than $6 million.
Co-defendant Herbert S. “Steve” Fouke, 55, of Lafayette, was sentenced on May 14, 2014 to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit securities fraud, investment adviser fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud. He is jointly responsible with Buswell for paying restitution to the victims of the scheme. They were indicted in August of 2011.
“The defendant in this case misled investors who put their trust in him solely so that he could enrich himself illegally,” Finley stated. “He spent, in some cases, his clients’ life savings leaving them with nothing or in debt. I hope this sentence serves as a warning to those who are thinking about stealing from their customers. This office will continue to prosecute those who put their greed before the interests of well-meaning investors. The prosecutors and agents in this case are to be commended for all of their hard work.”
The FBI conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger prosecuted the case.
Jury Imposes Death Sentence on a Las Vegas Man for Kidnap and Murder of a 12-year-old Girl in LouisianaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, returned a verdict imposing the death penalty on a Las Vegas, Nevada, man for the kidnap and murder of a 12-year-old-girl.
On September 26, 2014, a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. During the penalty phase of the trial, the jury heard from a total of 18 witnesses called by the United States and by the defense. The jury determined that a sentence of death was appropriate for Sanders after deliberating for approximately seven hours. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the trial. This case represents the first time that the death penalty has been imposed in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana.
The penalty phase of the trial began on September 16, 2014, after the same jury found Sanders guilty of one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. Jury selection lasted eight days. Then the guilt phase began on Wednesday, September 3, and ended on Monday, September 8. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for about an hour.
During the penalty phase, jurors were asked to decide whether Sanders should be executed or spend the rest of his life in prison. Evidence admitted during trial established that Sanders met Suellen Roberts, 31, in the summer of 2010 when Roberts rented a storage unit at a warehouse in Las Vegas where Sanders worked. Roberts and Sanders began dating, and approximately two months later Roberts agreed that she and her 12-year-old daughter, Lexis, would go on a trip with Sanders over the Labor Day weekend to a wildlife park near the Grand Canyon. As they were returning to Nevada after three days of traveling, Sanders pulled off Interstate 40 in a remote location in the Arizona desert and fatally shot Suellen Roberts in the head and forced Lexis Roberts into the car, keeping her captive.
Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered Lexis Roberts in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body on October 8, 2010. A nation-wide manhunt ensued and Sanders was arrested on November 14, 2010, at a truck stop in Gulfport, Mississippi, by FBI agents and a Harrison County Sheriff's Deputy.
During the guilt phase of the trial, jurors heard from 16 witnesses who described Suellen Roberts’ relationship with Sanders, the sequence of events that led up to the murder, and how law enforcement established Sanders as the killer. Jurors also heard a recorded confession from Sanders in which Sanders admitted killing the mother and daughter. Evidence considered by the jury established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods. A forensic analysis determined that Sanders slashed Lexis Roberts’ throat with such force and violence that the knife left cut marks on her cervical vertebra.
Members of Roberts’ family testified at trial, including her grandmother, grandfather, and great-aunt. Testimony from family members shared with the jurors that Lexis was vulnerable and explained the devastating impact that the crime has had on their family. Her great-aunt testified that Lexis vacationed at her New Hampshire home every summer, with the most recent trip just weeks before Lexis was kidnapped and murdered by Sanders. Her aunt testified that during Lexis’ last trip to New Hampshire, she encouraged Lexis to write in two journals. Pages from the journals were introduced during the penalty phase and were considered by the jury. The journals helped establish that Lexis was trusting, and in one journal she wrote that she believed that nothing bad would ever happen to her.
Lexis Roberts’ grandfather testified that he encouraged Suellen and Lexis Roberts to move from New Hampshire to Las Vegas so that Suellen could find better employment. He told jurors that based on what happened to his daughter and granddaughter, he now suffers from guilt for encouraging them to move.
The penalty phase of the trial further established that Sanders’ crime was the result of substantial planning and premeditation and that Lexis Roberts was a vulnerable victim. Testimony included that of two of Lexis’ sixth grade teachers from Charles Silvestri Junior High in Las Vegas. Her math teacher told jurors that Lexis was extremely shy but very hard working. Her English teacher testified that Lexis was sweet and vulnerable. When asked to describe Lexis in one word, she replied “innocent.”
“These types of cases are never easy, but today we remember the victims, their families and their loved ones. The nature of the crime and the level of violence involved are something that we never get used to no matter how long we have done this. The severity of the sentence imposed against Sanders underscores the senseless brutality of his acts against an innocent 12-year-old girl,” Finley stated. “Lexis Roberts was needlessly taken from a family that loved her, and she was denied the most fundamental right of life, and they were denied the joy of knowing what that life could have been. Still, we do not lose sight of the fact that this trial and sentencing also represent the right of due process that was extended to Sanders, and a jury of his peers has rendered justice. Nothing, no trial or sentence, can ever bring Lexis or her mother back, but we hope that the verdict brings some measure of closure to Lexis’ family. The prosecutors and the law enforcement agencies that assisted in this case are to be commended for their hard work. The importance of their collective efforts cannot be overstated.”
“This is a heartbreaking case,” said Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell. “A young girl witnessed the murder of her mother, was held captive for days, and had her life cut tragically short by a senseless, brutal murder. We hope today’s verdict will help Lexis’ family as they continue to struggle with the loss of their loved ones.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson added, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims who have endured unimaginable grief while awaiting the just verdict and sentence for such horrific crimes.”
The FBI, Central Louisiana Safe Streets Task Force, Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Yavapai County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Flanagan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown, and Trial Attorney Julie Mosley of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Capital Case Section prosecuted the case.
Jury Imposes Death Sentence on a Las Vegas Man for Kidnap and Murder of a 12 year-old Girl in LouisianaRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, returned a verdict imposing the death penalty on a Las Vegas, Nevada, man for the kidnap and murder of a 12-year-old-girl.
On September 26, 2014, a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, decided that Thomas Sanders, 57, should be put to death for the brutal kidnapping and murder of Lexis Roberts in the fall of 2010. During the penalty phase of the trial, the jury heard from a total of 18 witnesses called by the United States and by the defense. The jury determined that a sentence of death was appropriate for Sanders after deliberating for approximately seven hours. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the trial. This case represents the first time that the death penalty has been imposed in federal court in the Western District of Louisiana.
The penalty phase of the trial began on September 16, 2014, after the same jury found Sanders guilty of one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of using a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. Jury selection lasted eight days. Then the guilt phase began on Wednesday, September 3, and ended on Monday, September 8. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for about an hour.
During the penalty phase, jurors were asked to decide whether Sanders should be executed or spend the rest of his life in prison. Evidence admitted during trial established that Sanders met Suellen Roberts, 31, in the summer of 2010 when Roberts rented a storage unit at a warehouse in Las Vegas where Sanders worked. Roberts and Sanders began dating, and approximately two months later Roberts agreed that she and her 12-year-old daughter, Lexis, would go on a trip with Sanders over the Labor Day weekend to a wildlife park near the Grand Canyon. As they were returning to Nevada after three days of traveling, Sanders pulled off Interstate 40 in a remote location in the Arizona desert and fatally shot Suellen Roberts in the head and forced Lexis Roberts into the car, keeping her captive.
Sanders drove several days across the country before he murdered Lexis Roberts in a wooded area in Catahoula Parish, Louisiana. Evidence at trial established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods where a hunter found her body on October 8, 2010. A nation-wide manhunt ensued and Sanders was arrested on November 14, 2010, at a truck stop in Gulfport, Mississippi, by FBI agents and a Harrison County Sheriff's Deputy.
During the guilt phase of the trial, jurors heard from 16 witnesses who described Suellen Roberts’ relationship with Sanders, the sequence of events that led up to the murder, and how law enforcement established Sanders as the killer. Jurors also heard a recorded confession from Sanders in which Sanders admitted killing the mother and daughter. Evidence considered by the jury established that Sanders shot Lexis Roberts four times, cut her throat, and left her body in the woods. A forensic analysis determined that Sanders slashed Lexis Roberts’ throat with such force and violence that the knife left cut marks on her cervical vertebra.
Members of Roberts’ family testified at trial, including her grandmother, grandfather, and great-aunt. Testimony from family members shared with the jurors that Lexis was vulnerable and explained the devastating impact that the crime has had on their family. Her great-aunt testified that Lexis vacationed at her New Hampshire home every summer, with the most recent trip just weeks before Lexis was kidnapped and murdered by Sanders. Her aunt testified that during Lexis’ last trip to New Hampshire, she encouraged Lexis to write in two journals. Pages from the journals were introduced during the penalty phase and were considered by the jury. The journals helped establish that Lexis was trusting, and in one journal she wrote that she believed that nothing bad would ever happen to her.
Lexis Roberts’ grandfather testified that he encouraged Suellen and Lexis Roberts to move from New Hampshire to Las Vegas so that Suellen could find better employment. He told jurors that based on what happened to his daughter and granddaughter, he now suffers from guilt for encouraging them to move.
The penalty phase of the trial further established that Sanders’ crime was the result of substantial planning and premeditation and that Lexis Roberts was a vulnerable victim. Testimony included that of two of Lexis’ sixth grade teachers from Charles Silvestri Junior High in Las Vegas. Her math teacher told jurors that Lexis was extremely shy but very hard working. Her English teacher testified that Lexis was sweet and vulnerable. When asked to describe Lexis in one word, she replied “innocent.”
“These types of cases are never easy, but today we remember the victims, their families and their loved ones. The nature of the crime and the level of violence involved are something that we never get used to no matter how long we have done this. The severity of the sentence imposed against Sanders underscores the senseless brutality of his acts against an innocent 12-year-old girl,” Finley stated. “Lexis Roberts was needlessly taken from a family that loved her, and she was denied the most fundamental right of life, and they were denied the joy of knowing what that life could have been. Still, we do not lose sight of the fact that this trial and sentencing also represent the right of due process that was extended to Sanders, and a jury of his peers has rendered justice. Nothing, no trial or sentence, can ever bring Lexis or her mother back, but we hope that the verdict brings some measure of closure to Lexis’ family. The prosecutors and the law enforcement agencies that assisted in this case are to be commended for their hard work. The importance of their collective efforts cannot be overstated.”
“This is a heartbreaking case,” said Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell. “A young girl witnessed the murder of her mother, was held captive for days, and had her life cut tragically short by a senseless, brutal murder. We hope today’s verdict will help Lexis’ family as they continue to struggle with the loss of their loved ones.”
FBI Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Anderson added, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family and friends of the victims who have endured unimaginable grief while awaiting the just verdict and sentence for such horrific crimes.”
The FBI, Central Louisiana Safe Streets Task Force, Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Yavapai County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Flanagan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown, and Trial Attorney Julie Mosley of the U.S. Department of Justice’s Capital Case Section prosecuted the case.
Former Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen, Dealership Owners Indicted for Vehicle Purchase SchemeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A grand jury indicted former Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry Deen and two owners of Blakey Auto Plex, LLC, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Former Bossier Parish Sheriff Larry C. Deen, 66, of Benton, La., Clinton E. Blakey, 40, of Shreveport, La., and Clifton D. Blakey, 35, of Benton, La., were indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit federal program theft, one count of federal program theft, and one count of failure to file IRS Tax Form 8300. According to the indictment, starting in January 2012, Deen is accused of conspiring with Clinton Blakey and Clifton Blakey, co-owners of Blakey Auto Plex, LLC (BAP), to retain control and gain ownership of a white four-door 2009 Chevrolet Suburban LTZ that was owned by the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office. They are also accused of attempting to unlawfully enrich themselves through the conspiracy, and did this in part by undervaluing the vehicle at $21,375 when it was traded in to BAP by the Bossier Parish Sheriff’s Office in May of 2012. The indictment also charges Clinton Blakey and Clifton Blakey with failing to file a Form 8300 in connection with $21,000 paid to BAP in July 2012. A Form 8300 is required to be filed when anyone engages in a trade or business who, in the course of such trade or business, receives more than $10,000 in a transaction or in two or more related transactions.
The defendants face five years in prison and one year of supervised release for the conspiracy count and 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the theft count. Clinton Blakey and Clifton Blakey face five years in prison and one year of supervised release for the Form 8300 count. They also face a $250,000 fine for each count and forfeiture of the proceeds traceable to and property involved in the offenses.
The FBI and Louisiana State Police conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Cytheria D. Jernigan and Joseph G. Jarzabek 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, Caddo Sheriff Partner to Teach Children about Firearm SafetyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley and Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator have joined together to offer a new tool to law enforcement to teach firearm safety to children.
At a ceremony today at the Louisiana Sheriff’s Association Office in Baton Rouge, two new firearm safety trailers were unveiled. The trailers will be used as part of the Louisiana Law Enforcement Gun Safety Program to teach firearm safety to children at area schools. Currently, the program only uses one trailer. Since its inception in June of 2013, the program has reached approximately 22,100 children and has distributed 300 gunlocks to adults. The two new trailers were acquired to meet the demand from Louisiana schools.
When the new trailers are put into service, there will be a trailer in each of the three federal judicial districts in Louisiana - Western, Middle and Eastern. The Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office will house one of the trailers, which will be available for law enforcement agencies to use throughout the Western District of Louisiana. Forty-two of the state’s 64 parishes are in the Western District. The trailer should be available for use in October.
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 firearm instructors to teach parents and children about gun safety through an interactive presentation involving live demonstrations and the distribution of gunlocks. 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 to support this program,” Finley said. “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. This program can save a life.”
“I’ve seen many cases in my 41-year law enforcement career that prove children need gun safety education,” said Caddo Sheriff Steve Prator. “The Caddo Sheriff’s Office is excited to play such an important role in this program and to offer it, along with other ongoing programs like Sheriff’s Safety Town, to help keep our children safe.”
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, will help implement and assist in 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 the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office at 318-675-2170.
From left are Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office Fleet Manager Mike Gregory; U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana Walt Green; Holly Sheets, Victim Witness Coordinator for the U.S. Attorney’s Office Middle District of Louisiana; First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana Alexander Van Hook; Baton Rouge Constable Reginald Brown; and Mike Campbell, Law Enforcement Coordinator for the Western District of Louisiana.
Ville Platte Man Sentenced to 105 Months in Prison for Role in Armed Robbery of a Truck Stop/CasinoRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A Ville Platte man was sentenced last week to 105 months in prison for participating in the armed robbery of a St. Landry Parish casino and truck stop, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Dudley Stevens Nelson, 25, of Ville Platte, La., was sentenced Friday by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote, to 21 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and to 84 months in prison for one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, for a total of 105 months in prison. He was also sentenced to serve five years of supervised release and ordered to pay $11,675 in restitution. According to evidence presented at the October 28, 2013 guilty plea, the defendant along with Ville Platte residents Arinskie Tryvon Orlandeze Jones and Ronald James Doomes robbed the Tiger Trax truck stop and casino in Whiteville, La., on April 8, 2011. Nelson admitted to driving the vehicle and knowing beforehand that a gun would be used. After robbing the truck stop and casino, the defendants left with $11,675 in a white sports utility vehicle. Authorities located the vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. Three individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot. Nelson was apprehended. Jones and Doomes turned themselves in to authorities six days later.
A federal jury found Doomes guilty of one count of armed robbery and one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. Doomes’ sentencing is scheduled for November 15, 2014, and he faces a prison term of seven years to life. Jones was found guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery on August 27, 2014. He faces 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set. They both face five years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine.
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.
Escaped Inmate Sentenced to 36 Months in Prison for Possessing Stolen VehicleRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A Scott, La., man was sentenced to 36 months in prison and two years of supervised release for stealing a car and driving to Florida after escaping from a prison road crew, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Shawn A. Jollivette, 36, of Scott, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote for one count of interstate transportation of a motor vehicle. He was also ordered to pay $197 in restitution. According to evidence presented at the June 24, 2014 guilty plea, Jollivette escaped a road crew work detail on March 27, 2012 in Marksville, La. He was arrested in Florida two days later with keys to a stolen vehicle in his possession. A 9 mm semiautomatic pistol was inside the car, which was found in a parking lot. Jollivette was an Avoyelles Parish Correctional Center inmate and was serving a state sentence. After the state sentence was to be completed, he was scheduled to start serving a federal prison term for a charge of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The U.S. Marshals Service and the ATF conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph T. Mickel prosecuted the case.
U.S. Attorney's Office Contributes to Local Food Pantries through Feds Feed Families DriveRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT/LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced that the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in Shreveport and Lafayette recently collected more than 1,600 pounds of food and non-perishable items that were delivered to two local food pantries.
In all, both offices collected 1,626 pounds of food to be donated to the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana located in Shreveport and the FoodNet: The Greater Acadiana Food Bank, located in Lafayette. The Shreveport U.S. Attorney’s Office gathered 1,378 pounds of the total and the Lafayette U.S. Attorney’s Office gathered 248 pounds. Donation boxes for the Feds Feed Families food drive campaign were located at the federal courthouses in Shreveport and Lafayette and at the Federal Public Defender’s Office (Midsouth Bank Building in Lafayette). The food drive campaign ended August 29, 2014. Federal employees donated goods such as bags of rice, pasta, canned and boxed goods, bottled water and other non-perishable items.
“The donations and work of federal employees in our district will help feed those in need,” Finley said. “Their efforts are helping to fight hunger and give back to our communities. I want to thank those who donated, but also the volunteers who worked to collect and spread the word about this campaign.”
The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana began in 1995 when a group of individuals from churches with food pantries and benevolent organizations met to discuss the need to establish a local Food Bank to serve the parishes of Northwest Louisiana. The Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana is the largest distributor of donated food for the seven-parish area and is one of only five food banks in the state. They sort, warehouse and distribute food to more than 120 non-profit organizations in the seven-parish region, which includes: Caddo, Bossier, Bienville, Claiborne, Desoto, Red River, and Webster parishes. For more information about the Food Bank of Northwest Louisiana, visit their website at www.foodbanknla.org or call (318) 675-2400.
FoodNet: The Greater Acadiana Food Bank, a non-profit food bank serving Lafayette Parish, was established in October 1987. FoodNet has distributed tens of thousands of tons of food since opening, and presently serves several agencies including: Faith House of Acadiana women’s shelter, the Children’s Shelter, St. Joseph Shelter for Men, Acadiana Youth Shelter for Girls, St. Joseph Diner, the Red Cross, Alleman Center, Acadiana Cares, St. Francis Foundation for Substance Abuse, and the Arc. For more information, visit www.foodnetacadiana.org or call (337) 232-3663.
Feds Feed Families was started when Rep. Frank Wolf (R-Va.) and former Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry realized that food donations were dropping during the summer months because many families were on vacation. The campaign has run every summer since 2009, and to date, it has collected more than 24.1 million pounds of food, including 9 million pounds last year alone. In the United States, 50 million people are challenged with hunger, including 17 million children.
For more information visit www.usda.gov/fedsfeedfamilies or call the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Western District of Louisiana, at 337-262-6618.
Shreveport Fire Department Dispatcher Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography Possession ChargeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A dispatcher with the Shreveport Fire Department has pleaded guilty to possessing child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Shreveport Fire Department Dispatcher Stephen St. John, 46, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of possession of child pornography. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agents discovered that St. John was a member of a secret internet file posting board that distributed child pornography. His home was searched on September 5, 2013 and several computers, external hard drives, memory cards, DVDs and diskettes were seized. An examination of the seized items revealed pubescent and prepubescent males engaged in explicit sexual activity including 157 images on diskettes.
St. John, who was taken into custody at the hearing, faces up to 10 years in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. He also faces forfeiture of the devices used in the crime. A sentencing date of January 30, 2015 was set.The U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Marshals Service and the Louisiana State Police investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan 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 reported anonymously.
Texan Pleads Guilty to Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Dallas man pleaded guilty to bringing a minor to Bossier City, La., for prostitution, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Qualyn D. Mitchell, 31, of Dallas, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to one count of sex trafficking of a minor. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agents responded in an undercover capacity to an online advertisement for prostitution on November 21, 2013, and found a 16-year-old minor at a Bossier City hotel engaged in prostitution. Mitchell was found in an adjacent hotel room with another prostitute. Upon further investigation, it was learned that Mitchell had met the minor a few days earlier and had brought her from Dallas to Bossier City. He instructed her to give him the money she made from prostitution. Agents found $1,200 on Mitchell at the time of the arrest.
Mitchell faces 10 years to life in prison, five years to life of supervised release, and up to a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for January 23, 2015.The FBI-Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force, Bossier City Police Department, and the Bossier City Marshal’s Office conducted the investigation. 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, please visit www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov and may be submitted anonymously. The Shreveport FBI office number is (318) 861-1890.
Lafayette Man Sentenced to 41 Months in Prison for Possessing a Firearm after Being Convicted of a FelonyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A Lafayette man was sentenced Monday to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
David J. Narcisse Jr., 33, of Lafayette, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Richard Haik for one count of felon in possession of a firearm. According to evidence presented at the October 15, 2014 guilty plea, law enforcement discovered that a 12 gauge semiautomatic shotgun that had previously been reported stolen had also been pawned on September 6, 2012 in Lafayette. The person who pawned the shotgun stated that Narcisse had given it to him. After being arrested for another violation, Narcisse admitted to buying the firearm from a friend. Narcisse has previously been convicted in April of 2006 in 15th Judicial District Court in Lafayette of possession with intent to distribute cocaine; in August of 2008 in 15th Judicial District Court in Lafayette of Schedule II, prohibited acts; and in March 2010 in 16th Judicial District Court in St. Martinville of illegally carrying a weapon while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance.
The ATF, Louisiana Probation and Parole, and East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods. Project Safe Neighborhoods is a nationwide program designed to reduce violence by aggressively enforcing existing federal firearms laws.
Houston Man Sentenced to 154 Months in Prison for Armed Robbery, Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – A Houston man was sentenced last week to 154 months in prison for robbing from a Roanoke drug trafficker, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Francisco Javier Camacho, 42, of Houston, was sentenced Thursday by U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi to 70 months in prison for one count of interference with commerce by robbery and 84 months for one count of use and carrying of a firearm during a crime of violence with the prison terms to be served consecutively. He is also to serve five years of supervised release.
According to evidence presented at the November 1, 2012 guilty plea, Camacho and an accomplice, Cruz Martinez-Encinas, visited the home of a known drug trafficker on February 15, 2011 in Roanoke, La., saying they wanted to sell marijuana. Instead of selling illegal drugs, the two men robbed the drug trafficker, stealing three guns and $7,500 in cash. Camacho and Martinez-Encinas tied up the drug trafficker and a female who was present at the home. They then fled the scene. The two were able to free themselves, and the drug trafficker followed the two men onto Interstate 10. While chasing the men by car in between the Welsh, La., and Roanoke exits, the drug trafficker rammed the back of the car that Camacho was traveling in, which caused Camacho’s vehicle to run off the road and crash. Camacho and Martinez-Encinas exited the vehicle and ran north. They were later arrested. While in pursuit, law enforcement found four semi-automatic pistols. They also found $7,500 on Camacho when he was apprehended.
Martinez-Encinas pleaded guilty September 1, 2011. He was sentenced to 65 months in prison for possession of a stolen firearm and 65 months in prison for interference with commerce by robbery. He was also sentenced to serve three years of supervised release for each count. The sentences are to be served concurrently.
The FBI, ATF and the Jefferson Davis Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph Mickel prosecuted the case.Church Point Woman Pleads Guilty to Stealing from EmployerRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A Church Point woman pleaded guilty to stealing more than $197,000 from her employer over a five-year period, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Michelle Dana Lavergne, 36, of Church Point, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard Haik for three counts of making and possessing a forged security, as part of a larger fraudulent scheme. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, from April 1, 2008 to April 30, 2013 Lavergne used her position at a Lafayette law firm to embezzle funds by writing checks to herself and another employee in various amounts ranging from $350 to $5,500. The checks totaled $197,371.53 over a five-year period. She worked at the law firm for 13 years as a financial secretary and paralegal. Lavergne had access to the business checks because of her position. She obtained pre-signed checks to pay bills or she forged the signature, so she could deposit the checks into her personal account.
Lavergne faces up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, forfeiture, and a $250,000 fine for each count.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport Woman Pleads Guilty to Health Care Fraud, Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – The owner and operator of a Shreveport intensive outpatient program company pleaded guilty to charging Medicare for services never rendered, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Sharon Monroe, 43, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of health care fraud and one count of wire fraud. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Monroe, owner of Monroe Medical Management LLC, submitted approximately $6 million in claims to Medicare for Part B psychotherapy services from 2007 to 2011. As a result of the fraudulent claims, she improperly received $2 million in payments from Medicare. Monroe filed claims for psychotherapy services that were never performed. She also used physicians’ Medicare provider numbers to submit claims without the physicians’ knowledge. In some cases, she claimed her employees rendered services in excess of 24 hours a day, that some of her employees were qualified to perform services when they were not, and that some of the services were performed at medical offices when they were not.
The FBI and Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.
Monroe faces up to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the health care fraud count, and up to 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release for the wire fraud count. She also faces a $250,000 fine and restitution for both counts. A sentencing date of January 8, 2015 was set.Missouri Man Sentenced to 54 Months in Prison for Failing to Update Sex Offender RegistrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A man from Missouri was sentenced Wednesday to 30 months in prison and five years of supervised release for moving to Shreveport without updating his sex offender registration, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
John Mark Phillips, 50, of Springfield, Mo., was sentenced to the 30-month prison term by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of failing to update his sex offender registration. Hicks also revoked Phillips’ supervised release for a previous offense, which added 24 months to Phillips’ prison term for a total of 54 months. According to evidence presented at the May 19, 2014 guilty plea, Phillips was convicted in Christian County Missouri on September 22, 1995, for sexual abuse of a victim under the age of 14, which requires 25 years of sex offender registration. In 2006, he updated his sex offender registration to reflect a move to Wisconsin. In May of 2011, he failed to report that he had moved back to Missouri. In August of 2011, he pleaded guilty to failure to register as a sex offender in the Western District of Missouri. He was sentenced to serve 18 months in prison and five years of supervised release. After the prison term ended, U.S. Probation Officers discovered on April 30, 2013, that Phillips had left his Springfield, Mo., housing complex. Probation officers were unable to locate him and issued a warrant for his arrest. Shreveport Police arrested Phillips the same day the warrant was issued.The U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Office of Probation - Western District of Missouri, and the Shreveport Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.
Lafayette Man Indicted for Tax Evasion, Making a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A federal grand jury indicted a Lafayette man Wednesday for not listing more than $350,000 on an income tax return, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Donald Domingues, 56, of Lafayette, was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of tax evasion and one count of making a false tax return. According to the indictment, when Domingues filed his U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, Form 1040 for calendar year 2007, he reported $259,725 as income and paid $64,909 in taxes. Domingues is accused of intentionally leaving out a $351,000 sales commission, which would have made his correct gross income $610,725 and his payment to the IRS 185,959.
If convicted, Domingues faces five years in prison and three years of supervised release for tax evasion, and he faces three years in prison and one year of supervised release for making a false statement in a tax return. He also faces up to a $100,000 fine and restitution.The IRS investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Opelousas Resident Sentenced for Counterfeit Monetary Instrument SchemeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –An Opelousas man was sentenced last week to 23 months in prison and five years of supervised release for taking part in an international scheme to defraud banks and victims across the country, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Nelson Durald, 49, of Opelousas, La., was also ordered Thursday by U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to pay restitution to identifiable victims and amounts of loss in conjunction with the conviction for one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. According to evidence presented at the March 26, 2014, guilty plea, Durald participated in a scheme from the end of 2011 to June 2013 to defraud banks and other financial institutions by cashing and asking other victims to cash fake monetary instruments such as checks and money orders that were shipped to Durald from other countries. Durald and other co-conspirators, some located within the United States and others in foreign countries, worked together to recruit victims to participate in a “Secret Shopper” program. Durald would mail fake monetary instruments to victim participants and ask them to cash the negotiable instruments at their bank or other financial institution as part of a seemingly legitimate Secret Shopper Program. The victim participant was instructed to send a portion of the cash obtained on the counterfeit instrument to another co-conspirator. Victims did this not knowing the monetary instruments they were attempting to cash were fake, which resulted in a loss to the victim participants and banks. At the time of Durald’s arrest, 316 counterfeit monetary instruments had been seized. The total amount of all counterfeit financial instruments was $247,829.15.
The St. Landry Parish Sheriff’s Office and Homeland Security Investigations conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
Former Barksdale Airman Sentenced to 72 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A former Barksdale airman was sentenced to 72 months in prison and 10 years of supervised release for downloading more than 9,000 files of child pornography, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Isaac Boger, 22, of Auburn, Ind., was also ordered by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to pay $2,000 for one count of receiving child pornography. According to evidence presented at the March 11, 2014 guilty plea, law enforcement agents detected multiple files containing child pornography being downloaded at a residence on Barksdale Air Force Base. Boger’s residence and computer were searched on January 10, 2013, and more than 9,000 files of child pornography were found on his computer. Boger was an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force when arrested.
Immigrations and Customs Enforcement-Homeland Security Investigations, U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, Louisiana State Police, and Bossier City Marshals Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg 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.
Sabine Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A Sabine Parish man pleaded guilty Monday to distributing methamphetamine in the Many area, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Jamal Holland, 28, of Many, La., entered a guilty plea for one count of distribution of methamphetamine before U.S. District Court Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement conducted controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Holland on September 18, 2013 and October 3, 2013. On both occasions, Holland was recorded selling 27 grams of methamphetamine.
Holland faces up to 20 years in prison, at least four years supervised release, and a $1 million fine. A sentencing date of January 8, 2015 was set.
The DEA and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown is prosecuting the case.
Alexandria Jury Finds Las Vegas Man Guilty of Kidnapping and MurderRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today that a federal jury in Alexandria found a Las Vegas man guilty of kidnapping and murdering a 12-year-old girl.
Thomas Sanders, 57, of Las Vegas, was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of kidnapping resulting in death and one count of use of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell presided over the guilt phase of the trial, which started September 3rd and ended September 8th with closing arguments. The jury returned a guilty verdict after deliberating for about an hour.
The case will now move to the penalty phase of the trial, during which the same jury will decide whether Sanders should be put to death or serve a mandatory sentence of life without parole in federal prison. The penalty phase is scheduled to start Tuesday, September 16, 2014.
The FBI, Central Louisiana Safe Streets Task Force, Catahoula Parish Sheriff’s Office, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Yavapai County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Arizona Sheriff’s Office, and the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William J. Flanagan, Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown and Trial Attorney Julie Mosley of the Justice Department Criminal Division’s Capital Case Section are prosecuting the case.
Quitman Man Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A Quitman man pleaded guilty to producing child pornography, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Christopher Nixon, 22, of Quitman, La., entered a conditional guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes for one count of production of child pornography. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. James. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, between February 1, 2012 and March 30, 2012, Nixon produced child pornography using a male under the age of 18. Canadian law enforcement discovered the videos during an unrelated investigation in May of 2013. The videos depicted sex acts between Nixon and an underage male.
Nixon faces 15 to 30 years in prison, up to life of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. He also faces forfeiture of the equipment used to produce and store the child pornography. A sentencing date of January 5, 2015 was set.
“This office will continue in its prosecution of anyone who creates, distributes and possesses child pornography,” Finley stated. “Sexual abuse is a growing problem around the world, and it has devastating consequences for the victimized children. Child pornography is also a growing problem. These children suffer physical and mental abuse as these images continue to circulate worldwide across the internet for many years long after they were victims of the initial horrific acts. With this guilty plea, we have stopped the flow of this material from one producer at the source. I would like to thank all who are involved and dedicated to halting the production of child pornography in this district.”
“This case shows anyone who produces child pornography can and will be held accountable for their criminal actions regardless of where in the world the investigation leads or how much time has passed,” said Raymond R. Parmer Jr., special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations-New Orleans. “Sexual abuse scars children for life, and HSI will continue to use all the tools in its arsenal, to include the HSI Operation Predator smartphone app that helped identify and locate Mr. Nixon in this case, to identify the perpetrators of these horrendous acts and seek justice on behalf of their victims.”
Homeland Security Investigations, the Louisiana State Police, and the Jackson Parish Sheriff’s Office investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell 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 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) 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.West Monroe Man Sentenced to 90 Months in Prison for Firearms Possession, Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A West Monroe man was sentenced to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release for drug trafficking and illegally possessing a firearm, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Kerry D. Gayfield, 30, of West Monroe, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James for one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and one count of possession of a firearm in relation to drug trafficking. According to evidence presented at the June 10, 2014 guilty plea, West Monroe police searched a home on January 10, 2013, and discovered Gayfield standing behind a bar in the living room with a digital scale in front of him and a bag of marijuana in his hand. Officers also found a Smith and Wesson, .38 Special revolver loaded with five rounds on him. After conducting a search of the premises, officers found a total of 43.5 grams of marijuana (most packaged for street level sale), scales, marijuana cigars, pipes, $469, a bottle of liquid hydrocodone in someone else’s name, two hydrocodone pills, cocaine, an envelope with handwritten notes indicating drug sales and weight to money ratios, and a second firearm, a Jennings Model J22, .22 caliber pistol loaded with six rounds.
Gayfield has been convicted of five felonies in the Fifth Judicial District Court in West Carroll Parish. He was convicted of simple burglary and forgery in June of 2003, simple burglary and unauthorized use of motor vehicle in January of 2004, and illegal possession of stolen things in April of 2008.
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 West Monroe Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. prosecuted the case.
Lafayette-Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association Celebrates 50th Anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and the Criminal Justice ActRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La.–United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley, along with two other guest speakers, spoke today at a program celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act and the Criminal Justice Act. The event was hosted by the Lafayette-Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association and was held at the John M. Shaw Federal Courthouse.
United States Attorney Finley was one of the speakers; she recounted the history of the Civil Rights Act and the Voting Rights Act from the end of the Civil War to the present. Finley said that even though great strides have taken place in the last 50 years, she asked those present to remain vigilant in the defense of civil and voting rights. She emphasized the brutality, challenges and struggles that our nation faced as it tried to implement both Acts. Finley thanked the attorneys present and other public servants present for their past and current work in protecting the rights of all Americans, adding that everyone has the right to be treated equally and fairly. She said the U.S. Department of Justice is committed to protecting the public’s rights hard won by those during the era of the mid-1960s.
Freddie Pitcher Jr., Chancellor of Southern University Law Center and a retired 19th Judicial District Court and First Circuit Court of Appeal Judge, recounted the events close to the passage of the Civil Rights Act and Voting Rights Act. He urged students to study the history of the Acts, and asked them to understand how the Acts and other legislation have changed the country and provided every student with “the ability to become what you want to be.”
The last speaker was G. Paul Marx, 15th Judicial District Court of Louisiana District Public Defender Supervisor, who spoke about the importance of the Criminal Justice Act and having a strong public defender’s office. He recounted some history of the public defender’s office, and said that a strong public defender’s office helps ensures that the rights of the people remain protected.
The Northside High School Mock Trial Team reenacted portions of the Brown v. Board of Education trial of 1954 at the conclusion of the event. They took on the roles of the witnesses and attorneys in the case, and recited selected portions of the trial transcripts. Northside High School teacher, Liz Tullier, advises the Mock Trial Team.
“We’ve come a long way, but there’s a long way to go in the way of true civil rights,” said Elwood Stevens, current president of the Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association. “It was a very powerful program, and I’m pleased to be a part of it. We owe a debt of gratitude to all of our speakers: Judge Pitcher, U.S. Attorney Finley, Paul Marks and the Northside High School Mock Trial Team.”
The Civil Rights Act was signed into law on July 2, 1964, by President Lyndon B. Johnson, and ended legal segregation in public places and banned employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin. It also blazed a trail for subsequent related legislation: the Voting Right Act, the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Fulfilling the promise of Brown vs. Board of Education, the Act authorized the Department of Education to assist with school desegregation and permits the U.S. Attorney General to file lawsuits to desegregate schools. Additionally, the Act prohibits the unequal application of voting requirements, established the Community Relations Service, and gives enhanced authority to the Commission of Civil Rights.
In the years since the Civil and Voting Rights Act was signed, the goal to attain their intended implementation is ongoing. The U.S. Attorney’s Office played and continues to play a pivotal role in the administration and enforcement of civil rights. Along with the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has jurisdiction to bring cases under the Civil Rights Act and other related federal statutes.
Finley is the first female U.S. Attorney to serve in Louisiana. She was selected by President Barack Obama in January of 2010, after being recommended by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2010. United States Attorney Finley was sworn into office on June 2, 2010 to serve the Western District of Louisiana as the chief law enforcement officer for 42 of the state’s 64 parishes.
“It is always an honor to be asked to participate in a celebration of the Civil Rights Act and the Criminal Justice Act,” Finley stated. “We take time whenever we can to remember the struggles of those who fought for the passage of these Acts. There is not enough we could ever say or do that can repay those who suffered and struggled for the freedoms that we now enjoy, whether they were on the front line, or the bench, or parents who were teaching children to treat all people fairly.”
The board members for the Lafayette-Acadiana Chapter of the Federal Bar Association are: Doug Truxillo, President Emeritus, Elwood C. Stevens, President, Gary J. Russo, Immediate Past President, Kenneth W. DeJean, President Elect, Joel Babineaux, Treasurer, Jerome Moroux, Membership Chairman, Honorable Mildred E. Methvin, Honorable Robert Summerhays, Heather Edwards, Jaclyn Bridges-Bacon, Nadia de la Houssaye, and John P. Roy.
Bastrop Tax Preparer Sentenced to 30 Months in Prison for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
More than $92,000 in refunds illegally received
MONROE, La. – A Bastrop tax preparer was sentenced to 30 months in prison and one year of supervised release for filing income tax returns containing false information, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Camille Cooper, 40, of Bastrop, La., was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Robert G. James to pay $92,530 in restitution to the IRS for one count of aiding and assisting in making and subscribing a false return. According to evidence presented at the May 28, 2014 guilty plea, Cooper was a tax preparer at Faster Tax Refund Express in Bastrop from December 2010 to April 2011. She filed 17 fraudulent 1040 forms. Sixteen returns contained a falsified Schedule F (profit and loss from farming) and a falsified Form 4136 (federal tax credit for tax paid on fuels). Five contained a falsified Schedule C (profit and loss from business). Because of the fraudulent forms, the IRS issued $92,530 to customers to which they were not entitled. Also as part of the scheme, the defendant received approximately $2,275 in kickbacks from customers. These payments were in addition to the fees the company charged
The IRS conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth D. Reeg prosecuted the case.United States Attorney Confirms Federal Investigation into the Death of Victor White IIIRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Stephanie Finley, the United States Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, confirmed today that a federal investigation is ongoing into the death of 23-year-old Victor White III, who died in March while in the custody of the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office. The coroner subsequently determined that Mr. White’s death was a suicide, but Mr. White’s family has disputed that conclusion. The United States Attorney’s Office, the FBI, and the Criminal Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division are responsible for investigating allegations of civil rights violations by officials acting under color of law, and for determining whether the evidence demonstrates that a civil rights violation occurred and that it was willful. U.S. Attorney Finley stated that a federal representative has reached out to the White family to assure them that the Department of Justice will follow where the evidence leads and will take appropriate action based on that evidence.
“This tragic incident deserves a full review of the evidence; our objective is to discover the truth,” Ms. Finley stated. “The FBI has been working parallel with the current investigation. Our review will take time to complete. FBI agents, along with attorneys from my office and the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, will carefully review the results of the current investigation by the Louisiana State Police, will determine what additional investigation, if any, is necessary to determine who fired the fatal shot, and whether the evidence demonstrates a willful civil rights violation. The federal investigation will supplement, rather than supplant, the investigation by state authorities. Once the investigation is complete, we will carefully review the results to decide if any prosecutable violations of federal criminal civil rights statutes occurred.”
A Federal Jury Finds Local Attorney Guilty of Drug Conspiracy and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announces that a federal jury earlier today found Lafayette attorney Daniel James Stanford, 56, guilty of conspiring to distribute synthetic drugs, conspiring to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, and money laundering charges.
After an eight-day trial, over six hours of deliberation, hundreds of pages of exhibits, and testimony from 30 plus witnesses, the jury found Stanford guilty of one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance analogue, one count of conspiracy to introduce or cause to be introduced misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, one count of conspiracy to launder money, and 5 counts of money laundering. Stanford was found not guilty on 5 counts of the indictment, which outlined additional money laundering charges. U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote presided over the trial.
In September of 2012, Stanford, Curious Goods, a Limited Liability Corporation (LLC), and eight co-conspirators, Alexander Derrick Reece, 40 of Gainesville, Fla.; Drew T. Green, 38 of Roswell, Ga.; Thomas William Malone, Jr., 45 of Roswell, Ga.; Boyd Anthony Barrow, 43 of Canton, Ga.; Joshua Espinoza, 49 of Marietta, Ga.; Richard Joseph Buswell, 44 of Lafayette, La.; Daniel Paul Francis, 42 of Dawsonville, Ga.; and Barry L. Domingue, 52 of Carencro, La., were charged by a grand jury in a 16 count indictment with conspiracy to distribute synthetic drugs, conspiracy to introduce misbranded drugs into interstate commerce, conspiracy to commit money laundering, and various money laundering charges.
At the time of the indictment, Curious Goods, LLC, was a business based in Lafayette and controlled by co-conspirator Richard Buswell. Buswell has since pleaded guilty to other federal charges involving an investor fraud scheme. During the trial, evidence showed that Curious Goods stores sold a product called AMr. Miyagi@ that was infused with synthetic cannabinoids. Although mislabeled as a potpourri, AMr. Miyagi@ was sold to be smoked for the sole purpose of getting the consumer of the product Ahigh.@ The synthetic cannabinoids infused into AMr. Miyagi@ are considered Schedule I controlled dangerous substances under federal law, but were marketed by Stanford and his co-conspirators as every day potpourri. Witnesses testified that on March 1, 2011 to December 31, 2011, Curious Goods stores throughout Acadiana raked in approximately $5 million for the sale of the illegal AMr. Miyagi@ product and paid the supplier of “Mr. Miyagi”, Pinnacle Products, approximately $1.5 million.
Testimony at trial identified Pinnacle Products LLC/Pinnacle Products Group, based in Marietta, Ga., as the manufacturer of the AMr. Miyagi@ products being sold in Acadiana. They supplied the products to local Curious Goods stores. Pinnacle Products LLC was controlled and operated by Stanford’s co-conspirators, Boyd Anthony Barrow and Joshua Espinoza. Pinnacle obtained the synthetic cannabinoids utilized to manufacture AMr. Miyagi@ from NutraGenomics, which was located in an Alpahretta, Georgia and controlled by co-conspirators, Drew T. Green and Thomas William Malone, Jr. NutraGenomics distributed synthetic cannabinoids throughout the United States. The majority of the synthetic cannabinoids distributed by NutraGenomics were supplied by another one of Stanford’s co-conspirators, Alexander Derrick Reece.
Prior to trial, Stanford’s co-conspirators, Reece, Green, Malone, Barrow, Espinoza, Buswell, and Francis all pleaded guilty in federal court, but appeared in federal court as witnesses for the government in this trial. Stanford, who is a criminal defense attorney, decided to represent himself at trial. During opening statements, after the government laid out how they expected the evidence to reveal Stanford’s knowing involvement in the drug conspiracy, Stanford told the jury that his “integrity and honor” were “not negotiable,” and he advised the jury that he was “absolutely not guilty of any of this.” However, at trial, the evidence showed that Stanford was actively involved with the Curious Goods enterprise, that he was well aware that the company sold a product called “Mr. Miyagi,” and that “Mr. Miyagi” was a substance that was infused with synthetic cannabinoids.
Exhibits introduced at trial exposed that “Mr. Miyagi” was specifically labelled “not for human consumption” and sold as a product that would be smoked by users to get high. The evidence also demonstrated that the product was packaged to be intentionally false and misleading, marketed as potpourri. The exterior package label of “Mr. Miyagi” stated that it was to be used to refresh scent in drawers, closets, and cars; all of which Stanford knew to be false. It listed its ingredients as “exotic blend of Herbs, Plants and Botanicals.” The package also advised purchasers that “[a]s of this printing, this product complies with all U.S. federal laws;” another statement which Stanford also knew to be false. During the trial, prosecutors showed jurors just how misleading the labeling was by opening a packet of the so-called scent refresher which resembled marijuana. Testimony at trial made it clear that Stanford knew that the product was being consumed by humans, that it was harmful and not a scent refresher, and that the product was marketed to youthful customers. The intentional mislabeling and misbranding, spearheaded by Stanford, were part of a legal strategy and subterfuge to feign compliance with the law, to avoid law enforcement detection, and to avoid civil and criminal liability.
Testimony at trial outlined that as the conspiracy progressed, individuals were recruited to purchase Curious Goods franchises. Then as the business grew and franchise stores opened, the Curious Goods organization brought in Stanford, and Stanford in turn recruited co-conspirator Dan Francis. Francis’ role was to assist Stanford in forming Louisiana’s version of the Retail Compliance Association (RCA), a company that was formed as a non-profit, but utilized for the sole purpose of advising smoke shops and other retail outlets how to strategically sell and market synthetic drugs as common, every day, over the counter products. Stanford named himself as Director of RCA and was advised by Dan Francis who was experienced in the synthetic cannabinoid industry.
Emails introduced at trial showed that Stanford wanted Louisiana’s RCA to facilitate the conspiracy. At trial, witnesses testified that franchise owners were forced to join the Louisiana RCA. Evidence showed that for his efforts, Stanford was to collect between $1,000 and $5,000 weekly from each Curious Goods franchise store based on the volume of sales from the stores, in addition to collecting $6,250 each from the Curious Goods companies and Pinnacle Products, a total of $12,500 per week. Witnesses testified that Stanford, through RCA, stood to be paid approximately $40,000 – $50,000 per week from all of these sources.
In order to maintain the supply of “Mr. Miyagi” from Georgia and to convince prospective franchisees to sell Mr. Miyagi, Stanford and Richard Buswell convinced Pinnacle Products and franchisees that they, Stanford and Buswell, had obtained a letter from the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office permitting the sale of “Mr. Miyagi” in the state of Louisiana for two years, which Stanford knew to be untrue and knew that no such letter existed. At trial, the government played recordings of Stanford advising franchise owners that he met with Louisiana’s Attorney General. Stanford was trying to convince disgruntled franchisees to continue working, selling and receiving products from Pinnacle, despite what seemed to be clear law enforcement action indicating that the product they were selling was illegal.
At trial, Kurt Wall, the Director of the Criminal Division of the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office testified that the alleged letter never existed, and no one from the Attorney General’s Office had ever spoken to Stanford regarding any synthetic drugs. In addition, Louisiana Attorney General, James D. “Buddy” Caldwell, was called as a witness and testified that neither he nor anyone in his office would make assurances that could lead to the introduction of synthetic drugs into Louisiana.
During the course of the conspiracy, some of the co-conspirators confronted Stanford about the existence of the so called Attorney General letter. Witnesses stated under oath that after being confronted, Stanford admitted that he did not have a letter, but was a close personal friend of the State Attorney General, and the two had a hand shake agreement about the synthetics. After the confrontation, Stanford shifted his story and explained that Caldwell assured him that no one would be prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office for dealing in the substance. However, Louisiana Attorney General Caldwell testified to jurors that he did not know Stanford, and during closing arguments, Stanford conceded that he did not meet with Caldwell on the synthetic cannabinoids.
Among the many witnesses testifying at trial, were local law enforcement and DEA Task Force agents who testified that during the execution of search warrants, on December 8, 2011, they searched all Curious Goods store locations, including the company’s warehouse in Lafayette and seized approximately 190 pounds of synthetic drugs.
Stanford faces up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $2 million for his role in the drug conspiracy. For the charges relating to the conspiracy to misbrand, he faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. The money laundering conspiracy and each count of money laundering carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. A sentencing date for Stanford has not been set. Stanford’s co-conspirators are set to be sentenced on September 19, 2014.
The Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations, the Internal Revenue Service, Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office, Vermillion Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the Louisiana State Police conducted this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John Luke Walker, J. Collin Sims, and Robert C. Abendroth are prosecuted the case.
U. S. Attorney Finley stated, “This case is a huge victory for the Acadian area. Too many members of our community visited these shops that sold this poison, especially the youth. Stanford’s insatiable desire for money drove him to join this conspiracy and put many, many people in harm’s way. Today his greed and criminal activity have consequences. This case highlights how lucrative this industry is and reveals the length that criminals are willing to go to profit while endangering the health and safety of citizens. Stanford’s goal was to hide behind what he wanted the world to believe was a legitimate company, but his scheme failed because of the dedicated men and women of federal, state and local law enforcement who are committed to the safety of this community. They are to be commended for years of hard work to get these illegal substances off the street 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.”Jury Convicts Ville Platte Man of Robbing St. Landry Parish Truck Stop CasinoRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –After a three-day trial, a federal jury found a Ville Platte man guilty of taking part in an armed robbery in which more than $11,000 was taken from a truck stop store and casino in St. Landry Parish, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
The trial started on Monday and ended Wednesday for Arinskie Tryvon Orlandeze Jones, 24, of Ville Platte, La. United States District Judge Richard T. Haik presided over the trial. The jury deliberated for more than four hours before finding Jones guilty of one count of interference with commerce by robbery. Jones faces up to 20 years in prison. A sentencing date has not been set.
Jones, and two other Ville Platte men, Ronald James Doomes, 26, and Steven Dudley Nelson, 25, were indicted on October 24, 2012, on charges that they took part in an armed robbery on April 8, 2011, at the Tiger Trax Truckstop #7 and Video Joker II Casino located in St. Landry Parish.
Previously, Doomes was found guilty of one count of armed robbery and one count of use and carrying of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence after a federal trial ending on August 1, 2014. Doomes’ sentencing date is November 15, 2014. Nelson pleaded guilty to those same charges on October 28, 2013. His sentencing is set for September 19, 2014. Doomes and Nelson face prison terms of seven years to life. All three defendants also face up to $250,000 in fines.
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. Attorneys Joseph T. Mickel and David C. Joseph prosecuted the case.
Minnesota Professor Pleads Guilty to Enticing A Louisiana Minor to Engage in Sexual ActivityRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A Minnesota professor pleaded guilty to contacting a minor in Union Parish in order to start a sexual relationship, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Woody Dale Branton, 63, of Minneapolis, Minn., entered a conditional guilty plea before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes for one count of enticing a minor into criminal sexual activity. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. James. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Branton, a professor at the University of Minnesota, and a 15-year-old girl exchanged thousands of messages on Facebook from October 2013 through December 1, 2013. Many of the messages were sexual in nature, and he also asked her to send explicit pictures of herself. From November 29, 2013 to December 1, 2013, Branton attempted to set up a meeting with the girl in Louisiana and purchased a plane ticket to Shreveport.
Branton faces 10 years to life in prison, up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. He must also register as a sex offender. A sentencing date of January 5, 2015 was set.
The FBI and the Union 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 www.justice.gov/psc.
Those concerned may also leave tips with the FBI at tips.fbi.gov. Tips may be submitted anonymously. The Monroe FBI office number is (318) 387-0773.Postal Worker Pleads Guilty to TheftRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A U.S. Postal Service mail carrier from Shreveport pleaded guilty to stealing Netflix DVDs and money, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Frankey Savannah, 30, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to one count of theft of mail matter. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Netflix contacted the U.S. Postal Service about DVD movie losses occurring from July 2013 to October 2013 along a Bossier Parish route. Upon further investigation, law enforcement agents discovered that Savannah, a postal carrier, had been taking the DVDs from the envelopes while conducting his mail carrier route rather than returning them to Netflix as the customers intended. He is responsible for taking a total of 69 DVDs. Savannah was also observed taking cash from some of the mail.
Savannah faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date of December 10, 2014 was set.
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Cytheria D. Jernigan is prosecuting the case.
Houston Man Pleads Guilty to Using Fake Credit Cards and Other Devices to Illegally Access Cash While at Louisiana CasinosRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. –A Houston man pleaded guilty to charges that he used counterfeit credit cards and other financial access devices to steal thousands of dollars from Louisiana casinos, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Derick Demon Caples, 31, of Houston, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Patricia Minaldi for one count of use of counterfeit access devices. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Caples used counterfeit credit cards and other access devices starting in November 11, 2012 to secure cash advances totaling $14,505.05 at Louisiana casinos such as the Isle of Capri, L’Auberge, Horseshoe, El Dorado, and Harrah’s Louisiana Downs. These access devices included Green Dot Visa cards, 123 Rewards cards, Chase cards, Wells Fargo cards, and Bank of America cards, among others. He presented false identifications with the credit cards to secure the cash advances.
Caples faces up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release, a $250,000 fine and restitution. A sentencing date of November 20, 2014 was set.The U.S. Secret Service investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker is prosecuting the case.
Correctional Officer, Michigan Women Charged with Conspiring to Smuggle Phone into Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. –A correctional officer at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, La., along with a relative of an inmate, were charged with conspiring to introduce a cell phone into the prison, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced.
Maggie Kay Comeaux, 28, of Ball, La., and Paris Smith, 21, of Detroit, Mich., were indicted for the conspiracy by a federal grand jury and arraigned Wednesday, August 20, 2014, in federal court for one count of conspiracy, one count of bribing a public official, one count of receiving a bribe by a public official, and one count of providing contraband to a prisoner. According to the indictment, from January 2013 to April 2013, Comeaux accepted a $400 bribe from Smith and two other unnamed conspirators to smuggle a cell phone into the prison.
If convicted, they face a maximum of five years in prison and three years of supervised release for conspiracy; 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release for bribing a public official; 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release for receiving a bribe by a public official; and 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.
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.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Three Monroe Grocery Store Workers Plead Guilty to SNAP/WIC Benefits Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –Three Monroe grocery store workers pleaded guilty this week for their roles in a scheme to exchange SNAP and WIC benefits to customers for cash and ineligible items, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Angela Woods, 27, of Monroe, pleaded guilty today to one count of criminal conspiracy before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. James. Willie Mae Woods-Jackson, 42, of Dallas, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy Monday, and Kimberlia Harris, 45, of Monroe, pleaded guilty to criminal conspiracy Tuesday. In a related matter, Juanita Woods, 36, of Monroe, pleaded guilty on July 24, 2014 to one count of theft of government property. According to evidence presented at the guilty pleas, the defendants conspired to provide customers cash and ineligible items for their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and Women Infant and Children (WIC) program benefits from August 2008 to early 2014 at Dee’s Grocery Store in Monroe where Harris was the owner, Angela Woods was a manager and cashier, Woods-Jackson was a cashier, and Juanita Woods was a cashier. During the time the scheme took place, they acquired approximately $7 million.
Harris, Angela Woods and Woods-Jackson face up to five years in prison for the conspiracy count. Juanita Woods faces up to 10 years in prison for theft of government money count. They all face up to three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date of December 8, 2014 was set for Harris, Angela Woods and Jackson-Woods. Sentencing date for Juanita Woods is November 4, 2014.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Earl M. Campbell is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Finley Addresses VITA Awards Luncheon AttendeesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La.–United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley was the keynote speaker at the Volunteer Instructors Teaching Adults (VITA) awards luncheon held today at the Petroleum Club.
“I am honored that VITA invited me to speak at the luncheon celebrating the achievements of their students and tutors,” Finley said. “The work that VITA does to promote literacy in Acadiana by teaching reading and writing skills to adults is remarkable. The investment that tutors make in the lives of their students gives them a solid foundation to excel in every aspect of their lives. If you help people develop a passion for learning, they will never cease to grow. VITA volunteers, not only improve the education of those participating, but the quality of the communities where we live.”
Finley told the tutors present that they play a vital role in educating the adult population. The situation for those who cannot read and write is difficult. She talked about the difficulty for those who lack these skills and how challenging it is for them to improve their lives and the lives of their loved ones. Finley has seen firsthand the difficulties of those who cannot read or write. Many of them navigate their way through the justice system, and added that 63 percent of inmates cannot read. Finley thanked the tutors present for volunteering and urged them to press on to help more students because their work makes a difference. She also encouraged the students present to continue their education in order to achieve their fullest potential and fulfill their hopes and dreams.
The organization recognized two tutors and a student who have made remarkable achievements in the past year with awards. They honored VITA tutors, Wendee Herold with the Martin Award and Phyllis Ledet with the 2014 Donna Groth Delhomme Memorial Award. McKinley Milligan, a student with VITA, was presented with the 2014 Don Littlefield Memorial Award. Milligan was injured years ago, but through the help of family, friends, therapy and the VITA program, he has obtained his high school equivalency degree.
The VITA organization matches tutors to students for two-hour sessions twice a week to help those who need help with English reading skills. The organization tutors adult students who are no longer in school and English as a Second Language (ESL) students. VITA is always seeking tutors and students. To find out more, call 337-234-4600 or visit http://vitalaf.org/
Volunteer Instructors Teaching Adults Inc. was incorporated in May 1982 as a non-profit, community-based adult literacy program and was organized through the collaborative efforts of members of the Lafayette Parish School Board, RSVP, Altrusa Club, Lafayette Public Library, and community leaders in the fields of business and education. VITA is a member of ProLiteracy America, the nation’s largest volunteer literacy organization. Programs and services are financed by funds from the United Way, Lafayette Parish School System, Louisiana Department of Education, foundation grants, private donations and fundraising events.
Finley is the first female U.S. Attorney to serve in Louisiana. She was selected by President Barack Obama in January of 2010, after being recommended by U.S. Senator Mary Landrieu, and confirmed by the U.S. Senate in June of 2010. United States Attorney Finley was sworn into office on June 2, 2010 to serve the Western District of Louisiana as the chief law enforcement officer for 42 of the state’s 64 parishes. In addition to her duties as the U.S. Attorney, Finley is a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force, and currently serves as Vice Chair of Attorney General Eric Holder’s Advisory Committee’s Office of Management and Budget Committee.
Lincoln Parish Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A Ruston man pleaded guilty to bringing methamphetamine into Louisiana for sale, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Gale Allen Schoonover, 54, of Ruston, La., entered a conditional guilty plea for one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. James. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, Schoonover was arrested on March 14, 2014 after returning from Dallas, where he had obtained methamphetamine that he intended to sell in Lincoln Parish. Law enforcement agents received information that the defendant was transporting methamphetamine for sale and monitored his whereabouts until the arrest. Schoonover possessed a total of 105.62 grams of pure methamphetamine as well as 1.735 kilograms of marijuana.
Schoonover faces up to 20 years in prison, three years supervised release, and a $1 million fine. A sentencing date of December 11, 2014 was set.
The DEA and the Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Allison D. Bushnell is prosecuting the case.
Shreveport Man Sentenced to 87 Months in Prison for Receiving Child PornographyRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A Shreveport man was sentenced to 87 months in prison and a lifetime of supervised release for receiving child pornography on his home computer, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Kelvin McCallister, 45, of Shreveport, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. for one count of receiving child pornography. According to evidence presented at the April 14, 2014 guilty plea, law enforcement detected a computer accessing child pornography online. The signal was traced to a computer in Shreveport. McCallister’s home was searched on May 23, 2013 and various types of child pornography were found on a computer.
Homeland Security Investigations-ICE and the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown 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) 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.
Lafayette Man Indicted for Bomb Threat, Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A federal grand jury indicted a Lafayette man for making a bomb threat and attempting to rob a bank, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Devin Haywood, 30, of Lafayette, was charged by a federal grand jury with one count of using a facility in interstate commerce to willfully make a threat or maliciously convey false information and one count of attempted bank robbery. According to the indictment, Haywood used a cell phone to make a bomb threat on July 16, 2014, in Lafayette and also attempted to rob a bank on Moss Street in Lafayette the same day.
If convicted, the defendant faces 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for the bomb threat charge. He faces 20 years in prison and five years of supervised release for the attempted bank robbery charge. Both charges carry a fine of up to $250,000.The FBI, ATF, U.S. Marshals Service, Louisiana State Police, Lafayette Police Department, Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office, and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Police Department investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker is prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an accusation and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Lafayette Woman Sentenced to 29 Months in Prison for to Stealing More Than $500,000 from EmployerRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A Lafayette woman was sentenced to 29 months in prison and five years of supervised release for defrauding more than half a million dollars from Waste Auditors Inc., the Lafayette company where she worked, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Bunnie Morris, 61, of Lafayette, was also ordered by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote to pay $337,049 of restitution. According to evidence presented at the February 20, 2014 guilty plea, Morris was employed as a financial accountant/bookkeeper for Waste Auditors Inc. from 2001 to 2009. During that time, she forged signatures of corporate officials on numerous payroll, bonus, and expense account corporate checks processed through two banks totaling $579,050. Not only did she forge checks and expense account information, she orchestrated unauthorized payments to herself in the form of pay raises and bonuses. In order to disguise her actions, she listed in the company’s financial records that she had voided all fraudulent checks that she had cashed or deposited, when in fact she negotiated and received benefits from those checks. Morris was not an authorized signatory on any corporate checking account and was required to obtain signatures from supervisors before executing a transaction.
The U.S. Secret Service conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard C. Parker prosecuted the case.Desperado's Co-owner, 5 Employees Sentenced for Racketeering Conspiracy and Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A co-owner and five employees of the now closed Desperado’s Cabaret in Carencro, La., were sentenced for racketeering and drug sales that took place on the premises, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Dipak Vora, 70, of Baton Rouge, a former co-owner of Desperado’s, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote 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. As part of the plea agreement, Vora agreed to forfeit approximately $514,000 of illegal proceeds and to forfeit the Desperado’s property. At the sentencing hearing, the Court noted that Vora knew for an extended period of time that Desperado’s promoted prostitution between its employees and customers.
Foote also sentenced Gerald Cormier, 44, of Carencro, to 29 months in prison and one year of supervised release on his conviction for distribution of cocaine. Cormier brought cocaine into Desperado’s on a regular basis and redistributed the cocaine to employees and customers.
The following former Desperado’s employees were also sentenced 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.
Desperado’s primary business owner, James Panos, 56, of Broussard, La., was indicted on May 8, 2013 in a superseding indictment along with his wife Jennifer Panos, 48, and eight other defendants. The indictment alleges 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.
James and Jennifer Panos pleaded guilty on April 3, 2014, to a racketeering conspiracy, Count 1 of the Superseding Indictment. Acquila Shanete Latigue, 28, of Lafayette, pleaded guilty on March 20, 2014; and Tanja Clavier, 29, of Church Point, La., pleaded guilty on May 29, 2014 to one count of conspiracy to maintain drug involved premises and distribution of controlled substances. James and Jennifer Panos, Clavier and Latigue are scheduled to be sentenced on November 14, 2014. The racketeering conspiracy charge carries penalties of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of not more than twice the gross profits.
The DEA, FBI, U.S. Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana State Police and Lafayette Metro Narcotics investigated the case. Assistant U.S. Attorney Myers P. Namie is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney Joins Police Chief for Lafayette's Annual National Night OutRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –United States Attorney Stephanie A. Finley and Law Enforcement Community Coordinator (LECC) Mike Campbell, joined City of Lafayette Police Chief Jim Craft, the Lafayette Fire Department, and community leaders on Tuesday, August 5th, for the 31st Annual National Night Out crime and drug prevention event.
The Annual National Night Out events hosted throughout Lafayette were between 5:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. The evening began at the Lafayette Consolidated Government building at 5:30 p.m. with the reading of a proclamation commemorating National Night Out. From there, events were held at the Girard Park Pavilion and Martin Luther King Jr. Multi-purpose Center. These events included music, entertainment, fun jumps, food, games and displays by the Lafayette Fire Department, the Lafayette Sheriff’s Office, and the Lafayette Police Department SWAT Team, horse patrol, motorcycle unit, bicycle patrol and the police command bus. National Night Out corporate sponsor representatives from ADT Security Systems attended the events along with members of the Lafayette Advisory Commission on Crime Prevention, neighborhood watch organizations and other groups.
National Night Out is an annual event that takes place on the first Tuesday in August. It is the nation’s largest annual crime prevention event with more than 37 million people in more than 15,000 communities from all 50 states participating with their local law enforcement agencies. It is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for participation in local anti-crime efforts, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships throughout the city, and send a strong message to criminals that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.
“National Night Out is a perfect opportunity for the community to join with law enforcement and other community partners to demonstrate that crime does not rule the night and that criminals have no safe haven here,” Finley stated. “It is great to see all of these residents come together in support of their neighborhoods. The ‘Night Out’ is also a wonderful way to acknowledge the accomplishments of neighborhood organizations that keep communities safe and spread the important message that we are all in this together. I want to thank Chief Craft and Sheriff Mike Neustrom for spearheading this event and inviting me.”
“National Night Out gives the citizens of our community the opportunity to get out and meet their neighbors and local police officers,” Craft said. “This effort is to remind citizens of the importance of being vigilant and alert in their everyday lives.”
As the district’s Law Enforcement Community Coordinator, 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.
Thousands of communities across the United States took part in 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.
From left to right are: U.S. Attorney Stephanie Finley, Lafayette Advisory Commission on Crime member Rhonda Lorio, Lafayette Police Chief James Craft, Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government President Joey Durel, and ADT representative Jason Clark. Durel is presenting a proclamation at a consolidated government meeting commemorating August 5, 2014 as National Night Out.
Mexican National Pleads Guilty to Falsely Claiming American CitizenshipRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. –A man from Mexico pleaded guilty to charges that he falsely claimed to be an American citizen, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Luis Alberto Hernandez, 32, of Mexico, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Richard T. Haik to one count of false claim of U.S. citizenship. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, law enforcement agents learned that illegal aliens were returning to the Abbeville area from working on an offshore oil rig located 85 miles off the coast in the Gulf of Mexico. Upon being questioned on March 15, 2014, Hernandez said he was originally from Texas. He gave agents a false name, Social Security number, and Louisiana identification card. He later admitted his true name as well as being a citizen of Mexico.
Hernandez faces three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. A sentencing date was not set.
Homeland Security Investigations and the Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly P. Uebinger is prosecuting the case.
Admitted Armed Career Offender Pleads Guilty to Illegally Possessing Multiple Stolen FirearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. –A Bossier Parish man pleaded guilty to illegally possessing multiple firearms, U.S. Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Donald W. “Duck” Reyenga, 49, of Bossier City, La., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge S. Maurice Hicks to one count of possession of a firearm by a person previously convicted of a felony. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea, members of the Bossier Combined Narcotics Task Force learned Reyenga was attempting to sell stolen firearms. On April 17, 2014, agents scheduled a controlled purchase at a Bossier City hotel. There Reyenga sold a Hi-Standard, model Double 9, .22 caliber revolver; a Savage model 93 .22LR caliber rifle; and ammunition. His sale of these stolen firearms was recorded and he was immediately arrested. Agents later recovered another stolen rifle that Reyenga had sold that morning along with other items stolen from residences in Red River Parish. During the guilty plea hearing, Reyenga admitted he was an Armed Career Offender. Reyenga has numerous previous felony convictions in Bossier and Caddo parishes including attempted manslaughter, burglary, attempted aggravated burglary, distribution of marijuana, possession of cocaine, and illegal possession of stolen things.
Reyenga faces 15 years to life in prison, a maximum of five years of supervised release and up to a $250,000 fine. Sentencing was set for December 15, 2014.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Bossier Combined Narcotics Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case as part the Department of Justice Project Safe Neighborhoods initiative. This initiative is designed to reduce firearm crimes by using federal statutes to remove dangerous and persistent felons from the community.
Texan Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping Arkansas ManRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –A Texan pleaded guilty to his part in kidnapping an Arkansas man and lying to an FBI agent, U.S.Attorney Stephanie A. Finley announced today.
Aldo Cantu, 20, of Lufkin, Texas, entered a conditional guilty plea to one count of kidnapping and one count of lying to an FBI Special Agent to U.S. Magistrate Judge Karen L. Hayes. The plea will become final when accepted by U.S. District Court Judge Robert G. James. According to evidence presented at the guilty plea hearing, Cantu conspired with Anthony Segura, also of Lufkin, Texas, and others, to kidnap a man from his Pine Bluff, Ark., home at gunpoint on November 16, 2014. They drove the victim to a Lake Providence, La., service station and there the victim escaped. East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s deputies responded. The defendants later lied to FBI Special Agents saying they had not traveled to Arkansas that night and did not participate in the kidnapping. Anthony Segura pleaded guilty to kidnapping and lying to an FBI Special Agent on July 30, 2014.
Cantu and Segura face a maximum of life in prison and five years of supervised release for kidnapping, and a maximum of five years in prison and three years of supervised release for lying to an FBI Special Agent. They both also face a $250,000 fine. The defendants’ sentencing date is scheduled for November 4, 2014.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted this investigation with the assistance from the East Carroll Parish Sheriff’s Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert W. Gillespie Jr. is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Neighborhoods, a nationwide Department of Justice initiative designed to reduce firearm crimes by removing dangerous and persistent felons from the community and promote firearm safety.