Western District of Louisiana
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Illegal Possession of Firearms and Ammunition Leads to Federal Prison for Three Young Men from ShreveportRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Three Shreveport men have been sentenced to federal prison for their illegal possession of firearms and ammunition, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Elizabeth E. Foote sentenced the three men as follows:
- DeAngelo A. Davidson, 33, was sentenced to 70 months in prison.
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Gmerrio L. Underwood, 24, was sentenced to 46 months in prison.
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Casey R. Cawthorn, 24, was sentenced to 37 months in prison.
Each defendant will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison.
On September 10, 2022, at approximately 11:15 p.m., a Shreveport Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop of a Chevrolet Tahoe. There were four occupants inside the vehicle. Davidson was the driver, Cawthorn was in the front passenger seat, and Underwood and an unnamed individual were in the back seat. When the officer approached the vehicle, the odor of marijuana was coming from inside and a search of the vehicle was conducted. The search revealed a plethora of loaded firearms inside the vehicle.
Officers found a loaded Glock Model 19 Gen 4, 9x19 caliber pistol underneath the front passenger seat and Davidson acknowledged that he possessed the firearm. An Anderson Arms AM-15 pistol was found on the backseat floorboard by Underwood’s feet. Underneath Cawthorn’s seat, officers found a loaded Glock Model 43, 9x19 pistol, and a loaded Glock Model 19, 9mm pistol, as well as a loaded Glock Model 43, 9x19 caliber pistol hidden in his jeans.
All three defendants have previous felony convictions: Davidson was previously convicted of possession with intent to distribute a Schedule II controlled substance in 2017. Underwood was previously convicted of illegal possession of stolen things in 2020. Cawthorn’s previous felony conviction was for illegal possession of stolen firearms in 2021. Each defendant pleaded guilty to illegally possessing the firearms and ammunition and knew that they were prohibited from possessing same due to their prior felony convictions.
The investigation and conviction of Davidson, Underwood, and Cawthorn is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and Shreveport Police Department. The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
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Sulphur Man Sentenced to Lengthy Prison Time for Receipt of Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a Sulphur, Louisiana man was sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. on child pornography charges.
Gabriel Lyons, 26, was sentenced to 150 months (12 years, 6 months) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on child pornography charges. According to information introduced in court, in July 2022, Lyons was communicating with a 15-year-old minor female and began asking her for sexually explicit images and videos. Lyons would engage in “cybersexing” with the minor female. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children received a cyber tip in August 2022 and began an investigation into these activities.
Through their investigation, law enforcement agents determined that on July 4, 2022, Lyons received a video of the minor female over the internet. Law enforcement agents obtained a search warrant for the residence in which Lyons lived in the Lake Charles area. Lyons was present during the search and admitted to agents that he had been communicating with the minor female, knowing that she was 15 years of age, and in fact at the time of the search admitted that he was still communicating with her. Lyons was charged and pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations, Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Luke Walker.
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Illegal Possession of Fentanyl and Firearms Results in Federal Prison for Three MenRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Three South Louisiana men were sentenced yesterday by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. in separate cases involving illegal possession of firearms and narcotics, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown.
Duane Khristopher Huntsberry, 36, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, on firearms charges. On May 3, 2021, an anonymous citizen’s complaint was received alleging drug activity at a local apartment in the Lake Charles area. Deputies with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office went to the apartment and were approached by Huntsberry, who advised them that he lived at the apartment, but it was in his girlfriend’s name. When deputies informed him of the reason for their visit, Huntsberry advised that there was a firearm inside the apartment and admitted that he was currently on parole. Deputies subsequently asked the girlfriend for consent to search the residence, but she declined. A search warrant was obtained to search the residence and upon entry of the apartment, officers found and seized a Troy AR style pistol with a loaded magazine, as well as four boxes of ammunition in the master bedroom. Law enforcement agents determined that Huntsberry has numerous felony convictions, including illegal possession of a stolen firearm, possession of controlled substances, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11, 2024.
This case was investigated by Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jamilla A. Bynog.
Kirk Wayne August, 46, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 63 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On May 14, 2022, Lake Charles Police Department officers responded to a complaint of gunshots fired in an area near N. Lyons Street in Lake Charles. Officers spoke to a citizen who informed them that they had observed August in his backyard holding a firearm. When officers approached August and questioned him about the incident, he denied possessing any firearm. Officers were able to obtain a search warrant for August’s residence and upon execution of the warrant, found and seized a Henry .22 caliber rifle and a Savage .410 shotgun. August was charged and pleaded guilty on March 28, 2024, and admitted to possessing the firearm despite knowing he was prohibited from doing so. August has a prior felony conviction for simple burglary from 2022.
This case was investigated by ATF and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
Brandon Alfred, 33, of Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. In April 2021, detectives with the Anti-Drug Task Force based in Calcasieu Parish began an investigation into the drug trafficking activities of Alfred. On April 14, 2021, law enforcement officers conducted mobile surveillance of the vehicle Alfred was driving and conducted a traffic stop. When officers made contact with Alfred, they detected the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Alfred admitted that he had a bag of marijuana in his pants pocket and the officer retrieved approximately 4 grams from Alfred’s person. A subsequent search of the vehicle revealed a tan compressed substance wrapped in plastic in the driver’s side door where Alfred had been sitting. The substance was sent to the crime laboratory for testing, and it was confirmed to be a mixture containing tramadol, heroin, and fentanyl and weighed approximately 236 grams. Alfred was charged with possession with intent to distribute controlled substances containing fentanyl and pleaded guilty on February 26, 2024.
This case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.
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North Louisiana Men Convicted of Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine and Firearms Receive Hefty Federal Prison SentencesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of three defendants for violations of drug and firearms offenses. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty sentenced the three defendants as follows:
Tyrone L. Singleton, 41, of Ruston, Louisiana, was sentenced to 288 months (24 years) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Singleton pleaded guilty to the charge on March 14, 2024. This charge is the result of an investigation into drug trafficking activities in the Ruston area. In June 2023, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant of his residence. Inside the residence, agents found methamphetamine, a digital scale, and a Taurus .45 caliber revolver. The suspected narcotics were submitted to the crime lab for testing, and it was determined to be methamphetamine with a weight of at least 50 grams.
This case was investigated by U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Union Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Lincoln Parish Narcotics Enforcement Team, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Jessica D. Cassidy.
Justin Stampley, 26, of West Monroe, was sentenced to 144 months (12 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. On May 24, 2023, law enforcement agents executed a controlled purchase of methamphetamine and hydrocodone from Stampley at his home in West Monroe. Agents observed Stampley handle multiple firearms during the purchase and on the next day, obtained a search warrant for his residence. The search warrant was executed at Stampley’s residence on May 25, 2023, and during the search, agents recovered approximately 61.70 grams of methamphetamine and four firearms, including a Chinese SKS rifle, a Bersa 9mm pistol, a F.I.E. .25 caliber pistol, and a NEF .32 caliber revolver. Stampley pleaded guilty on March 21, 2024, to the two counts listed above.
This case was investigated by the DEA, ATF and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William C. Gaskins.
Robert Luther Sherman, 48, of Choudrant, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. On March 4, 2023, deputies with the Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop of a vehicle in which Sherman was a passenger. Sherman was ordered to exit the vehicle and a pat-down search was conducted of his person. Inside Sherman’s front pocket was a North American Arms .22 magnum revolver. Deputies learned that Sherman had a previous felony conviction for attempted possession of a Schedule II controlled substance. During a subsequent interview with law enforcement agents, Sherman admitted that he knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition and he pleaded guilty to the charge on March 11, 2024.
This case was investigated by the ATF and Ouachita Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Leon H. Whitten.
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Former Corrections Officer Convicted of Making False Statements to a Federal AgentRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Samantha Harp, 37, of Rapides Parish, a former Corrections Officer at the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Oakdale, Louisiana, has been convicted by a federal jury in Lake Charles. The jury reached the guilty verdict against Harp after a two-day trial convicting her of one count of making false statements to a federal agent. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. presided over the trial.
Testimony at trial revealed that while employed as a Corrections Officer at the FCI in Oakdale, evidence was uncovered that Harp had supplied certain inmates with contraband in the prison in March of 2020. A review of Harp’s cell phone records showed that calls and text messages were exchanged with an inmate’s family member from outside the prison. In addition, incoming messages from Cash App, a mobile application for sending and receiving money, were found on Harp’s phone. Cash App records showed that the inmate’s family member paid Harp for the introduction of contraband approximately two days before the introduction.
When agents with the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, approached Harp about the incidents, Harp denied bringing any contraband into the prison or ever calling and texting, or receiving a call or text message, from an inmate’s family member or friend using her cell phone. She continued to deny having a Cash App application account or ever receiving funds through that account and in fact denied knowing what it was. When in truth and in fact, Harp did exchange text messages and phone calls with an inmate’s family member, and received, via Cash App, funds from an inmate’s family member for the introduction of contraband.
Harp faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been set for November 21, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Department of Justice, Office of Inspector General, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys John W. Nickel and Danny Siefker.
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Crime Spree Committed by Three South Louisiana Men Ends in Lengthy Federal Prison SentencesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Three men who went on a crime spree starting in Madison, Louisiana, through Kentwood, Louisiana and McComb, Mississippi, down to Beaumont, Texas, and ending in Vinton, Louisiana, have been sentenced in federal court, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Each defendant pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows:
Evan Aaron Ard, 22, of Hammond, was sentenced to 123 months in prison.
Jaylon Deshon Brumfield, 25, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 120 months in prison.
Taurus Terrell Finley, 22, of Hammond, was sentenced to 131 months in prison.
Each defendant will also serve 5 years of supervised release following their release from prison.
The three defendants were charged in a Bill of Information with conspiracy to commit Hobbs Act Robbery and possessing a firearm during a crime of violence in connection with a string of robberies that they committed between April 14, 2022, and April 27, 2022. During this period of time, Ard, Brumfield, and Finley conspired to take property from multiple businesses and people, including Bordertown Travel and their cashier, by force, threat and violence. Each defendant admitted to using a firearm in furtherance of the robbery of Bordertown Travel to help them obtain property from them by threat and force. In addition, the three defendants stole multiple vehicles, firearms, property from convenience stores, and robbed individuals at gunpoint along the way. This crime spree finally ended after the robbery of the store in Vinton, Louisiana after all three defendants attempted to flee in a stolen vehicle at a high rate of speed from police which resulted in spikes being employed followed by a foot chase of Ard, Brumfield, and Finley until apprehended by police.
“These three defendants left many victims frightened and scarred by the threats of gun violence and robbery committed against them,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “They had no care of others’ property or life as they made their way across three states committing these robberies. Thanks to the cooperation of many state and local, as well as federal law enforcement agency partners, this crime spree came to an end without the loss of life. I commend the efforts of all those agencies involved in this investigation and we will continue to join together to keep these cold-hearted individuals off of our streets.”
“For twelve days, this trio terrorized victims at multiple gas stations and convenience stores,” said Lyonel Myrthil, Special Agent in Charge of FBI New Orleans. “The FBI appreciates its local and state partners for helping to shorten their crime spree. The FBI is committed to working hard with communities across Louisiana to change this culture of violence.”
The case was investigated by Federal Bureau of Investigation and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Richmond.
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West Monroe Man Charged in Federal Court in Connection with the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement ActionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that criminal charges have been filed against a West Monroe man in connection with an alleged scheme to defraud Medicare. The charges filed in federal court are part of the Department of Justice’s 2024 National Health Care Fraud Enforcement Action.
Michael L. Riggins, 61, of West Monroe, Louisiana, was charged by indictment with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and health care fraud for his role in a durable medical equipment (“DME”) scheme. As alleged in the indictment, Riggins was the owner of Bluewater Healthcare (“Bluewater”), a DME supply company in West Monroe, Louisiana. It is alleged that from 2018 to 2023, Riggins paid for doctors’ orders for pneumatic compression devices (“PCDs”), a type of DME, and tricked doctors into signing DME orders and certificates of medical necessity in order to bill for the expensive and medically unnecessary DME. In total, Riggins submitted over $3.8 million in fraudulent claims to Medicare for supplying PCDs and was reimbursed over $1.8 million.
These charges are part of a strategically coordinated, two-week nationwide law enforcement action that resulted in criminal charges against 147 defendants for their alleged participation in health care fraud and opioid abuse schemes that resulted in the submission of over $2.5 billion in alleged false billings. The defendants allegedly defrauded programs entrusted for the care of the elderly and disabled to line their own pockets, and the Government, in connection with the enforcement action, seized over $150 million in cash, luxury vehicles, gold, and other assets.
The Health Care Fraud Unit’s National Rapid Response, Florida, Gulf Coast, Los Angeles, Midwest, Northeast, and Texas Strike Forces; U.S. Attorneys’ Offices for the Southern District of Alabama, District of Arizona, Central District of California, Northern District of California, Southern District of California, District of Connecticut, Middle District of Florida, Southern District of Florida, Northern District of Illinois, Eastern District of Kentucky, Western District of Kentucky, Eastern District of Louisiana, Middle District of Louisiana, Western District of Louisiana, Eastern District of Michigan, Western District of Michigan, Southern District of Mississippi, District of Montana, District of New Jersey, Eastern District of New York, Southern District of New York, Eastern District of North Carolina, Western District of Oklahoma, District of Rhode Island, Middle District of Tennessee, Northern District of Texas, Southern District of Texas, Eastern District of Tennessee, Eastern District of Virginia, and Southern District of West Virginia; and the State Attorney Generals’ Offices for California, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, and South Dakota are prosecuting the cases in the National Enforcement Action, with assistance from the Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team.
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
The Western District of Louisiana in particular, worked with the Department’s Criminal Division and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) to investigate and prosecute the cases filed during the enforcement period.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian Flanagan of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana and Trial Attorneys Samantha Usher and Kelly Z. Walters of the Gulf Coast Strike Force.
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U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown Announces the Availability of Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Funds for the Western District of LouisianaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT / LAFAYETTE / ALEXANDRIA / LAKE CHARLES/ MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown and the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Task Force announced the availability of approximately $152,565 in PSN grant funds for the Western District of Louisiana. The Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs (OJP), and Bureau of Justice Assistance is seeking applications for funding of a grant under the PSN Program. At least 30% ($41,192.55) of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District.
The PSN approach is guided by four key principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities; supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place; setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities; and measuring the results of our efforts. The fundamental goal is to reduce violent crime, not simply to increase the number of arrests or prosecutions. PSN programs are led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices in collaboration with local public safety agencies and community organizations. The programs’ emphasis on community engagement, prevention and intervention measures, focused and strategic enforcement, and measurement and accountability has helped achieve overall reductions in violent crime, including gun homicides, in neighborhoods where PSN strategies have been implemented.
“The PSN program is key in our attack on gun violence in the Western District of Louisiana,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “This grant will help assist officers and others take back our neighborhoods and streets. Times are hard in terms of funding for law enforcement and non-governmental organizations that seek to assist in making our communities safer. Therefore, we are grateful for these funds and encourage those organizations that focus on crime deterrence and prevention to apply.”
Past recipients of PSN grants have been the Alexandria, Lake Charles, Monroe, Shreveport and Lafayette Police Departments as well as the Caddo Parish and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Offices and Lafayette City Marshal’s Office. Funds were granted for various programs to include assisting with implementation of a new computer software program, body cameras for law enforcement officers, training for officers on gang prevention and overtime hours for law enforcement officers to increase patrols in areas that saw an increase in violent crime, including narcotics, gang and gun-related violent crimes.
The Shreveport Police Department has been named as the fiscal agent for administering the funds allowed through this PSN grant. A committee comprised of community volunteers from the five major cities in the Western District of Louisiana has been appointed to be responsible for reviewing the applications received from law enforcement and non-governmental agencies who submit their grant proposals.
The Shreveport Police Department, on behalf of the DOJ’s OJP, is seeking applications for these grant funds under the PSN Program. At least 30% of the grant funds must be designated for grants under the PSN Program to fund new and/or current gang violence reduction strategies in the Western District. Various types of single of multi-grantee grant proposals are welcome, including those that address the following:
- Gang and gun violence reduction, deterrence, prevention, community outreach and education;
- Enforcement, adjudication and supervision programs;
- Prisoner re-entry programs; or
- Other innovative related projects.
The FY 2023 PSN Grant Announcement can be found by clicking on the "Attachments" link below. To be eligible, grant proposals must be submitted no later than 5 p.m. on Friday, July 26, 2024, to the following e-mail address: [email protected]. Interested applicants may also e-mail questions or contact Lisa Alwert at (337) 262-6618 for additional information.
An informational meeting will be held via WebEx on Monday, July 1, 2024, at 2 p.m. If you are interested in applying for these grant funds and learning more about the details required to be eligible, please send your e-mail and contact information to: [email protected] by Friday, June 28, 2024 by 5 p.m. in order to obtain the link to the WebEx meeting.
More information about awards under PSN and other OJP grants can be found on the OJP Grant Awards Page.
Attachments:
Guidelines for FY 2023 Project Safe Neighborhoods Grant Proposals# # #
Three Lake Charles Area Men Sent to Prison for Committing Firearms and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that three defendants were sentenced today for offenses involving firearms and drugs, including heroin and fentanyl. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows:
Dexter Jamone Allen, 37, of Fenton, Louisiana, was sentenced to 151 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms by a convicted felon and possession with intent to distribute a substance containing heroin and fentanyl. On February 8, 2022, investigators with the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office stopped the vehicle Allen was driving for a traffic violation and to arrest him pursuant to a warrant for his arrest that had been issued earlier that day. During the traffic stop, law enforcement agents lawfully searched Allen’s vehicle and seized a vacuum sealed bag of suspected heroin, .45 caliber ammunition and a large amount of cash. The seized substance was sent to the Southwest Louisiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing and their analysis confirmed that the substance consisted of at least 49.81 grams of heroin, fentanyl, and 4-ANPP. Law enforcements agents also obtained a search warrant for Allen’s residence and seized additional controlled substances, a digital scale, more cash, and five firearms and ammunition. Two of the seized firearms had been reported as stolen. Allen pleaded guilty to the charges on February 7, 2024.
Brendan Alexander Delafose, 28, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for illegal possession of a machine gun. In July 2021, Delafose was stopped for careless driving and deputies found him to be in possession of marijuana. Officers performed a lawful search of the vehicle Delafose was driving and found a Glock firearm with a Glock conversion device attached which purposefully converted the firearm to a machine gun. Delafose pleaded guilty to the charge on January 31, 2024.
Daniel Chemeeks Rodasti, 35, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced to 105 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Rodasti committed a traffic violation in June 2021 and was stopped by law enforcement officers. When deputies approached the vehicle, they detected a strong odor of marijuana coming from inside. A search was conducted of the vehicle and deputies found and seized a Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol and an Arex semi-automatic pistol. Rodasti had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. He pleaded guilty to the charge on February 7, 2024.
These cases were investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Casey Richmond and Danny Siefker.
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Hospice Care Company Owner Sentenced on Health Care Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Kristal Glover-Wing, 51, formerly a resident of Broussard, Louisiana, and now living in California, has been sentenced for conspiracy to commit health care fraud and three counts of health care fraud. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Glover-Wing to 72 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release. She was also ordered to pay $3,675,948.42 in restitution.
"As federal prosecutors, we must protect the taxpayer dollar by taking cases of Medicare fraud seriously due to the overwhelming number of Americans that rely on such programs to literally survive,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The defendant in this case took advantage of elderly patients for the benefit of her company as opposed to her clients. We believe this is a fair sentence and we will continue to prosecute cases of fraud and corruption by those who seek to unjustly enrich themselves to the detriment of the elderly and federal government.”
“The sentence imposed today is an affirmation of our commitment to protect the integrity of our nation’s health insurance programs from those who illegally profit through their fraudulent activities,” said Special Agent in Charge Jason E. Meadows of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG). “HHS-OIG will continue to work closely with our federal law enforcement partners and bring to justice bad actors who defraud the Medicare program.”
Glover-Wing was convicted by a federal jury of the charges in April 2023 following a nearly four-week trial. Glover-Wing was the owner of Angel Care Hospice (“Angel Care”), a Louisiana corporation that purported to provide hospice services in Lafayette Parish and other parishes in the Western District of Louisiana. Through evidence presented at trial, jurors learned that from approximately 2009 through 2017, over 24 patients were placed on hospice by Angel Care without meeting the criteria required by Medicare.
During the time period that the patients were on hospice and under the care and supervision of Angel Care, none of them had been diagnosed with a terminal condition. In fact, many of the patients themselves, who are still alive and thriving many years later, as well as family members of other patients, testified that they never knew that they had been placed on hospice. One of the patients testified at trial that Medicare refused to cover a procedure he needed to have because unbeknownst to him, he was listed as a hospice patient. Many of these patients thought they were receiving some type of home health or free services, rather than being placed on hospice.
Testimony at trial revealed that while on hospice care, many of the patients were living normal lives and although most of them did have medical conditions, none had been diagnosed as having a terminal condition. Evidence was introduced proving that there were patients who had been on hospice for more than five years and at the time of trial, were still alive.
The case was investigated by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General, and Federal Bureau of Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly P. Uebinger, Danny Siefker, and Lauren L. Gardner.
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United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness DayRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown joined national, state, local, and Tribal leaders today in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD). Since 2006, WEAAD has been commemorated to promote awareness and increases understanding of the many forms of elder abuse as well as the resources available to those at risk. Highlighting the partnership between law enforcement and the public, U.S. Attorney Brown emphasized the importance of awareness and education.
“As people like our grade school teachers, little league softball coaches, childhood dance instructors, and family members get older, they become increasingly more susceptible to the cunning and conniving tactics of schemers who operate worldwide,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We have a duty as government officials to do all we can to bring awareness to how these schemers operate and prosecute those who unjustly enrich themselves to the detriment of our seniors.”
Elder abuse is an act that knowingly, intentionally, or negligently causes or creates a serious risk of harm to an older person by a family member, caregiver, or other person in a trust relationship. Such harm may be financial, physical, sexual, or psychological. The Justice Department maintains a variety of programs and initiatives to combat elder abuse.
The Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force marshals federal and state agencies working collaboratively to investigate and prosecute foreign-based schemes that target older Americans. In addition to aggressively investigating the individuals, organizations, and networks responsible for these crimes, this initiative provides the public with information to guard against both traditional scams, like tech support fraud, as well as trending schemes, such as romance scams.
Using one scam to perpetrate or conceal another, some fraudsters rely on money mules to move the proceeds of their illegal activity. Preying on the good will or financial vulnerability of their targets, scammers recruit people, many times older victims, to participate in schemes to move money in ways that avoid notice. The Money Mule Initiative identifies and addresses money mule activity to disrupt these fraud schemes, and helps people to recognize and avoid participation in perpetuating fraud.
To help older individuals and their families identify and avoid fraudulent activity, the Justice Department provides Senior Scam Alerts with information about the tactics used in specific schemes. For example, in Social Security Administration Impostor schemes, scammers impersonate government administrators and falsely reporting suspicious activity to request that the victims provide their Social Security number for confirmation. In Tech Support scams, fraudsters contact victims, sometimes through internet pop-up messages, to warn about non-existent computer problems, ask that the victim give them remote access to their computer, and identify a non-existent problem, then demand large sums of money for unnecessary services. In Lottery scams, telemarketers falsely notify victims that they have won a sweepstakes and tell them they must first pay fees for shipping, insurance, customs duties, or taxes before they can claim their prizes.
To learn more about the department’s elder justice efforts please visit the Elder Justice Initiative page.
The Western District of Louisiana continues to work with federal, state, local, and Tribal law enforcement partners to investigate and prosecute elder abuse crimes.
Most recently, a federal grand jury in this district returned an indictment in April charging 21 defendants in connection with a federal bank fraud case wherein the government alleges these defendants defrauded elderly victim, many who were veterans, by stealing their personal banking information.
In a separate case, two defendants were convicted after being hired by a family to offer sitting services to an elderly woman living in a nursing home suffering from a mental disease. These defendants inflated their timesheets purporting to have provided sitting services to the infirmed victim that the victim never received.
We are committed to prosecuting these cases, but we need your help. To report elder fraud, contact the dedicated National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 or 1-833-372-8311 and visit the FBI’s IC3 Elder Fraud Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
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Shreveport Businessman and Military Veteran Sentenced on Federal ChargesRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Edward L. Angel, Sr., 71, of Shreveport, has been sentenced for theft of government funds and making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Angel to 3 years of supervised probation, with the first 6 months being served as home confinement. Angel was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $141,972.89 and a fine in the amount of $850,000.
In February, Angel was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a week-long trial. The jury was deadlocked as to the remaining counts in the indictment charging Angel with theft of government funds and a mistrial was declared. After the mistrial was declared, the government and Angel eventually agreed to enter into a plea agreement. Pursuant to that plea agreement, Angel pled guilty to one count of theft of government funds.
Angel is a military veteran and owned and operated two businesses, ELA Group, Inc. (ELA) and Paradigm Engineers and Constructors PLLC (Paradigm). The VA has a service-disabled veteran owned small business program (SDVOSB) which is a program that provides federal contracting assistance to small businesses owned by disabled veterans by providing them the opportunity to get certain set-aside contracts. To be eligible for this program, the veteran must meet specific criteria demonstrating eligibility, ownership, and control of the small business.
In 2011 and 2012, Angel submitted forms to the SDVOSB stating that he was the President of ELA and responsible for all day-to-day responsibilities and decisions. He also submitted documentation stating he worked 40+ hours each week and his compensation was taken at the end of the year in the form of IRS Subchapter S regulations distributions. On the forms Angel submitted, he represented to SDVOSB that the reason he did not take a salary was because he chose to leave money in the corporation to keep as much working capital as possible. In 2016, Angel purchased and became the President of Paradigm. Soon after his purchase of Paradigm, he began to submit documentation to qualify the company for the SDVOSB program. He certified that he was the 100% owner of Paradigm and worked an average of 50 or more hours a week committing 5-6 hours a day to each of his entities. As a result of these representations, ELA and Paradigm were accepted into the SDVOSB program and received millions of dollars in set-aside contracts from the SDVOSB.
From on or about November 2013, Angel also received Individual Unemployability from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Angel submitted documents to substantiate his disability claims for the VBA stating he was unable to work and had been unemployed since 2008. As a result of his misrepresentations to VBA, Angel admitted that he received $93,819.29 in IU payments that he was not entitled to receive and that were deposited into his bank account in the form of monthly payments.
On June 16, 2011, Angel also applied for SSA Disability Insurance Benefits stating that he had been unable to work since 2010 due to a medical condition. The SSA approved his application to receive disability benefits. Angel admits that he failed to disclose that he owned and operated two companies and was gainfully employed. As a result of these misrepresentations, he received $48,153.60 in disability payments he was not entitled to receive.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Executive Assistant United States Attorney Earl M. Campbell and former Assistant United States Attorney Tennille M. Gilreath.
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Illegal Possession of Drugs and Guns and Threatening Communications Being Sent Result in Federal Prison Sentences for Three Alexandria Area MenRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of three separate cases in the Alexandria Division of the Western District of Louisiana late yesterday. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell has sentenced the following defendants:
Kenneth Wayne Williams, Jr., 33, of Pineville, Louisiana, was sentenced to 180 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release, on drug and firearms charges. Williams was arrested on May 23, 2023, after a Louisiana State Police trooper stopped his vehicle for a traffic violation. When Williams exited the vehicle, the trooper observed Williams put a plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance into his pocket. After an open-air K-9 sniff of Williams’ vehicle, the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search of the vehicle led to the discovery of two bags of methamphetamine. Meanwhile, a search warrant was obtained and executed at Williams’ residence. Law enforcement agents searched Williams’ room and found more than one kilogram of methamphetamine, digital scales, over $20,000 in cash, an AK-style rifle, and a Glock 22 semi-automatic pistol. The total amount of methamphetamine seized was approximately 1,305.85 grams.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.
Daniel Lee Ellsworth, 33, of Alexandria, was sentenced to a total of 42 months in prison, followed by 1 year of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. On November 16, 2022, Ellsworth was a passenger in a vehicle fleeing from an Alexandria Police Department officer. The vehicle was pursued by police across the City of Alexandria. Once the vehicle stopped, Ellsworth attempted to flee on foot, and was subsequently arrested. Law enforcement officers found a loaded Manual Escodin revolver on his person. Ellsworth was previously convicted in the Western District of Louisiana in 2020 of being a felon in possession of a firearm and was on supervised release at the time of his arrest. As a convicted felon, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. As a result of this offense, Ellsworth’s supervised probation was revoked.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Alexandria Police Department and prosecuted by Criminal Chief Allison L. Duncan.
James Gantt, 55, of Alexandria, was sentenced to 20 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for sending threatening communications to a Social Security Administrative Law Judge. On December 15, 2022, Gantt placed a handwritten letter into an authorized depository for United States Mail matter in Alexandria. The letter written and signed by Gantt contained a threat to injure the Administrative Law Judge. Gantt pleaded guilty to the charge on February 5, 2024.
This case was investigated by the Social Security Administration and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
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Traffic Stop in Louisiana Results in Conviction and Sentencing of Four from Texas for Distribution of Cocaine, Methamphetamine and MarijuanaRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that four defendants involved in a drug distribution conspiracy have all been sentenced. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced the four defendants as follows:
Kendrick D. Riggins, 46, of El Campo, Texas, was sentenced to 108 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Riggins pleaded guilty on December 12, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Myrna B. Grays, 70, of El Campo, Texas, was sentenced April 1, 2024, to 60 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. Grays pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Ricky L. Lawson, 64, of Ganado, Texas, was sentenced to 105 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. Lawson pleaded guilty on September 12, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Shaheed H. Davis, 35, of Rosenburg, Texas, was previously sentenced on March 5, 2024, to 150 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Davis pleaded guilty on November 1, 2023, to one count of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to information introduced in court, on January 12, 2022, troopers with the Louisiana State Police were performing stationary patrol on I-20 when they observed a Ford Expedition and a Nissan Versa, both bearing Texas license plates and traveling eastbound. Troopers stopped both cars after observing traffic infractions. The driver of the Ford was identified as Kendrick Riggins and the passenger and owner of that car was identified as Shaheed Davis. The trooper who stopped Riggins and Davis detected a strong odor of marijuana and cologne emanating from within the Ford. The driver of the Nissan was identified as Ricky Lawson and his passenger was identified as Myrna Grays. The Nissan was a rental car. Troopers were able to determine that the two vehicles were traveling together from Texas.
Troopers received consent to search the Nissan and found hidden inside the trunk approximately 945.1 grams of powder cocaine and almost 5,000 pills which contained a mixture and substance of methamphetamine weighing approximately 923.1 grams. Troopers also searched the Ford and found a Taurus 9mm handgun; several magazines and ammunition; marijuana; a box of sandwich baggies; a digital scale with cocaine residue; a razorblade with cocaine residue; a whisk with cocaine residue; and a large amount of cash.
Through their further investigation, law enforcement officers learned that Grays agreed to help Riggins find someone to rent a car for him and that Riggins would pay for half of the rental. Riggins, Grays, and Lawson traveled in the rented Nissan from El Campo, Texas to a gas station where they met Davis. Riggins got in the Ford with Davis and Grays and Lawson followed inside the Nissan.
Each of the defendants were charged with conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. In addition, Davis was charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Mike Shannon and Retired Assistant United States Attorney Mary Mudrick.
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Former Lafayette and Vermilion Parish Educator Convicted on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that a jury in Lafayette has returned a guilty verdict against Jacob Conrad De La Paz, 34, of one count of attempted receipt of child pornography. United States District Judge David C. Joseph presided over the three-day trial. The jury could not reach a unanimous verdict as to the additional count in the indictment of attempted production of child pornography.
De La Paz was formerly a teacher and coach at St. Thomas More Catholic High School in Lafayette and a math teacher at North Vermilion High School in Maurice. He left North Vermilion High School and began teaching at St. Thomas More in the fall of 2022. Testimony at trial revealed that in January 2023, De La Paz began communicating through social media with a former minor female student from North Vermilion High School who had reached out to him seeking his help as a math tutor. On January 12, 2023, De La Paz sent a video through the Facebook social media platform to the minor female student, who was 17 years old at the time, asking her to send him a video of her pleasuring herself. He then sent a second video to the minor victim of himself masturbating to ejaculation. Further testimony in court revealed that De La Paz instructed the minor victim to delete the video and all of their conversations from Facebook.
De La Paz faces a sentence of 5 to 40 years in prison, supervised release of 5 years to life, and a fine of up to $250,000, or both. Sentencing has been set for August 22, 2024, at 2:30 p.m.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Vermilion Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and J. Luke Walker.
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Former Shreveport Police Officer Sentenced on Wire Fraud ChargeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Former Shreveport Police Department officer Jeffrey L. Peters, 55, of Shreveport, was sentenced today for one count of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Peters to 3 years of supervised probation and he was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $13,084.74.
Peters pleaded guilty on January 12, 2024 to the charge which was the result of his actions while employed as a Lieutenant with the Shreveport Police Department (SPD). While working at SPD, Peters was allowed to work overtime on the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program, which is a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that pays officers at 1.5 times their normal hourly rate for overtime worked.
Between January 2020 and January 2021, Peters and a fellow supervisor, James Cisco, devised a scheme to defraud the SPD by claiming overtime for hours they had not worked. Peters and Cisco would each fill out and sign a Report of Overtime which stated they worked a specific time and date on the CBCR grant. Peters, in his role as Cisco’s supervisor, would certify that Cisco had actually worked the dates and times listed on the Report of Overtime. Peters would also create and submit an SPD activity report which would falsely state that he and Cisco were doing patrols in District 3, an area around SPD Headquarters. On these reports, Peters and Cisco were the only officers listed. When in truth and in fact, neither Peters nor Cisco were working overtime for SPD.
Peters submitted false Reports of Overtime and Activity Reports on over 50 dates falsely claiming he worked overtime that he had not. He was paid for hours he did not work in is bi-weekly paychecks which were deposited into his own personal account. Peters received a total of $13,084.74 in overtime that he was not entitled to receive.
Cisco was also charged in connection with this case and was sentenced to one year of supervised probation and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $1,681.29 and a fine in the amount of $2,500.
The case was investigated by FBI, DOJ-Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown Recognizes the Law Enforcement Community During National Police WeekRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – In honor of National Police Week, United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown recognizes the service and sacrifice of federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement officers. The week is being observed May 11 through May 17, 2024.
“During National Police Week, it’s important that we as a community take the time to recognize the law enforcement officers in the Western District of Louisiana who work tirelessly to keep our neighborhoods safe,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Many times, the job of policing is taken for granted by those of us in the community and the sacrifices the men and women who wear the law enforcement badge and uniform oftentimes go unnoticed. To those who have taken an oath to serve and protect, we honor and thank you for your service to these communities throughout our district. We stand with you and pledge to continue to join with you in fighting this battle for justice in our country and on our streets.”
“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Attorney General Merrick Garland. “Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most. Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them. The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”
In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty. Here in the Western District of Louisiana, we also solemnly commemorate Ville Platte Deputy City Marshal Barry Giglio who tragically died in the line of duty on July 31, 2023. Deputy Marshal Giglio was tragically killed while assisting in the execution of a search warrant at a residence in Ville Platte, Louisiana.
Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty and commitment to keeping our communities safe.
In 2023, there were 136 federal, state, tribal and local law enforcement officers that died in the line of duty. Of those officers who died, 47 were shot and killed in the line of duty; 37 officers died due to traffic-related crashes; and 52 officers died of other causes, including fire-related incidents and medical-related illnesses or events suffered while in the performance of their official duties. Eight of those officers who died in the line of duty were from Louisiana.
On Monday, May 13, 2024, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil at 8:00 p.m. EDT. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.
To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.
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New Iberia Man Sentenced for Possession of Unregistered SilencersRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Brennan James Comeaux, 50, of New Iberia, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph for possession of silencers that were not registered by him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Comeaux was sentenced to 24 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to information introduced in court, on or about June 2, 2022, Comeaux knowingly possessed numerous silencers and silencer parts, including two silver and three black completed firearm silencers. Law enforcement agents recovered these silencers pursuant to a search warrant that was executed at Comeaux’s residence. Agents also found multiple firearm manuals explaining how to modify and assemble firearms and silencers. Comeaux pleaded guilty to the charge on February 6, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Iberia Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Richmond.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine by Lafayette Man Leads to 13+ Year Federal Prison SentenceRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Forrest Kevin Dwayne Matthews, 39, of Lafayette, Louisiana, has been sentenced on drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Matthews was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 160 months (13 years, 4 months) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release. He pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
On June 2, 2022, detectives with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Intelligence Unit assisted the New Orleans Police Department in locating Matthews in connection with an armed robbery investigation. The Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives located Matthews at his residence in Lafayette and took him into custody. A search warrant was obtained for the residence and officers found and seized approximately 1,756 grams of methamphetamine, a Harrington & Richardson .22 caliber revolver, 4 grams of heroin, 4 grams of crack cocaine, a digital scale and measuring cups located in a black duffle bag and a backpack. In addition, officers discovered 6 grams of marijuana in the kitchen drawer and a Taurus 9mm handgun in the master bedroom closet. Matthews admitted to law enforcement officers that the items found and seized belonged to him.
The suspected methamphetamine was sent to the Acadiana Criminalistics Laboratory for testing and was verified to be methamphetamine with a combined net weight of 1,696 grams. Matthews pleaded guilty to the charge on December 7, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
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Possession of Heroin and Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms Lands Two South Louisiana Men in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE/LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown the sentencing of two defendants yesterday in both the Lafayette and Lake Charles Divisions of the Western District of Louisiana.
Daryl Beloney, Sr., 50, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 120 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of stolen firearm or ammunition. On April 1, 2022, law enforcement agents with the Combined Anti-Drug Task Force executed a search warrant at a residence on Vanessa Avenue in Calcasieu Parish. During the search, agents discovered a Taurus Millennium PT 145, a Ruger P90, and a Beretta M1934 pistol, in addition to an assortment of controlled substances, including 7.4 pounds of marijuana. Beloney admitted to law enforcement agents that he possessed the firearms and that he had reasonable cause to believe that one of the firearms had been stolen and pleaded guilty to the charge on January 25, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Combined Anti-Drug Task Force and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Lauren L. Gardner.
In a separate and unrelated case, United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Montel Joseph Wilridge, 30, of Lafayette, Louisiana, to 120 months in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute heroin and being a felon in possession of firearms. On March 6, 2021, agents with the Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at a residence in Lafayette. During their search, agents discovered a large amount of marijuana and other various controlled substances packaged in individual ounce bags, as well as a digital scale and three firearms. Agents later learned that the Sig Sauer P365 and Taurus Millennium pistols recovered had both been reported as stolen. Agents also recovered suspected heroin with an approximately weight of 149 grams. The suspected heroin was sent to the DEA Southeast Laboratory for testing and confirmed to be heroin with a net weight of 141.2 grams. Wilridge pleaded guilty to the two charges on December 28, 2023.
The case was investigated by the DEA, ATF, and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Richmond.
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Youngsville Man and Former Educator Sentenced to Federal Prison on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – Angel Rafael Cardona, 35, of Youngsville, Louisiana, was sentenced today on child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced Cardona to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release.
Cardona was charged in an indictment with one count of using a facility to cause a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity and he pleaded guilty to the charge in January of this year. Evidence in this case revealed that in June 2023, Cardona began communicating through Whisper, an online chat application, with a user who identified as a 13-year-old female. Unbeknownst to Cardona, the user was an undercover law enforcement agent. Cardona sent a direct message to the user inquiring about a post she had made about summer school. Two days later, Cardona asked the user if they had an account on another online chat site and the agent responded that they did have a Kik account, and he then contacted the undercover minor female through that application. These communications between the two continued from June 8, 2023, to July 10, 2023, until the user told Cardona that the Kik application kept crashing and to contact her through text message and provided a phone number. The text messages between Cardona and the undercover agent continued through July 24, 2023.
Conversations about sex, sexual experiences, and the undercover agent’s body were brought up by Cardona throughout this time period. On numerous occasions, the undercover agent made reference to her age of 13. The conversations regarding her sexual inexperience increased over time becoming more graphic and detailed. Eventually, Cardona began asking the undercover agent for pictures of herself and asked for images containing sexual material. On July 11 and 13, 2023, Cardona specifically and explicitly asked for the undercover agent to produce and send him child pornography. The undercover agent gave excuses of her mother’s presence in the home for not complying and Cardona instructed her to be sneaky about it in order to create the images.
He brought up the idea of meeting in person on numerous occasions and eventually they agreed to meet at Veterans Park in Lafayette on July 24, 2023. The defendant admitted that he intended to meet the person he believed to be a minor female for the purpose of engaging in some form of sexual activity that would be a crime under the laws of the state of Louisiana.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys J. Luke Walker and Craig R. Bordelon.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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United States Attorney Announces Return of Indictment Charging 21 Defendants in Bank Fraud Conspiracy CaseRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown, United States Secret Service Resident Agent in Charge Felton L. Joseph, Jr., and Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil, announced today that a federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging 21 defendants in connection with a federal bank fraud case following an investigation into their illegal activities in the Shreveport area.
The defendants charged in the seven-count indictment are as follows:
Defendant Name
Charges
Destane Glass, 22, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Sharmaine Jackson, 25, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Elijah D. Brown, 24, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Eric D. Loud, 23, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Arazhia R. Gully, 23, Bossier City, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Zarrajah Z. Watkins, 22, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Maya L. Green, 23, Bossier City, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
Olivia Deboe, 23, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
Tina Marie Bryant, 42, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
Cynthia R. Bryant, 22, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
Trameka McGinty, 24, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Shaquentalas B. McGinty, 25, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Donte N. Larrimore, 24, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Javonte J. Lejay, 27, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Octavia L. Mitchell, 32, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Lakysa S. Barfield, 26, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Shmarrian J. Taylor, 26, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Shamaya S. Pouncy, 26, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Precious Wilbert, 24, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
Kyra D. Washington-Bates, 23, Shreveport, LA
- Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud
Rakeydra S. Shepherd, 27, Shreveport, LA
- Possession of a Counterfeit Security
The indictment alleges that from January 1, 2021, and continuing until on or about October 31, 2022, defendants Glass, Jackson, Brown, Loud, Gully, Watkins, Green, Deboe, T. Bryant, C. Bryant, T. McGinty, S. McGinty, Larrimore, Lejay, Mitchell, Barfield, Taylor, Pouncy, Wilbert and Washington-Bates, and others known and unknown, knowingly and willfully conspired to commit bank fraud. It is alleged that the defendants fraudulently obtained money from financial institutions including, but not limited to, USAA Savings Bank (USAA Bank), Chase Bank, and Navy Federal Credit Union (Navy Federal).
It is alleged in the indictment that defendants Glass, Jackson, Brown and Loud worked with one or more employees at the Teleperformance Call Center in Shreveport to obtain account information related to USAA Bank customers. The indictment alleges that Gully, Green and Watkins, who were employees at Teleperformance in Shreveport, illegally provided account information typically targeting older bank customers with high account balances as the defendants believed they were less likely to regularly monitor their account activity. Using the account information provided, the co-conspirators made, or caused to be made, counterfeit checks drawn on USAA Bank and used social media and other methods to recruit individuals who were willing to have the counterfeit checks deposited into their bank accounts in exchange for money.
The indictment further alleges that Deboe, T. Bryant, C. Bryant, T. McGinty, S. McGinty, Larrimore, Lejay, Mitchell, Barfield, Taylor, Pouncy, Wilbert and Washington-Bates each used their bank accounts, or allowed those accounts to be used, to negotiate counterfeit checks drawn on USAA Bank and shared the proceeds with other co-conspirators.
According to the indictment, counterfeit checks were deposited or messages were sent through a social media site (SMS) regarding the deposits and counterfeit checks as follows:
Date
Defendants Involved
Details of Alleged Act
11/27/21
Cynthia R. Bryant to Destane Glass
Message sent through SMS showing $40,000 deposit to Bryant’s Chase Bank account
12/13/21
Maya L. Green to Elijah D. Brown
Message sent through SMS offering to sell him USAA Bank account information
1/21/22
Maya L. Green to Elijah D. Brown
Message sent through SMS indicating she had new USAA Bank account information she was willing to sell
5/11/22
Javonte J. Lejay
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $32,000 deposited into his Chase Bank account
5/20/22
Javonte J. Lejay
Entered Margaritaville Casino in Bossier City, LA and made three cash withdrawals totaling $24,000 from his Chase Bank account
5/25/22
Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown
Text message sent containing age and account balances of eight USAA Bank customers
5/25/22
Elijah D. Brown to Arazhia R. Gully
Text message sent indicating he was interested in account information related to a 79-year-old customer with account balance of approximately $442,000
5/25/22
Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown
Text message sent containing picture of her computer monitor displaying account information related to the USAA Bank customer referenced in paragraph above
6/1/22
Destane Glass to Zarrajah Watkins
Text message sent requesting two account numbers
6/1/22
Destane Glass to Zarrajah Watkins
Text message sent inquiring which account belonged to the oldest person and how much was in the account
6/6/22
Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown
Text message sent containing age and account balances of three USAA Bank customers
6/6/22
Elijah D. Brown to Arazhia R. Gully
Text message sent indicating he was interested in the account information related to a 95-year-old customer with account balance of approximately $174,000
6/6/22
Arazhia R. Gully to Elijah D. Brown
Text message containing picture of her computer monitor displaying account information related to the USAA Bank customer referenced in paragraph above
6/13/22
Shamaya S. Pouncy
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $10,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account
6/13/22
Shaquentalas B. McGinty
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account
6/17/22
Shaquentalas B. McGinty and Sharmaine Jackson
Both defendants entered Bally’s Casino in Shreveport, LA and withdrew $7,000 cash from McGinty’s Navy Federal account
6/21/22
Kyra D. Washington-Bates
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $16,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account
7/1/22
Eric D. Loud to Zarrajah Watkins
Text message sent requesting that she send a number before he printed some checks
7/25/22
Octavia L. Mitchell
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Chase Bank account
7/25/22
Lakysa S. Barfield
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $15,000 deposited into her Chase Bank account
8/2/22
Shmarrian J. Taylor
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $18,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account
8/3/22
Octavia L. Mitchell and Sharmaine Jackson
Both defendants entered Bally’s Casino in Shreveport, LA and withdrew $7,000 cash from Mitchell’s Chase Bank account
8/3/22
Lakysa S. Barfield and Sharmaine Jackson
Defendants met at Bally’s Casino in Shreveport, LA and they withdrew $7,000 cash from Barfield’s Chase Bank account
8/11/22
Donte N. Larrimore
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $9,500 deposited into his Bank of America account
8/17/22
Trameka McGinty
Counterfeit USAA Bank check in the amount of $5,000 deposited into her Navy Federal account
8/22/22
Donte N. Larrimore and Eric D. Loud
Both defendants entered Bally’s Casino and withdrew $4,660 from Larrimore’s Bank of America account
9/19/22
Sharmaine Jackson to Zarrajah Watkins
Text message sent requesting “fresh” account information
In addition, the indictment charges defendants C. Bryant, T. Bryant, Green, Deboe, Wilbert and Shepherd each with one count of knowingly possessing a counterfeited security of USAA Bank with the intent to deceive.
The defendants will make their initial appearance and be arraigned in federal court on their charges.
“The banking system is clearly one of the driving forces behind national, state, and local economy in every community across the United States and is critical in consumer transactions on a daily basis,” said United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “In these trying economic times, this office is committed to prosecuting those who use national and local banks to defraud other banks, businesses, consumers, and bank customers.”
“This case should serve as a strong deterrent for criminal actors considering taking part in similar fraud schemes,” said Resident Agent in Charge Felton L. Joseph, Jr. “The U.S. Secret Service and its law enforcement partners will continue to investigate and pursue prosecution of these alleged crimes in order to safeguard our communities.”
“For months criminals took advantage of a company that serves our veterans, and preyed upon its customers,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the New Orleans Field Office. “This indictment is the first step in holding those who stole from those who have honored our country with their service, accountable for their despicable actions. The FBI thanks its partners in this case in helping to bring this corruption to light.”
An indictment is merely an accusation, and a defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
This investigation is being conducted by the USSS, FBI, Louisiana State Police and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
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Two North Louisiana Men Convicted by Federal Jury in Monroe of Conspiring to Commit Bank Fraud Resulting in Loss of over $3 MillionRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. –United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Charlie L. Simpson, 51, of Downsville, and Charles D. Gardner, 56, of West Monroe, were each found guilty today by a federal jury in Monroe of one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud. After two days of deliberations, the jury also found Simpson guilty of four counts of bank fraud. The court declared a mistrial as to the remaining four counts of bank fraud against Gardner. Chief United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty presided over the two week trial.
Simpson worked as the Chief Operating Officer of United Home Care, Inc. (“United”) and Trinity Home Health Care, Inc. (“Trinity”) and Gardner worked as the Chief Financial Officer/Controller of United and Trinity. According to testimony during the trial, from April 2016 until March 2017, Simpson and Gardner conspired together to defraud Origin Bank, Peoples Bank, and Louisiana National Bank (“LNB”) by fraudulently obtaining money and credits from the three banks. Simpson and Gardner orchestrated and executed a check kiting scheme between accounts at Origin Bank and LNB wherein they deposited hundreds of checks between multiple accounts they controlled at both banks and took advantage of the float when they passed the checks, timing the exchanges to artificially inflate the account balances. As a result of this scheme, Simpson and Gardner caused Origin Bank and LNB to honor checks and payments drawn against accounts with insufficient funds and put the financial institutions at risk.
Additional testimony revealed that on March 8, 2017, Simpson learned that accounts under his control at LNB had an overdraft and the bank would only accept a certified check to cover the deficit. To cover the overdraft and prevent the kite from collapsing, Simpson and Gardner added a third bank, Peoples Bank, into the scheme by issuing over 20 checks for approximately $4 million drawn from different accounts at that bank and deposited them into multiple accounts at Origin Bank. However, the accounts used at Peoples Bank had less than $2,000 available and did not have sufficient funds to cover the checks deposited into Origin Bank. The following day, Simpson used the artificially inflated balances to obtain four certified checks totaling $2.1 million from Origin Bank and deposited them into different accounts at LNB to cover the overdraft. Origin Bank suffered a financial loss when it discovered that they had used the inflated accounts to obtain certified funds.
Simpson and Gardner each face a sentence of not more than 30 years in prison, a fine of up to $1,000,000, or both. Sentencing is set for August 7, 2024.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Leon H. Whitten, Brian C. Flanagan, and Criminal Chief Allison L. Duncan.
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Former Louisiana Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violation for Assaulting DetaineeRead the Press Release
A former DeSoto Parish, Louisiana, Sheriff’s Office deputy, Javarrea Pouncy, 30, pleaded guilty to depriving a detainee of his civil rights under color of law by willfully using unreasonable force against the detainee.
“Like any law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect people in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Instead of fulfilling his duty, the defendant abused his authority by beating a detainee who posed no threat to him, leaving the victim broken, bloodied and bruised. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of those in their care.”
“This defendant was an officer of the law who took an oath to serve and protect others, but he did the exact opposite of that,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “This incident was unnecessary and a result of this defendant’s abuse of the law. We take these violations of civil rights of others very seriously and will continue to prosecute those who violate these laws in the Western District of Louisiana.”
“There is never any excuse for a man or woman who takes the oath to serve and protect to do what Pouncy did in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI is committed to uncovering cowards who attempt to hide their acts of violence behind the badge. Justice is finally served in this case.”
According to court documents, on Sept. 27, 2019, Pouncy was working as a deputy at the DeSoto Parish jail when he and another deputy strip searched a detainee as part of the booking process. During the search, Pouncy and the other deputy, DeMarkes Grant, repeatedly punched the detainee, even though the detainee did not pose a threat to either officer. The officers threw approximately 50 punches at the detainee, including in the head and face. As a result of the assault, the detainee was hospitalized and diagnosed with a broken eye socket and broken nose, among other injuries.
Grant previously pleaded guilty to an obstruction offense for filing a false report about the assault, which he did knowingly and purposefully in order to prevent authorities from learning about the unreasonable use of force.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Aug. 7. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Pouncy faces a penalty of 30 to 37 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case.
Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
Former Desoto Parish Sheriff’s Deputy Pleads Guilty to Federal Civil Rights Violation for Assaulting DetaineeRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – A former DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy, Javarrea Pouncy, 30, pleaded guilty to depriving a detainee of his civil rights under color of law by willfully using unreasonable force against the detainee.
“Like any law enforcement officer, the defendant had a duty to protect people in his custody,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Instead of fulfilling his duty, the defendant abused his authority by beating a detainee who posed no threat to him, leaving the victim broken, bloodied and bruised. The Justice Department is committed to investigating and prosecuting officers who violate the civil and constitutional rights of those in their care.”
“This defendant was an officer of the law who took an oath to serve and protect others, but he did the exact opposite of that,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown for the Western District of Louisiana. “This incident was unnecessary and a result of this defendant’s abuse of the law. We take these violations of civil rights of others very seriously and will continue to prosecute those who violate these laws in the Western District of Louisiana.”
“There is never any excuse for a man or woman who takes the oath to serve and protect to do what Pouncy did in this case,” said Special Agent in Charge Lyonel Myrthil of the FBI New Orleans Field Office. “The FBI is committed to uncovering cowards who attempt to hide their acts of violence behind the badge. Justice is finally served in this case.”
According to court documents, on September 27, 2019, Pouncy was working as a deputy at the DeSoto Parish jail when he and another deputy strip searched a detainee as part of the booking process. During the search, Pouncy and the other deputy, DeMarkes Grant, repeatedly punched the detainee, even though the detainee did not pose a threat to either officer. The officers threw approximately 50 punches at the detainee, including in the head and face. As a result of the assault, the detainee was hospitalized and diagnosed with a broken eye socket and broken nose, among other injuries.
Grant previously pleaded guilty to an obstruction offense for filing a false report about the assault, which he did knowingly and purposefully in order to prevent authorities from learning about the unreasonable use of force.
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for August 7, 2024. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Pouncy faces a penalty of 30 to 37 months in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI New Orleans Field Office investigated the case. Trial Attorney Erin Monju of the Civil Rights Division’s Criminal Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Reeg for the Western District of Louisiana are prosecuting the case.
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Possession of Machine Guns Results in Federal Prison Sentences for Two MenRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men for illegally possessing machine guns. Tedric Deshun Ratcliff, 30, of Shreveport, and Elijah D. Brown, 24, of Fort Worth, Texas, have been sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr.
Tedric Deshun Ratcliff was sentenced to 57 months in prison and Elijah D. Brown was sentenced to 42 months in prison. Both defendants will serve 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison. The sentence imposed by Judge Hicks for Brown was an upward departure from the proposed 18-24 month guideline range based on the United States Sentencing Commission’s guidelines.
According to information presented in court, on September 23, 2022, officers with the Shreveport Police Department responded to an armed persons call at the Peach Street Apartments in Shreveport. Upon arrival, officers observed an individual carrying an AR-style rifle get into the rear driver’s side of a vehicle in the parking lot of the apartment complex. The officers made contact with the armed passenger and asked him to step out of the vehicle and observed the AR-style rifle on the floorboard. Officers then ordered the driver, later determined to be Ratcliff, out of the vehicle. A search of the vehicle was conducted, and officers found three firearms, a Glock .40 caliber pistol with an extended magazine, a Glock 9mm pistol with extended magazine, and the Palmetto Arms 7.62 AR rifle which had previously been seen by officers. Through their investigation, officers learned that two of the firearms had been reported as stolen. The Palmetto Arms AR rifle was found to have a drop-in auto sear, a conversion device, inserted inside of it and was determined to be registered to Brown.
In addition, officers located a small backpack containing prescribed medication and identification for Brown. Under the backpack was a tan Glock 19 9mm pistol with a Glock switch, a conversion device, installed. The firearm was registered to Brown. Law enforcement agents retrieved photos from Brown’s phone of him holding the tan Glock firearm with the switch installed. A records search of the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) showed that the Glock switches were not registered, and Brown had no other registrations.
Brown was charged with possession of a machine gun and possession of a firearm not registered to him in NFRTR. Ratcliff was charged with unlawful possession of a machine gun.
“These sentences imposed by the court should send a strong message to those in our community that individuals who possess these illegal machine guns will get stiff sentences,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “Together with our federal, state and local law enforcement partners, we will continue to weed out these bad seeds in our communities.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Former Lafayette Firearms Store Owner and Wife Sentenced on Federal Firearms ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jeremiah Micah Deare, 40, Sarah Elaine Fogle, 33, were each sentenced yesterday afternoon on federal firearms charges. Deare and Fogle were convicted by a federal jury in November 2023 after a nearly week-long trial of conspiring to deal firearms without a license, making false statements in records required to be kept by a licensed firearms dealer, and failing to run required background checks in connection with their unlicensed firearm business located in Lafayette. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the couple as follows:
Jeremiah Micah Deare was sentenced to 97 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Sarah Elaine Fogle was sentenced to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
At the trial in November 2023, evidence was introduced that Deare was the owner of Dave’s Gunshop, LLC (Dave’s) and the responsible party for Dave’s Federal Firearms License, which was located in Lafayette, Louisiana. Deare and Fogle did not hold a Federal Firearms License in their individual capacities. Testimony at trial from numerous witnesses revealed that Deare and Fogle engaged in the illegal sale and attempted illegal sale of hundreds of firearms out of their residence and at gun shows as an unlicensed business. The couple was found to have engaged in the business of dealing firearms without following applicable laws, including the required background checks on their customers. There were 246 firearms seized from the couple’s home, many with price tags, and the indictment also seeks forfeiture of a total of 619 firearms which were involved in the commission of these offenses.
On or about August 13, 2019, a compliance inspection was conducted at Dave’s by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). At a warning conference on September 19, 2019, in Baton Rouge, Deare and Fogle were warned for numerous violations, including failing to complete a background check form ATF-4473 (one time), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for dispositions (67 times), failing to accurately keep acquisition and disposition records for acquisitions (62 times), transferring firearms without having a final response from the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (two times), inaccurate completion of ATF-4473 forms (111 times), and for missing firearms. On that same day in 2019, the ATF investigator provided an Acknowledgement of Federal Firearms Regulations to inform Deare of his responsibilities as a Federal Firearms License holder, and about laws relating to engaging in the business of selling firearms at gun shows. The form was signed by Deare acknowledging that he understood he was responsible for familiarizing himself with the laws and regulations.
Deare and Fogle, after being warned, willfully engaged in the business of dealing in firearms without a license by buying and selling firearms without complying with the recordkeeping and background check requirements required by federal law. Both defendants acquired large quantities of firearms and ammunition from estate sales and other means but would not document the firearms in Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book as required by federal law. In addition, firearms brought to Dave’s to be sold on consignment were not logged into Dave’s Acquisition & Disposition Book and were not placed for sale at Dave’s, but rather were taken to various gun shows and sold without background checks in an unlicensed business. Their failure to conduct background checks resulted in the sales of firearms to persons prohibited by law from possessing or purchasing firearms. Additionally, the sales of firearms at gun shows outside the State of Louisiana were not done through a dealer licensed in the state where the gun show was conducted as required by law.
“The regulation of firearm production and sales is a necessary function of the ATF,” stated U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “The ATF took the opportunity to counsel the defendants as to their wrongdoing, but the defendants nevertheless ignored ATF, deciding to proceed with their criminal conduct and the court has now held them accountable. We hope these sentences serve as a deterrent to anyone who considers engaging in such illicit activity going forward.”
“These two defendants are part of fueling the violent crime problem across the country by selling to prohibited persons,” said ATF New Orleans Special Agent in Charge Joshua Jackson. “They have shown a reckless disregard for the federal laws and responsibilities associated with the privilege of possessing a federal firearms license. The sentence imposed sends a message to the community that dishonorable individuals like this will be held accountable as we work to keep our neighborhoods safe as a top priority for ATF.”
The ATF conducted the investigation and Assistant United States Attorneys Lauren L. Gardner and Myers P. Namie prosecuted the case.
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Zwolle Man Sentenced to Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine and FirearmsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Larry Maurice Malmay, 47, of Zwolle, Louisiana, was sentenced today on drug trafficking charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Malmay to 182 months (15 years, 2 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The charges against Malmay stem from an incident which occurred on December 28, 2022, when officers with Probation and Parole went to his residence to perform a routine residence check. At the time of the visit, Malmay was on probation for prior felony convictions. When Malmay answered the door, the smell of marijuana was immediately apparent to the officer. The officer asked him if there were any prohibited items in the house and he admitted to having two firearms. When the officer attempted to handcuff Malmay, he struggled with the officer and was able to break away and flee the scene. Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies were called to assist in locating Malmay.
Meanwhile, a home visit of Malmay’s house was completed by the officer where he discovered a Ruger EC9S 9mm pistol, a Remington 410 gauge shotgun, 17 grams of methamphetamine, 74 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, and over 90 various narcotic pills, as well as clear bags for packaging and scales.
The Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office K-9 eventually located Malmay hiding and passed out in the woods and he was taken to the hospital for evaluation. The defendant later admitted to law enforcement officers that he had consumed over 100 hydrocodone pills to avoid their discovery and that is what caused him to pass out in the woods. He admitted to storing over two pounds of methamphetamine for another individual in his house at different times. Malmay has multiple prior felonies and knew that he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Louisiana Probation and Parole, and the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.
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South Louisiana Men Sentenced to Federal Prison for Aggravated Identify TheftRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. - United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Joshua Dunbar, 24, of St. Martinville, Louisiana, and Jaqualyne Etienne, 24, of Lafayette, have both been sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph for aggravated identity theft.
Dunbar was sentenced to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Etienne was previously sentenced on February 27, 2024, to two years in prison, followed by one year of supervised release. Dunbar and Etienne each pleaded guilty to one count of committing aggravated identify theft.
A federal investigation revealed that Dunbar and Etienne were involved in a scheme to use the personal identifying information (PII) of individuals to obtain the credit card accounts maintained by Synchrony Bank. Dunbar and Etienne used the PII of those individuals to request that a new credit card be issued for each of those accounts and sent to addresses in St. Martinville and New Iberia. Dunbar and Etienne then used those credit cards to make several fraudulent purchases.
Dunbar admitted at his guilty plea hearing that as a result of this fraudulent activity, he charged $66,421.43 using credit cards issued by Synchrony Bank and Etienne fraudulently charged $164,437.66 to those credit cards. Both defendants admitted to using the same method to acquire numerous credit cards from Synchrony Bank in the names of other real individuals and in each case, made fraudulent purchases.
The case was investigated by the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
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Sabine Parish Man Sentenced for Distribution of MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Sergio Valdez, 28, of Zwolle, Louisiana, has been sentenced for distribution of methamphetamine, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Valdez to 87 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
On March 22, 2023, federal and state law enforcement agents conducted a controlled purchase of methamphetamine from Valdez in Sabine Parish, Louisiana. Agents were able to obtain information that Valdez sold an individual the methamphetamine outside of his home. The drugs which were sold by Valdez were sent to the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Southeast Laboratory for testing and found to have a net weight of 54.4 grams of pure methamphetamine.
A federal grand jury returned an indictment on June 28, 2023, charging Valdez with one count of distribution of methamphetamine and he pleaded guilty to the charge on November 7, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney William C. Gaskins.
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Many, LA Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Methamphetamine and a FirearmRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of Lionel George Somersall, Jr., 45, of Many, who was convicted of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Somersall was sentenced by United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. to 195 months (16 years, 3 months) in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, on September 13, 2021, Somersall and a female were driving in a vehicle which did not have a proper license plate. A Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office deputy performed a traffic stop of the vehicle. Somersall was the driver of the vehicle and did not have a valid driver’s license. A K9 deputy was brought to the scene and the dog alerted to the presence of narcotics in the vehicle. After searching the vehicle, deputies found a Charter Arms .38 Special revolver inside. Both Somersall and his passenger were convicted felons and were prohibited from possessing a firearm. Law enforcement agents conducted a search of the gun’s history and found that it had been reported as stolen. Somersall and his passenger were both arrested.
Agents learned through their investigation that Somersall’s passenger told a co-defendant that she had thrown a bag full of illegal drugs out the window of the vehicle prior to them being stopped. A subsequent search was conducted of the area and deputies found a bag containing ammunition and receipts to Somersall. In addition, they discovered approximately 170 grams of methamphetamine inside the bag. Law enforcement agents were able to examine Somersall’s phone and found text messages discussing the distribution of methamphetamine. Somersall also later admitted to law enforcement agents that he possessed the firearm located inside the vehicle.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.
The investigation and conviction of Somersall is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Federal Inmates and Others Involved in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencings of four co-defendants involved in a drug trafficking conspiracy in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge Dee D. Drell has sentenced the following defendants in this case:
Brian Jesus Garcia Pena, 34, a federal prison inmate, was sentenced to 235 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to the federal prison sentence Pena is currently serving.
Isidro Chavarria, 42, a federal prison inmate, was sentenced in October 2023 to 120 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. This sentence will run consecutive to the federal prison sentence Chavarria is currently serving.
Darius Nelams, 38, of Springhill, Louisiana, was sentenced to 160 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Andres Ballesteros Medina, 45, of Springhill, Louisiana, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine.
Law enforcement agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) began this investigation in 2021 after learning that Pena, a federal inmate incarcerated at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, was coordinating a large scale drug distribution from inside the prison. Through their investigation, agents learned that Pena was using contraband phones smuggled into the prison in order to communicate with Cartel members and others involved in the conspiracy. In May and June of 2021, agents seized multiple pounds of methamphetamine that had been sent through the mail from California after Pena and his co-defendant, Salvador Bucio, who worked as a go-between, coordinated the purchase of the methamphetamine in Mexico.
In June 2021, Pena’s cell was searched, and two contraband phones were located. Agents located multiple messages on the phone with Pena coordinating drug deals, as well as CashApp payments from multiple individuals, including Bucio and a payment from the wife of Isidro Chavarria. Chavarria, another federal prison inmate at USP Pollock, was also communicating with his co-conspirators on contraband phones and in fact, was directing his wife and other parties to distribute methamphetamine that Pena was sending her.
In September 2021, law enforcement agents conducted a controlled delivery of packages containing large amounts of methamphetamine, which were sent by Andres Ballesteros Medina in California through the U.S. Postal Service to an address in Springhill. Agents observed Medina drop the package off at the Post Office in California and conducted surveillance in Springhill where they observed Nelams arrive to pick up the package at the address in Springhill and open it. Nelams then fled the scene and left behind his cell phone containing text messages indicating he would deliver the narcotics and photos of same. All of the above defendants pleaded guilty to the charges rather than going to trial.
Salvador Bucio, 34, from Washington, is the one remaining defendant in this case and he is currently a fugitive. Anyone with information concerning the whereabouts of Bucio should contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or online at tips.fbi.gov.
The case was investigated by the FBI and USPIS and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
The investigation and conviction of these defendants is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
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Shreveport Man Convicted in Recent Trial Pleads Guilty to Additional Charge of Theft of Government FundsRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Edward L. Angel, Sr., 70, of Shreveport, appeared before United States District Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby today to enter a guilty plea, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. Angel pleaded guilty to a charge of theft of government funds. In addition to pleading guilty, Angel agreed to pay restitution in the total amount of $141,972.89.
In February, Angel was found guilty by a federal jury of three counts of making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) after a week-long trial. The jury was deadlocked as to the remaining counts in the indictment charging Angel with theft of government funds and a mistrial was declared. A decision was made by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to proceed to a second trial against Angel on the remaining counts. The guilty plea today resolves those remaining counts, negating a second trial.
Angel is a veteran and owned and operated two businesses, ELA Group, Inc. (ELA) and Paradigm Engineers and Constructors PLLC (Paradigm). The VA has a service-disabled veteran owned small business program (SDVOSB) which is a program that provides federal contracting assistance to small businesses owned by disabled veterans by providing them the opportunity to get certain set-aside contracts. To be eligible for this program, the veteran must meet specific criteria demonstrating eligibility, ownership, and control of the small business.
In 2011 and 2012, Angel submitted forms to the SDVOSB stating that he was the President of ELA and responsible for all day-to-day responsibilities and decisions. He also submitted documentation stating he worked 40+ hours each week and his compensation was taken at the end of the year in the form of IRS Subchapter S regulations distributions. On the forms Angel submitted, he represented to SDVOSB that the reason he did not take a salary was because he chose to leave money in the corporation to keep as much working capital as possible. In 2016, Angel purchased and became the President of Paradigm. Soon after his purchase of Paradigm, he began to submit documentation to qualify the company for the SDVOSB program. He certified that he was the 100% owner of Paradigm and worked an average of 50 or more hours a week committing 5-6 hours a day to each of his entities. As a result of these representations, ELA and Paradigm were accepted into the SDVOSB program and received millions of dollars in set-aside contracts from the SDVOSB.
From on or about November 2013, Angel also received Individual Unemployability from the Veterans Benefits Administration (VBA). Angel submitted documents to substantiate his disability claims for the VBA stating he was unable to work and had been unemployed since 2008. As a result of his misrepresentations to VBA, Angel admitted that he received $93,819.29 in IU payments that he was not entitled to receive and that were deposited into his bank account in the form of monthly payments.
On June 16, 2011, Angel also applied for SSA Disability Insurance Benefits stating that he had been unable to work since 2010 due to a medical condition. The SSA approved his application to receive disability benefits. Angel admits that he failed to disclose that he owned and operated two companies and was gainfully employed. As a result of these misrepresentations, he received $48,153.60 in disability payments he was not entitled to receive.
Angel faces a sentence of up to 5 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on the false statement counts. He also faces up to 1 year in prison, not more than 1 year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $100,000 on the theft of government funds charge.
Angel will be sentenced for the three counts of making false statements to the FAA and the count of theft of government funds on April 26, 2024.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Earl M. Campbell.
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Possession of Machine Guns Results in Federal Prison Sentences for Shreveport MenRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – LaDarrell C. Washington, Jr., 24, and Stacy Deshane Borner, 22, both of Shreveport, have been sentenced for illegally possessing machine guns, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge S. Maurice Hicks, Jr. sentenced Borner to 51 months in prison, and Washington to 55 months in prison. Each will serve an additional 3 years of supervised release following their release from prison.
The charges in this case stem from an incident on March 28, 2022, when officers with the Shreveport Violent Crime Abatement Team (VCAT) received information of the whereabouts of Washington and Borner, who were fugitives out of Desoto Parish. Law enforcement officers with the VCAT arrived at the residence in Shreveport where Washington and Borner were suspected to be, and approached the front door. The door was open, but the burglar bar door was shut, and officers heard what sounded like several people running throughout the house. Officers gave commands for the occupants to come out of the house. Eventually several occupants exited the home, including two females who leased the residence. Borner eventually made his way out of the residence.
A search warrant was obtained for the residence and officers made entry into the house. Inside the residence officers found Washington hiding in a bedroom closet. During the continued search of the house, officers found numerous firearms in the bedroom where Washington was hiding. The firearms seized were a Glock Model 17Gen4 9x19mm firearm equipped with a Glock switch (a conversion device attached to the firearm making it a machine gun), a Anderson Manufacturing AM-15 5.56 mm rifle with a drop-in auto sear (a conversion device attached to the firearm making it a machine gun), a SCCY CPX-2 9mm pistol, a Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol, and a Century Arms AK47 rifle.
Washington, Borner, and the other occupants were taken to the police station and interviewed. The two females advised officers that none of the firearms belonged to them and that the males inside the residence, including Washington and Borner, arrived that morning, each carrying at least one firearm. Through their further investigation, agents found videos from Borner’s social media of multiple individuals shooting machine guns out of car windows. Agents also obtained a rap video of Borner and a juvenile taking turns holding a Glock gun with a Glock switch, including one of the guns seized from the residence.
The seized firearms with conversion devices installed were tested by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and confirmed to be machine guns. Washington was convicted in 2019 of illegal possession of a stolen firearm and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Borner pleaded guilty to illegal possession of machine guns and Washington pleaded guilty to possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Federal Inmate Sentenced to Additional 18+ Years for Assaulting Federal OfficersRead the Press Release
ALEXANDRIA, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Demetri Goldsmith, 25, was sentenced today by United States District Judge Dee D. Drell to 220 months (18 years, 4 months) in prison for assaulting federal officers at the U.S. Penitentiary in Pollock, Louisiana (“Pollock”). The U.S. Bureau of Prisons (“BOP”) manages U.S. Penitentiaries around the country, including Pollock. The sentence imposed by Judge Drell was an upward departure from the United States Sentencing Guidelines based on the severity of Goldsmith’s lengthy criminal history.
Goldsmith was convicted by a federal jury in Alexandria, Louisiana, on November 8, 2023, following a trial. Goldsmith was incarcerated at Pollock for brandishing a firearm and shooting a woman in the leg in 2016. Evidence introduced at trial revealed that on April 19, 2019, one of the female corrections officers at Pollock observed Goldsmith standing at his cell door staring at her while performing lewd acts. This was a violation of BOP inmate behavior policy and the female guard called for assistance with Goldsmith. Three other corrections officers responded to Goldsmith’s cell and ordered him to put his hands through the slot in the door in order to place handcuffs on him. Goldsmith refused and the officers opened the cell door to place him in their custody. When they opened the door, however, Goldsmith lunged at them with a prison shank. He stabbed two of the federal officers causing injury. Officers were able to get Goldsmith in handcuffs and he celebrated the attack of the officers by yelling numerous times that he had stabbed them. Goldsmith has a long history of violence and bad behavior while in BOP custody.
“Being a correctional officer is a thankless job and is onerous on every level,” stated U.S. Attorney Brown. “Some of the most dangerous individuals in this nation, prosecuted federally, are housed at USP Pollock. Since Pollock is in our district, this office bears the responsibility of partnering with the Bureau of Prisons to ensure the safety of every employee. This individual violently attacked two officers and failed to take responsibility for his actions. As a result, our trial team convicted him, and we are extremely pleased with the Court’s decision to upward depart since this defendant fails to abide by societal and institutional rules.”
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Leon H. Whitten and Tennille Gilreath.
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Traffic Stop in Calcasieu Parish Leads to Discovery of Cocaine in VehicleRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men in Lake Charles yesterday on drug and firearms charges. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. sentenced the defendants as follows:
Darwin Jose Escalante-Garache, 36, a nonresident of the United States living in Gulfport, Mississippi, was sentenced to 46 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charges stem from a traffic stop conducted on Interstate 10 in Calcasieu Parish on September 8, 2022, by Louisiana State Police troopers. During the stop, a K-9 officer alerted positive to the odor of narcotics emitting from Escalante-Garache’s vehicle. A search of the vehicle resulted in the discovery and seizure of one kilogram of cocaine hidden in the backseat pocket of the vehicle. The defendant admitted to possessing the cocaine with the intent to distribute to others. Escalante-Garache pleaded guilty to the charge on November 13, 2023.
The case was investigated by Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana State Police and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
In a separate case and unrelated case, Toni January, 25, of Lake Charles, was sentenced to 26 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm by a prohibited person. On March 20, 2021, a search warrant was executed by law enforcement officers at the residence of January. During the search, officers found a Glock Model 17 9mm pistol and other firearms. January was subsequently arrested and admitted that the Glock Model 17 firearm belonged to him. January has prior felony convictions for illegal possession of stolen things in 2017 and nonconsensual disclosure of a private image and possession of controlled substances in 2020. He was charged in this case with possession of a firearm by a prohibited person and pleaded guilty on October 25, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. Vermaelen.
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North Louisiana Men Sentenced on Illegal Possession of Drug and Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
MONROE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that two North Louisiana men were sentenced today by United States District Judge Terry A. Doughty on drug and firearms charges.
Nicholas D. Moore, 31, of Ruston, was sentenced to 132 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Between August 2022 and January 2023, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office performed five controlled purchases of methamphetamine from Moore. The purchased narcotics were sent to the DEA Laboratory for analysis and the results came back that they were methamphetamine. Law enforcement agents subsequently obtained a search warrant for a residence in Ruston where Moore had lived for several days. During the execution of the search warrant, agents discovered multiple bags of methamphetamine, small bags of cocaine, and marijuana and over $8,000 in cash. The seized narcotics were tested at the DEA Laboratory and determined to contain methamphetamine.
The case was investigated by the DEA and Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.
Demartinas Edwards, 42, of Monroe, was sentenced to 21 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm. In addition, Edwards was ordered to pay a fine of $1,000. According to information presented in court, on November 30, 2022, officers with the Monroe Police Department’s HEAT Team obtained a search warrant for a residence in Monroe and Edwards was found on the premises. Edwards had an outstanding warrant and was arrested at that time. Inside the residence, officers found a firearm in the bedroom along with other possessions that belonged to Edwards. He later admitted to officers that the firearm belonged to him and that he had found it on the street. Because of Edwards’ prior felony conviction, he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. Edwards pleaded guilty to the charge of being a felon in possession of firearms on December 8, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Monroe Police Department and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Robert F. Moody.
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Abbeville Man Convicted of Distributing Fentanyl Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Gabriel Hawthorne, 41, of Abbeville, Louisiana, has been sentenced for conspiring to distribute fentanyl in the Abbeville area. United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced Hawthorne to 120 months (10 years) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
Hawthorne and two co-defendants were charged in a superseding indictment with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including fentanyl. Hawthorne went to trial on the charges and was found guilty by a federal jury on November 16, 2023 of the conspiracy charge and on one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
Information at trial showed that Hawthorne conspired with Frederick Malaki Thornton and another co-defendant, Andrea Mitchell, to distribute fentanyl in the Abbeville area. In March 2022, an individual exchanged a series of phone calls and text messages with Mitchell, and she agreed to sell heroin to that individual. She arranged the distribution of the heroin by communicating with Thornton, who was her boyfriend at the time, and Hawthorne, who was her supplier. Hawthorne owned a business, ZZ’s Kitchen, in Abbeville and would use that business to store the narcotics that he, Mitchell and Thornton made arrangements to sell. Mitchell also admitted that Hawthorne would mix the fentanyl before giving it to her to sell. The suspected heroin which was sold by Mitchell and Thornton were seized and sent to the DEA Laboratory for testing and resulted a positive test for fentanyl.
Hawthorne’s co-defendants Frederick Malaki Thornton and Andrea Mitchell have both pleaded guilty and will be sentenced at a later date.
The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel.
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Shreveport Gang Member Sentenced in Federal Court for Illegally Possessing a Firearm While Under Indictment on State Court Charge of Second Degree MurderRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Devoris Antonio Hardy, 23, of Shreveport, Louisiana, was sentenced yesterday on firearms charges. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Hardy to 36 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, Hardy, who had ties to a Shreveport gang, was indicted on March 25, 2021, in Caddo Parish for one count of second degree murder in connection with a murder that happened in December 2020. On April 6, 2021, he was present with his counsel, formally arraigned on all charges and was released on a $250,000 bond.
Less than one year later, on March 14, 2022, Shreveport Police Department officers responded to a call about two cars shooting at each other at the corner of Youree Drive and East Washington Street in close proximity to the Montessori School for Shreveport. Upon arrival, officers located two individuals outside of a vehicle that had a gunshot hole in the rear window. Defendant Hardy was located a little further away on East Washington Street. Officers found six spent shell casings inside Hardy’s vehicle. In addition, officers found a Glock pistol, model: 22 Gen 4, Caliber: 40 in the bed of a pickup truck that belonged to an innocent person where officers learned Hardy had stashed the pistol following the shootout. The shell casings found in Hardy’s vehicle matched the Glock 22 found in the bed of the pickup truck.
Hardy admitted to officers that while attending a hearing regarding his second degree murder charge in Caddo Parish that morning, he saw a member of a rival gang in the courtroom that he had issues with. Hardy stated that he thought they were about to fight in the courthouse. After court, he was picked up by his brother and suspected that the gang member would follow him. Hardy asked for the gun, which he stated was his friend’s fathers’ gun, because he was nervous. He told officers that shortly thereafter another vehicle approached their vehicle and opened fire. Hardy returned fire and the vehicle he was in attempted to get away. Hardy admitted that the gun found in the pickup truck was the one he used.
Hardy was indicted in federal court for receipt of a firearm by a person under indictment in May 2022 and was held without bond due to him being a danger to the community. In August 2023, Hardy proceeded to a jury trial in Caddo Parish District Court on the second degree murder charge and the jury returned a responsive verdict of negligent homicide. He was sentenced to the maximum term of imprisonment allowed by the state statute, five years. Hardy pleaded guilty to the federal charge on October 23, 2023, and was subsequently sentenced yesterday.
“This is a dangerous individual who has a callous disregard for human life,” said U.S. Attorney Brandon B. Brown. “We are pleased that this Court upward departed from the recommended sentencing guidelines in this case to a 36 month sentence. We are working with law enforcement at every level and District Attorney Stewart’s office to get firearms that are in the wrong hands out of those hands and put Shreveport’s most dangerous individuals in state and federal prison.”
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Aaron Crawford.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Cybertip Leads to Conviction of Lake Charles Man for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – Arthur Dorain Deville, 50, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced on child pornography charges, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 51 months in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release. Deville pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography on August 16, 2023.
In 2022, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) received a cybertip from Dropbox, Inc. in reference to images containing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) being uploaded to one of their accounts. An investigation by agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) revealed that the Dropbox account belonged to Deville.
On October 26, 2022, Deville admitted to agents with LBI and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations that the Dropbox account belonged to him, and he was the only person with access to the account. Deville also confessed to possessing the CSAM maintained in the Dropbox account. An analysis of the deleted files in Deville’s account contained CSAM involving minor children not having reached the age of puberty.
The case was investigated by Department of Homeland Security Investigations and Louisiana Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Shreveport Business Owner Found Guilty of Making False Statements to the Federal Aviation AdministrationRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – After a week-long trial and 15 hours of deliberating, a federal jury returned a guilty verdict late yesterday afternoon against Edward L. Angel, Sr., 70, of Shreveport, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. The jury found Angel guilty on three counts of making false statements to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). United States District Judge David C. Joseph presided over the trial.
In addition to the three counts of making false statements that Angel was convicted of, he was also charged with 76 counts of theft of government funds from the Department of Veteran Affairs and Social Security Administration. After their long deliberation, the jury was deadlocked, could not reach a verdict on those 76 counts, and Judge Joseph declared a mistrial regarding those counts. As a result, the government plans to request a new trial date for the pending 76 counts.
Testimony at trial regarding the false statement charges revealed that Angel failed to disclose to the FAA his service-related disability of Primary Lateral Sclerosis, a neurological disorder, on his Application for Airman Medical Certificate on three separate occasions. These false statements were made on documentation submitted in order for him to obtain a medical certificate to lawfully pilot his airplane.
Angel faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 on the three FAA counts. Sentencing on those counts has been set for April 26, 2024.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Department of Transportation Office of Inspector General, Department of Veteran Affairs Office of Inspector General, and Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General, and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorneys Tennille M. Gilreath and Earl M. Campbell.
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Illegal Possession of Machine Gun Leads to Federal Prison for Shreveport ManRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Juhntrayvious J. White, 20, of Shreveport, was sentenced today for illegally possessing a machine gun. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced White to 60 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release.
According to information presented in court, on September 9, 2022, a Shreveport Police Department officer stopped White for a traffic violation on Hearne Avenue. As the officer approached the vehicle, White took off at a high rate of speed, reaching a speed of over 100 miles per hour in a 40 mile per hour zone. The car stopped and White fled from the scene on foot and escaped. Officers found an Anderson Arms AM-15 equipped with an auto sear and White’s cell phone in the vehicle. White was later apprehended by law enforcement officers and admitted that he obtained the auto sear and converted the Anderson Arms AM-15 into a machine gun.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Shreveport Police Department and prosecuted by First Assistant United States Attorney Alexander C. Van Hook.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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Former Lafayette Educator Enters Guilty Plea on Child Pornography ChargeRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Angel Rafael Cardona, 35, of Youngsville, Louisiana, pleaded guilty today to one count of use of a facility to cause a minor to engage in criminal sexual activity. United States District Judge David C. Joseph presided over the hearing today.
According to information presented in court, in June 2023, Cardona began communicating through Whisper, an online chat application, with a user who identified as a 13-year-old female. Unbeknownst to Cardona, the user was an undercover law enforcement agent. Cardona sent a direct message to the user inquiring about a post she had made about summer school. Two days later, Cardona asked the user if they had an account on another online chat site and the agent responded that they did have a Kik account. Cardona then contacted the undercover minor female through the Kik application. These communications between the two continued from June 8, 2023, to July 10, 2023, at which time the user told Cardona that the Kik application kept crashing and to contact her through text message and provided a phone number. These text messages continued through July 24, 2023.
From the time the conversations between the undercover agent and Cardona began, Cardona initiated conversations about sex, sexual experiences, and the undercover agent’s body. On numerous occasions, the undercover agent made reference to her age of 13. The conversations regarding her sexual inexperience increased over time becoming more graphic and detailed. Over time, Cardona began asking the undercover agent for pictures of herself and eventually, asked for images containing sexual material. On July 11 and 13, 2023, Cardona specifically and explicitly asked for the undercover agent to produce and send him child pornography. The undercover agent gave excuses of her mother’s presence in the home for not complying and Cardona instructed her to be sneaky about it in order to create the images.
Cardona brought up the idea of meeting in person on numerous occasions and eventually they agreed to meet at Veterans Park in Lafayette on July 24, 2023. The defendant agrees and admits that he intended to meet the person he believed to be a minor female for the purpose of engaging in some form of sexual activity that would be a crime under the laws of the state of Louisiana.
Cardona faces a sentence of not less than 10 years in prison and up to life in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing has been set for April 25, 2024 at 10:00.
The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney J. Luke Walker.
This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Illegal Possession of Firearms Sends Converse Man to PrisonRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Joseph Chad Castillo, 36, of Converse, Louisiana, was sentenced today announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States District Judge Donald E. Walter sentenced Castillo to 30 months in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of firearms.
Information introduced in court revealed that on December 26, 2022, a deputy with the Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office attempted to serve an arrest warrant at a residence in Converse. While the deputy was at the residence, a vehicle drove down the driveway and stopped and the rear seat passenger, later determined to be Castillo, fled into the woods. After a brief pursuit, law enforcement officers stopped and searched the vehicle and found a Remington Model 1100 shotgun and a Remington Model 7600 rifle, as well as Castillo’s cell phone in the backseat. The rifle had an obliterated serial number and Castillo had previously stolen it from a private residence.
Castillo has two prior felony convictions, one for attempted possession of a firearm by a convicted felon in 2018 in Sabine Parish, Louisiana, and another for possession of Schedule II CDS in Desoto Parish in 2017. He knew of his felony convictions and that he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition. Castillo pleaded guilty to the charge on August 16, 2023.
The case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and Sabine Parish Sheriff’s Office and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally based strategies to reduce violent crime. To learn more about Project Safe Neighborhoods, go to www.justice.gov/psn.
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FedEx Package Containing Methamphetamine Intercepted Resulting in Federal Prison Sentence for Youngsville ManRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the resolution of two cases involving drug trafficking in the Western District of Louisiana. United States District Judge David C. Joseph sentenced the following defendants yesterday.
Lynol Christian, 43, of Lafayette, Louisiana, was sentenced to 156 months (13 years) in prison, followed by 4 years of supervised release, for attempted possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to information presented in court, on March 20, 2023, Christian traveled on a commercial airline from Baton Rouge to Los Angeles, California. While in California, Christian shipped a package containing methamphetamine via FedEx to an individual in Youngsville, Louisiana. The return label listed Christian’s own address, which is also in Youngsville. Christian returned on a commercial airline back to Baton Rouge and into the Western District of Louisiana on March 22, 2023. Employees with FedEx notified authorities of the suspicious package and notified law enforcement. The package was secured and opened and found to contain 2,255 grams of suspected methamphetamine in 5 plastic bags. The suspected narcotics were sent to the DEA Southeast Laboratory for analysis, and it was determined that the substances were in fact methamphetamine with a net weight of 2,228.3 grams. Christian was subsequently indicted and pleaded guilty to the charge on October 18, 2023.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Department of Homeland Security Investigations and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Daniel J. McCoy.
In a separate and unrelated case, Dwayne Batiste, 51, of Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, was sentenced to 144 months (12 years), followed by 5 years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. On September 8, 2022, law enforcement agents executed a search warrant at a residence on Gilbert Street in Lafayette. While searching in a bedroom of the residence, agents found documentation belonging to Batiste, including ledgers of narcotics transactions. A further search led agents to find a clear bag containing a brown substance which was later determined to be fentanyl, as well as a clear bag containing an off-white substance suspected to be heroin or cocaine. Agents also found in the residence and in Batiste’s vehicle over $13,000 in cash, digital scales and boxes of sandwich baggies. The suspected narcotics were sent to the Acadiana Crime Laboratory where they were confirmed positive for the presence of fentanyl with a neg weight of over 500 grams. Batiste was charged and pleaded guilty to knowing possessing the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it to another person.
The case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney LaDonte A. Murphy.
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Shreveport Woman Pleads Guilty to Defrauding MedicaidRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Chassidy Bell, 34, of Shreveport, Louisiana, has pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting healthcare fraud. Bell pleaded guilty before United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby on January 10, 2024.
Bell was employed as a Mental Health Specialist at Community Health Care Solutions, LLC (Community Health) which was a licensed mental health rehabilitation provider in Caddo Parish, that alleged to provide Crisis Intervention Services. These types of services are provided to those who may experience a psychiatric crisis and are designed to interrupt a crisis experience. Crisis Intervention Services are required to be provided face to face and are authorized up to 66 hours per crisis episode and cannot exceed 14 days. According to information presented in court, from 2017 to 2020, individuals associated with Community Health devised a scheme to defraud Medicaid for services that were not rendered.
In June 2019, while an employee of Community Health, Bell began creating false progress notes for an individual who resided in the Shreveport area. The detailed notes indicated very specific behaviors on the part of the individual and that Bell modeled crisis scenarios and provided feedback to him. In truth and reality, this individual did not exist but rather his identity had been assigned to an undercover Medicaid card for a fictitious individual that law enforcement had provided to an associate of Community Health in exchange for payment. Bell created the fictitious notes stating she was providing Crisis Intervention Services for this individual and Community Health billed Medicaid for the services that she had not rendered to him.
In addition, Bell created false progress notes for other individuals purporting to provide Crisis Intervention Services and inflated her hours of service to maximize billing. In reality, Bell did not provide any services to the individuals she created progress notes for, or either provided non-Crisis Intervention Services and documented them incorrectly as Crisis Intervention Services. In total, Bell’s false progress notes and fictitious notes supporting the filing of fraudulent claims led to payments by Medicaid of $63,441.32 to Community Health.
Bell faces a sentence of not more than 25 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Her sentencing date has been set for April 24, 2024.
The case was investigated by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services–Office of Inspector General and the Louisiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit-Office of Attorney General and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Former Shreveport Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Charge of Wire FraudRead the Press Release
SHREVEPORT, La. – Former Shreveport Police Department officer Jeffrey L. Peters, 55, of Shreveport, pleaded guilty today to one count of wire fraud, announced United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown. United States Magistrate Judge Mark L. Hornsby presided over the guilty plea hearing which was held in United States District Court.
While employed as a Lieutenant with the Shreveport Police Department (SPD), as part of Peters’ duties, he was allowed to work overtime on the Community-Based Crime Reduction (CBCR) Program. The CBCR is a grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) that pays officers at 1.5 times their normal hourly rate for overtime worked.
According to information presented in court, between January 2020 and January 2021, Peters and a fellow supervisor (Officer 1) devised a scheme to defraud the SPD by claiming overtime for hours they had not worked. Peters and Officer 1 would each fill out and sign a Report of Overtime which stated they worked a specific time and date on the CBCR grant. Peters, in his role as Officer 1’s supervisor, would certify that Officer 1 had actually worked the dates and times listed on the Report of Overtime. Peters would also create and submit an SPD activity report which would falsely state that he and Officer 1 were doing patrols in District 3, an area around SPD Headquarters. On these reports, Peters and Officer 1 were the only officers listed. When in truth and in fact, neither Peters nor Officer 1 were working overtime for SPD.
Peters submitted false Reports of Overtime and Activity Reports on over 50 dates falsely claiming he worked overtime that he had not. He was paid for hours he did not work in is bi-weekly paychecks which were deposited into his own personal account. Peters received a total of $13,084.74 in overtime that he was not entitled to receive.
Peters faces a sentence of not more than 20 years in prison, 3 years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. His sentencing has been set for May 16, 2024.
The case was investigated by FBI, DOJ-Office of Inspector General, and Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Seth D. Reeg.
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Defendants Convicted of Trafficking Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and Fentanyl Analogue Sentenced to Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two men today for drug trafficking in the Lafayette area.
United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays sentenced James Johnwell, 44, of Crowley, Louisiana, to 71 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release for conspiring with other individuals to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and methamphetamine. Johnwell pleaded guilty to the charge on September 19, 2023.
In March and April 2022, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Department of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), investigated the suspected drug trafficking activities of Johnwell and his co-conspirators in Crowley. On March 31, 2022, law enforcement agents were made aware of the purchase of cocaine by an individual from Johnwell. On April 19, 2022, a search warrant was obtained and executed at Johnwell’s residence in Crowley. Agents seized approximately 1.2 pounds of marijuana, a bottle of promethazine syrup, approximately 765 grams of cocaine containing fentanyl, and approximately 112 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride. In addition, agents found and seized 14 firearms and over 59 various rounds of ammunition.
The case was investigated by DEA and HSI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel.
In an unrelated case, Henry Washington, Jr., 26, was sentenced by United States District Judge David C. Joseph to 180 months in prison, followed by 5 years of supervised release. Washington pleaded guilty on September 26, 2023, to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl analogue. On December 10, 2021, agents with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) assisted the Opelousas Police Department with a United States Postal Service (USPS) package that contained two kilograms of suspected fentanyl. The package was mailed from an individual in California to a residence in Opelousas. Agents were able to recover the package delivered to the residence and the suspected narcotics were tested by the DEA Southeast Drug Laboratory and tested positive for para-fluorofentanyl, a Schedule I illicit fentanyl analogue.
Washington admitted to conspiring with other co-defendants, Jasmin Coleman and Owen Ozenne to distribute and possess with intent to distribute the para-fluorofentanyl that was delivered to the residence in Opelousas.
The case was investigated by DEA, USPS, and Opelousas Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney John W. Nickel.
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Two Men from South Louisiana Sentenced on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
LAFAYETTE, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced the sentencing of two South Louisiana men on child pornography charges. The two defendants and their charges are as follows:
Bryan Anthony Foote, 50, of Westlake, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 204 months (17 years) in prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, on a child pornography charge. Foote pleaded guilty to a Bill of Information charging him with one count of receipt of child pornography on August 17, 2023.
During the months of February and March 2022, agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) learned through their investigation that Foote had received multiple images of minor females, all under the age of 18 years old, engaging in sexually explicit conduct. These images were sexually suggestive and had been exchanged for sexual gratification for both the sender and receiver. Foote admitted to receiving and possessing these images by using the internet.
The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Casey Richmond.
Brodie Carlton Thibodeaux, 35, of Church Point, Louisiana, was sentenced by United States District Judge Robert R. Summerhays to 180 months (15 years) in prison, followed by 20 years of supervised release, for one count of receiving child pornography. Thibodeaux pleaded guilty to the charge on September 19, 2023.
Law enforcement agents with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) began an investigation after receiving a cybertip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) that files containing child sexual abuse material had been uploaded by an individual. A search warrant was obtained and on February 10, 2023, law enforcement officers with the LBI and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations executed the search warrant at Thibodeaux’s residence in Church Point. Their investigation confirmed that Thibodeaux was the user of the account that had uploaded the images. As a result of the search of his residence, agents located and seized a cell phone from Thibodeaux’s bedroom. A forensic analysis of that phone confirmed that more than 100 still images and more than 100 videos containing child sexual abuse material were stored on the phone. Thibodeaux admitted to receiving these still and video images over the internet.
The case was investigated by U.S. Homeland Security Investigations and LBI and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Craig R. Bordelon.
These cases are part of Project Safe Childhood, a U.S. Department of Justice nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood combines federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
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Lake Charles Man with Prior Felony Conviction Found with Nine Firearms at his Residence Sentenced to Time in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
LAKE CHARLES, La. – United States Attorney Brandon B. Brown announced that Jordan C. Soileau, 33, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has been sentenced by United States District Judge James D. Cain, Jr. to 110 months (9 years, 2 months) in prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release, for possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession of an unregistered firearm silencer.
According to information presented in court, on April 9, 2022, officers with the Lake Charles Police Department responded to Soileau’s residence following a complaint that he had attacked a female victim and beat her to the point where she lost consciousness. The violent attack had been caught on video, and the officers were able to identify Soileau as the abuser. The video showed Soileau punch the female victim and render her unconscious. He also threw the female onto the ground, at which point he kicked and struck her again and smashed her cell phone. Through the ensuing investigation, the officers also learned that the victim resided with Soileau. The evidence also indicated that Soileau had brought the victim back to their shared residence after the attack.
The officers went to Soileau’s residence to further investigate the abuse, secure the victim, and ensure her safety. When they arrived, they encountered Soileau. While detaining him, the officers observed several firearms in plain view. Using this information, the officers obtained a search warrant for Soileau’s property, including his home and vehicles. The subsequent search of the residence and his vehicle resulted in the seizure of nine firearms, which included an Anderson Manufacturing, Model AM-15 semi-automatic rifle that had been outfitted with what appeared to be a silencer device and an auto-sear conversion device, allowing it to operate as a machinegun. Ammunition in various calibers and large capacity magazines were also seized. The investigation also uncovered evidence that Soileau had recently discharged one of the firearms in the home.
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) conducted further analysis of the firearms. The ATF’s investigation confirmed that the AM-15 operated as a machinegun and that the silencer and conversion device had not been registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. At the time of the incident, Soileau had a previous felony conviction for simple burglary in Calcasieu Parish and knew he was prohibited from possessing any firearm or ammunition. As a result of the evidence against Soileau, Judge Cain was able to depart upward from the pre-calculated sentencing guideline range.
The case was investigated by ATF and Lake Charles Police Department and prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Danny Siefker.
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