District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Worcester Man Indicted for Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was arrested on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, on charges of tax evasion and failing to file tax returns.
Leonard Ngunjiri a/k/a Leonard Gitonga, 50, was charged in an indictment with one count of tax evasion and five counts of failure to file a tax return. Ngunjiri was released on conditions following an arraignment in federal court in Worcester.
According to the indictment, Ngunjiri attempted to evade paying taxes for tax years 2006-2008 and 2011 by concealing his assets, directing his paychecks into bank accounts held in the names of others, and using other individuals for business and personal expenses. In addition, Ngunjiri did not file federal income tax returns from 2012 through 2017 despite making income in excess of the minimum filing requirements.
The charge of tax evasion provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $100,000. The charge of failure to file tax returns provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of $25,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Lottery Ticket ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Lynn man was sentenced on Monday, Sept. 23, 2019, for tax fraud charges in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme, in which he purchased millions of dollars’ worth of winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets at a discount in order to help the ticket holders avoid taxes on the winnings.
Clarance Jones, 80, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to two months in prison and two years of supervised release with the first six months to be served in home confinement. In May 2019, Jones pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit tax fraud and filing false tax returns.
Co-conspirators George Kinslieh, 69, pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and was sentenced to one year of probation, and Bhavna Patel, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and was sentenced to one year of probation and ordered to pay a $1,000 fine.
From at least 2013 through 2015, Kinslieh and Patel, who were store owners, and others, purchased winning lottery tickets from the ticket holders for cash, at a discount to the value of the tickets, thereby allowing the ticket holders to avoid reporting the winnings on their tax returns – a scheme known as “ten-percenting.” Kinslieh and Patel gave the winning tickets to Jones, who presented them to the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission as his own, and collected the full winnings. Jones reported the winnings on his tax returns, but offset them with purported gambling losses. Jones and the store owners then shared the excess winnings.
For the tax years 2011 through 2017, Jones paid less than $16,000 in federal tax on a total of approximately $52,000 of reported income. During this period, Jones claimed that he was a professional gambler and that all of his winnings were offset by alleged gambling losses. Patel and Kinslieh did not report to the Internal Revenue Service or pay taxes on the income that they received from the ticket scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; and Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement. The Massachusetts State Lottery Commission provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit prosecuted the cases.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to Prison for Conspiracy to Distribute FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester in connection with a 2017 fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Ernesto Rodriguez, 49, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 20 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Rodriguez previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute in excess of 40 grams of fentanyl.
In May 2019, co-defendant Jorge Burgos, 40, of Leicester, was sentenced to 60 months in prison and 40 months of supervised release, and in August 2019, another co-defendant, Joshua Sanchez, a/k/a Manuel Peguero, was sentenced to 34 months in prison and three years of supervised released. The last co-defendant, Carlos Rodriguez, previously pleaded guilty and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 9, 2019.
As a result of various wiretaps capturing the defendants’ discussions of sales and purchases of fentanyl in November and December 2017, law enforcement agents conducted surveillance of Rodriguez participating in fentanyl sales on multiple occasions. On Dec. 20, 2017, after intercepted communications suggested that a co-defendant would be delivering 50 grams of fentanyl to a residence in Leicester, Mass., agents stopped the co-defendant’s vehicle and recovered just under 50 grams of fentanyl. That day, an additional 40 grams of fentanyl were turned over to authorities by Rodriguez.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Leicester Interim Police Chief Kenneth Antanavica made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Lelling’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Hingham Man Sentenced in Connection with International Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Hingham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with an international money laundering scheme.
Yannick A. Minang, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor to 46 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and forfeiture and restitution – each in the amount of $465,616. In January 2019, Minang pleaded guilty to a five-count indictment charging international money laundering, structuring, unlawful monetary transactions, concealment money laundering, and false statements.
In 2017, Minang opened, and caused to be opened, bank accounts in the names of sole proprietorship businesses as part of a business email compromise (BEC) scheme that targeted individuals about to purchase real estate. Generally, a BEC scheme is a sophisticated scam which targets businesses involved in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to cause individuals to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers.
Minang’s scheme worked as follows: shortly before closing on properties, the victims received emails from their real estate agents or title companies containing wiring instructions that directed the victims to send funds to accounts that Minang and others had opened and controlled. The emails, however, were spoofed – made to appear to be coming from title company representatives and real estate agents, when in fact they were sent from email accounts created solely to carry out the fraud. After each deposit of fraudulent proceeds, the funds were wired to bank accounts abroad or withdrawn via structured cash withdrawals.
Earlier this year, Minang was charged in a separate federal indictment in connection with a similar, but different, business email compromise scheme. It is alleged that Minang committed that crime while charges in this case were pending.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jordi de Llano, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Former CEO Agrees to Plead Guilty to Embezzlement and Tax CrimesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former CEO and co-founder of a Boston-based mobile phone music streaming service, has agreed to plead guilty in connection with a scheme to embezzle hundreds of thousands of dollars from his employer and to file false tax returns.
David John, 56, who recently changed his name from David John Fondots, was charged by information with one count of wire fraud and one count of filing false tax returns. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled. In June 2019, the defendant was arrested and charged by criminal complaint under the name David Fondots. According to court records, in June 2018, the government learned that the defendant changed his name from David John Fondots to David John but did not inform Pretrial Services.
According to the court documents, Fondots misappropriated company funds which he used for his personal benefit. From 2014 to 2016, Fondots caused his company to pay significant sums of money directly to himself, to a family member, and to companies controlled by a family member. Fondots used the embezzled funds to pay personal expenses for himself and his family, including car payments, legal fees, and travel, among other things. Fondots is also charged with failing to report the illegal income to the IRS over the period of his embezzlement scheme.
The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, restitution, and forfeiture. The charge of filing false tax returns provides a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Lelling’s Securities & Financial Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Convicted Felon Charged with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Templeton man was arrested yesterday and charged with federal firearms offenses.
John Shaw, 30, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm not identified by serial number. Shaw was detained following an initial appearance in federal court in Worcester.
According to charging documents, on Sept. 24, 2019, during the execution of a search warrant at Shaw’s residence, a rifle that did not bear a serial number and three rounds of .223 caliber ammunition, as well as additional rounds of .22 and .45 caliber ammunition were recovered. Shaw was convicted in Winchendon District Court of breaking and entering in the night with intent to commit a felony and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. As a previously convicted felon, Shaw was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm not identified by serial number provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Ashburnham Police Chief Lorring Barrett, Jr.; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Hopkinton Police Chief Edward Lee made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Ashburnham Man Charged with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ashburnham man was arrested yesterday in federal court in Worcester and charged with a federal firearms offense.
Terrick Bishoff, 38, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of unlawful possession or transfer of a machine gun. Bishoff was detained pending a probable cause and detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 27, 2019.
As alleged in charging documents, Bishoff sold a machine gun without a serial number to an individual in Fitchburg on May 15, 2019. In return, the individual paid Bishoff $2,500.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Ashburnham Police Chief Lorring Barrett, Jr.; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Hopkinton Police Chief Edward Lee made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Second Parent Sentenced to Prison in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California businessman became the second parent to be sentenced to prison today in connection with his involvement in the college admissions case.
Devin Sloane, 53, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to four months in prison, two years of supervised release, and ordered to complete 500 hours of community service and pay a fine of $95,000. Sloane is the chief executive officer of AquaTecture, LLC, a privately held Los Angeles-based company involved in the water and wastewater industries. In May 2019, Sloane pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. The government recommended a sentence of one year and one day in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $75,000.
Sloane conspired with William “Rick” Singer and others to have his son admitted to the University of Southern California (USC) as a water polo recruit, even though his son did not play water polo. As part of the scheme, Sloane purchased water polo gear online, and photographed his son purporting to play water polo in the family swimming pool, later hiring a graphic design firm to manipulate the photos to make them appear more realistic. Sloane made a purported contribution of $200,000 to Singer’s sham charity, Key Worldwide Foundation, and a $50,000 payment to USC Women's Athletics, a fund controlled by defendant Donna Heinel.
Previously, the first parent sentenced in the case, Felicity Huffman, was sentenced to two weeks in prison for her involvement in the scheme.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
Additional Charges Brought Against Defendant in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The 52nd defendant charged in the college admissions case, Xiaoning Sui, was charged in a superseding indictment today with international money laundering and conspiring to commit fraud and federal programs bribery in connection with a scheme to facilitate her son’s admission to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) as a purported soccer recruit.
Xiaoning Sui, 48, a Chinese national residing in Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, was charged in an superseding indictment today with an expanded conspiracy charge, two counts of money laundering and three counts of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud. Sui was arrested on an indictment last week in Spain on one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Sui is currently detained pending her extradition to Boston.
According to the indictment, Sui agreed with William “Rick” Singer to pay $400,000 to facilitate her son’s admission to UCLA as a purported soccer recruit, even though he did not play soccer competitively. As a result of the scheme, Sui’s son was admitted to UCLA in November 2018, and awarded a 25 percent tuition scholarship.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, honest services mail fraud and federal programs bribery provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The mail fraud, honest services mail fraud, and money laundering charges each carry a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Merrimack Valley Operation Results in Arrest of 40 IndividualsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Forty people have been charged with federal drug offenses, and at least a dozen more individuals face state charges, as part of a 10-week coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley called “Devil’s Highway.”
The 10-week enforcement operation, which took place during the summer months, was a coordinated effort by federal, state, and local partners to focus on drug distribution activity in the City of Lawrence and between Lawrence and destinations in New Hampshire. The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges. In total, Operation Devil’s Highway resulted in the seizure of more than 14 kilograms of fentanyl, five kilograms of heroin, 29 kilograms of cocaine, four firearms, and body armor.
“Operation Devil’s Highway was tremendously successful in targeting street-level drug trafficking in Lawrence, which is a hub of illegal drug distribution for all of New England,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “This kind of operation can only succeed with the full commitment of federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, coupled with realistic planning to target the most prolific drug distributors. This will not be the last time we target drug dealers in Lawrence or their customers from points north.”
“Operation Devil’s Highway should serve as a warning to others thinking of filling the void created by these arrests—we aren’t finished. Everyone arrested this summer allegedly exploited Lawrence as their drug-trafficking hub, bringing perilous opioids like fentanyl and heroin - in addition to cocaine and marijuana - to neighborhoods across New England,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “That’s why the FBI and our law enforcement partners will not relent in putting those distributors profiting from addiction and lawlessness out of business, so that the hometowns they harm might heal.”
“DEA’s top priority is combating the opioid epidemic by bringing to justice anyone who distributes deadly drugs,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Brian D. Boyle. “Illegal drug distribution ravages the very foundations of our families and communities. These enforcement actions with our federal, state and local partners show what happens when law enforcement works together.”
“The scourge of addiction continues to be fueled by Transnational Criminal Organizations who flood the streets of our commonwealth with poison. Motivated only by profit, we know all too well, that tackling this complex threat involves a united, comprehensive strategy and an aggressive approach by multiple entities across all levels of government,” said Jason J. Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Boston. “The results of this operation should send a clear message that HSI Special Agents remain committed to combating the opioid crisis by pursuing traffickers at every level of the supply chain.”
The majority of criminal charges resulted from weekly “sweeps” in the City of Lawrence that targeted individuals distributing opioids. The enforcement actions brought together 40-60 federal, state, and local officers from Massachusetts and New Hampshire each week to conduct surveillance, investigate and arrest defendants.
During the operation, the following defendants were arrested on federal charges:
- Jason Medlen, 32, of Lisbon Falls, Maine, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Louis Delvecchio, 51, of Brunswick, Maine, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Santos Obispo Guerrero Lara, 35, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Douglas “Sunny” Grasso, 34, of Georgetown, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Brian Brea, 35, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Enel Alfredo Mendez Aquino, 29, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of fentanyl and cocaine;
- Jorge Alexander Andujar Romero, 29, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Edward Jesis Mar Carmona Ortiz, 42, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Steven de Jesus de Leon Trinidad, 22, of Lawrence, charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute a heroin/fentanyl mix;
- Luis Felix Franco Herrera, 21, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Jose Rodriquez-Walker, 32, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and cocaine base;
- Johanny Mejia-Nunez, 43, of Philadelphia, Penn., charged with possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Ronyel Pena, 18, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Jose Martinez, 24, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition;
- Ysrael Nunez, 37, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and aiding and abetting;
- William Cabrera, 30, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute heroin; and possession with intent to distribute heroin and oxycodone;
- Oscar Guadalupe Martinez, 37, of North Andover, charged with conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of 1 kilogram or more of heroin;
- Stiven Torres Martinez, 21, of North Andover, charged with conspiracy with intent to distribute and distribution of 1 kilogram or more of heroin;
- Jason Jimenez, 24, of Bronx, N.Y., charged with possession with intent to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl;
- Milton Elias Lara, 42, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Alexsander Padro, 28, of Methuen, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of heroin and 40 grams or more of fentanyl;
- John Mena, 24, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 10 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Yunior Darismir Prandys Torres, 22, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, to wit, fentanyl;
- Juan Perez Diaz, 22, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance, to wit, fentanyl;
- Jose Ventura, 37, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 10 grams or more of fentanyl;
- Leisy Baez-Zapata, 21, of Lawrence, charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl; and aiding and abetting;
- Erick Alberto Paulino Amador, 28, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl;
- Bernardito Carvajal, 28, of Haverhill, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Alfredo Rivera, 31, of Haverhill, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Julio Esthil-Cifre, 30, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Edgar Castro, 45, of Revere, charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine;
- Julio Ortiz 47, of Boston, charged with conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 5 kilograms or more of cocaine;
- Crishanty Aybar Arias, 22, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Cesar Lara Castillo, 36, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute a Schedule I controlled substance; false representation of social security number, and aggravated identity theft;
- Santiago Rubel Guerrero Tejeda, 22, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl;
- Jesus Maria Aybar Franco, 34, of Lawrence, charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Marino Amador Baez, 34, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl;
- Willin Arias-Castillo, 35, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
- Julio Cruz, 21, of Lawrence, charged with possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl;
- Jonathan Marquez, 32, of Lawrence, charged with distribution of fentanyl.
The federal charge of drug distribution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a $1 million fine. The charge of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a minimum of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $5 million fine. Charges of distribution of 400 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine each provide for a minimum of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a $10 million fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta, DEA Boston SAC Boyle and HSI Boston Acting SAC Molina made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and New Hampshire State Police; the Lawrence Police Department; the Andover, Billerica, Boston, Braintree, Chelsea, Concord, Dartmouth, Dover (N.H.), Franklin, Haverhill, Lowell, Manchester (N.H.), Methuen, Milton, Nashua (N.H.), North Andover, Peabody, Portsmouth (N.H.), Reading, Waltham, Watertown, and Woburn Police Departments; Massachusetts Department of Corrections; New Hampshire Department of Corrections; and Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk County Sheriff’s Departments.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chicopee Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.
Thomas Stemmer, 57, was indicted on one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Stemmer received and possessed child pornography during 2015.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chicopee Man Indicted on Child Pornography ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was charged yesterday in federal court in Springfield with child pornography offenses.
Herve Plasse, 65, was charged in an indictment with one count each of receipt and possession of child pornography. The indictment alleges that Plasse received and possessed child pornography during 2015.
The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 10 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Indicted for Being a Felon in Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Kyvon Ross, a/k/a Ky-von Ross, 20, of Boston, was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The indictment alleges that Ross possessed a Beretta .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol and 10 rounds of ammunition on May 31, 2019, in Boston. Ross was subsequently arrested and has been in custody since. Federal law prohibits Ross from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly D. Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Woburn Man Pleads Guilty to Being a Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woburn man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Vasily Hardy, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 12, 2019. Hardy was previously charged by criminal complaint and arrested in January 2019. He has been in custody since his arrest.
According to charging documents, on Nov. 14, 2018, a police officer conducted a vehicle stop after observing the vehicle’s driver make multiple traffic violations. After identifying the driver as Hardy, the officer was informed over the radio that there was an active warrant for Hardy’s arrest. Hardy was subsequently arrested and his vehicle was searched. During the search, the officer recovered a Sig Sauer, semi-automatic pistol loaded with an eight-round magazine of .45 caliber ammunition as well as a second eight-round magazine. During an interview with law enforcement, Hardy confirmed that the handgun belonged to him and that he did not have a license to carry a firearm in Massachusetts. Further investigation revealed that Hardy was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to a previous conviction of larceny from a person in 2013, which is punishable by more than a year in jail.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Wellesley Police Department, Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office, and the Hillsborough County Attorney’s Office in New Hampshire. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Charged with Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was indicted today in federal court in Boston of illegally reentering the United States.
Manuel A. Mendez Pimentel, 44, a Dominican national formerly residing in New Bedford, was indicted on one count of unlawfully reentering the United States after being deported.
According to the indictment, Mendez Pimentel was removed in 2009 and subsequently reentered the United States without permission. The indictment further alleges that Mendez Pimentel was deported after being convicted of an aggravated felony.
Mendez Pimentel faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Mendez Pimentel will also be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Charged with Possession of Illegal FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was arrested yesterday and charged in federal court in Boston with being a felon in possession of a firearm.
Naysaan Austin, 23, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Austin was detained yesterday following an initial appearance before Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to the charging document, on June 16, 2019, Austin was arrested in Dorchester for carrying a Sig Sauer .22 caliber Mosquito Pistol loaded with five rounds of ammunition. The serial number on the gun was obliterated. Austin is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in prison.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Chief of Police William G. Gross made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Criminal Division is prosecuting the case.
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.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Undocumented Immigrant Sentenced for Stealing Citizen’s Identity and Public Housing BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An undocumented immigrant who refuses to disclose his true identity was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with using another person’s identity for over 40 years and stealing public funds under the victim’s identity.
“John Doe” was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. One of the conditions of supervision is that Doe disclose his true identity to his Probation Officer. Doe also was ordered to pay the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) $16,762 in restitution. In June 2019, Doe was convicted by a federal jury of aggravated identity theft, using a passport obtained through false statements, stealing public funds and misuse of a Social Security number.
Doe has admitted to being in the United States for 50 years. Evidence at trial indicated that he is Dominican, but he refused to disclose his identity or nationality.
At some point prior to 1975, Doe obtained the birth certificate of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. Initially Doe did not have the victim’s Social Security number, but subsequently created or obtained a counterfeit Social Security card bearing the name of the victim with a non-matching Social Security number assigned to a different person from Puerto Rico.
From 1975 to 1994, Doe used the counterfeit Social Security card to find employment, first in New York and later in Boston.
In 1994, Doe received a letter from the IRS notifying him that the name on his Social Security card did not match the Social Security number he was using, and that he needed to go to a local Social Security Administration (SSA) office to resolve the discrepancy. Doe took the letter to an SSA office in Boston, where he deceived an SSA employee into believing that he was really the victim and that he had forgotten his true Social Security number. Doe gave the employee the name, date of birth, place of birth, and parents’ names on the victim’s birth certificate without disclosing that the birth certificate was not Doe’s. The employee entered this biographical information into the SSA computer, which returned a match for the victim’s true Social Security number. Through this deception, Doe was able to obtain a Social Security card bearing the victim’s true name and true Social Security Number.
Doe used this unlawfully obtained Social Security card for the next 18 years, until the victim’s death in Puerto Rico in 2012. At that point, SSA learned that someone in Massachusetts was using a deceased person’s Social Security number and began a fraud investigation.
Doe used the victim’s SSN to work in Boston, obtain and travel on a U.S. passport, apply for Social Security benefits, obtain unemployment benefits, and obtain Section 8 public housing benefits for himself and his family. The jury convicted Doe of using a passport that he had obtained by falsely representing that the victim’s Social Security number was his own; using the victim’s Social Security number in support of his claim for unemployment benefits and in a sworn statement he gave SSA; and aggravated identity theft. Doe was also convicted of stealing public funds by using the victim’s SSN to collect Section 8 benefits, which are paid by HUD.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud; and Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Wichers and David Tobin of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Former VA Hospice Nurse Charged with Diverting and Tampering with Morphine Meant for Dying VeteransRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Tewksbury woman was charged today in federal court in Boston with diverting morphine while employed as a nurse in the hospice unit at the Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center campus in Bedford.
Kathleen Noftle, 55, was arrested this morning and charged by criminal complaint with one count of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, and one count of tampering with a consumer product. Noftle will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston at 12:00 p.m. today.
According to charging documents, on Jan. 13, 14, and 15, 2017, Noftle used her position as a nurse to obtain doses of morphine that were meant to be given to the veterans under her care in the hospice unit. Noftle admitted to federal agents that she mixed water from a sink with a portion of the liquid morphine doses, and then administered the diluted medication to patients orally. Noftle then allegedly ingested a diluted amount of the remaining drug. The investigation revealed that, due to diluted morphine administered by Noftle, one veteran experienced increased difficulty breathing (dyspnea) and increased suffering in his final days. The investigation also found that before working at the VA Medical Center in Bedford, Noftle had resigned from her position as a nurse at a different hospital following her failure to follow appropriate procedures when wasting narcotics on 60 occasions.
The charge of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge, provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of tampering with a consumer product provides for a sentence of no greater than four years in prison, one year of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Sean Smith, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney William B. Brady of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Settles Disability Discrimination Allegations with Operator of Skilled Nursing FacilitiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office reached an agreement today with Athena Health Care Systems (Athena), operator of 16 skilled nursing facilities in Massachusetts, to resolve allegations that they violated the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by turning away patients because they were being treated for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD).
According to two complaints filed with the United States Attorney’s Office, individuals seeking admission at Athena facilities were denied because they were being treated with buprenorphine, a medication used to treat OUD. The individuals were seeking admissions to the facilities for health issues unrelated to their addiction, but required that the facilities administer their buprenorphine as they would administer any other medication. Individuals receiving treatment for OUD are generally considered disabled under the ADA, which, among other things, prohibits private healthcare providers from discriminating on the basis of disability.
Under the terms of the agreement, Athena will, among other things, adopt a non-discrimination policy, provide training on the ADA and OUD to admissions personnel, and pay a civil penalty of $10,000 to the United States.
“The opioid epidemic is a battle in which victory is measured by the number of lives saved,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Medically-assisted treatment is a powerful tool for helping people in recovery to avoid relapse. To that end, my office will continue to identify and eliminate illegal barriers to treatment. We commend Athena for cooperating with our investigation and working with us to modify its policies for compliance with the ADA. We encourage other entities to proactively do the same.”
This matter is part of an ongoing effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Office to enforce the Title III of the ADA and to eliminate discriminatory barriers to treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). In May 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reached the first settlement of this kind with Charlwell House, a rehabilitation center that provides skilled nursing services. Today’s settlement marks the second resolution in the District of Massachusetts.
This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dorchak of Lelling’s Civil Rights Unit.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Salvadoran National Sentence for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national residing in Worcester was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for passport fraud.
Neemias Pacheco-Santamaria, 33, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 13 months in prison and will face deportation upon completion of his sentence. Pacheco-Santamaria pleaded guilty in June 2019 to knowingly making false statements in applying for a U.S. passport.
In July 2018 Pacheco-Santamaria entered a Worcester Post Office and falsely used the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a United States citizen from Puerto Rico to apply for a United States Passport.
The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of up to10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Threatening Massachusetts ProfessorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rhode Island man pleaded guilty today to sending a series of violent and threatening e‑mails to a Massachusetts professor and a university.
Matthew Haviland, 29, of North Kingstown, R.I., pleaded guilty today to one count of stalking and two counts of transmitting a threat in interstate commerce. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2019. According to the terms of a plea agreement, the government will recommend to the Court a sentence of 21 months in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine. Haviland was charged in April 2019.
Over the span of several hours on March 10, 2019, Haviland sent a Massachusetts professor a string of approximately 28 e-mails containing messages that included such threats as, “I will rip every limb from your body and eat it, piece by piece” and “I will bite through your eyeballs while you’re still alive, and I will laugh while you scream.” The professor to whom Haviland sent the threats has published and spoken in favor of abortion rights, and several of Haviland’s e‑mails made reference to abortion. In two successive e-mails, for example, Haviland wrote, “You will be held accountable for every f****** baby you murdered through your horrible deception of they are not humans” and “You will have your face ripped off and eaten by me, personally. I will enjoy raping your body after you’re dead. And that will only be the start.”
Haviland also sent several e-mails on March 15, 2019 to a professional school at the professor’s university. Those e-mails included the message: “You people are Evil, putrid, and somebody shoudl [sic] BOMB your school for spreading the idea that it’s okay to HATE people because of their race.” A later e-mail to the professional school said only, “You should be Murdered in cold blood.”
Haviland faces a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division, made the announcement today. Boston FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force conducted the investigation with the assistance of Warwick and North Kingstown (RI) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian A. Pérez‑Daple of Lelling’s National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
Haverhill Nurse Pleads Guilty to Drug TamperingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill licensed practical nurse pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug tampering.
Lauren Perrin, 47, pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product, specifically the Schedule II controlled substance morphine, which is used for pain relief. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 4, 2019. Perrin was charged in an Information in March 2019.
While working as a licensed practical nurse at Maplewood Care and Rehabilitation Center in Amesbury, Perrin tampered with three bottles of morphine sulfate prescribed to a hospice patient. In an attempt to avoid detection, she replaced the extracted medication with another liquid. Perrin’s tampering lowered the potency of the three bottles of morphine sulfate to only 4-29% of the intended potency.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Andrew Lelling; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; and Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Wan of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Salem was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for Social Security fraud.
Romulo Alvarez Reyes, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 12 months and one day in prison. Alvarez Reyes will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Alvarez Reyes previously pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number. He was arrested and charged as part of a 2018 federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud.
Dubbed “Double Trouble,” the July 2018 investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), comprised of local, state and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
On Nov. 19, 2014, Alvarez Reyes, a citizen of the Dominican Republic, applied for a Massachusetts identification card using the name and Social Security number of a Puerto Rican citizen. He presented a Puerto Rican birth certificate and a Social Security card in the other person’s name to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles as proof of his identity. Based on the application and supporting identity documents, Alvarez Reyes was issued an identification card in the name of the Puerto Rican citizen.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Phillip Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; Michael Mikulka, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Colonel Kerry A. Gilpin, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Massachusetts State Auditor Suzanne M. Bump made the announcement. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Karen Burzycki of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
52nd Defendant Arrested and Charged in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Spanish authorities arrested a Chinese woman last night in connection with her role in using bribery and other forms of fraud to facilitate her son’s admission to the University of California at Los Angeles (UCLA) as a purported soccer recruit.
Xiaoning Sui, 48, of Surrey, British Columbia, Canada, was arrested in Spain and charged in an indictment unsealed today in federal court in Boston with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud. Sui is currently detained in Spain, and authorities will seek her extradition to Boston to face charges.
According to the indictment, Sui agreed with William “Rick” Singer to pay $400,000 to facilitate her son’s admission to UCLA as a purported soccer recruit. It is alleged that during a phone call in August 2018, Singer explained that Sui’s son could be “guaranteed” admission to UCLA, in exchange for $400,000. Between August and October 2018, Sui allegedly provided Singer with her son’s transcript and photographs of her son playing tennis. Co-conspirator Laura Janke then fabricated a soccer profile for Sui’s son, which described him as a top player for two private soccer clubs in Canada. On Oct. 24, 2018, Singer instructed Sui to wire Singer $100,000 which would be “paid to the coach at UCLA” in exchange for a letter of intent from the UCLA soccer coach. Two days later, Sui allegedly wired $100,000 to a bank account in Massachusetts in the name of Singer’s sham charitable organization, the Key Worldwide Foundation (KWF). On Nov. 5, 2018, UCLA admitted Sui’s son as a recruited soccer player, and awarded him a 25% scholarship. In February 2018, Sui allegedly wired an additional $300,000 to the KWF account as final payment for her son’s fraudulent admission to UCLA.
Janke previously pleaded guilty and is cooperating with the government’s investigation.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
The charge of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the court documents are allegations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Sentenced for Possession of Stolen Firearm and Lying to Firearm DealersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 13, 2019, in federal court in Worcester for lying to federal firearms dealers and for possession of a stolen firearm.
Ruben Ramos, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 13 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Ramos pleaded guilty to two counts of making false statements during the purchase of a firearm, five counts of making false statements in records required to be maintained by a federal firearm dealer, and one count of possession of a stolen firearm.
In December 2016, Worcester Police issued Ramos, an employee of the U.S. Postal Service and member of the U.S. Army National Guard, a license to possess firearms. From May 2017 through May 2018, Ramos purchased at least 16 firearms, including 14 pistols and two rifles. On at least five occasions, from March 2018 through May 2018, Ramos knowingly provided a false address to the firearms dealers from whom he purchased seven firearms.
In June 2018, Ramos admitted to federal investigators that he only possessed six of the 16 guns that he purchased over the previous 12 months. Ramos admitted to investigators that he lied to firearms dealers on two occasions in May 2018, when he acted as a “straw buyer,” by claiming that he was buying the gun for himself when, in fact, he was buying the guns on behalf of another person. Additionally, in June 2018, investigators also found a Beretta 9 mm pistol in Ramos’s residence that was the property of the Army National Guard. Ramos admitted that he stole the pistol from the weapons vault at the Army National Guard facility on Plantation Street in Worcester.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Stealing Citizen’s Identity and Selling DrugsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national residing in Mattapan was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for Social Security fraud, aggravated identity theft, and drug possession.
Yhoan Alexis Nivar Rodriguez, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 43 months in prison. Nivar will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Nivar previously pleaded guilty to Social Security fraud, aggravated identity theft, and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine.
Nivar was arrested and charged in a July 2018 federal law enforcement sweep of 25 individuals accused of document and benefit fraud. Dubbed “Double Trouble,” the investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force, comprised of local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
On Dec. 15, 2015, Nivar went to a Registry of Motor Vehicles office in Braintree and successfully applied for a Massachusetts driver’s license using the name, date of birth, and Social Security number of a female U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. In July 2018, federal agents executed a search warrant at Nivar’s apartment. Inside a safe in Nivar’s bedroom, agents recovered over 70 grams of fentanyl, cocaine, and crack cocaine packaged for street-level sales, plus a drug ledger and $1,500 cash. Another $2,753 cash was found on a table in the bedroom. Nivar admitted to buying and selling drugs.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Unlawful ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Diostene Pimental, 42, a Dominican national formerly residing in Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawfully re-entering the United States after being deported. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2019.
According to the indictment, Pimental was removed in November 2012 and subsequently re-entered the United States without permission. The indictment further alleges that Pimental was deported after being convicted of an aggravated felony.
Pimental faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Pimental will be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Marcos D. Charles, Acting Field Office Director, Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Abely, Deputy Chief of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Corrections Officer Sentenced for Scheme to Smuggle Opioids into MCI-NorfolkRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former corrections officer at the Massachusetts Correctional Institute facility in Norfolk (MCI-Norfolk) was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with a conspiracy to smuggle Suboxone strips into the facility for an inmate.
Steven J. Frazer, 29, of Cumberland, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 30 days in prison, two years of supervised release and ordered to pay forfeiture of $2,500. In May 2019, Frazer pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with one count of conspiracy to possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute.
Beginning around Nov. 14, 2018, Frazer, who was working as a corrections officer, arranged with a cooperating witness to smuggle Suboxone strips into MCI-Norfolk to sell to inmates. Suboxone is a Class III controlled substance used to treat heroin addiction, but some people abuse it to get high. It is coveted as contraband in prisons across the nation and particularly in New England.
Around midnight on Sunday, Nov. 18, 2018, the cooperating witness met Frazer in a South Attleboro parking lot and provided him with 40 Suboxone strips, 24 pages of K2 (a synthetic cannabinoid, which is more powerful and more dangerous than marijuana), and $2,500 in cash. After the meeting – which was audio and video recorded by law enforcement – federal agents arrested Frazer.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Commissioner Carol A. Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.
Two Mexican Drug Traffickers Arrested after Two-Kilogram Cocaine SeizureRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Mexican nationals were arrested and charged yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with selling two kilograms of cocaine.
Carlos Acosta Estrella, 31, and his mother, Ana Guadalupe Acosta Grajeda, 56, were arrested on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2019 and charged in a criminal complaint with one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
According to a criminal complaint, Estrella and Grajeda were arrested by law enforcement agents in East Boston after they were videotaped selling two kilograms of cocaine to a cooperating witness. Federal agents executed a search warrant of the East Boston apartment were the defendants were located and seized one kilogram of suspected fentanyl, one kilogram of suspected heroin, numerous cellphones, a high-powered tactical shotgun with a laser sight, and a box of ammunition for the shotgun.
The charging statute provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release, and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Lelling’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Recidivist Hacker Sentenced for Violating Supervised Release ConditionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday for violating conditions of his supervised release by engaging in another cybercrime after being released from federal custody after two prior convictions.
Cameron Lacroix, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to 15 months in prison, to be served consecutively to a nine-month sentence previously imposed by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris.
Lacroix was first convicted in 2014 of access device fraud and computer fraud for hacking into Bristol Community College’s computer servers using stolen log-in credentials and changing grades for himself and other students. Lacroix also hacked into law enforcement computer servers, including a local Massachusetts police department.
Lacroix was separately convicted with intentionally causing damage to a protected computer in connection with hacking Twitter accounts for Jeep and Burger King.
Lacroix was sentenced for each case on Oct. 27, 2014, and Nov. 25, 2014, respectively, to 48 months in prison and three years of supervised release, to be served concurrently. Following his release from custody, and while serving a term of supervised release, Lacroix obtained employment, working as a manager for a company from approximately August to November 2018 when the company discovered that Lacroix had engaged in a fraud scheme that compromised the company’s computer system. The company discovered that Lacroix used the usernames and passwords of other employees to load funds onto pre-paid credit cards, which he then used to withdraw cash at ATMs. Thereafter, the Court revoked Lacroix’s supervised release in both criminal cases. Judge Saris sentenced Lacroix to nine months for the violation and, yesterday, Judge Wolf sentenced Lacroix to 15 months in prison, to be served consecutively.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit handled the matter.
Georgetown Woman Pleads Guilty to Bank FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Georgetown woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with embezzling over $419,000 from her employer.
Michelle Higson, 44, pleaded guilty to four counts of bank fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Dec. 12, 2019. Higson was indicted in November 2018.
Higson began working as a part-time bookkeeper for a Wilmington company in 2013. From 2015 until her termination in 2018, Higson stole a series of the company’s checks, made them payable to herself or to her husband, and forged her employer’s signatures. Higson cashed and deposited the checks for her own personal use. To conceal her criminal conduct and avoid detection by the company, Higson falsified entries in the company’s books to make it appear as if the stolen checks had been issued to satisfy payment to actual vendors. In addition, on several occasions, Higson inflated her pay rate and falsified the number of hours she worked, thereby collecting more money than what she actually earned. In total, Higson embezzled over $419,000.
The charge of bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Former Holyoke Teacher Arrested for Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Holyoke kindergarten teacher was arrested last night and charged with possession of child pornography. Yesterday, the defendant resigned from his position as a kindergarten teacher for the Holyoke Public Schools where he was employed.
Gregory Lisby, 40, of Worcester, was arrested last night in Northboro and charged today with one count of possession of child pornography. Lisby will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:15 p.m. today.
According to the charging documents, investigators received a tip that an image depicting child pornography had been uploaded to a Microsoft OneDrive account that was determined to belong to Lisby. Pursuant to a search warrant, investigators reviewed the OneDrive and identified approximately 180 images and 15 videos of child pornography. On Sept. 11, 2019, a search was executed at Lisby’s home where a preliminary on-scene review of Lisby’s OneDrive account, on both his iPad and cellphone, was conducted. Lisby was subsequently arrested last night and charged with possession of child pornography.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The Worcester, Holyoke, Northboro and Southboro Police Departments, along with the Massachusetts State Police provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen Noto of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.
The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
First Parent in College Admissions Case Sentenced to PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Felicity Huffman was sentenced today to 14 days in federal prison for her involvement in the college admissions case. She must report to the Bureau of Prison on Oct. 25, 2019.
Huffman, 56, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani to 14 days in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a fine of $30,000. The government had recommended a sentence of one month in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $20,000. In May 2019, Huffman pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and honest services mail fraud.
Beginning in at least 2017, Huffman conspired with Rick Singer to have her daughter’s college entrance exam corrected, thereby fraudulently inflating the score. During an August 2017 meeting with Rick Singer at her home, Huffman and Singer discussed the scheme and the cost. Over the next year and a half, Huffman took multiple steps to facilitate the scheme, including securing extended time for her daughter to take the SAT and arranging for her daughter to take the exam at a test center in West Hollywood that Singer “controlled.” Huffman also agreed to lie to her daughter’s high school guidance counselor by falsely telling the counselor that her daughter would take the test elsewhere over a weekend so that she would not miss any school. Thereafter, Huffman paid for the scheme by making a purported contribution of $15,000 to Singer’s sham charity, Key Worldwide Foundation.
Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O'Connell, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen, Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, and Kristen A. Kearney of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
U.S. Citizen Extradited from Brazil Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former accountant pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with a $2 million wire fraud scheme.
Christopher Morris, 48, formerly of Lowell and Chelsea, Mass., pleaded guilty to four counts of wire fraud and 12 counts of unlawful monetary transactions. U.S. District Court Senior Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2019. In November 2014, Morris was charged in an indictment in the District of Massachusetts. In May 2019, he was extradited from Brazil, where he had been living since 2013.
Morris admitted that he participated in a wire fraud scheme targeting his employer PBS Distribution (PBSd), a media distribution business with operations in Allston and elsewhere. Morris’ position gave him access to U.S. mail addressed to PBSd’s accounting department, including checks payable to PBSd. Beginning as early as January 2008 and continuing through September 2012, Morris took more than $2 million in checks under the guise of depositing them into PBSd’s bank accounts, but he instead endorsed them to himself and deposited them into a personal bank account. Morris used his access to PBSd’s accounting system to conceal the theft by, among other steps, fraudulently causing credits to be issued to the accounts of customers whose checks he stole, and by causing PBSd’s general ledger to be altered to show that the same customers had made payments. Morris spent the proceeds of the scheme on a lavish lifestyle that included, among other expenses, year-long apartment rentals in New York City’s Greenwich Village and Tribeca neighborhoods, the down payment, purchase and upkeep of a waterfront condominium in Chelsea, and luxury clothing, dining and travel, including a $16,000 two-week South American cruise.
The charges of wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 on each count. The charge of unlawful monetary transactions provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of the greater of either $250,000 or twice the value of the criminally derived property. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joseph W. Cronin, Postal Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William G. Gross made the announcement today. The U.S. Marshals Service for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance with Morris’ extradition to the United States, and Lelling thanked Brazilian authorities for their cooperation in this matter. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit, is prosecuting the case.
Somerset Man Pleads Guilty to Illegal Participation in Bank LoanRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Somerset man pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield yesterday to illegally participating in a loan with a financial institution.
Anthony Riccitelli, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of participation in loan with financial institution. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Dec. 11, 2019. In July 2019, Riccitelli was charged by information.
Riccitelli admitted today that he loaned $80,000 to Diecast Connections Company, Inc., based in Chicopee, at the same time that he served as a bank officer for Blue Hills Bank. Riccitelli proposed that Blue Hills Bank enter into a $4.2 million loan package with Diecast without disclosing to Blue Hills Bank the $80,000 in private loans he had made to Diecast. Shortly after the closing on the loan, Riccitelli received $80,000 of the loan proceeds, unbeknownst to Blue Hills Bank.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Lelling’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Inmate at State Correctional Facility Sentenced on Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An inmate at a Massachusetts correctional facility was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with smuggling drugs into the facility.
Chad Connors, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 48 months incarceration, 30 of which is to be served consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving and three years of supervised release. In June 2019, Connors pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam.
In September 2018, Connors, who was an inmate at Massachusetts Correctional Institute – Cedar Junction (MCI-CJ) in South Walpole at the time, was indicted along with William Guillemette, 39, also an MCI-CJ inmate, Margaret Guillemette, 58, and Lisa Guillemette, 42.
Chad Connors and William Guillemette were inmates housed at MCI-CJ’s Departmental Disciplinary Unit (DDU). Connors was involved in a romantic relationship with Christine Ramos, a nurse assigned to the DDU. At Connors’ request, Ramos agreed to smuggle contraband, including controlled substances, into MCI-CJ. In order to do this, Ramos opened two P.O. Boxes through a third party. Connors sent letters and money to Ramos at these P.O. Boxes and, at William Guillemette’s direction, Lisa and Margaret Guillemette, obtained and sent Suboxone and Alprazolam to the P.O. Boxes. Ramos subsequently smuggled the drugs into the DDU and delivered them to Connors. Connors and William Guillemette then distributed the drugs to other inmates, who sent checks to Lisa and Margaret Guillemette as payment for the drugs. Suboxone and Alprazolam are Schedule III and Schedule IV controlled substances, respectively.
William Guillemette pleaded guilty and was sentenced to18 months in prison to be served consecutive to the state sentence he is currently serving and three years of supervised release. Lisa Guillemette pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served (5 days), 30 months of supervised release and 300 hours of community service. Margaret Guillemette pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served (five days), two years of supervised release and 200 hours of community service. Ramos pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute Suboxone and Alprazolam and was sentenced two years of probation.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia Carris, of Lelling’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted case.
Former President of Massachusetts State Police Union and Union’s Former Lobbyist Indicted on RICO and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) and the union’s former Massachusetts lobbyist were indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston on charges of racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice and tax crimes.
Dana A. Pullman, 57, of Worcester, and Anne M. Lynch, 68, of Hull, were indicted on one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of racketeering, one count of conspiracy to commit honest services wire fraud, one count of honest services wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. Pullman was charged with two additional counts of wire fraud and two counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return, and Lynch was charged with an additional count of obstruction of justice and four counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. The defendants will be arraigned in federal court in Boston on a date yet to be determined. Pullman and Lynch were charged by criminal complaint and arrested on Aug. 22, 2019.
According to the indictment, the SPAM was an association consisting of more than 1,500 troopers and sergeants from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). SPAM acted as the exclusive bargaining agent between its members and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding the terms and conditions of SPAM members’ employment. Pullman, who was an MSP trooper from 1987 to at least 2018, was the President of SPAM from 2012 until his resignation on Sept. 28, 2018. Lynch’s lobbying firm represented SPAM during the same time period, in exchange for monthly retainer payments.
It is alleged that, from at least 2012 until Pullman resigned as the President of SPAM in September 2018, Pullman, Lynch and others were involved in a conspiracy to defraud SPAM members and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts of their right to honest services from Pullman through fraud and deceit. This included illegal bribes and kickbacks that Pullman received from Lynch and her firm. Pullman, Lynch and others were also allegedly involved in a scheme to defraud two different companies that sought to do business with the Commonwealth. They are further charged with conspiring to defraud the United States by hiding the payments from Lynch and her lobbying firm to Pullman in a manner designed to avoid reporting and paying taxes on that income to the IRS.
Pullman is also charged with wire fraud in connection with his alleged embezzlement and misuse of SPAM funds for personal use by (1) submitting expense reimbursement checks to SPAM without receipts; (2) circumventing and bypassing SPAM’s governing Executive Board; and (3) using a debit card tied to a SPAM bank account. Specifically, Pullman used the SPAM debit card to pay for thousands of dollars of meals, flowers, travel, and gifts for an individual with whom Pullman was having a romantic relationship.
Pullman and Lynch are also charged with attempting to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation of this matter by manipulating subpoenaed records, and Lynch is charged with attempting to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation by lying to investigators.
The charges of racketeering conspiracy, racketeering, fraud and fraud conspiracy each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Assistant Director of Real Estate for the City of Boston Pleads Guilty to Bribery and Filing a False Tax ReturnRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Assistant Director of Real Estate working for the Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with accepting $50,000 in bribes.
John M. Lynch, 66, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery involving an organization receiving federal funds and one count of filing a false federal tax return. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Jan. 24, 2019. According to the terms of a plea agreement, the government will recommend a sentence of 46 to 57 months in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine and forfeiture.
“The residents of Boston deserve honesty and integrity from their public officials, whether elected or appointed,” said United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Government is supposed to work on behalf of – for the benefit of – all citizens, and public officials, paid with taxpayer dollars, should be above reproach. John Lynch’s actions were an affront to these ideals. This office will pursue and prosecute all public officials whose greed leads them to breach the public trust and break federal law.”
“John Lynch saw more value in lowering his ethical standards than raising the profile of Boston as a metropolitan mecca for economic growth and prosperity. Today, he finally accepted responsibility for his criminal conduct, admitting he accepted $50,000 in bribes to help a real estate developer secure a key vote from the city’s Zoning Board of Appeals,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Putting one’s official position up for sale to help others cash in further erodes the public’s trust in their government and cheats them out of the honest services they deserve.”
“Public officials, whether elected or appointed, hold positions of trust in the eyes of the public. That trust is broken when they abuse their authority and commit crimes,” said Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of IRS Criminal Investigation’s Boston Field Office. “Mr. Lynch used his influence at the BPDA in exchange for a substantial bribe, then failed to report $60,000 on his tax return. As part of a steadfast law enforcement team, IRS will continue to hold financial fraudsters and tax evaders accountable.”
In 2017, a Boston real estate developer sought to sell a parcel of residential real estate in Boston, but needed Boston Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) approval to extend a permit that would allow the property to be sold as a multi-unit development. In order to secure the permit extension, the developer agreed to pay $50,000 in bribes to Lynch, in return for Lynch using his influence at the BPDA to secure a vote from a ZBA member. In May 2017, the ZBA member voted to grant the permit extension, enabling the developer to sell the property at an additional half million dollar profit that the developer otherwise would not have received. Per their agreement, the developer then paid Lynch $25,000 in cash and gave Lynch a $25,000 check, which Lynch used to pay a personal bill. Lynch then failed to report those and another $10,000 payment he had received from the real estate developer on this 2018 tax returns.
The charge of bribery involving an organization receiving federal funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, and forfeiture. The charge of filing a false federal tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Lelling, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta, and IRS-CI SAC O’Connell made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao of Lelling’s Public Corruption Unit is prosecuting the case.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with the fraudulent abuse of the U.S. Postal Service’s (USPS) Informed Delivery electronic notification system.
Lucson Appolon, 27, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Dec. 5, 2019. Appolon and his co-conspirators, Fred Alcius, Peter Belony, and Kevens Louis were charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud on April 9, 2019. Belony and Louis have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Alcius remains a fugitive.
Informed Delivery is a free electronic notification service provided by the USPS that gives residential and P.O. Box customers the ability to digitally preview their incoming mail and manage their packages.
According to the indictment, the defendants accessed victims’ personal identifying information, including names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, and addresses on the “dark web” and then used the information to open credit cards in the victims’ names. The defendants then subscribed to Informed Delivery using the victims’ personal identifying information and a fraudulent email address created to track the delivery of credit cards to the victims’ residential mailboxes. The defendants subsequently intercepted the credit cards at the victims’ mailboxes before the victims could receive them and used those credit cards at ATMs and to purchase gift cards and other items for resale at retail establishments. The defendants traveled to states across the East Coast in furtherance of the fraud, including New Hampshire, Maine and Massachusetts.
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory minimum sentence of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph W. Cronin, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; the Concord, Fort Lauderdale (Fla.), Harvard, Kittery (Maine), Norfolk, Plantation (Fla.), Sherborn, and Weston Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Five Men Charged with Identity TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Five men have been charged in federal court in Boston as a result of a federal investigation targeting offenders of document and benefit fraud.
The following individuals have each been charged with aggravated identity theft and false representation of a Social Security number:
- Manuel Enrique Arias Aguasvivas, 32, a Dominican national residing in Methuen. According to court records, Arias Aguasvivas obtained a Massachusetts driver’s license in the name of a U.S. citizen.
- Richard Zapata Suarez, 32, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence. It is alleged that Zapata Suarez obtained a Massachusetts driver’s license in the name of a U.S. citizen.
- Jairo Samuel Andujar Ruiz, 26, a resident of Lawrence. Andujar Ruiz is charged with using the identification of another person to obtain a Massachusetts identity card.
- Robely Eladio De Jesus Guerrero, 32, a resident of Lawrence. De Jesus Guerrero is charged with using the identification of another person to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.
- John Doe (true identity unknown), a resident of Jamaica Plain. Doe is charged with using the identification of another person to obtain a Massachusetts driver’s license.
Arias Aguasvivas and Zapata Suarez were arrested on complaints and had initial appearances in federal court in Boston on Sept. 5, 2019. Andujar Ruiz and De Jesus Guerrero are currently in state custody awaiting trial on state charges, and John Doe is currently incarcerated in state prison. Indictments were returned against all five men today.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes.
The DBFTF is currently investigating suspected aliens who are believed to have obtained stolen identities of U.S. citizens born in Puerto Rico. The DBFTF has investigated individuals who have used stolen identities to obtain public benefits that they otherwise would not be eligible to receive, including Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles identity documents, Social Security numbers, MassHealth benefits, public housing benefits, and/or unemployment benefits.
In July 2018, a DGFTF-led investigation resulted in the arrests of 25 individuals on charges of identity theft and Social Security fraud. In April 2019, a separate DBFTF-led investigation resulted in 11 additional arrests, and in June 2019 another investigation led to five arrests.
The charge of aggravated identity theft carries a mandatory two-year prison sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of false representation of a Social Security number provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Jason Molina, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Office; U.S. Secret Service; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations, Boston; the U.S. Marshals Service; the Massachusetts State Police; the Massachusetts Office of Inspector General; the Lawrence Police Department; and the Methuen Police Department.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Chelsea Gang Member Sentenced to Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chelsea man was sentenced on September 10, 2019, in federal court in Boston to six years in prison for drug trafficking.
Andres Perez, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to six years in prison and three years of supervised release during which time Perez is prohibited from associating with members of the East Side Money Gang.
In December 2017, Perez was indicted along with Cesar Alicea, also of Chelsea, who was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. The government alleged that both men were members of the East Side Money Gang.
On Oct. 31, 2017, police officers observed a suspected drug deal from a car and then stopped the car, which was driven by Perez, with Alicea in the passenger seat. Police removed Perez from the car and pat-frisked him. At the same time, Alicea fled from the car and threw an item, which was recovered and determined to be a .25 caliber Raven Arms pistol. Police later recovered crack cocaine from the car and found Perez in possession of heroin.
Alicea pleaded guilty and was sentenced in January 2019 to 48 months in prison.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Revere Police Chief James Guido; and Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran and Michael Crowley of Lelling’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Gang Member Charged with Distributing Crack Cocaine in Public Housing DevelopmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man identified as a member of the Heath Street Gang was arrested yesterday and charged in federal court in Boston with distributing crack cocaine in a public housing development.
Michael Pridgen, 35, was charged with distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, and distribution and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in a public housing development. Pridgen was detained following an initial appearance yesterday in federal court.
According to court documents, Pridgen distributed crack cocaine in and around the Mildred C. Hailey Apartments, formerly known as the Bromley Heath Housing Development, in Boston on June 5, 2019, and July 2, 2019. During the June 5 sale, Pridgen allegedly stored the crack cocaine and a digital scale in an electrical box affixed to the wall in the stairwell of the public housing complex. Both drug sales occurred in common stairwells in the complex. Pridgen has been identified by law enforcement as a member of the Heath Street Gang, but was living in Westborough at the time of these sales.
The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distributing or possessing with intent to distribute controlled substances in a public housing development provides for a mandatory minimum of one year and up and to 40 years in prison, six years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Gross made the announcement today.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Assistant Track Coach Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Wellesley High School assistant track coach, who is also a former Harvard University track coach, was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.
Walter Johnson, 71, of Framingham, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to three years in prison and five years of supervised release. In June 2019, Johnson pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In January 2017, an investigation began into child pornography being traded by a Craigslist user. The investigation led to Johnson, a track coach at Wellesley High School and a former Harvard University track coach. During a search of Johnson’s home in Framingham, images and videos of child pornography were found on his computer and on a thumb drive hidden in his bedroom. He was arrested on scene and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Jason Molina, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) task forces from Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and the Framingham Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Lelling’s Project Safe Childhood Coordinator and a member of the Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Dominican Fugitive Charged with Identity Theft and Making False Statements in an Immigration DocumentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested yesterday in Miami on a federal warrant for aggravated identity theft and immigration fraud charges filed in federal court in Boston in May 2019, as well as a federal warrant from 1997 in a drug trafficking case.
Teodoro Tejada Rivas, 63, a Dominican national who resided in Lawrence until recently, was charged in an criminal complaint unsealed today with one count of making false statements in an immigration document and one count of aggravated identity theft. Rivas made an initial appearance on those charges in the Southern District of Florida today, and was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 16, 2019 in Miami.
The Massachusetts complaint alleges that since at least 2006, Tejada Rivas has been using the identity of a U.S. citizen from Puerto Rico. Tejada Rivas used the name, social security number, and date of birth of the Puerto Rican man to apply for a U.S. passport in 2007, and to file an immigration form in 2016 in an attempt to bring his Dominican wife and children into the United States. The fraudulent immigration form was filed three years after the death of the U.S. citizen whose identity Tejada Rivas had stolen.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and John Gibbon, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna Nuzum of Lelling’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Seven Nigerian Nationals Indicted in International Phishing, Romance Scam, and Other Cyber Financial Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Seven Nigerian nationals were charged in indictments unsealed today in connection with their roles in expansive online fraud schemes targeting individuals and businesses in the United States, including phishing schemes, romance scams, business email compromise schemes, work-at-home scams, identity theft schemes, theft of personally identifiable information (PII) and credit card theft.
Chukwuemeka Francis Meke, a/k/a “Meke Angelo,” a/k/a “Lvrkdnona,” was charged on July 23, 2019, with conspiracy to commit computer fraud and abuse, wire fraud conspiracy, and aggravated identity theft. Jude Akhigbe, Happy Chukwuma, and Uche Solomon were charged on Aug. 20, 2019, with two counts of wire fraud conspiracy. Micahel Eromosele Iyoriobhe and Ajibola Ayomide Olanrewaju were charged on Sept. 3, 2019, with wire fraud conspiracy, unlawful possession of means of identification, and aggravated identity theft. Talib Gbolahan a/k/a “Talib Gbolahan Nkosi,” a/k/a “Loco Smith,” was charged with wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. All four indictments were unsealed today in Boston.
According to the indictments, the defendants each participated in a variety of international online fraud schemes. The defendants and their co-conspirators each deployed “phishing kits” that mimicked the appearance of legitimate websites to gather online credentials. In some cases, those credentials themselves were used to obtain money and property from U.S. victims. For instance, Gbolahan, using a “phishing kit” that mimicked the appearance of the dating websites “SeniorPeopleMeet” and “OurTime,” directly obtained account credentials, personally identifiable information, and payment card data from individuals who thought they were visiting those websites. Gbolahan then used that credit card information to make fraudulent purchases.
In other cases, certain defendants created fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S., and then leveraged those relationships to obtain money and property. For instance, Iyoriobhe, using the personas “Alisha Keary” and “Alisha White,” and Olanrewaju, using the persona “Rita Mercer,” established online relationships with men in the United States pretending to be an American woman living overseas. Iyoriobhe and Olanrewaju conspired together to obtain money from these men through various ruses, such as pretending to travel to the United States to see the victim, but needing assistance paying taxes on an inheritance.
Individuals across the country, including in the Massachusetts towns of South Easton, Lynn, Gloucester, Lawrence, Somerville, North Dartmouth, and others, were victimized by the defendants’ online fraud schemes.
The fraud schemes targeted businesses as well as individuals. For instance, Meke and his co-conspirators were charged with using the emails and passwords of three employees from a retail company based in Massachusetts that employs more than 25,000 people and has locations in more than a dozen states, to send an email to another employee, seeking to transfer $300,000 from the company to pay a vendor. This type of scheme is known as a business email compromise (BEC) scheme.
The indictments in the District of Massachusetts are part of an ongoing national effort by the Department of Justice to address online fraud schemes that target United States citizens from abroad, often based out of Nigeria. Today, the Department of Justice announced significant actions, including 281 arrests in Operation reWired, a nationwide coordinated effort to disrupt BEC and other cyber-enabled financial frauds. Several actions were taken this summer in the District of Massachusetts as part of Operation reWired, including the arrests of Chukwuemeka Eze, who was charged by complaint with bank fraud and money laundering on June 11, 2019, and Seyon Balogun a/k/a “Oshine,” who was indicted in a money laundering conspiracy on July 9, 2019.
The wire fraud and wire fraud conspiracy charges provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, and the conspiracy and possession of a means of identification charges provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison. The aggravated identity theft charges provide for a mandatory sentence of two-years in prison that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed. Each charge also provides for up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain/loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Andrew E. Lelling and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart, David J. D’Addio, Seth B. Kosto, and Mackenzie A. Queenin of Lelling’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the cases unsealed today.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Charged with Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Worcester man was arraigned on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in federal court in Worcester for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Lawrence Rutherford, 37, was charged with one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to the charging document, on June 5, 2019, law enforcement agents found two guns and more than 600 rounds of ammunition in Rutherford’s home while executing a search warrant there. Rutherford is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in person.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling; Kelly Brady, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Steven M. Sargent, Chief of the Worcester Police Department, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and John T. Mulcahy of Lelling’s Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Postal Service Employee Charged with Stealing Government FundsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A USPS employee was charged on Friday, Sept. 6, 2019, in federal court in Boston with stealing approximately $7,000 in government money.
Adam Lavertue, 37, of Dracut, was indicted on one count of embezzlement and theft of public money, property or records.
According to the indictment, Lavertue began working the United States Postal Service (USPS) in April 2008 and became Postmaster of the Groton Post Office in June 2015. In this role, Lavertue performed a variety of managerial and administrative tasks to facilitate the daily operations of the Post Office, including maintaining the facility’s operational functions, handling customer transactions, and managing mail clerks and delivery staff. In February 2017, Lavertue began using the purchase charge card issued to the Groton Post Office to make over $500 in personal purchases, including food, beverages and tobacco products. Additionally, Lavertue used Post Office Voyager cards, which are used by USPS mail couriers to fuel the official USPS delivery vehicles, to fuel his personally owned vehicle, charging over $5,000 in fuel. Lavertue is also charged with stealing over $1,000 in cash from his assigned cash register drawer and reserve at the Groton Post Office. It is alleged that Lavertue’s scheme cost the USPS approximately $7,000.
The charging statute provides a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years supervised release and a $250,000 fine. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Eileen Neff, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Inspector General, made the announcement today. The case is being prosecuted by Eugenia M. Carris of Lelling’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Justice Department Files Sexual Harassment Lawsuit Against Worcester Landlord and His EmployeeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division filed a lawsuit today alleging that female tenants of residential rental properties in Worcester were subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act.
“No one should ever have to choose between housing and sexual harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Sexual harassment is illegal under the Fair Housing Act, and my office is committed to achieving justice and compensation for individuals whose civil rights have been violated. I encourage anyone who has been subjected to sexual harassment by his or her landlord or employee of a landlord to report it to my office.”
“Landlords or their employees who sexually harass tenants will be held accountable under the law by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Such depraved conduct, targeting some of the most vulnerable in our communities, violates the Fair Housing Act and will not be tolerated. The Civil Rights Division will continue to enforce the law vigorously and work to secure justice for victims of these offenses.”
“Subjecting a person to sexual harassment not only violates the law, it robs that individual of the ability to feel safe and secure in the place they call home,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds today’s action and will continue working in partnership with the Justice Department to address this form of discrimination.”
The lawsuit alleges that from at least 2009 through the present, Mohan Prashad and David Besaw sexually harassed female tenants of rental properties owned by Prashad, Savton LLC, and Lanaton LLC. Prashad is the sole agent for Savton LLC and Lanaton LLC. Besaw, a Level 3 registered sex offender in Massachusetts, has been employed by Prashad since at least 2014 to assist with the management and maintenance of his rental properties.
The complaint alleges that Prashad engaged in harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances and comments; engaging in unwanted sexual touching; offering to grant tangible benefits—such as reducing rent amounts—in exchange for engaging in sexual acts with him; refusing to provide needed maintenance services or taking other adverse housing actions against female tenants who resisted or objected to his unwelcome sexual harassment; intimidating female tenants by monitoring them from outside their apartments or rooms; and, after receiving notice of Besaw’s sexual harassment of female tenants, failing to take any action to prevent Besaw from future sexual harassment. The complaint further alleges that Besaw subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact including groping, sexual assault, and forced touching of their bodies, without consent; exposing his genitals to female tenants; making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances toward female tenants; and making intrusive, unannounced visits to female tenants’ units to conduct and further his sexual advances.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
In October 2017, the Justice Department launched an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department announced the nationwide rollout of the initiative, including three major components: a new joint Task Force with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to combat sexual harassment in housing, an outreach toolkit to leverage the Department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and a public awareness campaign, including the launch of a national Public Service Announcement.
Individuals who have information about this case can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Unit by calling 617-748-3100 and asking for the Civil Rights Intake Specialist, or emailing [email protected]. Victims of sexual harassment related to housing nationwide can also contact the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative by calling 1-844-380-6178, or through email at [email protected].
U.S. Attorney Lelling, AAG Dreiband and HUD Assistant Secretary Farías made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Torey B. Cummings and Michelle Leung, of Lelling’s Civil Rights Unit, and Trial Attorney Kinara Flagg of DOJ's Civil Rights Division are handling the matter.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Justice Department Files Lawsuit Against Massachusetts Landlord and Employee Who Subjected Women to Sexual HarassmentRead the Press Release
The Department of Justice today filed a lawsuit in the District of Massachusetts alleging that female tenants of residential rental properties in Worcester were subjected to sexual harassment and retaliation, in violation of the federal Fair Housing Act. This is the 11th lawsuit alleging a pattern or practice of sexual harassment in housing filed since the launch of the Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative in late 2017.
“Landlords or their employees who sexually harass tenants will be held accountable under the law by the Department of Justice,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband. “Such depraved conduct, targeting some of the most vulnerable in our communities, violates the Fair Housing Act and will not be tolerated. The Civil Rights Division will continue to enforce the law vigorously and work to secure justice for victims of these offenses.”
“No one should ever have to choose between housing and sexual harassment,” said U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling. “Sexual harassment is illegal under the Fair Housing Act, and my office is committed to achieving justice and compensation for individuals whose civil rights have been violated. I encourage anyone who has been subjected to sexual harassment by his or her landlord or employee of a landlord to report it to my office.”
“Subjecting a person to sexual harassment not only violates the law, it robs that individual of the ability to feel safe and secure in the place they call home,” said Anna María Farías, HUD’s Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds today’s action and will continue working in partnership with the Justice Department to address this form of discrimination.”
The lawsuit alleges that from at least 2009 through the present, Mohan Prashad sexually harassed female tenants of rental properties owned by Prashad, Savton LLC, and Lanaton LLC. Prashad is the sole agent for Savton LLC and Lanaton LLC. The complaint further alleges that David Besaw also harassed and assaulted female tenants. Besaw, a Level 3 registered sex offender in Massachusetts, has been employed by Prashad since at least 2014 to assist with the management and maintenance of his rental properties.
The complaint alleges that Prashad engaged in harassment that included making unwelcome sexual advances and comments; engaging in unwanted sexual touching; offering to grant tangible benefits — such as reducing rent amounts — in exchange for engaging in sexual acts; refusing to provide needed maintenance services or taking other adverse housing actions against female tenants who resisted or objected to his unwelcome sexual harassment; intimidating female tenants by monitoring them from outside their apartments or rooms; and, after receiving notice of Besaw’s sexual harassment of female tenants, failing to take any action to prevent Besaw from future sexual harassment. The complaint further alleges that Besaw subjected female tenants to unwelcome sexual contact including groping, sexual assault, and forced touching of their bodies, without consent; unwanted exposure to female tenants; making unwelcome sexual comments and sexual advances toward female tenants; and making intrusive, unannounced visits to female tenants’ units to conduct and further his sexual advances.
In October 2017, the Justice Department launched an initiative to combat sexual harassment in housing. In April 2018, the Department announced the nationwide rollout of the initiative, including three major components: an outreach toolkit to leverage the Department’s nationwide network of U.S. Attorney’s Offices, a public awareness campaign, including the release of a national Public Service Announcement and a new joint Task Force with HUD to combat sexual harassment in housing.
The lawsuit seeks monetary damages to compensate the victims, civil penalties and a court order barring future discrimination.
Individuals who have information about this case can contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office Civil Rights Unit by calling 617-748-3100 and asking for the Civil Rights Intake Specialist, or emailing [email protected]. Victims of sexual harassment related to housing nationwide can also contact the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative by calling 1-844-380-6178, or through email at [email protected].
Victims of sexual harassment related to housing nationwide can also contact the Justice Department’s Sexual Harassment in Housing Initiative by calling 1-844-380-6178, or through email at [email protected].
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
More information about the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the laws it enforces is available at http://www.justice.gov/crt.
Former Cape Cod Bookkeeper Indicted on Embezzlement and Federal Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Centerville woman was indicted in federal court on five counts of wire fraud and five counts of filing false federal tax returns, stemming from her embezzlement of more than $1 million from a bookkeeping client.
Jessica L. Greenan, 42, of Centerville, formerly an employee of a Cape Cod bookkeeping service, was indicted on wire fraud and false tax return charges related to her embezzlement from a Hyannis client for which she handled bookkeeping and payroll services. It is alleged that beginning in October 2014 and continuing until she was terminated in March 2018, Greenan embezzled $1,135,460. Greenan allegedly wired funds 536 times from the store’s operating bank account to pay her credit cards at Capital One, Citibank, American Express and Bank of America. It is further alleged that Greenan doctored the company bank statements and internal records to make the payments to her credit cards appear as legitimate expenses. Finally, the indictment alleges that Greenan failed to report any of her illegal income to the IRS over the five year duration of the embezzlement scheme, thereby evading payment of more than $ 325,000 in federal taxes.
Each charge of wire fraud carries a maximum sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, restitution and forfeiture. Each charge of filing false tax returns carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
U.S. Attorney Andrew E. Lelling and Kristina O’Connell, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Lelling’s Securities and Financial Frauds Unit prosecuted the case.