District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Cape Cod Man Sentenced for a Distributing Heroin and Unlawfully Possessing FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Cape Cod Nauti-Block gang was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing two firearms and distributing heroin.
Shaun Miller, 32, of Hyannis, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 90 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In September 2016, Miller pleaded guilty to one count of possession with the intent to distribute heroin and one count of possession of firearms by a convicted felon.
Miller was charged as part of the federal investigation into the “Nauti-Block” gang, led by Denzel Chisholm, Christian Chapman and Christopher Wilkins, that resulted in the indictment of 19 individuals. These gang leaders obtained heroin from New Bedford, and other areas, and distributed the heroin to numerous drug dealers on Cape Cod, including Miller. Miller then re-sold this heroin to his own customers. At the time of his arrest, Miller was found with two .357 caliber firearms and over $40,000 in cash.
In September 2017, Chisholm and Wilkins were sentenced to 28.5 years in prison and nine years in prison, respectively. In July 2017, Chapman was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen and Miranda Hooker of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Cape Cod Man Sentenced for Distributing Suboxone in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An associate of the Cape Cod Nauti-Block gang was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing suboxone within MCI-Norfolk prison, where he was an inmate.
Browning Mejia, 26, of Hyannis, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 10 months in prison – five months to be served consecutive to and five months to be served concurrent with a state prison sentence he is currently serving related to the murder of Christine Ferreira - and one year of supervised release, during which time Mejia is banned from visiting Hyannis other than to attend classes at Cape Cod Community College. In May 2017, Mejia pleaded guilty to use of a communications facility in furtherance of a felony drug offense.
Mejia was charged as part of the federal investigation into the “Nauti-Block” gang, led by Denzel Chisholm, Christian Chapman and Christopher Wilkins, that resulted in the indictment of 19 individuals. These gang leaders obtained heroin from New Bedford, and other areas, and distributed the heroin to numerous drug dealers on Cape Cod. In exchange for heroin, Chisholm obtained suboxone from his customers and then supplied that suboxone to Mejia, who distributed it at MCI-Norfolk prison, where he was an inmate.
In September 2017, Chisholm and Wilkins were sentenced to 28.5 years in prison and nine years in prison, respectively. In July 2017, Chapman was sentenced to eight years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Cape and Islands District Attorney Michael O’Keefe; and Barnstable Police Chief Paul MacDonald made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Eric S. Rosen and Miranda Hooker of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Burlington Man Sentenced for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Burlington man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking three women for sex and threatening them with violence.
Barry Davis, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 18 years in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2017, Davis pleaded guilty to three counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion and three counts of interstate transportation with intent to engage in prostitution.
In April 2015, Davis met a young woman at a driving instruction class and enticed her to leave with him by promising to take care of her and provide her with a steady supply of heroin. Davis drove her to New Jersey, rented a hotel room, posted an advertisement online for sex with her, and took the money she made having sex with men who responded to the ad. Davis used heroin to coerce the woman, and punched her in the head and threatened her with further harm if she did not follow his rules and prostitute for him.
In August 2015, Davis perpetrated a similar scheme after he picked up two young women from a heroin detox center and drove them to Connecticut. There, he rented a hotel room, posted online advertisements for sex with the women, and took the money they made having sex with men who responded to the ads. Davis used heroin to coerce the women to prostitute for him. Davis also hit one of the women for breaking one of his prostitution rules and threatened to beat the other woman if she did not make enough money prostituting for him.
Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; and U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Boston Police Department’s Human Trafficking Unit and the Lawrence, Salem, Burlington, Milford (Conn.), and Franklin Township (NJ) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leah Foley and Kelly Lawrence of Weinreb’s Civil Rights Enforcement Team prosecuted the case.
Waltham Man with Criminal Record Sentenced for Illegally Possessing Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Waltham man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for unlawfully possessing multiple firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition.
Zeph H. Pitt, 42, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In May 2016, Pitt pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In February 2015, Pitt traveled to Florida and took possession of his deceased father’s estate. Included with the property was a cache of weapons and ammunition, including an Israel Weapons Industry Baby Desert Eagle .40 caliber semi-automatic pistol; a Ruger P85 9mm semi-automatic pistol; a Mossberg 930 12 gauge shotgun; an ERA 12 gauge shotgun; a Ruger 10/22 .22 caliber rifle; a Harrington and Richardson 700 .22 caliber rifle; and approximately 2400 rounds of various caliber ammunition. Pitt then transported the weapons and ammunition to his home in Waltham. Once in Waltham, two of the firearms were stolen by Pitt’s friend, George Perry, also a previously convicted felon. Perry was later arrested and admitted to stealing the weapons from Pitt.
Pitt was prohibited from possessing a firearm due to multiple prior felony convictions, including a 1994 breaking and entering conviction; a 1994 distribution of cocaine conviction; a 1999 distribution of cocaine conviction; a 2003 kidnapping, assault and battery, and assault with a dangerous weapon conviction; a 2010 larceny conviction; a 2010 breaking and entering conviction; a 2010 assault and battery conviction; and a 2013 conviction for carrying a dangerous weapon.
In August 2016, Perry was sentenced to 15 years in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Two Men Involved in Lawrence Heroin Trafficking Scheme Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national and a Saugus man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for their roles in a heroin trafficking scheme operating in and around Lawrence.
Waner Manuel Lara, a/k/a Anibal Santiago Torres, 34, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance – 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl, and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance – 100 grams or more of heroin and fentanyl. Edwin Soto, 46, of Saugus, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute a controlled substance – heroin and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled their sentencings for Jan. 17, 2018, and Jan. 10, 2018, respectively.
From about April 2015 to March 2016, law enforcement investigated the drug distribution activities of Ramon Baez and his associates in and around the City of Lawrence. Baez obtained kilograms of heroin and cocaine from local suppliers and suppliers based in Mexico. Baez’s co-conspirator, Jose A. Rosario, supplied Baez with heroin, which Baez then repackaged for distribution.
Lara and Soto purchased heroin and fentanyl from Baez. On Dec. 29, 2015, law enforcement officers seized from Soto $99,200 in drug proceeds intended for Baez. On March 19, 2016, agents seized from Lara 140 grams of heroin and fentanyl supplied to him by Baez.
Baez was sentenced in June 2017 to 121 months in prison, and Rosario was sentenced in September 2017 to 22 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.
Three Men Arrested in Federal Fentanyl Sweep Plead GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to their roles in a widespread heroin and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in Lawrence.
Andreury Fana Burgos, 21, of Lawrence, Mass.; Melvin Weatherspoon, 58, of Rochester, N.H.; and Matthew Shover, 29, of Maine, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled the sentencings for Burgos and Weatherspoon on Feb. 13, 2018, and Jan. 30, 2018, respectively. Shover’s sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
On May 30, 2017, after a year-long investigation aimed at attacking the fentanyl and heroin crisis in Lawrence and surrounding areas, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers executed a federal drug sweep to dismantle a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone. Burgos, Weatherspoon, and Shover were arrested and charged along with Patrone and approximately 25 co-conspirators.
Burgos was a street level courier who delivered drugs to addicts at Patrone’s direction. Weatherspoon and Shover were redistributors who obtained drugs from Patrone to distribute to their own customers.
Patrone has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michal J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick made the announcement today. The DEA Cross Border Initiative, comprised of the DEA and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments, conducted the investigation jointly with the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the cases.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Sheriff’s Deputy Sentenced for Scheme to Smuggle Illegal Fishing Profits AbroadRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bristol County Sheriff’s Deputy was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for smuggling the profits of an over-fishing scheme to Portugal.
Antonio Freitas, 47, of Taunton, a Sheriff’s Deputy with the Bristol County Sheriff’s Office and a long-time Task Force Officer with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. In July 2017, Freitas was convicted by a federal jury of one count of bulk cash smuggling and one count of structuring the export of U.S. currency.
On Feb. 5, 2016, Freitas smuggled $17,500 through airport security and later deposited the money in a Portuguese bank account belonging to Carlos Rafael, the owner of Carlos Seafood Inc. Rafael owned 32 fishing vessels and 44 permits, which amounted to one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in the United States. From 2012 to January 2016, Rafael routinely lied to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration about the quantity and species of fish his boats caught in order to evade federal quotas designed to guarantee the sustainability of certain fish species. He also submitted false records to federal regulators, and sold most of the fish his vessels caught to a wholesale business in New York City in exchange for bags of cash. During meetings with the undercover agents, Rafael said that in dealings with the New York buyer he received $668,000 in cash, and that he then had the cash smuggled to Portugal to avoid U.S. taxation.
In September 2017, Rafael was sentenced to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release, during which time he is banned from working in the fishing industry. The Court also ordered Rafael to pay a fine of $200,000, restitution of $108,929, and to forfeit four fishing vessels and associated permits.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Rear Admiral Steven D. Poulin, Commander of the First Coast Guard District; Timothy Donovan, Assistant Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement; Mark Tasky, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew E. Lelling and David G. Tobin, of Weinreb’s Criminal Division.
Member of Taunton Drug Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former resident of Providence, R.I., pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated in Taunton and Boston.
Jose Arias, 22, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. In February 2017, Arias was arrested and charged along with 22 other co-defendants. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 23, 2018.
From mid-2016 through February 2017, federal law enforcement investigated two drug trafficking organizations operating in Taunton and Boston led by Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, 32, a Dominican national operating in Boston, and Fernando Hernandez, 42, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I. Hernandez allegedly ran a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization in Taunton, assisted by Arias, his son. The organization sold heroin and fentanyl to customers who re-distributed the drugs. It is alleged that Hernandez obtained drugs from a network of suppliers that included Lugo-Guerrero.
Lugo-Guerrero allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization in Fall River and Boston. It is further alleged that Lugo-Guerrero and his associates obtained a significant quantity of illegal drugs by robbing other drug traffickers.
Hernandez and Lugo-Guerrero each pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore B. Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maine Man Charged with Resisting a Federal OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thomas G. Walker, 43, of Pemaquid, Maine, was indicted today in federal court in Boston on one count of resisting a federal officer.
According to the indictment, Walker resisted a Deputy United States Marshal on July 24, 2017, resulting in physical contact with the Deputy Marshal.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than eight years in prison, three years of supervised released 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.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Wichers of Weinreb’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.
Dracut Attorney Sentenced for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dracut attorney was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for filing false federal tax returns.
John F. Paczkowski, 73, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge George A. O’Toole to six months in prison, one year of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $192,974. In November 2016, Paczkowski pleaded guilty to two counts of filing false personal tax returns for 2009 and 2010.
Paczkowski operated a legal office in Dracut as a sole practitioner. In this capacity, he was required by the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers and the Rules of Professional Conduct to hold client funds in a trust account separate from his own funds. However, Paczkowski embezzled and misappropriated funds from the trust account and used clients’ funds for his own uses. Paczkowski failed to report to the IRS more than $630,000 he took from clients and failed to pay more than $192,000 in federal taxes.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor A. Wild of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Felipe Rodolfo Baez-Romero, 46, was indicted today in federal court in Boston on one count of illegal reentry of a deported alien.
According to the indictment, law enforcement in Boston encountered Baez-Romero on Sept. 29, 2017, and determined that he was unlawfully present in the United States. Baez-Romero was previously deported on May 7, 2013.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised released and a fine of up to $250,000. Baez-Romero will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Weinreb’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.
Brazilian National Pleads Guilty to Scheme to Launder $20 Million in Proceeds from the Telexfree FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brazilian national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring to launder approximately $20 million in proceeds from the TelexFree pyramid scheme.
Cleber Rene Rizerio Rocha, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to commit money laundering and one count of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 7, 2017.
In April 2014, agents executed a search warrant at the headquarters of TelexFree Inc., a massive pyramid scheme based in Marlborough, Mass., that caused billions of dollars in losses to nearly two million victims. Later that same day, Carlos Wanzeler, one of the founders of the company, fled first to Canada and then to Brazil, his native country. In his haste to flee the United States, however, Wanzeler left millions of dollars hidden in the greater Boston area.
In mid-2015, an intermediary working on Wanzeler’s behalf contacted an associate for help transferring the money from the United States to Brazil. The associate, who later cooperated with federal authorities, arranged with Wanzeler’s representative in Brazil to launder cash through Hong Kong, convert it to Brazilian Reals, and then transfer it to Brazilian accounts. In January 2017, Rocha, working as a courier for Wanzeler’s representative in Brazil, flew from Brazil to New York City. Rocha later met the cooperating witness in Hudson, Mass., where Rocha gave him a suitcase containing $2.2 million of Wanzeler’s hidden TelexFree money, intending that the cooperating witness would help launder the cash out of the United States. After the meeting, agents followed Rocha to an apartment in Westborough, Mass., and he was later arrested. A search of the apartment resulted in the seizure of approximately $20 million in cash found hidden in a mattress box spring.
Wanzeler and TelexFree co-founder James Merrill were indicted in July 2014 on charges that they operated TelexFree as a massive pyramid scheme. Merrill pleaded guilty to those charges and was sentenced in March 2017 to six years in prison. Wanzeler remains a fugitive.
The charging statute provides for 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. Rocha will also be subject to deportation proceedings. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Andrew E. Lelling and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Convicted of Supporting ISIS and Conspiring to Murder U.S. CitizensRead the Press Release
Boston – An Everett man was convicted today by a federal jury of conspiring with others to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS).
David Daoud Wright, a/k/a Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, a/k/a Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, 28, of Everett, Mass., was convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to ISIS, conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries, conspiracy to obstruct justice and obstruction of justice.
“Mr. Wright intended to wage war against the United States on behalf of ISIS,” said Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. “Despite the fact that he was born and raised in Massachusetts, Mr. Wright swore allegiance to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization, and plotted attacks that he hoped would cause more harm than the Boston Marathon Bombings. Today’s conviction ensures that Mr. Wright will never again endanger the lives of innocent Americans or recruit others on behalf of a violent enemy of this country. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers who investigated and halted Mr. Wright’s plans and the prosecutors who brought the case to a successful conclusion.”
“Mr. Wright conspired to provide material support to ISIS and plotted to kill innocent civilians on U.S. soil and to wage violence against our government on behalf of the foreign terrorist organization,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “Mr. Wright will now be held accountable for his crimes. The National Security Division’s highest priority is counterterrorism, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to disrupt potential attacks in the United States and to hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations. I want to thank the many agents, analysts, and prosecutors who are responsible for this result.”
“Today's verdict is a victory for America in its fight against terror,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “It reflects the true gravity of Mr. Wright's crimes, betraying his country, conspiring to support a terrorist organization dedicated to the murder of innocent people, and obstructing an investigation. Mr. Wright was a soldier of ISIS right here in Massachusetts and his plan to carry out terror attacks was a very real threat. This case is a testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The close coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, combined with trusted international partnerships, led to the disruption of this plot. Every day, the Joint Terrorism Task Force strives for a perfect record, and we'd like to thank all of our partners for their dedication and hard work in bringing this case to its successful conclusion.”
In April 2016, Wright and co-defendant Nicholas Alexander Rovinski were indicted on charges that they conspired with each other and Usaamah Abdullah Rahim, 26, Wright’s uncle,
to provide material support to ISIS and commit acts of terrorism. Even after his arrest, while detained pending trial, Rovinski sought to continue their planned attacks and wrote letters to Wright from prison discussing ways to take down the U.S. government and decapitate non-believers.
In September 2016, Rovinski pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
Beginning in at least February 2015, Wright began discussing ISIS’ call to kill non-believers in the United States with Rahim and Rovinski. Wright created a “martyrdom” operation cell in Massachusetts. In April 2015, he created a Twitter page for the “Lions of America” and published a document entitled, Internal Conquest, on the internet. In this document, Wright called on the “Lions of Allah” to kill Americans. Wright also plotted with Rahim and Rovinski to behead U.S. citizens at the direction of ISIS, and identified Pamela Geller as the first beheading target. Rahim purchased three knives for this plot. In addition, Wright knew Rahim was communicating with an overseas ISIS contact, Junaid Hussain. Hussain, an ISIS member located in Syria, provided Rahim with an encrypted document regarding details about Ms. Geller. In August 2015, Hussain was killed in an airstrike in Raqqah, Syria.
In preparation for their attack, Wright conducted extensive research on weapons, knives, machetes, bombing making components, and methods to subdue their victims. Wright also conducted research on “how to start a secret militia in the United States.”
On June 2, 2015, Rahim was shot and killed after he attacked law enforcement officers in a Roslindale, Mass., parking lot. Two hours before Rahim attacked the police, Wright had encouraged and motivated Rahim to pursue martyrdom by attacking the “boys in blue.” Within minutes of learning of his Uncle’s death from a family member, Wright deleted data from his laptop computer by restoring it to factory settings and deleted call logs on his cellphone that showed that he had spoken to Rahim that morning.
The charge of conspiracy to provide material support provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries provides for a sentence of life in prison, a lifetime 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.
Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb, Acting AAG Boente and FBI SAC Shaw made the announcement today. This investigation was conducted by the Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF); the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Everett Police Department; and Customs and Border Protection. The Suffolk District Attorney’s Office; Rhode Island State Police; Warwick, R.I. Police Department; and West Midlands Police, United Kingdom also provided valuable assistance.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney B. Stephanie Siegmann of the District of Massachusetts’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Gregory R. Gonzalez of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Massachusetts Man Convicted of Supporting ISIS and Conspiring to Murder U.S. CitizensRead the Press Release
David Daoud Wright, aka Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, aka Dawud Sharif Abdul Khaliq, 28, of Everett, Massachusetts, was convicted of conspiracy to provide material support to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), a designated foreign terrorist organization; conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries; conspiracy to obstruct justice; and obstruction of justice.
Acting Assistant Attorney General for National Security Dana J. Boente, Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb for the District of Massachusetts and Special Agent in Charge (SAC) Harold H. Shaw of the FBI’s Boston Field Division made the announcement today.
“Mr. Wright conspired to provide material support to ISIS and plotted to kill innocent civilians on U.S. soil and to wage violence against our government on behalf of the foreign terrorist organization,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Boente. “Mr. Wright will now be held accountable for his crimes. The National Security Division’s highest priority is counterterrorism, and we will remain vigilant in our efforts to disrupt potential attacks in the United States and to hold accountable those who seek to provide material support to foreign terrorist organizations. I want to thank the many agents, analysts and prosecutors who are responsible for this result.”
“Mr. Wright intended to wage war against the United States on behalf of ISIS,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb. “Despite the fact that he was born and raised in Massachusetts, Mr. Wright swore allegiance to ISIS, a foreign terrorist organization, and plotted attacks that he hoped would cause more harm than the Boston Marathon Bombings. Today’s conviction ensures that Mr. Wright will never again endanger the lives of innocent Americans or recruit others on behalf of a violent enemy of this country. I commend the efforts of the law enforcement officers who investigated and halted Mr. Wright’s plans and the prosecutors who brought the case to a successful conclusion.”
“Today's verdict is a victory for America in its fight against terror. It reflects the true gravity of Mr. Wright's crimes, betraying his country, conspiring to support a terrorist organization dedicated to the murder of innocent people, and obstructing an investigation,” said SAC Shaw. “Mr. Wright was a soldier of ISIS right here in Massachusetts and his plan to carry out terror attacks was a very real threat. This case is a testament to the tireless efforts of the FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Forces in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. The close coordination between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies, combined with trusted international partnerships, led to the disruption of this plot. Every day, the Joint Terrorism Task Force strives for a perfect record, and we'd like to thank all of our partners for their dedication and hard work they put in to bring this case to its successful conclusion."
In April 2016, Wright and co-defendant Nicholas Alexander Rovinski were indicted on charges that they conspired with each other and Usaamah Abdullah Rahim, 26, Wright’s uncle, to provide material support to ISIS and commit acts of terrorism. In September 2016, Rovinski pleaded guilty to conspiring to provide material support to ISIS and conspiring to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries.
Beginning in at least February 2015, Wright began discussing ISIS’ call to kill non-believers in the United States with Rahim and Rovinski. They began plotting and recruiting members for their “martyrdom” operation. In March 2015, Wright drafted organizational documents for a “Martyrdom Operations Cell” and conducted internet search queries about firearms, the effectiveness of tranquilizers on human subjects and the establishment of secret militias in the United States. Simultaneously, Rahim was communicating with an ISIS member overseas, Junaid Hussain. In August 2015, Hussain was killed in an airstrike in Raqqah, Syria.
Beginning in or about May 2015, Hussain communicated directly with Rahim. Rahim in turn communicated Hussain’s instructions to Wright, with regard to the murder of an individual residing in New York. Wright, Rovinski and Rahim conspired to commit attacks and kill persons inside the United States on behalf of ISIS. In preparation for their attack, Rovinski conducted research on weapons that could be used to behead their victims. While detained pending trial, Rovinski sought to continue their planned attacks and wrote letters to Wright from prison discussing ways to take down the U.S. government and decapitate non-believers.
On June 2, 2015, Rahim was shot and killed after he attacked law enforcement officers in a Roslindale, Massachusetts, parking lot. Within minutes of learning this from a family member, Wright deleted data from his laptop computer by restoring it to factory settings and deleting call logs on his cellphone that showed he had spoken to Rahim that morning.
The charge of conspiracy to provide material support carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to obstruct justice carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of obstruction of justice carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to commit acts of terrorism transcending national boundaries carries a maximum sentence of life in prison, a lifetime term of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes. The sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court after considering the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
This investigation was conducted by the Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF); the Boston Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Everett Police Department; and Customs and Border Protection.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney B. Stephanie Siegmann of the District of Massachusetts’s National Security Unit and Trial Attorney Gregory R. Gonzalez of the National Security Division’s Counterterrorism Section.
Lawrence Man Involved in Federal Fentanyl Sweep Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to his role in a widespread heroin and fentanyl trafficking conspiracy operating in Lawrence.
Luis F. Lugo, 21, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2018.
On May 30, 2017, after a year-long investigation aimed at attacking the fentanyl and heroin crisis in Lawrence and surrounding areas, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers executed a federal drug sweep to dismantle a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone. Lugo was arrested and charged along with Patrone and approximately 30 co-conspirators.
Lugo was a courier for the Patrone drug trafficking organization, who worked a daily shift in exchange for payment from Patrone. Specifically, Lugo delivered fentanyl and cocaine at Patrone’s direction to customers in the Lawrence area. Based on intercepted phone calls, the government alleges that Lugo was responsible for delivering approximately two kilograms of fentanyl and approximately 1.2 kilograms of cocaine to customers in Lawrence.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michal J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick made the announcement today. The DEA Cross Border Initiative, comprised of the DEA and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments, conducted the investigation jointly with the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Business Owner Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution and Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester business owner pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to distributing fentanyl and using the proceeds of drug sales to purchase and renovate nine properties in Worcester County.
Kevin A. Perry, 44, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to nine counts of money laundering, three counts of aggravated cash structuring, one count of making a false statement on a loan application, and one count of distribution of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2018.
Perry was previously convicted in federal court in Massachusetts of conspiracy to manufacture and distribute MDMA, commonly referred to as Ecstasy. Despite filing an affidavit claiming he possessed nothing of monetary value to satisfy the court’s forfeiture order, Perry boasted to an individual that he successfully concealed from the government “millions of dollars” in profits from drug sales. Following his release from prison in 2008, Perry returned to the manufacturing and distribution of controlled substances, including fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and heroin. On Feb. 23, 2017, Perry distributed 2,000 pills containing fentanyl to an individual cooperating with law enforcement.
Additionally, from April 2012 to October 2016, Perry used over $1 million in proceeds from drug sales to purchase and renovate nine properties in Worcester County. Those purchases included two restaurants in the city of Worcester: The Usual Restaurant located at 166 Shrewsbury Street and The Blackstone Tap located at 81 Water Street. Perry also used the proceeds from his drug sales to purchase more than 230 money orders totaling over $150,000 from the United States Postal Service and Western Union to make structured cash payments on real estate loans and to finance his wedding in August 2015. The only employment that Perry reported during that time was as a fitness trainer. He also collected unemployment benefits from June 2015 through January 2016.
The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated cash structuring provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000. The charge of making a false statement on a loan application provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of distribution of fentanyl provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $10 million.
According to the plea agreement, Perry will be sentenced to between 14 and 16 years in prison and five years of supervised release. He will also forfeit the nine properties, the business assets of the two restaurants, over $510,000 in cash and precious metals seized to date, an illegal pill press, and two vehicles. The sentence will also include a money judgment of $1,180,943 against Perry should additional assets be located. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Three South Shore Men Plead Guilty to Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Three South Shore men pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to their roles in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated in Taunton and Boston.
David Tejeda, 35, of New Bedford; Jeffrey Freitas, 32, of Bridgewater; and John Paul Tanguay, 34, of Taunton, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. In February 2017, Tejeda, Freitas, and Tanguay were arrested and charged along with 20 other co-defendants. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled the sentencings for Tejeda and Freitas for Jan. 4, 2018, and Jan. 5, 2018, respectively. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled Tanguay’s sentencing for Oct. 16, 2018. As part of the District Court’s RISE program, Tanguay will participate in supervised drug treatment in advance of his sentencing hearing.
From mid-2016 through February 2017, federal law enforcement investigated two drug trafficking organizations operating in Taunton and Boston led by Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, 32, a Dominican national operating in Boston, and Fernando Hernandez, 42, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I. Hernandez allegedly ran a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization in Taunton. The organization sold heroin and fentanyl to customers, including Tanguay, who re-distributed a portion of the drugs he obtained. It is alleged that Hernandez obtained drugs from a network of suppliers that included Lugo-Guerrero.
Lugo-Guerrero allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization in Fall River and Boston and sold to numerous customers, including Tejeda and Freitas. It is further alleged that Lugo-Guerrero and his associates obtained a significant quantity of illegal drugs by robbing other drug traffickers.
Hernandez and Lugo-Guerrero each pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge against Tanguay and Tejeda provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Freitas faces a sentence of at least five years and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of four years and up to a lifetime term of supervised release and a fine of $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.
William Maradiaga-Oseguera, 32, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on Aug. 29, 2017, law enforcement officers in Boston encountered Maradiaga-Oseguera and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Maradiaga-Oseguera was previously deported on March 27, 2009; March 17, 2012; July 9, 2012; and Nov. 13, 2013.
Maradiaga-Oseguera faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’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.
Honduran National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Honduran national was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.
Alan Fernando Dominguez Banegas, 24, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on Sept. 22, 2017, law enforcement officers in Framingham encountered Dominguez Banegas and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Dominguez Banegas was previously deported on May 30, 2014.
Dominguez Banegas faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’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.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.
Amaury Olivo-Rodriguez, 39, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on April 26, 2017, law enforcement officers in Lawrence encountered Olivo-Rodriguez and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Olivo-Rodriguez was previously deported on June 30, 2009, and Nov. 4, 2014.
Olivo-Rodriguez faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’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.
Salvadoran National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was indicted today in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.
Oscar Ayala-Herrera, 23, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on Sept. 18, 2017, law enforcement officers in Boston encountered Ayala-Herrera and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Ayala-Herrera was previously deported on April 22, 2016.
Ayala-Herrera faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’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.
MS-13 Leader Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for RICO Conspiracy, Drug Trafficking and Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of MS-13’s East Boston Loco Salvatrucha clique was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for RICO conspiracy involving an aggravated assault, conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
Santos Portillo Andrade, a/k/a “Flaco,” 33, a Salvadoran national residing in Revere, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 10 years in prison and four years of supervised release. He will also be subject to deportation hearings upon completion of his sentence. In June 2017, Portillo agreed to plead guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy, and admitted responsibility for an aggravated assault on an individual he believed was a rival gang member in Malden in December 2008. Portillo also pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and 500 grams or more of cocaine and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
After a three-year investigation, Portillo was one of 61 defendants named in a January 2016 superseding indictment targeting the criminal activities of alleged leaders, members, and associates of MS-13 in Massachusetts. He is the 19th defendant to be sentenced in the case.
Portillo was the leader of the East Boston Loco Salvatrucha clique of MS-13. According to court documents, MS-13 is a violent transnational criminal organization whose branches or “cliques” operate throughout the United States, including Massachusetts. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence against rival gang members to gain promotions and maintain membership and discipline within the group. Specifically, MS-13 members are required to attack and murder rival gang members whenever possible.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Corrections; Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Thompkins; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Middlesex County District Attorney Marian T. Ryan; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian A. Kyes; Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie; Lynn Police Chief Michael Mageary; Revere Police Chief Joseph Cafarelli; and Somerville Police Chief David Fallon made the announcement.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Holliston Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Holliston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for unlawful possession of ammunition after a substantial weapons trove was uncovered during a search of his home.
Joseph Gargiulo, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to time served (approximately 14 months), pending acceptance by and entrance into an intensive mental health inpatient treatment facility. Once placed in a treatment facility, Gargiulo will be on supervised release for three years. In July 2017, Gargiulo pleaded guilty to one count of possession of ammunition by a prohibited person. Gargiulo was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to an active restraining order issued against him in Wrentham District Court.
On July 27, 2016, agents received information that Gargiulo had acquired parts to make an AR-15 rifle and that he was stockpiling other weapons, including tasers, mace guns, hunting knives and incendiary chemicals. Around the same time, Gargiulo stated that he “will plant bombs in police stations…and kill as many homeland security officers as he can before they kill him.” Further investigation revealed that Gargiulo had stated that he wanted to attack a mosque and/or kill President Obama. Gargiulo said he wanted to “chain a mosque closed and burn it down,” but he never mentioned a specific mosque or time for such an attack.
A search of Gargiulo’s residence resulted in the seizure of parts needed to assemble an AR-15 rifle, over 250 rounds of ammunition for an AR-15 rifle, over 100 rounds of nine millimeter ammunition, chemicals that could be combined to create incendiary or explosive compounds, and hand written notes threatening violence against members of the Islamic faith.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Holliston Police Chief Matthew Stone; and Medway Police Chief Allen M. Tingley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Weinreb’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national was indicted today in federal court in Boston on a federal immigration charge.
Cecilio Castro-Zacarias, 38, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
According to court documents, on Sept. 26, 2017, law enforcement officers in New Bedford encountered Castro-Zacarias and determined him to be illegally present in the United States. Castro-Zacarias was previously deported on Aug. 12, 2005.
Castro-Zacarias faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of any sentence imposed. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Weinreb’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.
Three Plead Guilty to Distributing Heroin and FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Dominican nationals and a Taunton woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to their roles in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization that operated in Taunton and Boston.
Wilmi Hernandez-Diaz, 22, a Dominican national residing in Boston; Jancer Soto, 26, of Boston; and Stephanie O’Sullivan, 31, of Taunton, each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl. In February 2017, Hernandez-Diaz, Soto, and O’Sullivan were arrested and charged along with 20 other co-defendants. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled the sentencings for Soto and Hernandez-Diaz for Jan. 3, 2018, and Jan 11, 2018, respectively. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T Sorokin scheduled sentencing for O’Sullivan for Jan. 11, 2018.
From mid-2016 through February 2017, federal law enforcement investigated two drug trafficking organizations operating in Taunton and Boston led by Jose Antonio Lugo-Guerrero, 32, a Dominican national operating in Boston, and Fernando Hernandez, 42, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I. Hernandez allegedly ran a heroin and fentanyl trafficking organization in Taunton. The organization sold heroin and fentanyl to customers, including O’Sullivan, who re-distributed a portion of the drugs she obtained. It is alleged that Hernandez obtained drugs from a network of suppliers that included Lugo-Guerrero.
Lugo-Guerrero allegedly operated a drug trafficking organization in Fall River and Boston and was assisted by Hernandez-Diaz, Soto, and approximately six others. It is further alleged that Lugo-Guerrero and his associates obtained a significant quantity of illegal drugs by robbing other drug traffickers.
Hernandez and Lugo-Guerrero each pleaded not guilty and are awaiting trial.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Michael Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Fall River Police Chief Daniel S. Racine; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh; Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans; and Bristol Country District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Theodore B. Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Revere Man Sentenced for Multiple Bank RobberiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Revere man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for robbing 10 banks during a 19-day spree from late December 2016 to early January 2017.
Fred Mandracchia, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 100 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution of $16,695 to the banks he robbed. In July 2017, Mandracchia pleaded guilty to 10 counts of bank robbery
Following a Jan. 3, 2017, robbery of the Mechanics Cooperative Bank branch in Fall River, law enforcement identified Mandracchia as the individual responsible for that robbery. Based on similarities in the robberies and the physical description of the perpetrator, Mandracchia was suspected to have also been involved in nine other Boston-area bank robberies. Mandracchia was arrested in Chelsea on Jan. 7, 2017, and confessed to robbing the banks.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The Police Departments of Fall River, Boston, Malden, and Chelsea assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
IRS Cooperator Pleads Guilty to Falsifying Digital Audio Tape in a Federal Investigation for Financial GainRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man who was working as a paid cooperator for the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with falsifying audio recordings in a federal investigation.
Erick Santiago-Then, 36, pleaded guilty to 10 counts of falsifying records in a federal investigation. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.
In February 2014, Santiago-Then was working as a paid cooperator for IRS-CI. As part of his work uncovering evidence against the perpetrators of a stolen identity refund fraud scheme, Santiago-Then was given IRS-CI funds and authorized to set up a controlled meeting for the purpose of purchasing fraudulently-obtained tax refund checks. However, Santiago-Then set up a sham meeting with a cohort during which time he obtained a list of personal identifying information, rather than tax refund checks. Following the controlled meeting, and unbeknownst to IRS-CI, Santiago-Then split the IRS-CI funds with his cohort. Santiago-Then subsequently engineered several recorded phone calls during which his cohort posed as someone else and purportedly gave Santiago-Then the run around concerning the purported mix up regarding the tax refund checks.
The charge of falsifying records in a federal investigation provides for a sentence of no greater than 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.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston; Scott Antolik, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan M. DiSantis of Weinreb’s Public Corruption Unit is prosecuting the case.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Guatemalan national charged with a federal immigration crime pleaded guilty and was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston.
Juan Chilel-Sandoval, a/k/a Jose Bartolome Chilel Sandoval, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal re-entry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel, who sentenced Chilel-Sandoval to time-served (approximately 15 days). Chilel-Sandoval will be subject to deportation proceedings.
On Aug. 31, 2017, law enforcement in Lynn encountered Chilel-Sandoval and determined him to be unlawfully present in the United States. Chilel-Sandoval had been previously deported on Oct. 22, 2010.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Jacobus of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Teddy Leonel Cruz-Velez, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal re-entry of a deported alien before U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. Sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11, 2018.
In December 2016, law enforcement in Middleton encountered Cruz-Velez and determined that he was illegally present in the United States. Cruz-Velez had previously been deported on July 2, 2013.
Cruz-Velez faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Involved in Federal Fentanyl Sweep in Lawrence Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to federal drug offenses.
Oscar Francisco Marcano Valverde, a/k/a Oscar Marcado, a/k/a Oscar Malcano, 38, a Dominican national formerly residing in Haverhill, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, cocaine, and fentanyl and one count of being an alien unlawfully present in the United States in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2018.
On May 30, 2017, after a year-long investigation aimed at attacking the fentanyl and heroin crisis in Lawrence and surrounding areas, more than 200 federal, state and local law enforcement officers executed a federal drug sweep to dismantle a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization allegedly run by Juan Anibal Patrone. Marcano Valverde was arrested and charged along with Patrone and approximately 30 co-conspirators.
Marcano Valverde worked part-time at a stash house where he prepared and packaged drugs as well as picked up and delivered drugs and drug proceeds at Patrone’s direction.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being an alien unlawfully present in the United States in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Marcano Valverde will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michal J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lawrence Police Chief James Fitzpatrick made the announcement today. The DEA Cross Border Initiative, comprised of the DEA and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments, conducted the investigation jointly with the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Susan Winkler of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Sentenced for Escaping from CustodyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for escaping from custody at a Residential Reentry Center.
Sean Jones, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 months in prison. On March 30, 2017, Jones pleaded guilty to one count of escape.
In Feb. 2011, Jones was convicted in federal court of distributing cocaine and sentenced to eight years in prison. In August 2016, Jones was transferred from federal prison to a Residential Reentry Center, where he was to serve the remainder of his sentence until Feb. 25, 2017. On Oct. 8, 2016, Jones, who was allowed to sign out of the Center on a “common pass,” contacted the program to let them know he had fainted and was going to the hospital. Jones never returned to the program and was placed on escape status the following day. On Oct. 12, 2016, Jones was arrested by Transit Police in Boston and charged with drug possession, resisting arrest, and making threats. Jones was released on the state charges and taken into federal custody.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and U.S. Marshal John Gibbons of the District of Massachusetts made the announcement. Assistant U.S Attorney Nicholas A. Soivilien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Vietnamese National Extradited on Charges of Wire Fraud, Identity Theft and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Tuan Dinh Nguyen, 29, a Vietnamese national living in Melbourne, Australia, appeared in federal court in Boston today on charges that he participated in an international scheme to use stolen payment card data and personally identifiable information to purchase and re-sell hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of consumer goods.
In August 2015, a federal grand jury in Boston indicted Nguyen on one count of wire fraud conspiracy, one count of money laundering conspiracy, 13 counts of money laundering and aiding and abetting, and one count of aggravated identity theft. Nguyen was arrested in Australia in June 2017, and on Oct. 5, 2017, he was extradited to the United States.
According to the indictment, between December 2007 and December 2013, Nguyen and at least three others conspired to use stolen payment card data and personally identifiable information to purchase consumer goods online and to re-sell those items on auction websites, including Amazon, eBay, and Buy.com; they then wired the proceeds overseas.
It is alleged that Nguyen and his co-conspirators created fraudulent accounts on multiple auction websites, or used stolen usernames and passwords to take over subscribers’ legitimate accounts. They then posted popular goods for sale at a discounted price, including Apple merchandise, electronics, personal care items and books. However, Nguyen and his co-conspirators did not own or otherwise have these goods to sell. Instead, when customers of the auction websites purchased and paid for these items, Nguyen and his co-conspirators used stolen payment card and personally identifiable information to buy the items from Walmart.com or other e-commerce websites, and then shipped the items to the auction website customers, who never knew that the items they received had been purchased with stolen credit cards and re-sold to them at discounted prices.
To obtain the proceeds of the scheme, Nguyen and his co-conspirators allegedly recruited U.S. residents to withdraw and wire overseas the money that the unwitting customers had paid through the auction websites. In total, Nguyen and his coconspirators stole and re-sold approximately $500,000 in consumer goods.
The charges of wire fraud conspiracy, money laundering, and money laundering conspiracy provide for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, forfeiture and restitution. The wire fraud charge carries a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the conspiracy’s gain or loss to any victim; and the money laundering conspiracy charge carries a fine of up to $500,000, or twice the amount of the money laundered. The aggravated identity theft charge provides for a mandatory two-year sentence to be served consecutively to any sentence imposed for the wire fraud conspiracy charge. Sentences are imposed by a U.S. district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and U.S. Marshal John Gibbons for the District of Massachusetts made the announcement today. Australia’s Attorney-General’s Department, the Australian Federal Police, and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs provided assistance in securing Nguyen’s extradition to the United States. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth Kosto of Weinreb’s Criminal Division 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.
Andover Nanny Sentenced for Stealing More than $100,000Read the Press Release
BOSTON – An Andover woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing more than $100,000 from her employer.
Stacy Fortunato, 36, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge Mark L. Wolf to 15 months in prison, three years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $112,806. In June 2017, Fortunato pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud and one count of wire fraud.
While employed as a nanny from November 2014 to February 2016, Fortunato’s employer provided her with a credit card to make purchases solely related to her work duties. Instead, Fortunato made unauthorized charges and cash withdrawals using the credit card on hundreds of occasions, totaling approximately $86,000. To conceal what she had done, Fortunato made unauthorized electronic payments from her employer’s bank account to her employer’s credit card account. Fortunato also wrote checks for her own personal benefit on her employer’s bank account, forging her employer’s signature to the checks before cashing them. In total, Fortunato defrauded her employer of about $113,000.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Melrose Accounting Executive Pleads Guilty to Tax and Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former principal of a Boston-area accounting firm pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to conspiring with the former president of a Gloucester seafood processing company and other executives to defraud the company and its majority shareholder, and to avoid paying taxes on the proceeds.
Michael Bruno, 62, of Melrose, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the Internal Revenue Service and to commit wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2018.
Between approximately 1999 and 2015, Bruno, who also served as a member of the seafood processor’s board of directors, conspired with three executives of the company - its president, head of operations and a senior sales executive - to divert money from the company and its majority shareholder to the three executives. As part of the scheme, the conspirators caused the seafood professor to retain a temporary labor company, Continental Labor Team, purportedly to provide temporary workers for the seafood processor’s facility in Gloucester. In fact, however, Continental was controlled by the seafood processor’s president, and it was employees of the seafood processor who recruited the temporary workers, handled their employment applications and otherwise dealt with issues relating to their employment. Continental’s profits from the seafood processor - its sole customer - were deposited into accounts controlled by the seafood processor’s president and distributed by him to the other two executives, or to corporate entities they controlled, which performed no services in exchange for those payments.
Bruno, whose accounting firm prepared tax returns for the seafood processor, its president, and the corporate entities controlled by the other executives, also acknowledged conspiring with the executives to understate their income on federal tax returns.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, and mandatory restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank and Brian A. Pérez-Daple of Weinreb’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Arrested and Charged with Cyberstalking Former RoommateRead the Press Release
Boston - A Massachusetts man was arrested last night on charges that he conducted an extensive cyberstalking campaign against his former roommate, a 24-year-old Massachusetts woman, as well as her friends, family members, and other associates.
Ryan S. Lin, 24, of Newton, was charged with one count of cyberstalking and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston later today for an initial appearance.
It is alleged that Lin engaged in an extensive, multi-faceted campaign of computer hacking and cyberstalking that began in April 2016 and continued until the date of his arrest, against a 24-year-old female victim, her family, friends and institutions associated with her. Lin, the victim’s former roommate, allegedly hacked into the victim’s online accounts and devices, stealing private photographs, personally identifiable information, and private diary entries that contained highly sensitive details about her medical, psychological and sexual history. It is alleged that Lin then distributed the victim’s private photographs and diary entries to hundreds of others.
Lin allegedly created and posted fraudulent online profiles in the victim’s name (with her photographs and home address) and solicited rape fantasies, including “gang bang” and other sexual activities, which in turn caused men to show up at her home. In addition, it is alleged that Lin falsely and repeatedly reported to law enforcement that there were bombs at the victim’s Waltham residence. Lin also allegedly created a false social media profile in the name of the victim’s roommate in Waltham and posted that he was going to “shoot up” a school in a nearby town. These threats were part of a larger pattern of threats to local schools and other institutions in her community.
“Mr. Lin allegedly carried out a relentless cyber stalking campaign against a young woman in a chilling effort to violate her privacy and threaten those around her,” said Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. “While using anonymizing services and other online tools to avoid attribution, Mr. Lin harassed the victim, her family, friends, co-workers and roommates, and then targeted local schools and institutions in her community. Mr. Lin will now face the consequences of his crimes.”
“Those who think they can use the Internet to terrorize people and hide behind the anonymity of the net and outwit law enforcement should think again,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Department of Justice will be relentless in its efforts to identify, arrest, prosecute, and punish the perpetrators of these horrendous acts and seek justice on behalf of their victims.”
“As alleged, Mr. Lin orchestrated an extensive, multi-faceted campaign of computer hacking and online harassment that caused a huge amount of angst, alarm, and unnecessary expenditure of limited law enforcement resources,” said Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division. “This kind of behavior is not a prank, and it isn't harmless. He allegedly scared innocent people, and disrupted their daily lives, because he was blinded by his obsession. No one should feel unsafe in their own home, school, or workplace, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners hope today's arrest will deter others from engaging in similar criminal conduct.”
“I want to thank the Waltham Police Detectives and the FBI Investigators who worked so diligently to bring this party to justice,” said Waltham Police Chief Keith D. MacPherson. “I also want to thank the Superintendent and the Waltham School Department for their efforts working in conjunction with law enforcement. I also want to recognize the Waltham Police Department Safety Officer and the School Resource Officers for their hard work ensuring the safety of our school children and faculty. This has been a lengthy and complex investigation involving many agencies and remains ongoing. We appreciate the patience and understanding of those in our community who were affected by these criminal acts and thank those who have allowed us to work towards the best result possible in our attempts to put an end to these disruptions.”
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison and three years of supervised release. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb, Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco, FBI SAC Shaw, and Waltham Police Chief MacPherson made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office would also like to thank the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and Watertown, Newton and Wellesley Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit and Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section are prosecuting the case.
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.
Massachusetts Man Arrested and Charged with Cyberstalking Former RoommateRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man was arrested last night on charges that he conducted an extensive cyberstalking campaign against his former roommate, a 24-year-old woman who was residing in Massachusetts at the time the conduct began, as well as her friends, family members, and other associates. Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb for the District of Massachusetts, Special Agent in Charge Harold H. Shaw of the FBI’s Boston Field Office and Waltham Police Chief Keith MacPherson made the announcement today.
Ryan S. Lin, 24, of Newton, Massachusetts, was charged with one count of cyberstalking and will appear in U.S. District Court in Boston later today for an initial appearance.
“Those who think they can use the Internet to terrorize people and hide behind the anonymity of the net and outwit law enforcement should think again,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Blanco. “The Department of Justice will be relentless in its efforts to identify, arrest, prosecute, and punish the perpetrators of these horrendous acts and seek justice on behalf of their victims.”
“Mr. Lin allegedly carried out a relentless cyber stalking campaign against a young woman in a chilling effort to violate her privacy and threaten those around her,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb. “While using anonymizing services and other online tools to avoid attribution, Mr. Lin harassed the victim, her family, friends, co-workers and roommates, and then targeted local schools and institutions in her community. Mr. Lin will now face the consequences of his crimes.”
“As alleged, Mr. Lin orchestrated an extensive, multi-faceted campaign of computer hacking and online harassment that caused a huge amount of angst, alarm, and unnecessary expenditure of limited law enforcement resources,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Shaw. “This kind of behavior is not a prank, and it isn’t harmless. He allegedly scared innocent people, and disrupted their daily lives, because he was blinded by his obsession. No one should feel unsafe in their own home, school, or workplace, and the FBI and our law enforcement partners hope today’s arrest will deter others from engaging in similar criminal conduct.”
“I want to thank the Waltham Police detectives and the FBI investigators who worked so diligently to bring this party to justice,” said Chief MacPherson. “I also want to thank the superintendent and the Waltham School Department for their efforts working in conjunction with law enforcement. I also want to recognize the Waltham Police Department safety officer and the school resource officers for their hard work ensuring the safety of our school children and faculty. This has been a lengthy and complex investigation involving many agencies and remains ongoing. We appreciate the patience and understanding of those in our community who were affected by these criminal acts and thank those who have allowed us to work towards the best result possible in our attempts to put an end to these disruptions.”
It is alleged that Lin engaged in an extensive, multi-faceted campaign of computer hacking and cyberstalking—that began in April 2016 and continued until the date of his arrest—against a 24-year-old female victim, her family, friends, and institutions associated with her. Lin, the victim’s former roommate, directly or indirectly, allegedly hacked into the victim’s electronic devices and online accounts, stealing private photographs, personally identifiable information, and private journal entries that contained highly sensitive details about her medical, psychological, and sexual history. It is alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, then distributed the victim’s private photographs and journal entries to hundreds of others.
It is further alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, created and posted fraudulent online profiles in the victim’s name (with her photographs and home address) and solicited rape fantasies, including “gang bang” and other sexual activities, which in turn caused men, who the victim did not know, to show up at her home in search of sexual activity. In addition, it is alleged that Lin, directly or indirectly, falsely and repeatedly reported to law enforcement that there were bombs at the victim’s Waltham residence. Lin, directly or indirectly, also allegedly created a false social media profile in the name of the victim’s roommate in Waltham and posted that he was going to “shoot up” a school in a nearby town. These threats were part of a larger pattern of threats to local schools and other institutions in her community.
The charges contained in a complaint are merely accusations, and a defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
The Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office and the Watertown, Newton, and Wellesley police departments contributed to the investigation. Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Amy Harman Burkart of the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
Worcester Man Indicted for Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was charged today in federal court in Worcester with distributing methamphetamine.
Adam Germano, 36, was indicted on one count of distributing methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Germano was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in March 2017, and has been in custody since then.
According to court documents, in January 2017, a U.S. Postal Inspector intercepted a package containing approximately five pounds of methamphetamine that was shipped from Las Vegas to Worcester. Fingerprint analysis revealed Germano’s fingerprints on the internal packaging within the shipment. Correspondence obtained by law enforcement showed that after the drugs were seized, Germano suspected that someone had stolen his package. In an online message, Germano speculated that he had been robbed of 108,000 – presumably, a reference to $108,000 worth of lost methamphetamine.
Court documents also allege that after the package was intercepted, Germano sought to obtain another source of supply for methamphetamine. In addition, on March 23, 2017, law enforcement officers in Concord, N.H., stopped a vehicle Germano was driving and recovered methamphetamine and a handgun hidden near the engine of the vehicle.
The charges provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, a minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement today. The Merrimack and Concord, N.H., police departments provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William F. Abely of Weinreb’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.
Three 18th Street Gang Members/Associates Plead Guilty to Gun Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Thee members/associates of the 18th Street Gang pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with illegal, street-level gun trafficking.
Oscar Oliva, a/k/a “Droopy, 26, of East Boston; Ralph Bonano, 23, of East Boston; and Dennis Pleites Ramos, 23, of Chelsea, pleaded guilty to engaging in the business of dealing with firearms without a license. Oliva also pleaded guilty to one count of possessing with intent to distribute and distribution of cocaine base and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for January 2018.
In 2015 and 2016, a federal investigation identified a network of street gangs, which had created alliances to traffick weapons and drugs throughout Massachusetts and generate violence against rival gang members. Based on the investigation, 53 defendants were indicted in June 2016 on federal firearm and drug charges, including defendants who are allegedly leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, the East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Street Gang. These gangs operated primarily in the East Boston, Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Malden, Revere and Everett areas. During the course of the investigation, over 70 firearms, cocaine, cocaine base (crack), heroin and fentanyl were seized.
Oliva was a leader in the 18th Street gang, a multi-national criminal organization that operates throughout the United States, and was involved in a large conspiracy to deal in firearms in the Greater Boston area. Oliva was personally involved in at least 12 firearms deals involving at least 13 firearms to a cooperating witness. In total, the cooperating witness was able to obtain over 30 firearms from the conspiracy during the investigation, including assault rifles, shotguns, and handguns – several of which had obliterated serial numbers. Bonano and Pleites Ramos were involved with selling handguns in the Greater Boston area. In addition to the firearms trafficking, Oliva also sold cocaine base (crack cocaine) to a cooperating witness.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal of the District of Massachusetts; Maura Healey, Attorney General of Massachusetts; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; Chelsea Police Chief Brian Kyes; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley, made the announcement today. The U.S. Attorney’s Office also acknowledges the assistance of the Suffolk and Middlesex County Sheriff Departments and the Malden, Revere and Everett Police Departments.
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Salvadoran national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to a federal immigration crime.
Salvador Portillo-Diaz, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2018.
Portillo-Diaz was previously deported on March 18, 2006, and again on May 24, 2011. Federal agents in Boston reencountered Portillo-Diaz in June 2017, at the Suffolk County House of Correction, and determined him to be illegally present in the United States.
Portillo-Diaz faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Purported Psychic Pleads Guilty to Evading TaxesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A south Florida woman, who purported to be a psychic, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to impeding the Internal Revenue Service by hiding more than $3.5 million of income that she was paid by an elderly Martha’s Vineyard woman.
Sally Ann Johnson, a/k/a Angela Johnson, a/k/a Angelia Johnson, a/k/a Sally Reed, 41, pleaded guilty to attempting to interfere with the administration of the Internal Revenue laws. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Jan. 17, 2018.
Johnson owned and operated various businesses, including Flatiron Psychic, Psychic Match, Inc., and Psychic Spiritual Salon, Inc., all of which purported to offer “psychic readings,” “spiritual cleansing & strengthening,” and “meditation & healing.” From 2007 to 2014, Johnson was paid over $3.5 million by an elderly woman living on Martha’s Vineyard to purportedly perform spiritual cleansing and healing services to rid the woman of demons through repeated exorcisms. Rather than reporting her income to the IRS and paying taxes on it, Johnson took steps to conceal it. Specifically, Johnson used an alias and directed the woman to send payments to at least three different bank accounts with which Johnson was associated, including an account in another person’s name. Johnson then withdrew large portions of the woman’s payments from the accounts in cash. In addition, Johnson accrued substantial charges on a credit card held in the name of the elderly woman, who ultimately paid the credit card bills, thereby concealing from the IRS the true extent of Johnson’s income. Neither Johnson nor any of the businesses she operated filed a tax return or paid taxes on the income she received from the woman.
As part of a plea agreement with the government, Johnson agreed to repay $3,567,300 to the Martha’s Vineyard woman and to pay restitution to the IRS for the taxes she avoided from 2007 to 2014.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than three years in prison, one year of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss caused by the offense, and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. The Chilmark Police Department provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower and Brian A. Pérez-Daple of Weinreb’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Providence Woman Sentenced for Role in Taunton Heroin RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Providence, R.I., woman was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for her role in a Taunton-based heroin trafficking operation.
Kerem Mendez-Luz, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five months in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2017, Mendez-Luz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.
After a lengthy investigation, Mendez-Luz and 11 co-conspirators were arrested and charged in July 2015 for their roles in a drug trafficking organization, led by Eddyberto Mejia Ramos, that sold heroin throughout the Taunton area. Mejia Ramos purchased large quantities of heroin from several wholesale suppliers, including Saul Sanchez Rolon. On at least three occasions, Mendez-Luz delivered heroin to, or collected drug proceeds from, Mejia-Ramos at the direction of Sanchez Rolon. Mejia Ramos and his mid-level associates then distributed the heroin to lower level distributors and customers.
Mendez-Luz is the last of the 12 defendants involved in the conspiracy to be sentenced. In August 2016, Mejia Ramos was sentenced to 90 months in prison; and in January 2017, Sanchez Rolon was sentenced to 108 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Taunton Police Chief Edward J. Walsh; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Mortgage Company President Pleads Guilty to Defrauding Ginnie MaeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The president and founder of a Falmouth mortgage company pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with defrauding the Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae) out of approximately $2.5 million.
Robert Pena, 68, of Falmouth, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy and six counts of wire fraud. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2018.
Pena was president and founder of the now-defunct mortgage company, Mortgage Security Inc. (MSI), which contracted with Ginnie Mae, a government-run corporation charged with making housing more affordable by injecting capital into the U.S. housing market. Ginnie Mae guarantees the timely payment of principal and interest to investors in bonds backed by government-sponsored mortgage loans, such as those offered by the Federal Housing Administration and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
MSI contracted with Ginnie Mae to pool eligible residential mortgage loans and then sell Ginnie Mae-backed mortgage bonds to investors. MSI was responsible for servicing the loans in the pools it created, including collecting principal and interest payments from borrowers, as well as loan payoffs, and placing those funds into accounts held in trust by Ginnie Mae, which would ultimately pass them along to investors. Among other things, Ginnie Mae required issuers like MSI to provide regular reports concerning the status of the loans in the pools.
Beginning in 2011, Pena began diverting money that borrowers were sending to MSI. Specifically, Pena deposited high-dollar, loan-payoff checks into bank accounts unknown to Ginnie Mae and then used those funds for personal and business expenses. Pena also diverted borrowers’ escrow funds and mortgage-insurance premiums for his own use. In total, Pena took approximately $2.5 million, which Ginnie Mae then had to pay to the investors whose investments it had guaranteed. Pena also attempted to cover up his scheme by providing false reports to Ginnie Mae about the status of the loans MSI was servicing.
The charging statues provide for 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Christina Scaringi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Regional Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General; the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General; and the Falmouth Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian LaMacchia of Weinreb’s Civil Division is prosecuting the case.
Longmeadow Man Pleads Guilty to Failing to Report over $2 Million Held in Foreign Bank AccountRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Longmeadow man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to concealing from the Internal Revenue Service an Irish bank account he held with a balance of over $2 million.
Michael Fitzgerald, 50, pleaded guilty to one count of violating the foreign bank reporting requirements. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.
United States citizens and residents who have a financial interest in a foreign bank account with a value of more than $10,000 must file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts with the U.S. Department of the Treasury. From at least 2005 through 2012, Fitzgerald, the owner and operator of a local roofing company, held bank accounts with the Bank of Ireland in the Isle of Man. In 2012, those bank accounts held a combined balance of over $2.3 million.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. Fitzgerald has agreed to pay a penalty of $1,115,320, which represents 50 percent of the account balance. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Joel P. Garland, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Deepika Bains Shukla of Weinreb’s Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to an immigration crime.
Manolo Sosa-Nieves, 45, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry after deportation. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Jan. 16, 2018. Sosa-Nieves was previously deported on Aug. 21, 2002. On April 14, 2017, Sosa-Nieves was arrested in Lawrence on unrelated state charges and determined to be unlawfully present in the United States.
Sosa-Nieves faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting this case.
Chinese National Sentenced in Connection with College Admissions Exam ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Chinese national charged with defrauding the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in its administration of its Student and Exchange Visitor Program pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston.
Shikun Zhang, 23, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs sentenced Zhang to time-served and ordered her to be immediately removed from the United States to the People’s Republic of China.
In December 2015, Zhang registered to take the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) exam, which is required by American universities that participate in DHS’s Student and Exchange Visitor Program. On prior occasions, Zhang failed to achieve a high enough score on the TOEFL exam to be admitted to a participating American university. When Zhang registered to take the exam again in December 2015, she provided her passport and exam registration information to a co-conspirator who used the materials to take the exam for Zhang. The co-conspirator scored high on the exam, and Zhang fraudulently submitted the co-conspirator’s test results as her own and was subsequently admitted into an American university. Once admitted, Zhang was issued DHS’s Form I-20, which made her eligible to receive an F-1 non-immigrant student visa to enter and remain in the United States for the duration of her studies.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and William B. Gannon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Nicholas Soivilien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Bridgewater Man Pleads Guilty to Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bridgewater man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to heroin trafficking charges.
Kevin Viveiros, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Jan. 4, 2018.
On Jan. 19, 2017, Viveiros possessed and intended to distribute heroin in Bridgewater. At the time of his arrest, Viveiros was found in possession of approximately 420 grams of heroin, narcotics packaging materials and over $4,000.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 40 years in prison, a lifetime 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.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Emily O. Cannon of Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boston Gang Member Pleads Guilty to Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the Orchard Park Trailblazers pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to selling crack cocaine in and around Roxbury’s Orchard Gardens Housing Development.
Jeremiah Mines, a/k/a “Germ Gee,” a/k/a “Jerm,” 24, of Boston, pleaded guilty to two counts of distribution of cocaine base within 1,000 feet of a school. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 9, 2017.
On Nov. 12, 2015 and March 8, 2016, Mines sold cocaine base to a cooperating witness near the Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School in Roxbury. Mines is one of 12 defendants arrested and charged in June 2017 following a nearly two-year investigation into the high concentration of crime in and around the Orchard Gardens Development, the largest publically funded development in Roxbury, which is also adjacent to Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School and Dudley Square. According to court documents, the crime stems, in part, from the illegal activities of the members and associates of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, who allegedly have active feuds with rival gangs throughout the city that have produced numerous crimes of violence.
The charge of distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of one year and no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of 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 upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William Evans made the announcement today.
Retired U.S. Army Colonel Indicted for Conspiring to Bribe Senior Government Officials of the Republic of HaitiRead the Press Release
A retired U.S. Army colonel was charged in an indictment filed today for his alleged role in a foreign bribery and money laundering scheme in connection with a planned $84 million port development project in Haiti.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Blanco of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb of the District of Massachusetts, Assistant Director Stephen Richardson of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and Special Agent in Charge Harold M. Shaw of the FBI’s Boston Field Office made the announcement.
Joseph Baptiste, 64, of Fulton, Maryland, was charged with one count of conspiracy to violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and the Travel Act, one count of violating the Travel Act and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering in an indictment filed in the District of Massachusetts.
The indictment alleges that Baptiste solicited bribes from undercover FBI agents in Boston who posed as potential investors in connection with a proposed project to develop a port in the Moles Saint Nicolas area of Haiti. According to the indictment, the proposed project was expected to cost approximately $84 million, and was to involve the construction of a cement factory in its first phase. The indictment alleges that during a recorded meeting at a Boston-area hotel, Baptiste told the agents that he would funnel the payments to Haitian officials through a non-profit entity that he controlled — which was based in Maryland and purported to help impoverished residents of Haiti — in order to secure government approval of the project.
The indictment further alleges that in telephone calls Baptiste discussed bribing an aide to a senior Haitian official by giving him a job on the port development project after he left his position. It further alleges that although Baptiste ultimately used for personal purposes approximately $50,000 that he received from the undercover agents for the payment of bribes to Haitian officials — money that was wired at Baptiste’s direction to a non-profit organization he controls — he intended to seek additional money from the undercover agents to use for future bribe payments in connection with the port project.
An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
This case was investigated by the FBI. Trial Attorney Kevin R. Gingras of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen E. Frank of the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the case.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting all FCPA matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal/fraud/fcpa.
Salvadoran National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry after DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Salvadoran national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to an immigration crime.
Amilcar Menjivar Umana, 38, pleaded guilty to one count of illegal reentry after deportation. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Jan. 3, 2018.
Menjivar Umana was previously deported on Oct. 25, 2013, Jan. 7, 2014, and March 20, 2014. On May 12, 2017, law enforcement encountered Menjivar Umana and determined him to be illegally present in the United States.
Menjivar Umana faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000, and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Raynham Woman Sentenced for Role in Taunton Heroin RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Raynham woman was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a Taunton-based heroin trafficking operation.
Kayla Wentworth, 26, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to time served (approximately five months in prison) and 42 months of supervised release, with the first six months to be served in home detention. The sentence is due, in part, to Wentworth’s successful completion of the Court’s RISE Program, during which she completed drug treatment and followed rigorous conditions of supervision designed to insure that she maintained employment, properly cared for herself and her family, and received appropriate mental health and drug treatment counseling. In June 2016, Wentworth pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin.
After a lengthy investigation, Wentworth and 11 co-conspirators were arrested and charged in July 2015 for their roles in a drug trafficking organization led by Eddyberto Mejia Ramos that sold heroin throughout the Taunton area. Mejia Ramos purchased large quantities of heroin from several wholesale suppliers, and then he and his mid-level associates distributed the heroin to lower level distributors and customers, including Wentworth.
Eleven of the defendants have been sentenced, including Wentworth and Mejia Ramos, who was sentenced in August 2016 to 90 months in prison. The final defendant, Kerem Mendez-Luz, is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 4, 2017.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Taunton Police Chief Edward J. Walsh; and Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.