District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Dominican National Sentenced for Heroin TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for heroin trafficking.
Ramon Baez, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 121 months in prison, five years of supervised release, and will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. On March 21, 2017, Baez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and one kilogram or more of heroin; one count of possession with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin; and conspiracy to commit money laundering.
From about April 2015 to March 2016, an investigation was conducted into the drug distribution activities of Baez and his associates in and around Lawrence. Baez obtained heroin and cocaine from local suppliers and suppliers based in Mexico. Baez’s co-conspirator Jose A. Rosario supplied Baez with kilograms of heroin, which Baez then repackaged for distribution. Rosario pleaded guilty in May 2017 and is scheduled for sentencing on Aug. 17, 2017.
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 prosecuted the case.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Misuse of a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to falsely representing a number to be his social security number.
Luis Miguel Mejia Lugo, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of misuse of a social security number. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for June 28, 2017.
On June 3, 2016, a man who identified himself as “Josue Marrero,” but who later was identified as Mejia Lugo, was arrested in Methuen for armed robbery and firearms charges. When Mejia Lugo was booked early the following morning, in order to hide his true identity, he represented a number to be his social security number when in fact it was not.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Mejia Lugo 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; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Essex County Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger made the announcement today. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the Social Security Administration, and the FBI’s Criminal Justice Information Services Division in Clarksburg, W.V. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kelly Begg Lawrence and Robert E. Richardson of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
Department of Justice Recognizes District of Massachusetts Employees for Superior PerformanceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two members of the U.S. Attorney’s Office were recognized today by the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys (EOUSA) at the 33nd Annual Director’s Awards Ceremony in Washington D.C.
Strategic Engagement and Law Enforcement Coordinator Brandy Donini-Melanson and Assistant United States Attorney Stephanie Siegmann were among the 179 members of the Department of Justice recognized during a ceremony at the Robert F. Kennedy Department of Justice Building.
In his prepared remarks, Deputy Attorney General Rosenstein told the awardees: “These 179 award recipients embody the best of the Department of Justice.… Today’s honorees have earned the esteem of their colleagues. But most importantly, you have earned the gratitude of your fellow citizens — whose communities you have made safer, whose lives you have improved, and whose trust you have rewarded. ”
“Each and every day, the employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office demonstrate exceptional dedication to serving the communities of Massachusetts,” said Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. “Their work is focused on preventing crime and developing strong stakeholder groups to address pertinent law enforcement issues. I am honored to work alongside these committed public servants whose collective accomplishments are nothing short of exceptional.”
Brandy Donini-Melanson received the award for Superior Performance in Administration for her ongoing coordination and engagement in violent extremism prevention. Ms. Donini-Melanson spent months coordinating perspectives from over 40 stakeholders in Massachusetts in order to draft a multi-disciplinary framework to address prevention and intervention of violent extremism. The Framework, a consensus document, provides collective insight on what it means to counter violent extremism and the types of activities that may reduce incidents. Ms. Donini-Melanson has spoken to numerous local and national audiences about prevention approaches and the Framework, which is one of very few in the United States. She has worked tirelessly to advocate the message of the multi-disciplinary collaborative and to promote the involvement of public health and behavioral health perspectives in the process. Ms. Donini-Melanson has not allowed obstacles to discourage her from increasing awareness about violent extremism and the ways in which a range of stakeholders can engage to prevent it.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie Siegmann received the Award for Superior Performance for her nationally recognized success in the area of counterproliferation. As the Export Control Coordinator for the District of Massachusetts, Ms. Siegmann has been singularly effective in coordinating the efforts of law enforcement, regulatory, and intelligence agencies in combatting the illegal export of controlled technologies and munitions. The Massachusetts Counter-Proliferation Working Group, which she chairs and was instrumental in founding, has become a national model for inter-agency cooperation in the counterproliferation arena and an important factor in the development of a series of important export control prosecutions. In her thirteen years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Ms. Siegmann has become a nationally recognized leader in the Department’s counterproliferation efforts and a frequent lecturer on export control and related issues.
EOUSA provides oversight, general executive assistance, and direction to the 94 United States Attorneys’ offices around the country. For more information on EOUSA and its mission, visit http://www.justice.gov/usao.
Chelsea Gang Member Pleads Guilty to RICO Conspiracy Involving Attempted Murder and Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An East Side Money gang member, known as “Superbad,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to racketeering and drug trafficking charges.
Josue Rodriguez, a/k/a “SB,” a/k/a “Superbad,” 20, of Chelsea, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, commonly known as RICO, and one count of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Sept. 13, 2017.
Rodriguez is a member of the East Side Money Gang (ESMG), a Chelsea-based street gang, which uses violence to further its criminal activities and enforce its internal rules. Specifically, ESMG uses violence to protect its members/associates, target rival gang members/associates and intimidate potential witnesses.
On July 5, 2015, Rodriguez ambushed a rival gang member walking down the street, shooting at him with a semi-automatic pistol, but did not hit him. On March 29, 2016, Rodriguez and another ESMG member agreed to provide a .22 caliber revolver to a third ESMG member so he could “spank” with it – meaning that he could use it against rivals of ESMG. On April 3, 2016, the third gang member used the revolver to attempt to murder two men believed to be members/associates of a rival gang. One of the targets was shot in the head.
On May 26, 2016, Rodriguez attempted to hide a .38 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver used in a shooting, as well as spent and live shells after another ESMG member/associate attempted to shoot a rival gang member.
The East Side Money gang was also involved in drug trafficking, including cocaine, cocaine base (“crack”) and heroin. Rodriguez conspired with other gang members and associates to distribute at least a kilo of cocaine and cocaine base. Rodriguez further admitted that he stored drugs at and distributed drugs from his home on Tudor Street in Chelsea, and that the gang maintained at least one firearm at the location.
Rodriguez is the 11th defendant of 66 alleged gang members/associates from the Greater Boston area who were charged in June 2016 with federal firearm and drug offenses to plead guilty.
According to court documents, the defendants, who are leaders, members, and associates of the 18th Street Gang, East Side Money Gang and the Boylston Gang, were responsible for fueling a gun and drug pipeline across a number of cities and towns in eastern Massachusetts. Specifically, the gangs created alliances in order to traffic weapons and drugs, including cocaine, crack, and heroin supplied though a Brockton-based drug network. During the course of the investigation, over 70 firearms were seized.
The charge of RICO conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine and cocaine base provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a lifetime in prison, a minimum of five years and up to life of supervised release, and a fine of $10 million. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties have agreed that the appropriate sentence should be between 120 months to 190 months, with the United States recommending 14 years in prison. 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 & 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 Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for 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. Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Twelve Charged with Selling Drugs in and Around Orchard Gardens Housing Development in BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Twelve men, eleven of whom are alleged members or associates of the Orchard Park Trailblazers and Vine/Forest Street gangs, were charged with selling crack cocaine in and around Roxbury’s Orchard Gardens Housing Development.
This morning, federal, state and local law enforcement arrested eight of the 12 defendants charged with distribution of cocaine base, a/k/a crack cocaine, within 1,000 feet of a school. The following individuals were charged today:
1. Dominique Dozier, 31, of Boston;
2. Tyree Draughn, a/k/a “Ty,” 25, of Boston, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers;
3. Daiquan Lucas, a/k/a “Sav Montana,” 24, of Boston, alleged member of Vine/Forest Street;
4. Jeremiah Mines, a/k/a “Germ Gee,” “Jerm,” 24, of Boston, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers;
5. Andre Parham-Rankin, a/k/a “Chuck,” 21, of Boston, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers;
6. Lyndon Scott, a/k/a “L-Dot,” “L-Scott,” “Skizzy,” 27, of Brockton, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers;
7. Keon Smith, 38, of Boston, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers; and
8. Kevin Woods, 26, of Boston, alleged member of Vine/Forest Street.The following charged individuals are fugitives:
1. Raymond Gaines, a/k/a “Hops,” 38, of Brockton, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers;
2. Jaylin Hawkins, a/k/a “Rocko,” “Jay-Roc,” “Lil Bro,” 23, of Boston, alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers.
In addition, Raul Williams, a/k/a “Boobie,” 26, of Boston, an alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers, was previously charged by the state.
Jose Quinones, a/k/a “Julio,” 24, also an alleged member of Orchard Park Trailblazers, was previously charged with being an alien in possession of a firearm and distribution of cocaine base and has been deported to the Dominican Republic.
During an earlier phase of the investigation, Diamond Brito was charged with gun and drug offenses and sentenced to eight years in prison. Brito, an identified member of the Orchard Park Trailblazers, sold investigators 12 guns and over 35 grams of crack cocaine in 13 separate transactions.
The charges are the result of a nearly two-year investigation into the high concentration of crime in and around the Orchard Park Development, the largest publically funded development in Roxbury which is also adjacent to Orchard Gardens K-8 Pilot School. 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, contributing to the area’s violence. Eleven of the 12 defendants are alleged members or associates of the Orchard Park Trailblazers or Vine/Forest Street, another area gang. Between October 2015 and May 2017, three cooperating witnesses made 34 controlled drug purchases from the defendants in or around the Development.
According to Boston Police records, 10 of the defendants have been shot or stabbed, some more than once. It is alleged in court documents that the residents of the Development often express concerns to law enforcement about the violence in the area and the gang members who contribute to an atmosphere of fear and intimidation.
The charge of distribution of a controlled substance within 1,000 feet of a school provides for a sentence of no greater than 40 years in prison, a minimum of six years and no more than a lifetime 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 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. Assistance with today’s arrests was also provided by the Massachusetts State Police.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
San Diego Man Pleads Guilty to Sending Methamphetamine Through the MailRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A San Diego man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing more than 30 packages of methamphetamine through the mail.
Leonard Leseman, 58, pleaded guilty to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Leo S. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 14, 2017.
From approximately 2011 through October 2013, Leseman supplied methamphetamine to co-defendant Robert Annette, sending packages from San Diego to Annette’s residences in Somerville and Provincetown. In 2012, a Postal Inspector, conducting a routine drug interdiction, located a suspicious package sent by Leseman addressed to a fictitious name at Annette’s Somerville residence. When the Inspector attempted to deliver the package, Annette refused receipt. From then on, Annette arranged for a network of friends to receive the packages. In total, Leseman mailed more than 30 packages containing methamphetamine to various addresses provided by Annette. During the investigation, packages containing methamphetamine that Leseman sent to customers in Washington, D.C., and Carnegie, Penn., were seized.
Leseman and Annette communicated via text message to discuss the logistics for orders, shipments and payments. For example, regarding a package that Leseman sent Annette, Leseman advised him: “You’ll see 3 blind mice eating ice cream.” After Leseman mailed the package from San Diego, Postal Inspectors in Massachusetts seized the package and opened it pursuant to a search warrant. Inside the package were three toy mice and an ice cream maker with four ounces of methamphetamine hidden inside.
Annette and three other individuals, Steven Marszalkowski of Provincetown; Lawrence Ligocki, of Chelsea; and Scott Hill, of Somerville, previously pleaded guilty to various charges in connection with this investigation. Scott Hill was sentenced on April 12, 2017, to 42 months in prison.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys James E. Arnold and Craig E. Estes of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Gloucester Woman Charged with Conspiracy to Traffic Steroids and Launder MoneyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Gloucester woman was charged today in federal court for her role in a conspiracy to traffic steroids and launder money.
Melissa Sclafani, 29, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute counterfeit steroids and one count of conspiracy to launder money. On April 12, 2017, Sclafani and five others were charged by criminal complaint.
According to the charging documents, from approximately February 2016 until April 12, 2017, Sclafani conspired with others to manufacture steroid products, market them as “Onyx” steroids, and sell them to customers across the United States using email and social media platforms. Customers paid for the steroids via money remitters, such as Western Union and MoneyGram, and members of the conspiracy used false identifications and multiple remitter locations to pick up the steroid proceeds.
It is alleged that the conspirators purchased the raw materials to manufacture the steroids as well as Onyx labeling and packaging from overseas suppliers, either by using money remitters or by shipping U.S. currency overseas. Onyx is a legitimate pharmaceutical company owned by Amgen Inc. that does not manufacture steroids. The steroids were actually manufactured in the residential home(s) of one or more members of the conspiracy. It is further alleged that Sclafani obtained materials and supplies to manufacture the counterfeit steroids and served as the corporate secretary of Wicked Tan LLC, a tanning business in Beverly, Mass., that was owned by two co-conspirators. Sclafani assisted members of the conspiracy in laundering proceeds from the sale of counterfeit steroids through the business.
The conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gain or loss of the conspiracy, and the charge of money laundering conspiracy 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 gain or loss of the conspiracy. 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; Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Shelly Binkowski, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal investigation, New York Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Amy Harman Burkart and David J. D’Addio of Weinreb’s Cybercrime Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Man Arrested and Charged with Robbing Bank in Downtown BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was charged in federal court in Boston yesterday with bank robbery.
Thomas W. Nee, 46, was charged with robbing the Randolph Savings Bank on School Street in Boston on May 22, 2017. He was detained following an initial appearance before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Jennifer C. Boal.
According to court documents, Nee entered the Randolph Savings Bank and handed a bank teller a note that read: THIS IS A ROBBERY GIVE ME ALL 100’s 50’s 20’s “NO DYE PACK.” The teller then gave Nee $5,010 in cash. The robbery was captured on bank surveillance video.
Nee was arrested on unrelated state charges outside of Fenway Park on June 12, 2017. It is alleged that during questioning with a federal agent, Nee confessed to the Randolph Savings Bank robbery as well as other unsolved bank robberies.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 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 and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Boston Field Office, 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 charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Reaches Agreements with Local Restaurants over ADA ComplianceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb announced that 13 restaurants located in the Seaport and Fort Point neighborhoods of Boston have resolved accessibility issues discovered during compliance reviews.
“As places of public accommodation, restaurants must ensure that their construction and operation comply with all requirements of the American with Disabilities Act, and that they provide equal access for all people,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb. “These restaurants have quickly and cooperatively worked to address the ADA violations discovered during our investigation, which will enable all prospective patrons to dine at their establishments.”
Weinreb’s Civil Rights Unit began compliance reviews in June 2015 with site visits to 18 restaurants in Boston’s Seaport and Fort Point neighborhoods to determine whether the restaurants were operating in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). Seven restaurants - Atlantic Beer Garden, the Barking Crab, Barlow’s, Bastille Kitchen, the Daily Catch, Del Frisco’s, and Row 34 - have entered into voluntary compliance agreements to address issues of accessibility highlighted during the site visits. The U.S. Attorney’s Office closed the compliance reviews of these restaurants after determining that they made the agreed-upon changes and achieved compliance. Among the changes made by the restaurants were the installation of accessible tables in dining areas, modification of bar surfaces for wheelchair access, removal of architectural barriers, and installation of directional signage required by the ADA.
Six other restaurants were determined only to require relatively minor work in order to achieve compliance with the ADA. Those restaurants are Empire, Morton’s Steakhouse, Legal Harborside, Temazcal Tequila Cantina, Babbo Pizzeria, and Gather.
Federal law requires public accommodations, including restaurants, to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to facilities. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Attorney’s Office to undertake periodic reviews of covered establishments. For more information on the ADA, visit www.ADA.gov.
These matters were handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer Serafyn, Chief of Weinreb’s Civil Rights Unit, Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Leung, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dorchak.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Maine Man Pleads Guilty to Making False Statements During Purchase of a FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Maine man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to make false statements during the purchase of a firearm.
Peter Aloisio, 61, of Dexter, Maine, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2017.
In December 2015, Aloisio conspired with a convicted felon living in Haverhill, Mass., to purchase a Taurus .45 caliber handgun and a box of .45 caliber ammunition from a firearms store in Plaistow, N.H. Aloisio falsely stated that he was the “actual” buyer of the firearm and was not purchasing it on behalf of another person. He subsequently gave the handgun and ammunition to the felon in exchange for $300 worth of crack cocaine.
The charge provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Nicholas Soivilien of Weinreb’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
Four Dominican Nationals Involved in Recent Drug Sweep Face Additional ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Four Dominican nationals, formerly residing in Lawrence, were charged today in a superseding indictment for their roles in a fentanyl, heroin and cocaine distribution ring disrupted by a federal drug sweep in Lawrence last month.
Ramon Gonzalez Nival, a/k/a Caballito, 40, and Robert Frett Sierra, a/k/a Chiquito, 46, were charged with illegal re-entry after deportation.
Julio Baez Gonzalez, a/k/a Manolo, 34, was charged with being an unlawful alien in possession of a firearm.
Santos Ruiz Nivar, a/k/a Tio, was charged with conspiracy to traffic heroin, cocaine and fentanyl.
On May 30, 2017, 30 individuals were arrested and charged on federal drug, gun and immigration offenses. Today’s superseding indictment brings the total number of individuals indicted to 31. The arrests were the culmination of a yearlong investigation, dubbed “Operation Bad Company,” aimed at attacking the distribution of fentanyl and heroin in the Lawrence area. The defendants are alleged to have controlled and managed a lucrative and sophisticated drug trafficking and distribution ring in the region.
The drug statute provides for a sentence no greater than 20 years in prison; the firearm statute provides for no greater than 10 years in prison; and the unlawful re-entry after deportation statute provides for no greater than 10 years in prison. The defendants are subject to deportation upon completion of their sentences. 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 Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division made the announcement today. The DEA Cross Border Initiative (comprised of the DEA and the Andover, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, and Wilmington Police Departments) and the Massachusetts State Police investigated the case. 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
U.S. Attorney’s Office Enters into Agreement with Town of Wales to Ensure Physical Accessibility of Town Hall and Senior CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb announced today that his office has entered into a settlement agreement with the Town of Wales to ensure the accessibility of Town Hall and the Senior Center under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
“Ensuring that individuals with disabilities have unimpeded ability to access local government services is critical,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Weinreb. “I would like to commend the Town of Wales for its cooperation and eagerness to address the accessibility issues identified during our review and its commitment to ensuring that every resident can access public services.”
The agreement is the result of a compliance review conducted by the Civil Rights Unit in response to a complaint filed with the United States Attorney’s Office. This matter was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle Leung of Weinreb’s Civil Rights Unit and Jessica Driscoll of Weinreb’s Civil Division.
Federal law requires state and local government entities to provide individuals with disabilities equal access to facilities. The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to undertake periodic reviews of covered establishments. For more information on the ADA, visit their website at www.ADA.gov.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Nashua Man Sentenced for Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Nashua, NH man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding investors in a purported water resource company and laundering money obtained through various online fraud schemes.
Edmond P. LaFrance, 70, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release, six months of which will be served in community confinement, restitution of $387,802 and forfeiture of $387,802. In March 2017, LaFrance pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and three counts of money laundering.
From 2012 to 2013, LaFrance solicited investments and loans for a shell company he created, Natural Waters, that fraudulently claimed to buy and sell mineral water in bulk. In fact, there were no mineral water sales and a large portion of the investor money LaFrance received was directed to his own uses or transferred to co-conspirators. In 2015, LaFrance laundered money for various online fraud schemes being perpetrated by individuals located primarily outside of the United States. LaFrance accepted hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims he did not know, and with whom he had no business relationship, and wired the money to third parties whose true identities were concealed from the victims.
In 1990, LaFrance was convicted in federal court of structuring currency transactions, making false statements and conspiring to defraud the United States. In 2007, he was convicted of wire fraud and making false statements.
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 Stephen P. Heymann of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Mexican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Mexican national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston with a federal immigration crime.
Tomas De La Cruz Zavala, 45, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. Zavala will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. In March 2017, Zavala pleaded guilty to illegal reentry of a deported alien.
Zavala was deported from the United States to Mexico on Oct. 12, 2012, and again in November 2016. Zavala was recently located in North Dartmouth, Mass., where law enforcement determined that Zavala was illegally present in the United States.
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. Attorneys David G. Tobin and Nick Soivillien of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Framingham Man Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting Approximately 150 BoysRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Framingham man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to sexually exploiting approximately 150 boys by posing as a teenage girl on the internet and convincing them to send nude photos and videos of themselves to him.
Curtis Simoneau, 24, pleaded guilty to two counts of coercion and enticement of a minor and one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Oct. 2, 2017.
On March 7, 2016, law enforcement in central Massachusetts responded to a complaint regarding the possible sexual exploitation of a 13-year-old boy. When an officer interviewed the victim and his parents, the victim said he began communicating with “Lauren James” via KiK Messenger, a mobile instant messaging app, in December 2015.
Simoneau, posing online as “Lauren James,” told the victim that he was a 14-year-old girl living in Maine and offered to exchange nude images and nude videos with the victim, which they did on multiple occasions. The victim believed he was in an online relationship with “Lauren.” The victim also told law enforcement that he had introduced his friend, a 12-year-old boy, to “Lauren” via KiK, and that his friend and “Lauren” also exchanged nude images. An interview with the second victim confirmed that he too had exchanged nude images with “Lauren.”
Law enforcement was able to identify Simoneau as the individual who was posing as “Lauren James” as well as his Framingham address. The investigation further determined that Simoneau was previously convicted in a Massachusetts state court of possession of child pornography and placed on probation.
During the execution of a federal search warrant of Simoneau’s home on Aug. 4, 2016, 1,128 videos of child pornography and 712 photos of child pornography were discovered on Simoneau’s digital devices. All of the child pornography in Simoneau’s collection had been sent to him by boys who believed they were sending nude and sexually suggestive material of themselves to a teenage girl. In total, Simoneau victimized approximately 150 boys.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; and Framingham Police Chief Kenneth Ferguson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Bank Teller Convicted of EmbezzlementRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to embezzling $172,551 from a customer of the Mattapan bank at which she was a teller.
J’Cynda Sales, 22, pleaded guilty to embezzlement by a bank employee. Between November 2015 and May 2016, Sales made 48 unauthorized withdrawals from the account of a bank customer totaling $172,551. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Sept. 20, 2017.
The charge of embezzlement by a bank employee provides for a sentence of no greater than 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million and restitution. 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 Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen P. Heymann of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Quincy Police Lieutenant Convicted of “Double Dipping”Read the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lieutenant with the Quincy Police Department (QPD) was convicted today by a federal jury in Boston of collecting double pay in 2015.
Thomas Corliss, 52, was convicted following an eight-day jury trial of 10 counts of mail fraud and one count of fraud involving federal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Sept. 7, 2017.
An internal investigation by the QPD revealed that Corliss had “double dipped,” or collected double pay for working multiple details and/or police shifts that overlapped on multiple occasions in 2015. While on vacation in the Bahamas and on Martha’s Vineyard in 2015, Corliss left himself on the daily roster rather than using vacation time. In total, Corliss defrauded the QPD of more than $8,000.
The charge of mail fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of fraud involving federal funds provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Ronald G. Gardella, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice, Office of the Inspector General, New York Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Dustin Chao and Ryan M. DiSantis of Weinreb’s Public Corruption Unit are prosecuting the case.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl.
Jeffrey Oliveira, 22, a/k/a Chubbs, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In addition, Oliveira is prohibited from contacting members and associates of the Turner Street gang. In January 2017, Oliveira pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl.
In May 2016, Oliveira and six others were indicted on fentanyl trafficking and firearms-related charges following a seven-month state and federal investigation into violent crime in the Brockton area. The investigation revealed that Oliveira and his co-defendants were distributing drugs in the Brockton area, and on several occasions, law enforcement officers seized fentanyl from the defendants’ associates. In April 2016, Oliveira and Alezio Lopes were arrested after the investigation revealed that Lopes was supplying drugs to Oliveira and his co-defendants. Law enforcement officers seized three bags of fentanyl and a loaded gun from the car that Oliveira and Lopes were driving at the time of their arrest.
Oliveira is the fourth defendant of seven sentenced in this case. Lopes is charged with state violations.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; and Brockton Police Chief John Crowley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Glenn A. MacKinlay of Weinreb’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
Waltham Man Sentenced for Possessing Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Waltham man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.
Christopher J. Sullivan, 20, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Mark L. Wolf to time served, five years of supervised release, and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $2,000. In February 2017, Sullivan pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In January 2016, federal agents in Portland, Ore., received information that a minor boy had been engaging in online sexually explicit conversations with an adult man living in Waltham, Mass. Following an investigation, a federal search warrant was issued for Sullivan’s residence in Waltham. During the search, a number of digital devices, which Sullivan later admitted belonged to him, containing multiple images and videos depicting children engaging in sexually explicit conduct were recovered. A forensic analysis revealed that the majority of the children depicted in the pictures and videos were between the ages of 7 and 12 years old.
Acting U.S. 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 Waltham Police Department assisted with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Roxbury Man Sentenced for Drug DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Roxbury man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing cocaine.
Israel Delacruz, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2017, Delacruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.
Delacruz was supplied cocaine by Ileana Valdez and Elvin Soto. He, in turn, distributed it throughout Boston.
Delacruz is the 45th of 48 defendants tied to the Columbia Point Dawgs (CPD), indicted in June 2015 on drug trafficking and firearm charges, to plead guilty. Valdez previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing. Pena is scheduled to stand trial in October 2017.
According to documents filed in court, the CPD, also known on the street as “the Point,” was Boston’s largest and most influential city-wide gang. The criminal organization started in the 1980s in the former Columbia Point Housing Development (now Harbor Point) and, over the years, gang members established drug trafficking crews throughout Boston. It is alleged that the CPD was responsible for the distribution of multiple kilo quantities of heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and oxycodone throughout Boston and Maine.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; John Gibbons, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Boston Police Commissioner William Evans; and Commissioner Thomas Turco of the Massachusetts Department of Correction, made the announcement.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Providence Nurse Pleads Guilty to Tampering with OxycodoneRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A licensed nurse pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Worcester to stealing oxycodone pills from a nursing home where she worked and attempting to conceal the theft by replacing the medication with other medications.
Charlotte Demers, 36, of Providence, R.I., pleaded guilty to four counts of tampering with a consumer product, specifically oxycodone, a narcotic used for pain relief. Demers is currently enrolled in the Court-run RISE program.
Between Sept. 12, 2016, and Oct. 8, 2016, while working as a licensed practical nurse at Countryside Health Care in Milford, Mass., Demers tampered with four blisterpacks of oxycodone that had been prescribed for residents of the nursing facility. She removed the oxycodone pills from the blisterpacks, replaced them with other medications that were used to treat other medical conditions, re-sealed the blistercards and put them back on medication carts at the nursing facility.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Commissioner Monica Bharel, MD, MPH, of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Division of Food and Drugs, Drug Control Program, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
The RISE Program (Repair, Invest, Succeed, Emerge) is a Court-run program, designed to aid in the rehabilitation of applicable defendants who have pleaded guilty and are under pretrial supervision prior to sentencing. Their sentence is dependent upon their completion of the program and is determined at a later time.
Peabody Man Sentenced for Oxycodone TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Peabody man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for distributing oxycodone throughout the North Shore area along with eight others.
Joseph Romano, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2017, Romano pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute oxycodone.
In March 2014, federal investigators began tracking the activities of Romano and his co-defendants. Through surveillance and a cooperating source, investigators were able to make controlled purchases of oxycodone from Romano and his associates. Co-defendants Anthony Panarese, Jarod Presterone, and Paul Williams were oxycodone suppliers, and on roughly a weekly basis, Romano contacted each of them separately to arrange meetings to obtain oxycodone pills for redistribution. At times, Romano also met with Eric Vaughn, who delivered pills to Romano for his personal use. Romano consumed some of the pills and distributed the remainder to various individuals, including Ashley Turner, Sans Milbury and Marcelle Milbury. In addition, when Romano went on vacation in June 2015, Turner handled distribution for him, during which time Williams supplied oxycodone pills to Turner’s father, David Turner Sr., who then delivered them to his daughter, Ashley.
Panarese has pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 46 months in prison; Marcelle Milbury also pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one year in prison; Sans Milbury, graduated from the RISE program, sponsored by the Court, and was sentenced to three-years of probation. Co-defendants Presterone, Vaughn, Ashley Turner, David Turner Sr. and Williams, have all pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Office; Colonel Richard D. McKeon, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Chief Patrick M. Ambrose of the Danvers Police Department made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Social Security Administration Employee Pleads Guilty to Accepting a BribeRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A former Social Security Administration (SSA) employee pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to bribery.
Julio Klapper, 40, of Worcester, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery for accepting a payment in return for submitting a fraudulent claim for payment to the SSA on behalf of a beneficiary. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Sept. 22, 2017.
Between Aug. 30, 2016, and Sept. 27, 2016, Klapper used his position with SSA to submit a request for release of Supplemental Security Income Disabled Child (SSIDC) funds by falsely claiming that the person representing the child was purchasing a car for the benefit of the SSIDC beneficiary, even though Klapper knew that the child’s representative was not intending to purchase a car with the SSIDC funds. Klapper provided false documentation to the SSA in support of the submitted claim. In exchange for Klapper’s submission of the false claim and documentation, Klapper received $2,000 from the child’s representative.
“When a federal employee exploits his or her responsibility and authority for personal gain, they violate public trust and harm the Federal workforce and those they serve,” said Adam D. Schneider, Acting Special Agent-in-Charge of the SSA Office of the Inspector, General Boston Field Division. “The OIG is committed to pursuing cases of suspected employee fraud and abuse, and I thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for its efforts to prosecute those who violate the public’s trust.”
“The law requires civil servants to work with honesty and integrity, and the public expects no less,” said Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb. “We will continue to collaborate with our law enforcement partners to hold officials accountable when they abuse their positions of trust.”
“Public corruption investigations, and the charges they produce, send a clear message that law enforcement takes the abuse of authority very seriously,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Etre of HSI Boston. “HSI is proud to work with the Social Security Administration’s Office of the Inspector and looks forward to working cooperatively to aggressively pursue those who attempt to game the system in their favor.”
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or three times the monetary equivalent of the bribe received, whichever is greater. In addition, the defendant may be disqualified from holding any office of honor, trust, or profit under the United States. 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, SSA OIG SAC Schneider, and HSI SAC Etre, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Michelle L. Dineen Jerrett of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Former Berkshire Power Technician Sentenced for Conspiring to Tamper with Air Pollution MonitorsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former instrument and control technician at Berkshire Power Plant in Agawam, Mass., was sentenced yesterday for tampering with environmental monitors in violation of the Clean Air Act.
Scott Paterson, 46, of Manchester, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to one year of probation. In March 2015, Patterson pleaded guilty to violating the Clean Air Act and conspiracy. On May 31, 2017, the former operations and maintenance manager, Fred Baker, was sentenced to 30 months of probation for this role in the scheme.
From 2008 to March 2011, Paterson, at the direction of senior managers at the plant, tampered with the plant’s Continuous Emissions Monitoring System (CEMS). The CEMS is an environmental monitoring system, required by federal laws and permits, which continuously samples a power plant’s emissions and measures and records the concentration of regulated pollutants to monitor compliance with pollution emission limits. The purpose of the tampering was to delay repairs and avoid reporting to federal and state regulators that the plant was, at times, releasing certain pollutants, specifically nitrogen oxides, in excess of the plant’s Clean Air Act permit limits.
Initially, the tampering involved lowering monitors by a constant rate – approximately .5 parts per million (ppm) - below the known value. These constant adjustments did not trigger any alarms or warnings and were thus usually maintained in the system through approximately mid-March 2011.
In the summer of 2009 and 2010 the plant underwent an independent annual audit. Prior to the audit, Paterson’s supervisor, Baker, directed Paterson to take out the adjustments in the CEMS monitors and to re-instate them after the audit. Berkshire Power Plant reported the results of the audit to the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and the United States Environmental Protection Agency.By 2010, this .5 ppm adjustment was not sufficient enough to allow the plant to run at full power and comply with the facility’s Clean Air Act permit. Rather than making necessary repairs, Paterson, again at the direction of Baker, lowered the CEMS readings even more to avoid reporting pollution emissions in excess of the hourly limits or hitting warning levels.
In 2015, the Berkshire Power Plant was charged jointly by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office for tampering with its air pollution monitoring equipment and falsely reporting data to environmental and energy regulators regarding its emissions levels and its availability to produce power.
In March 2017, Berkshire Power Company and Power Plant Management Services, the owners and operators of the plant, respectively, were ordered to pay $7.25 million in fines, penalties and other payments for their role in tampering with air pollution emissions equipment.Acting U.S. Attorney William D. Weinreb; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; Tyler Amon, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division in Boston; and Commissioner Martin Suuberg of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Massachusetts Environmental Crimes Strike Force (an interagency investigative team dedicated to developing the most significant environmental enforcement cases) and the Massachusetts Environmental Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Weinreb’s Criminal Division prosecuted the federal case with the assistance of Dianne Chabot, USEPA Criminal Enforcement Counsel and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection.
50 Kilos of a Fentanyl Precursor Chemical Seized in Worcester CountyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The DEA New England Field Division and the United States Attorney’s Office announced today that 50 kilograms of a fentanyl precursor chemical, with a street value of over $570 million, was seized at a storage facility in Northborough, Mass., on May 25, 2017.
Federal agents, assisted by members of the Worcester, Northborough and Westborough Police Departments, seized 50 kilos of what is believed to be N-Phenethyl-4-piperidinone (NPP), which is commonly used for the illicit manufacture of fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine.
If converted, 50 kilograms of NPP would theoretically yield up to 19 million fentanyl tablets, with an estimated street value of over $570 million.
It is believed that this represents the DEA’s largest seizure of a fentanyl precursor in the New England Region in recent years. This matter was overseen by the United States Attorney’s Office and conducted by the DEA’s New England Field Division’s Worcester Tactical Diversion Squad with assistance from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Worcester, Northborough and Westborough Police Departments.
No further information regarding the seizure is available at this time.
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, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. The matter is being handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg A. Friedholm of Weinreb’s Worcester Branch Office.
Pennsylvania Woman Charged with Smuggling Drugs into U.S. on Commercial FlightRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pennsylvania woman appeared in federal court in Boston today for a detention hearing after having been charged with smuggling drugs, concealed in her underwear, into the United States on a commercial flight from the Dominican Republic.
Natalia Alexander Duran, 21, of Pennsylvania, was arrested on May 30, 2017, at Boston’s Logan International Airport, and charged with smuggling drugs into the United States. U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley took the matter of detention under advisement. Duran remains in the custody of U.S. Marshals.
According to court documents, Duran arrived at Logan Airport on a JetBlue flight from the Dominican Republic on May 30, 2017. Upon arrival, Duran, a U.S. citizen, was referred for a secondary baggage examination. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers searched her bags and did not find any contraband. Duran then stated that she needed to use the restroom. Two female CBP officers escorted Duran to a private bathroom inside a pat down room and told her that prior to using the restroom, she needed to be searched.
It is alleged that during the pat down, one of the CBP officers felt an abnormality in Duran’s groin area. When questioned, Duran said she was wearing three maxi pads. As the pat down continued, Duran explained that she was going to urinate herself and asked the CBP officers to leave so that she could use the restroom. When the CBP officers informed Duran that they would not leave the room, Duran told them she no longer needed to use the restroom; that she was wearing a body suit and could not urinate with it on and did not want to remove it. Duran then confessed to concealing drugs inside her body suit, saying that someone gave her drugs to carry. Duran subsequently reached into her underwear and emptied 41 pellets of cocaine, approximately 445 grams, onto the floor.
CBP officers had reason to believe Duran had ingested additional pellets, so she was transported to a medical facility where an additional 68 pellets were discovered inside her body, which also tested positive for cocaine and heroin.
In total, the 109 concealed pellets yielded approximately 2.6 pounds of illicit narcotics, 1075 grams of cocaine and 120 grams of heroin.
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. 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 William A. Ferrara, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is 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.
Everett Man Sentenced for Dealing Firearms Without a LicenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON - An Everett man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for dealing firearms without a license.
Samuel Jean, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Senior Judge Rya W. Zobel to two years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty on March 2, 2017.
On four occasions between Aug. 29, 2016, and Oct. 3, 2016, Jean delivered firearms and ammunition to an accomplice, Jeffrey Joseph, who in turn sold the weapons to an individual cooperating with the government. All of the transactions took place in and around the Bunker Hill Housing Development in Charlestown. During the course of the transactions, Jean supplied a total of seven firearms for sale to the cooperating witness, including two firearms previously reported as stolen.
Jeffrey Joseph pleaded not guilty to federal firearms charges and is awaiting trial.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lori J. Holik, Chief of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit, prosecuted the case.
Dorchester Man Sentenced for Illegally Selling Three FirearmsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with illegal, street-level gun trafficking.
Victor Florentino, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2017, Florentino pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in the business of dealing with firearms without a license.
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.
During the investigation, Florentino was identified as having been actively involved in illegal, street-level, firearms trafficking in the Boston area. He brokered the sale of three handguns to a cooperating witness: an AMT, Backup, 9mm semi-automatic pistol with an obliterated serial number; a Beretta, Model 84B, .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and a JP Sauer & Sohn, .44 Magnum revolver.
Florentino is the 10th defendant to plead guilty.
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.
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.
Dominican National Sentenced for Distributing Kilo of HeroinRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in two separate heroin trafficking rings operating in southeastern Massachusetts.
Francis Gonsalez-Romero, a/k/a Sam, 41, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 84 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Gonsalez-Romero will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence. On Feb. 28, 2017, Gonsalez-Romero pleaded guilty in two separate cases, a 2012 charge for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin, and a 2015 charge for conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
The first indictment was returned on July 9, 2012, and was the product of a federal wiretap investigation. The investigation included the interception of a cellular telephone used by Gonsalez-Romero. Based on the investigation, Gonsalez-Romero supplied significant quantities of heroin to co-defendant Jose Rosa, who arranged for the heroin to be distributed to customers in the Taunton, Mass., area. Gonsalez-Romero’s four co-defendants were arrested in July 2012, but federal investigators were unable to locate Gonsalez-Romero, who remained a fugitive. All four co-defendants pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison terms ranging from three years to 87 months.
The 2015 indictment was the product of a long-term federal investigation that established that Gonsalez-Romero was part of a drug trafficking organization led by his brother, Dedwin Cruz-Rivera. Cruz-Rivera allegedly obtained large quantities of heroin and fentanyl from local drug suppliers, including Gonsalez-Romero and his brother Manuel Romero-Gonsalez, which was distributed in and around Fall River and Providence, R.I.
The investigation culminated with the arrests and charges of Gonsalez-Romero and 24 others in connection with Cruz-Rivera’s heroin trafficking operation; an April 2016 superseding indictment brought the number of defendants charged in the case to 26. More than half of the defendants charged in the Cruz-Rivera operation have pleaded guilty, and nine of the defendants have already been sentenced. Cruz-Rivera pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
Investigators used DNA evidence to confirm Gonsalez-Romero was the same individual charged in the 2012 indictment. Overall, Gonsalez-Romero was responsible for the distribution of more than a kilogram of heroin.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson, Thomas E. Kanwit, Karen Beausey, Ann Taylor, and Linda M. Ricci of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the cases.
Dominican National Charged with Passport FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was charged today in federal court in Boston with passport fraud.
Adolfo Santana Gonzalez, 31, was charged with misuse of a social security number and making a false statement in an application for a United States Passport.
According to the indictment, in November 2016, Santana Gonzalez, using the identification and social security number assigned to another individual, submitted an application for a U.S. passport at a U.S. Post Office in Worcester in that individual’s name.
The charge of passport fraud provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Santana Gonzalez 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 David W. Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office, made the announcement today. U.S. Customs and Border Protection assisted with the investigation. 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.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was charged today in federal court in Boston with a federal immigration crime.
Orlando Genao-Maldonado, 55, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to the indictment, Genao-Maldonado was deported in March 2004. In May 2016, federal agents in Boston discovered Genao-Maldonado and found him to be illegally present in the United States.
Genao-Maldonado 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.
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 Arrested for Trafficking HeroinRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was arrested today for distributing heroin.
Elin Robinson Mejia Romero, 51, a Dominican national residing in Hyde Park, was arrested today and charged by a federal criminal complaint with distribution of heroin.
According to court documents, a cooperating witness worked with investigators to identify Romero. On five occasions between January 2017 and June 2017, Romero sold a total of over 100 grams of heroin and/or fentanyl to the cooperating witness. Federal agents recorded each transaction and laboratory results confirmed that the drugs were heroin and fentanyl. Additional suspected fentanyl and cash were recovered during searches at two residences in Hyde Park.
Romero, was previously convicted in federal court in Boston in 2008 for conspiracy to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin and five kilograms or more of cocaine. He was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison and was deported to the Dominican Republic after completing his sentence.
The charging statute for possession with intent to distribute heroin provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years, up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. Romero 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 Mickey D. Leadingham, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. The case was investigated by the Boston OCDETF Strike Force. Assistance was also provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Leah B. Foley of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Salvadoran National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Salvadoran national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Ronald Ramirez-Escoto, 42, a Salvadoran national residing in Everett, pleaded guilty to illegal reentry after deportation and was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathan M. Gorton to time served and one year of supervised release. Ramirez-Escoto will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
Ramirez-Escoto was previously removed from the United States in April 2012 and December 2012. Most recently, federal authorities encountered Ramirez-Escoto in April 2017, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S.
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 prosecuted the case.
Guatemalan National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Guatemalan national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Manuel Castillo-Coroy, 41, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Patti B. Saris to 10 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Upon completion of this sentence, Castillo-Coroy will again be placed into removal proceedings and deported to Guatemala. Castillo-Coroy pleaded guilty in March 2017.
Federal authorities encountered Castillo-Coroy in September 2016, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S. Castillo-Coroy had previously been deported in July 2013, February 2012, and April 2011.
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 prosecuted the case.
Ex-Wife Arrested for Lying about Former Husband’s Whereabouts during Fugitive InvestigationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The ex-wife of a man who was a fugitive for 20 years until his arrest in April 2017, has been charged with lying about the whereabouts of her former spouse prior to his arrest.
Cecily Sturge, 69, of Delray Beach, Fla., has been charged with making a materially false statement to a federal agent about the whereabouts of her ex-husband, Scott J. Wolas, who had been a fugitive for 20 years in connection with a New York investment scheme until his arrest in April 2017. Wolas has also been charged in federal court in Boston with operating an unrelated fraudulent $1.5 million real estate investment scheme in Quincy, Mass. Sturge is scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Florida today.
According to court documents, a federal investigation into Wolas began in early September 2016 when Wolas fled Massachusetts after defrauding at least 19 investors of about $1.5 million in connection with his purported efforts to develop two Quincy properties, including the site of the former Beachcomber Bar. Sturge was interviewed by law enforcement on Nov. 17, 2016, during which time she stated that her most recent contact with her ex-husband had been about 15 years prior. Sturge maintained her answer, despite evidence of contact between her cell phone and one known to belong to Wolas that demonstrated more recent communication between the two.
After further investigation, Wolas was arrested on April 7, 2017, in a condo he was renting in Delray Beach, Fla. Investigators learned that Wolas had first rented the condo from Nov. 12 through Nov. 21, 2016, through an online rental website in the name of Cecily Sturge. Messages exchanged between the condo owner and Sturge were also discovered, that depicted a photo of Sturge and messages indicating that Wolas (using the name Cameron Sturge) was Sturge’s brother and a retired paleontologist in need of a place to stay. The owner of the condo told authorities that Sturge and Wolas arrived at the condo together in the same car on Nov. 12, 2016, five days before Sturge’s interview with law enforcement.
Sturge was divorced from Wolas in 2001 by default judgment in Palm Beach County, Fla. In February 2017, Sturge filed a petition to modify the judgment in order to obtain the contents of Wolas’ retirement account, which had a balance of approximately $647,000, from the New York law firm where he worked prior to being indicted in 1997 by New York authorities. In pleadings filed in February and March 2017 in that matter, Sturge swore that Wolas’s whereabouts were unknown to her, despite telephone records showing frequent contact between the two. In addition, copies or drafts of documents filed in the Florida proceeding were also found in the room and on a thumb drive taken from the room where Wolas was arrested.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the US sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; 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 Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sandra S. Bower of Weinreb’s Criminal Division and David G. Lazarus and Brendan Mockler of Weinreb’s Civil Division are prosecuting the case.
Dominican National Sentenced for Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegal reentry after deportation.
Joel Perez-Matos, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Perez-Matos, who pleaded guilty in March 2017, will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.
Perez-Matos was deported from the United States in February 2016. Federal authorities encountered Perez-Matos in December 2016, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S.
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 Kelly Begg Lawrence of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Canadian National Sentenced for Multi-Million Dollar Bankruptcy FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canadian man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for concealing $3–$4 million in his bankruptcy filings.
Cyril Gordon Lunn, 69, formerly of Pepperell, Mass., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 18 months in prison and restitution of $6,339. Upon the completion of his sentence, Lunn will face deportation hearings. In January 2017, Lunn pleaded guilty to concealing assets from his bankruptcy creditors and making a false statement under the penalty of perjury in one of his bankruptcy schedules.
From 1985 until 2001, Lunn was the owner of CY Realty Corporation, a construction and land development business in Pepperell. From 1998 to September 2001, Lunn transferred a variety of assets belonging to CY Realty and himself, including $3-$4 million in cash, from the United States to Canada, where he deposited some or all of the funds into safe deposit boxes. In the fall of 2001, Lunn filed for bankruptcy for CY Realty and himself; however, he failed to disclose in either bankruptcy case the asset transfers, including the millions in cash. In addition, Lunn made a false statement in one of his bankruptcy filings by stating that he had closed all safe deposit boxes by September 2001, when in fact, he had failed to disclose a safe deposit box that he had opened at the Granite Bank in New Hampshire, and which he continued to access after the bankruptcy filing.
Lunn’s actions were discovered after he testified about the asset transfers during a 2004 Canadian civil lawsuit. In March 2005, Lunn rented a snowmobile in Maine and fled across the border into Canada where he remained a fugitive until he was extradited from Canada in 2016.
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 U.S. Attorney’s Office received assistance from the U.S. Trustee’s Office in Boston and Worcester. The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark J. Balthazard of Weinreb’s Economic Crimes Unit.
Dominican National Sentenced for Her Role in Heroin and Fentanyl Trafficking RingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for her role in a heroin and fentanyl trafficking ring operating in southeastern Massachusetts.
Maria Elena Ocasio, 57, a Dominican national residing in Providence, R.I., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Ocasio will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. In March 2017, Ocasio pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl.
Ocasio was part of a drug trafficking organization led by her brother, Dedwin Cruz-Rivera. Through use of wiretaps and physical surveillance, the investigation established that Cruz-Rivera obtained large quantities of heroin and fentanyl from local drug suppliers, which he distributed in and around Fall River, Mass., and Providence, R.I. Cruz-Rivera and other co-defendants used Ocasio’s apartment to receive and distribute the heroin. Ocasio also purchased small quantities of heroin for distribution.
The investigation culminated with the arrests and charges of Ocasio and 24 others in connection with Cruz-Rivera’s heroin trafficking operation; an April 2016 superseding indictment brought the number of defendants charged in the case to 26.
More than half of the conspirators charged have pleaded guilty, and eight of the defendants have already been sentenced. Cruz-Rivera pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
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. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson, Thomas E. Kanwit, Karen Beausey and Ann Taylor of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the cases.
Two Arrested for Transporting Nearly Seven Kilos of Cocaine on Commercial FlightRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men were arrested for allegedly trafficking nearly seven kilos of cocaine that were sent from the Dominican Republic to Boston on a commercial airline.
Juan Luis Perez Garcia, 44, a Dominican national residing in Bronx, N.Y., and Juan Artiles Taveras, 43, of Lakewood, N.J., were arrested Friday, June 2, 2017, in Attleboro, Mass., and charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine.
According to court documents, a cooperating witness (CW) worked with investigators to identify members of a narcotics organization based in the Dominican Republic. At a meeting in the Dominican Republic in June 2015, the CW and an undercover officer learned that one of the members of the narcotics organization had contacts who could put drugs on JetBlue flights destined for the United States, but who needed assistance in Boston taking the drugs off the plane. The CW responded that he worked at the airport in Boston and could get the drugs off the aircraft without having them discovered. In July 2015, another member of the drug organization told the CW that he had the ability to smuggle contraband into the United States from the Dominican Republic via JetBlue commercial flights.
It is alleged that in February 2016, the CW spoke with Perez Garcia about arranging for cocaine to be put on a plane in the Dominican Republic for delivery to the CW in Boston. On June 2, 2017, arrangements were allegedly made for a suitcase containing cocaine to arrive on a JetBlue flight from the Dominican Republic to Boston. When the flight arrived in Boston, federal agents intercepted the suitcase and field-tested its contents which yielded a positive result for cocaine and weighed nearly seven kilos. On the evening of June 2, 2017, Perez Garcia and Artiles Taveras met the CW and undercover officer at a parking lot in Attleboro, Mass., to exchange money for the drugs. Federal agents placed the two men under arrest.
The charging statute for possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to a lifetime in prison, up to five years 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; Matthew J. Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Stephen A. Marks, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection and the Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Guatemalan National Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Guatemalan national pleaded guilty and was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for a federal immigration crime.
Hirain Dermin Robles-Gomez, 44, a Guatemalan national residing in Lynn, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock, who sentenced Robles-Gomez to time served of approximately three months. Robles-Gomez will be subject to deportation.
In June 1996, Robles-Gomez was deported from the United States. Federal authorities encountered Robles-Gomez in Middleton, Mass., in December 2016, and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S.
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 David G. Tobin of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Lowell Man Indicted for Passport FraudRead the Press Release
Boston – A Lowell man was indicted yesterday in federal court in Boston for passport fraud.
Jairus Devarie, 41, was indicted on one count of making false statements in a passport application. It is alleged that in November 2016, Devarie submitted an application for a U.S. passport and that during an interview with federal agents regarding the pending application, Devarie admitted that he submitted the application on behalf of another person.
The passport fraud charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb and David W. Hall, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Diplomatic Security, Boston Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Robert Richardson 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 Pleads Guilty to Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to illegal reentry after deportation.
Jimmy Jonathan Sanchez-Moreta, 40, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for Sept. 12, 2017. In April 2013, Sanchez-Moreta was deported from the United States. Federal authorities encountered Sanchez-Moreta in January 2015 and determined him to be unlawfully present in the U.S.
Sanchez-Moreta faces a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. He is 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.
Dominican National Pleads Guilty to Heroin and Fentanyl ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican national pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to supplying heroin and fentanyl to traffickers in Taunton and surrounding communities.
Jonathan Ruiz, 33, a Dominican national residing in Lawrence, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. has not yet scheduled sentencing.
In April 2016, Ruiz was arrested and charged in a superseding indictment along with 25 others, who had been charged the previous October, in connection with a heroin trafficking ring operating primarily in southeastern Massachusetts. Ruiz trafficked in narcotics from Lawrence, supplying distributers in Taunton, Fall River and other locations. The charges are the result of a 15-month investigation into heroin and fentanyl trafficking in Taunton and surrounding communities, which have seen a steep increase in overdoses and related deaths since 2013.
Ruiz and co-defendants, Dedwin Cruz-Rivera, a heroin supplier based in Taunton, Manuel Romero-Gonsalez, a heroin supplier based in Providence, R.I., and Eric Matos, a heroin and fentanyl supplier based in Lawrence, supplied co-conspirators, Oniel Rivera, Cory Nickerson, and Maria Elena Ocasio, among others, with heroin and occasionally fentanyl for distribution. Ruiz also supplied fentanyl and heroin to Cruz-Rivera.
More than half of the conspirators charged have pleaded guilty, including Matos, Ocasio, and Nickerson, whose sentencings are scheduled throughout June 2017; and eight of the defendants have already been sentenced, including Romero-Gonsalez. Cruz-Rivera pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute heroin and fentanyl 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. Ruiz 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 Michael J. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Thomas E. Kanwit, Karen Beausey, Katherine Ferguson and Ann Taylor of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the cases.
Dominican National Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Dominican national was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Rafael Tejeda, 54, was deported in April 2013, and in May 2017, federal agents in Boston discovered Tejeda and found him to be illegally present in the United States.
Tejeda 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 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 charged yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston with a federal immigration crime.
Manuel Bienvenido Pimentel-Pimentel, 54, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after being deported. Pimentel-Pimentel was deported in August 2010, and in May 2017, federal agents discovered Pimentel-Pimentel and found him to be illegally present in the United States.
Pimentel-Pimentel faces a sentence of no greater than two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. He will also 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 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 charged yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Sandy Saul Pena, 35, was deported in February 2012, and in December 2016, federal agents in Boston discovered Pena and found him to be illegally present in the United States.
Pena faces a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. He will also 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 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 charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with a federal immigration crime.
Victor Melo, 49, a Dominican national residing in Boston, was charged with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
According to the indictment, Melo was deported in March 1991 for unlawfully entering the United States. In May 2017, federal agents in Boston discovered Melo and found him to be again illegally present in the United States.
The charge of illegal reentry after deportation provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Melo 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.
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 Charged with Illegal Reentry After DeportationRead the Press Release
BOSTON - A Brazilian national was charged yesterday in federal court in Boston with illegally reentering the United States after being deported.
Henrique Ortmayer, 23, a Brazilian national residing in Boston, was encountered by police in April 2017 and arrested on open state warrants. Ortmayer’s fingerprints revealed he was in the United States illegally and had been previously deported in November 2015.
The charge of illegal reentry after deportation provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Ortmayer 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. The Danvers Police Department assisted with the investigation. 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.
Taunton Man Sentenced for Heroin DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for heroin distribution.
Nathan Pinho, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In October 2016, Pinho pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
In August 2015, Pinho was arrested on state firearm and drug charges, and was accused of shooting six times at victims in a car in Taunton. Despite his arrest, Pinho began writing to his girlfriend, Adrianna Gerardi, from jail, instructing her to continue distributing heroin on his behalf. He directed her on how to obtain the drugs, how much to pay for them, how much to cut the product, and how much to charge. Pinho also wrote to Adilson Teixeira, his heroin supplier, thanking Teixeira for helping him and Gerardi.
Pinho’s letters were intercepted by authorities and used to conduct an undercover investigation. An undercover officer made controlled heroin purchases from Gerardi on five different occasions in December 2015 and January 2016. The operation culminated with the arrests of Pinho, Gerardi, and Teixeira on federal drug conspiracy charges in April 2016.
Gerardi pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years of probation, to commence after her release from state custody. Teixeira pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 41 months in prison and three years of supervised release.
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. The Taunton and Fall River Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Heinrich of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to drug and firearm charges.
Melvin Difo, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, heroin, and oxycodone; one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone; and one count of possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6, 2017.
In the fall of 2015, federal investigators learned that Difo was receiving oxycodone from a supplier. Investigators arranged to have two sources make numerous controlled purchases of narcotics from Difo. In August 2016, two federal search warrants were executed, one at Difo’s home where a firearm was recovered, and one at his business, where approximately 40 grams of heroin, 100 grams of cocaine, and 860 oxycodone pills were recovered.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 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. The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to five years of supervised release, and a fine of $1 million. The firearm charge provides for a sentence of no greater than 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
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. The Massachusetts State Police and Lawrence Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric Rosen of Weinreb’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.