District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy Appoints District Election OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy has appointed a District Election Officer who will oversee the efforts of his Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming Nov. 5, 2024 general election.
Assistant United States Attorney Lucy Sun has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Massachusetts, responsible for overseeing the handling of election day criminal complaints, threats of violence to election officials or staff and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department Headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be able to vote without fear, intimidation or interference and to have that vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to serve without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will always work tirelessly to protect the integrity of the election process,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Levy.
The Department of Justice has an important role in deterring and combatting discrimination and intimidation at the polls, threats of violence directed at election officials and poll workers and election fraud. The Department will address these violations wherever they occur. The Department’s longstanding Election Day Program furthers these goals and also seeks to ensure public confidence in the electoral process by providing local points of contact within the Department for the public to report possible federal election law violations.
Federal law protects against such crimes as threatening violence against election officials or staff, intimidating or bribing voters, buying and selling votes, impersonating voters, altering vote tallies, stuffing ballot boxes and marking ballots for voters against their wishes or without their input. It also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, including intimidation, and other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act also protects the right of voters to mark their own ballot or to be assisted by a person of their choice (where voters need assistance because of disability or inability to read or write in English).
The public can direct concerns or complaints of election fraud, threats, intimidation and voting rights concerns during the upcoming election to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Boston at (833) 634-8669.
In addition, the FBI will have Special Agents available in each field office and resident agency throughout the country to receive allegations of election fraud and other election abuses on election day. The local FBI field office can be reached by the public at 857-386-2000.
Complaints about possible violations of the federal voting rights laws can also be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ or by phone at 800-253-3931.
In the case of a crime of violence or intimidation, please call 911 immediately and before contacting federal authorities. State and local police have primary jurisdiction over polling places, and almost always have faster reaction capacity in an emergency.
pacity in an emergency."Booker" for High-End Brothel Network Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dedham, Mass., man who served primarily as the “booker” for an interstate prostitution network that operated sophisticated high-end brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. District Court in Boston.
Junmyung Lee, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice, and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution; and one count of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Julia E. Kobick scheduled sentencing for Feb. 12, 2025. Junmyung Lee was arrested and charged in November 2023 with co-defendants Han Lee, 42, of Cambridge, Mass. and James Lee, 69, of Torrance, Calif. The defendants were subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in February 2024. Han Lee pleaded guilty on Sept. 27, 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 20, 2024.From at least January 2022 through and including November 2023, Junmyung Lee knowingly conspired with Han Lee and, allegedly, James Lee to operate an interstate prostitution network with multiple brothels in greater Boston and eastern Virginia designed to entice women to travel interstate to engage in prostitution. Junmyung Lee and his alleged co-conspirators also knowingly conspired with one another, and others, to launder the proceeds of the prostitution network by concealing that the money was derived the prostitution conspiracy.
Junmyung Lee was recruited to work for the prostitution network in approximately late 2021 through early 2022, as the business expanded. His main role in the conspiracy was that of the appointment “booker” and assisted with various tasks to maintain the prostitution network. In exchange, Han Lee paid Junmyung Lee $6,000-$8,000 per month.
As “booker,” Junmyung Lee was responsible for vetting sex buyers, booking appointments, as well as communicating directly with vetted customers via at least two cell phones – for Massachusetts and for Virginia, respectively. These brothel cell phones each contained over 2,800 verified customers of the prostitution business. An additional known cell phone containing additional contacts for the Virginia brothel was never recovered. Junmyung Lee also helped transport women to and from the airport, with some women working at the brothel locations on multiple occasions and in multiple states.
The defendants allegedly rented high-end apartments in Massachusetts and Virginia to serve as brothel locations, which they furnished and regularly maintained. In June 2022, Junmyung Lee leased one of the brothel locations in Cambridge, Mass. under his own name. In exchange for the lease, Junmyung Lee received a large cash payment of prostitution proceeds from Han Lee. A portion of the cash payment went towards the purchase of a Corvette.
Additionally, Junmyung Lee collected the cash proceeds from the various brothel locations at the direction of Han Lee. Junmyung Lee would then conceal the proceeds via structured deposits into personal bank accounts. Additionally, it is alleged that the defendants regularly used hundreds of thousands of dollars of the cash proceeds from the prostitution business to purchase money orders (in values under an amount that would trigger reporting and identification requirements) to conceal the source of the funds. These money orders were then used to pay for rent and utilities at the brothel locations.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should contact [email protected].
The charge of conspiracy to persuade, induce, entice and coerce one or more individuals to travel in interstate or foreign commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $500,000 fine or twice the value of funds laundered, whatever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Central District of California and the Eastern District of Virginia; the U.S. Postal Service; and Watertown Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lindsey E. Weinstein of the Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Raquelle Kaye, of the Asset Recovery Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.Two Men Plead Guilty to Trafficking More Than Two Dozen Illegal Firearms into BostonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two men have pleaded guilty to conspiring to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Boston.
Aizavier Roache, 30, of Boston, and Trevon Brunson, 31, of Columbia, S.C., pleaded guilty to one count each of firearms trafficking and conspiracy to do so. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencings for Feb. 6, 2025 and Feb. 11, 2025, respectively.
According to the charging documents, this case arose after a firearm recovered from a shooting in Boston was identified as having been purchased in South Carolina 15 days prior. Over a three-year period, Brunson and Roache conspired to traffic dozens of illegal firearms from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Specifically, Roache would text Brunson photos of the firearms he wanted. After purchasing the firearms in South Carolina, Brunson would meet Roache at different locations in Columbia, S.C. to transfer the firearms. Roache traveled between Massachusetts and South Carolina numerous times to obtain the firearms.
Numerous text messages as well as bank, travel and firearm records detailed the conspiracy. Intercepted communications uncovered an instance were Brunson used Roache’s credit card to complete a multi-gun purchase because he didn’t have enough cash on hand, with Roache texting Brunson the pin number for the card during the transaction. Additionally, a video recovered from Roache’s phone depicts him on a bus showing off a carry-on bag that contained four firearms. The date of the video corresponds with Roache’s trip back to Massachusetts after a multi-gun purchase in April of 2023.
In total, the defendants trafficked more than 24 illegal firearms into Massachusetts from South Carolina. Eleven of the trafficked firearms were recovered in Massachusetts after being used in a crime.
The charge of firearms trafficking provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Lawrence Man Pleads Guilty to Distribution FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to distributing fentanyl.
George Jimenez, 31, pleaded guilty to distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Feb. 5, 2025. Jimenez was initially charged by criminal complaint in October 2023.
On Sept. 27, 2022, Jimenez sold 99 grams of fentanyl to a cooperating witness in Methuen which was captured on video by a recording device.
The charge of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of the Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN..
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Founder of Cryptocurrency Financial Services Firm “MyTrade” Pleads Guilty to Market Manipulation and Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The founder and primary operator of “MyTrade,” a financial services firm known in the cryptocurrency industry as a “market maker,” pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston for his role in a wide-ranging conspiracy to manipulate cryptocurrency markets on behalf of client cryptocurrency companies.
Liu Zhou, 39, of China and Canada, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2025.
MyTrade provided financial services to cryptocurrency clients through its “MyTrade MM” website and online application. Those services included the wash trading of client cryptocurrencies across multiple cryptocurrency exchanges. Wash trading occurs when a single trader, or a number of traders working in coordination, buy and sell the same asset repeatedly in order to mislead the market by artificially inflating the trading volume or price of the asset via trades that have no lawful commercial purpose. Wash trading is a form of fraud intended to stimulate interest in an asset and is specifically prohibited by the securities laws. MyTrade MM’s clients had access to a dashboard available through MyTrade MM’s website that allowed clients to specify the desired amount of daily wash trades—a service described as “Volume Support”—on identified cryptocurrency exchanges. MyTrade MM used computer programs known as “bots” to generate the fraudulent wash trades for clients.
MyTrade MM’s unlawful wash trading service was identified through an undercover law enforcement operation. The investigation included the creation of NexFundAI, a purported cryptocurrency company that had a website (https://nexfundai.com) and an Ethereum-based token that traded on the Uniswap cryptocurrency exchange before being disabled by law enforcement.
In discussions with purported NexFundAI promoters, Zhou described how MyTrade MM “does self-trades - a buy and a sell in the same second,” and that its volume bot can be used to execute “pump and dumps.” Zhou also described the “objective” as finding “other buyers from the community, people you don’t know about or don’t care about” because “we have to make [the other buyers] lose money in order to make profit.” As of Oct. 1, 2024, MyTrade MM was providing the “volume support” function – which consisted of wash trades made by trading bots – to dozens of clients.
As part of Zhou’s plea, MyTrade MM was required to cease providing “Volume Support” services and to permanently deactivate its wash trading bots, which had been responsible for millions of dollars’ worth of daily wash trades for approximately 60 different cryptocurrencies. MyTrade MM was also required to add the following disclaimer to its website: “Volume support is a form of wash trading and illegal under the laws of the United States.”
The charge of conspiracy to commit market manipulation and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $250,000 to twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and David M. Holcomb of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Florida Company Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida company, and two individuals associated with the company, have pleaded guilty to charges associated with shipping facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators, and price gouging hospitals, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
JDM Supply LLC (JDM) pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Daniel Motha, 40, of Miami, Fla., and Jeffrey Motha, 36, of Norfolk, Mass., also pleaded guilty to one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce and one count of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act. U.S. District Court Judge Myong J. Joun scheduled sentencing for Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha on March 4, 2025 and JDM on March 25, 2025. In August 2023, a third individual, Jason Colantuoni of Norfolk, Mass, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging in connection with this investigation.
In the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic, JDM and a company identified as “Company 1” conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. One hospital accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by Company 1 and sold by JDM. Ultimately, the hospital did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to Company 1. JDM misled the hospital into believing that the Company 1 masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not.
In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the Company 1 masks that had been shipped to the hospital. The masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency, thus falling below the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.
Daniel Motha and Jeff Motha conspired to use JDM to exploit and profit off of the critical need of hospitals and healthcare workers for scarce N95 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. They accumulated N95 masks from various sources and then sold the N95 masks through JDM to hospitals in Massachusetts, and elsewhere, at prices in excess of the prevailing market price.
The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead, brought against JDM, provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation. The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. The charge of conspiracy to commit price gouging in violation of the Defense Production Act provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of up to $10,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.
Covetrus Agrees to Pay $1,125,000 for Failing to Adequately Address Suspicious Opioid Orders and for Inadequate Recordkeeping PracticesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office has reached a $1,125,000 settlement with Covetrus North America, LLC (Covetrus NA) to resolve allegations that it violated the Controlled Substances Act and related regulations. Covetrus NA, headquartered in Portland, Maine, is a company that distributes veterinary medicine to customers worldwide.
Under the settlement, Covetrus NA admitted that, from March 29, 2016 through June 18, 2019, its internal suspicious order monitoring system (SOM) flagged 35 opioid orders from a veterinary office in West Barnstable, Mass. (Veterinary Office) as suspicious. Covetrus NA released each of the suspicious orders and sent them to the Veterinary Office. Following a request from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Covetrus NA provided inadequate documentation to justify its decision to release the orders.
Melissa Paradise, an employee of the Veterinary Office, was charged and convicted in U.S. District Court in Boston and was sentenced in June 2022 after admitting that she diverted drugs from the orders for her own personal use. Covetrus NA also admitted that, in March 2018, an order of hydrocodone-homatropine was lost in-transit to the Veterinary Office and that Covetrus NA failed to notify the DEA of the lost controlled substances. From January 2015 through July 2023 Covetrus NA also failed to properly review the most recent information made available in ARCOS (an automated, comprehensive drug reporting system which monitors controlled substances from their point of manufacture through distribution) as required by the Controlled Substances Act (the Act).
The Act regulates the manufacturing, purchasing, distribution and maintenance of certain controlled substances. The Act and related regulations required Covetrus NA to keep records and follow security protocols for its controlled substances, including reporting suspicious orders or theft and significant loss of controlled substances. Failure to maintain effective controls against diversion of controlled substances, including opioids, violates the Act. Additionally, registered distributors of opioids, like Covetrus NA, are required to review quarterly information provided by ARCOS, and to keep an accurate record of each controlled substance and how it was used or where it went. Federal and state law enforcement rely on ARCOS data to help prevent diversion of controlled substances.
“The struggle to bring the scourge of the opioid epidemic under control requires a multi prong approach. In addition to traditional law enforcement efforts, preventing the diversion of lawfully manufactured opioids is also critical. Drug distributors have an obligation to handle controlled substances responsibly, including maintaining complete and accurate records, and diligently investigating suspicious orders of controlled substances,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “As this resolution demonstrates we not only prosecute individuals who divert controlled substances, but we will hold opioid distributors accountable for their failure to comply with important regulations.”
“DEA registrants are responsible for handling-controlled substances responsibly and ensuring that complete and accurate records are being properly kept and accounted for in compliance with the Controlled Substance Act,” said Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. We are committed to working with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure that these rules and regulations are followed.”
As part of the settlement, Covetrus NA will enter into a one-year Memorandum of Agreement (“MOA”) with the DEA. The MOA requires Covetrus NA to continue improving its SOM system and allows the DEA to freely inspect and monitor Covetrus NA’s SOM system, employee training and overall compliance with all federal, state and local controlled substance statutes and regulations.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Stephen P. Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Julien M. Mundele of the Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit handled the case.
Chicago-Area Rap Promotor Sentenced to Nearly Three Years in Prison for Role in Nationwide Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicago-area man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield, Mass. for his role in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that victimized businesses and individuals across the United States.
Antonio M. Strong, 32, of Orland Park, Ill., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 34 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Strong was also ordered to forfeit $2,159,874 and pay restitution in the amount of $2,159,873. In May 2024, Strong pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and four counts of wire fraud.
Strong was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2020 along with five co-defendants, including rap artist Herbert Wright, Joseph Williams and Demario Sorrells
Between at least March 2016 and September 2020, Strong conspired with Wright, Sorrells, Williams, and allegedly, others to defraud numerous businesses and individuals by obtaining and using unauthorized and stolen payment card account information to obtain valuable goods and services, including: private jet and yacht charters; luxury car rentals; luxury hotel and vacation rental accommodations; private chef and security guard services; designer puppies; limousine and chauffer services; and commercial airline flights, among other things. During this time, Strong presented himself as a music promoter based in the Chicago area.
The stolen payment card account information included the actual cardholders’ names, addresses, payment card account numbers, security codes and account expiration dates. Because Strong and his alleged co-conspirators provided authentic payment card information, the defrauded businesses and individuals successfully processed their transactions and provided the goods and services. The actual cardholders discovered these transactions on their accounts and disputed the charges, which were reversed by the payment card companies. As a result, the transactions were charged back to the businesses and individuals from whom Strong and his co-conspirators defrauded with the unauthorized transactions.
To conceal his identity and perpetrate the fraud, Strong used various fictitious names and aliases; provided fake driver’s licenses in the names of both fictitious and real people; used email accounts in the names of fictitious and real businesses; and falsely stated that he was from “Universal Music,” “Sony Music,” “Epic Music,” and other real and fictitious companies. Strong caused a total loss of $2,299,842, which he has agreed to repay.
In January 2024, Wright was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $139,968 after previously pleading guilty. Sorrells pleaded guilty and in August 2024, was sentenced to three years of probation and oredered to pay $106,000 in restitution and $106,000 in forfeiture. In March 2024, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and in August 2024 was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $155,392 and forfeiture of $102,116. Terrence Bender is scheduled to plead guilty next month. The remaining defendant, Steven Hayes, Jr. is pending trial.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Nicole M. Argentieri of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; and Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Secret Service, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of the Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorneys Andrew Tyler and Kyle Crawford of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Boston Woman Pleads Guilty to Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan, Mass. and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Mass.
Myesha Lewis, 22, pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Feb. 10, 2025. In May 2023, Lewis was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendant Kenneth Demoshane.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 23 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and surrounding cities and towns. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers. Additionally, of these 23 incidents, 15 of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Lewis and Demosthene forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. The force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Lewis and Demosthene then fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park, Lewis and Demosthene robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Lewis and Demosthene then attempted to cut it with the knife, eventually breaking it loose and fleeing the scene on foot.
In October 2024, Demosthene was sentenced to three years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
The charges of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States each provide for a sentence of up to 25 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charges of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Trillium Capital Manager Sentenced to Federal Prison for Securities Fraud Scheme Involving Getty ImagesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Mashpee man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to artificially inflate the trading price of Getty Images Holdings, Inc. (Getty Images) and attempting to cover up the scheme.
Robert Scott Murray, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 10 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Murray was also ordered to pay forfeiture in the amount of $227,543. In June 2024, Murray pleaded guilty to one count of securities fraud.
Murray was a long-time investor who previously served as the Chief Executive Officer of multiple public companies, including Stream Global Services and 3Com. In 2023, Murray was the owner and manager of Trillium Capital LLC (Trillium Capital), a venture investment company located in Massachusetts. Between October 2022 and April 2023, Murray bought approximately 300,000 shares, as well as other options contracts, for shares in Getty Images, a visual media company publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GETY. Murray then attempted to use Trillium Capital to pressure Getty Images to change its business strategy and to add Murray to Getty Images’ board of directors.
When those efforts failed, Murray used Trillium Capital to launch a fake takeover bid of Getty Images for the purposes of driving up the trading price of Getty Images’ stock so that Murray could sell the shares he owned at the artificially inflated price. On Friday, April 21, 2023, GETY shares closed at a trading price of $5.06 per share. On Monday, April 24, 2023, prior to the market opening, Murray caused the publication of a press release in which Trillium Capital made a proposal to acquire Getty Images for “$10 per share.” When the market opened, GETY shares traded at $7.88 per share, nearly 56 percent above the prior closing price. Murray then sold all the GETY shares he owned within less than one hour for approximately $1,486,467. Through this scheme, Murray was able to sell the GETY shares he owned for $227,543 above the fair market price of those shares.
Murray then attempted conceal the scheme by making public false statements and obstructing the investigation. On April 24, 2024, after selling his shares, Murray interviewed with news outlets where he continued to portray the fake offer by Trillium Capital to purchase a controlling stake in Getty Images as “genuine.” Murray also privately directed an acquaintance to obstruct the investigation by destroying evidence and making false statements in response to a subpoena. For example, Murray instructed the acquaintance to delete Murray’s text messages and stated that the texts were “like virginity, once you delete your virginity you ain’t getting it back.” Murray later lied to federal agents about his communications with the acquaintance.
The Securities and Exchange Commission filed a civil complaint against Murray alleging violations of the securities laws.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division made the announcement. The Securities and Exchange Commission provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Conspiracy and Structuring Cash TransactionsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man pleaded guilty yesterday to a drug conspiracy involving the distribution of oxycodone pills across Southeastern Massachusetts and beyond.
Christan Russell, 33, of Tomball, Texas pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills and structuring cash transactions. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 5, 2025. Russell was indicted by a federal grand jury in August 2023 along with five co-conspirators. As part of his plea, Russell agreed to forfeit $860,833.00; four firearms and four bank accounts.
Between approximately February 2023 and July 2023, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to co-conspirator Kenneth Veiga, who then redistributed those oxycodone pills to Austin Gonsalves and John Campbell. Russell obtained these pills from a variety of sources in the Houston, Texas area. On March 13, 2023, Russell traveled from Houston to Boston to meet with Veiga. Russell met with Veiga in a hotel room in Rhode Island that Russell had rented. During that meeting, Russell supplied oxycodone pills to Veiga, and Veiga provided cash in exchange. On March 14, 2023, the defendant engaged in four structured cash deposits at ATMs in the Boston area. For each of these deposits, the defendant orchestrated the deposit to be less than $10,000 in an attempt to evade the bank from reporting the deposit to the Internal Revenue Service.
Veiga pleaded guilty and in July 2024, was sentenced to 60 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. Gonsalves pleaded guilty and in May 2024 was sentenced to 41 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. Campbell pleaded guilty in September 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 15, 2025.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances and to possess with intent to distribute oxycodone pills provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of structuring cash transactions provides for a sentence of five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division,, made the announcement today. Special assistance was provided by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives; U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service; Barnstable County Sheriff’s Office; and the Barnstable, Dennis, Bourne, Mashpee, Yarmouth, Sandwich and Falmouth Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy, and Samuel R. Feldman of the Criminal Division and Alexandra Amrhein of the Asset Forfeiture Unit are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.
Paving Contractor Pleads Guilty to Tax EvasionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of a paving company doing business north of Boston pleaded guilty yesterday to a multi-year income tax evasion scheme.
Richard Cooper, 71, of Billerica, pleaded guilty to four counts of tax evasion. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled Cooper’s sentencing for Jan. 30, 2024. Cooper was charged in September 2024.
From 2017 to 2020, in addition to depositing customer payments to his company, Rick Cooper Paving, Cooper also cashed over $4.3 million in customer checks. When Cooper had his taxes prepared, he did not tell his preparer about the checks he was cashing, resulting in his tax returns underreporting the gross receipts of the business by millions. As a result, Cooper kept over $1 million that he should have paid in federal and state income taxes.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil, Deputy Chief of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, prosecuted the case.
Man Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced for Exposing Himself on an AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Indian man, arrested last week for masturbating and exposing himself on a flight within the view of two other passengers, has pleaded guilty and was sentenced.
Krishna Kunapuli, 39, pleaded guilty on Oct. 24, 2024 to one count of committing lewd, indecent, or obscene acts on an aircraft. Kunapuli was also sentenced by U.S. Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy to two years of probation and a $5,000 fine. He was also ordered to delete, in the presence of law enforcement, photographs that he took of a female passenger during the flight and to have no contact with her.
According to the charging documents, Kunapuli made unwanted sexual advances towards a female passenger on board a flight from Abu Dhabi to Boston, including touching her hair and taking pictures of her without her permission. After a crew member intervened, Kunapuli returned to his seat.
Later in the flight, two male passengers seated near Kunapuli noticed Kunapuli masturbating under a blanket and, at times, with his penis fully exposed. One of the passengers reported this conduct to a flight attendant, who intervened, and alerted law enforcement.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
California Company Charged with Conspiring to Sell Misbranded N95 Masks to Hospital in Early Months of COVID-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California company, and three individuals who owned and managed the company, have been charged and have agreed to plead guilty to charges relating to the shipment of facemasks that were misbranded as N95 respirators during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.
Advoque Safeguard LLC (ASG) was charged with one count of conspiracy to introduce misbranded devices into interstate commerce with intent to defraud or mislead, in violation of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. Jason Azevedo, 33, of Cedar Creek, Texas; Paul Shrater, 51, of Simi Valley, Calif.; and Andrew Stack, 52, of Santa Cruz, Calif., were charged with one count of introduction of misbranded devices into interstate commerce. Plea hearings have not yet been scheduled by the Court.
Earlier this month, a second company, JDM Supply LLC (JDM), and two individuals, Daniel Motha and Jeffrey Motha, were charged and agreed to plead guilty in connection with this investigation. In addition, in August 2023, another individual, Jason Colantuoni, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit price gouging.
According to the charging documents, in the spring of 2020, during the earliest phase of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, ASG and JDM conspired to ship facemasks that were misbranded as National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)-approved, N95 respirators. It is alleged that one hospital, identified as “HOSPITAL 1,” accepted and paid for hundreds of thousands of purported N95 masks that were manufactured by ASG and sold to HOSPITAL 1 by JDM. (HOSPITAL 1 did not use the masks, which were eventually returned to ASG.) It is further alleged that ASG and JDM misled the hospital into believing that the ASG masks were NIOSH-approved N95s, when in fact they were not. In August 2020, a NIOSH lab tested a sample of the ASG masks that had been shipped to HOSPITAL 1. All 10 ASG masks tested between 83.94% and 93.24% filtration efficiency, and thus fell under the 95% minimum level of filtration efficiency required for N95 respirators.
The charge of conspiracy to introduce or deliver for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device with intent to defraud or mislead provides for a fine of $500,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, whichever is greater and up to five years of probation. The charge of introduction or delivery for introduction into interstate commerce a misbranded device provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison; up to one year of supervised release; and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael J. Krol, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Bill Brady and Howard Locker of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by augmenting and incorporating existing coordination mechanisms, identifying resources and techniques to uncover fraudulent actors and their schemes, and sharing and harnessing information and insights gained from prior enforcement efforts. For more information on the department’s response to the pandemic, please visit https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus and https://www.justice.gov/coronavirus/combatingfraud.
Anyone with information about allegations of attempted fraud involving COVID-19 can report it by calling the Department of Justice’s National Center for Disaster Fraud Hotline via the NCDF Web Complaint Form.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.
Owner of Boston Pizzeria Chain Sentenced to More than Eight Years in Prison for Forced LaborRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The owner of Stash’s Pizza, a pizzeria chain in Massachusetts, was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 for forced labor charges. The defendant forced or attempted to force six victims to work for him and comply with excessive workplace demands through violent physical abuse; threats of violence and serious harm; and repeated threats to report the victims to immigration authorities for deportation.
Stavros Papantoniadis, a/k/a “Steve Papantoniadis,” 49, of Westwood, Mass., was sentenced by Chief U.S. District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 102 months in prison, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay a $35,000 fine. At a jury trial in June 2024, Papantoniadis was convicted of three counts of forced labor and three counts of attempted forced labor. Papantoniadis has remained in custody since his arrest on March 16, 2023.
“Labor trafficking exploits the vulnerable through fear and intimidation, all in pursuit of the almighty buck. That is what Stavros Papantoniadis did when he violated the rights of the people working in his restaurants. He deliberately hired foreign nationals who lacked authorization to work in the United States and then turned their lack of immigration status against them, threatening them with deportation and violence to keep them under his control,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “I commend the bravery of the victims here for speaking out and taking a stand against their trafficker. I hope that their strength to speak out sends a message to others whose rights are being abused that the federal government will not tolerate labor trafficking. The stiff sentence imposed on Mr. Papantoniadis demonstrates that there are grave consequences for employers who engage in this type of conduct.”
“Stavros Papantoniadis exploited and abused his employees, denying them the basic dignity every person deserves. Today’s significant sentence sends a message to employers — employees deserve to work in safety, free from harassment and abuse and exploitative employers will be held to account,” said Special Agent in Charge Michael J. Krol for Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “Labor exploitation targets the disenfranchised in our society but we want employees to know that they have a voice and HSI is working with our partners to uphold and enforce labor laws.”
“Stavros Papantoniadis used threats of arrest, deportation, reprisals, and physical violence to ensure his employees worked for wages lower than required by the Fair Labor Standards Act. Today’s sentencing affirms the Office of Inspector General’s commitment to work with our law enforcement and Wage and Hour Division partners to aggressively investigate labor trafficking by individuals who enrich themselves through coercion or force,” said Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent-in-Charge, Northeast Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
Papantoniadis forced or attempted to force five men and one woman to work for him through violent physical abuse, threats of abuse, and repeated threats to report victims to immigration authorities to have them deported. Papantoniadis thinly staffed his pizza shops, and purposely employed workers without immigration status to work behind the scenes, for 14 or more hours per day and as many as seven days per week. To maintain control of those undocumented workers, he made them believe that he would physically harm them or have them deported. He monitored the workers with surveillance cameras, which he accessed from his cell phone, and constantly demeaned, insulted and harassed them. When Papantoniadis learned that one victim planned to quit, he violently choked him, causing that victim to flee the pizza shop and run to safety in the parking lot. When other victims separately expressed their intentions to quit, Papantoniadis told one victim that he would kill him and call immigration authorities; and he threatened another worker by telling him he knew where the victim lived. When another worker tried to leave and drive away from one of Papantoniadis’ pizza shops, Papantoniadis chased the victim down Route 1 in Norwood, Mass., and falsely reported the victim to the local police in an effort to pressure the victim to return to work at the pizza shop.
Papantoniadis is the owner and operator of Stash’s Pizza, a chain of pizzerias with locations in Dorchester and Roslindale, and previously had pizzerias in Norwood, Norwell, Randolph (d/b/a Boston Pizza Company), Weymouth (d/b/a Pacini’s Italian Eatery), and Wareham, Mass.
Members of the public who believe they are a victim of labor trafficking or have information about labor trafficking, please call 888-221-6023, Option 5 or send an email with contact information to [email protected].
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy, HSI SAC Krol and DOL-OIG SAC Mellone made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, the Boston Police Department, and the Norwood Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy E. Moran, Chief of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit, and Brian A. Fogerty of the Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit prosecuted the case.
Chicopee Man Sentenced to over 12 Years in Prison for Robbing and Assaulting a Confidential InformantRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 in federal court in Springfield for robbing and assaulting a confidential informant using a firearm.
Hector Laureano, 38, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 147 months in prison, to be followed by five years of supervised release. In July 2024, Laureano pleaded guilty to one count of assaulting with a dangerous weapon a person assisting an officer or employee of the United States in performance of official duties; one count of brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence; and one count of robbery of money of the United States. Laureano was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2023.
On May 4, 2023, Laureano intentionally assaulted a confidential informant performing official duties. Laureano allegedly used of a Cobra Model .380 caliber pistol to rob a confidential informant of $1,400 belonging to the United States.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of the Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
Braintree Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Money Laundering ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced on Oct. 25, 2024 in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking and money laundering. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
Patrick O’Hearn, 64, of Braintree was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 15 years in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In March 2024, O’Hearn pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine, as well as one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of money laundering.
O’Hearn was charged along with 10 others in September 2021 in a 15 count superseding indictment.
O’Hearn was part of a large-scale methamphetamine distribution network that distributed significant quantities of pure methamphetamine throughout New England. The investigation began in late 2020, when O’Hearn’s methamphetamine supplier Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. O’Hearn was subsequently identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular large-scale distributors who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it throughout the Boston area. Bank records indicated that O’Hearn paid Alkayisi at least $100,000 between January and July 2021. O’Hearn also purchased over $465,000 worth of methamphetamine from Alkayisi between January and May 2021.
O’Hearn conspired with Alkayisi to launder their drug proceeds. As part of that money laundering conspiracy, Alkayisi used O’Hearn’s residence as the address for his shell company that he used to launder drug proceeds.
In July 2021, O’Hearn was arrested and over 680 grams of pure methamphetamine was seized, as well as small quantities of cocaine, ketamine, MDMA and other controlled substances from O’Hearn’s residence. Over $213,000 in cash was also found in O’Hearn’s residence and in bank safe deposit boxes.
Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in September 2024 sentenced to 23 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. O’Hearn is the 10th defendant to be sentenced in the case. The remaining defendant has pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Stoughton Man Sentenced to 14 Years in Prison for Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking charges. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
James Holyoke, 43, of Stoughton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 14 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release. In August 2022, Holyoke pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 500 grams of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine, as well as to six counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine.
Holyoke was charged along with seven others in July 2021 and was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added an additional three defendants in September 2021. Holyoke was arrested in August 2021 and has remained in custody since that arrest.
In late 2020, Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Holyoke was identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular large-scale distributors who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it throughout the Boston area. As part of the investigation, Holyoke participated in 11 controlled purchases of methamphetamine from a cooperating witness. Those controlled purchases resulted in the seizure of over four kilograms of pure methamphetamine.
Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in September 2024 sentenced to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Holyoke is the 9th defendant to be sentenced in the case. All remaining defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
National Guardsman Arrested and Charged for Possession and Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Master Sergeant of the 102 Security Forces of the Massachusetts National Guard stationed in Sandwich, Mass. has been arrested and charged for allegedly possessing and distributing child pornography.
Nicholas Wells, 43, was charged with possession and distribution of child pornography. Wells was arrested yesterday and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston, agreed to voluntarily detention pending trial without prejudice.
According to the charging documents, Wells engaged in chats on a messaging application, in which he allegedly discussed his interest in minors and distributed videos depicting child pornography. It is alleged that, following search warrants for Wells’ messaging application account and home, over 300 images and 100 videos depicting child pornography were located on Wells’ phone, along with evidence that Wells allegedly distributed over 70 videos depicting child pornography.
The charge of possessing child pornography provides for a sentence up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine up to $250,000. The charge of distributing child pornography provides for a sentence of at leave five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Barnstable and Sandwich Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian J. Sullivan of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.
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.
Lynn Man Charged with Multiple Drug Offenses After Selling Drugs to an Undercover OfficerRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was arraigned Oct. 22, 2024 in connection to an ongoing investigation of fentanyl counterfeit pills containing methamphetamine.
Ricardo Bratini-Perez, a/k/a “Rico,” a/k/a “Ricofromthesin,” 29, was arraigned on four counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analog, and methamphetamine, and one count possession with intent to distribute 400 grams and more of a mixture and substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl. A federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Bratini-Perez on Oct. 3, 2024.
According to court records, Bratini-Perez was on probation following his release from state custody on armed robbery and firearm charges. While on probation, Bratini-Perez sold fentanyl and methamphetamine to an undercover officer on three occasions in March 2024 and April 2024. On April 8, 2024, Bratini-Perez was arrested following a fourth sale to the undercover officer. Following his arrest, investigators executed a search warrant at Bratini-Perez’s residence and recovered over 5,000 grams of counterfeit pills containing fentanyl.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams and more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher P. Reddy made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney's Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of the Organized Crime and Gang 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.
Brockton Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with a wide-ranging drug trafficking conspiracy that that involved over 100 parcels containing kilograms of cocaine sent from Puerto Rico to various addresses throughout Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Investigators intercepted 10 parcels and seized more than 20 kilograms of cocaine from the mail stream.
Robert Monteiro, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 69 months in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Monteiro was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. In July 2021, Monteiro was indicted alongside 10 co-defendants.
Beginning in February 2020, law enforcement investigated a drug trafficking organization operated by Patrick Joseph. Based on a wiretap investigation, Joseph coordinated the transportation of 10-20 kilograms of cocaine at a time from the Dominican Republic to Puerto Rico, and eventually to Massachusetts and Rhode Island via the U.S. Mail. During the investigation, cocaine was found concealed in two-kilogram quantities inside air fryers and cash boxes before being sent through the mail. Various firearms, 21 kilograms of cocaine and over $100,000 cash was also seized following the arrests in this investigation. Monteiro served as a member of Joseph’s drug trafficking organization, collecting packages and redistributing kilograms of cocaine that came in through the mail.
Joseph was sentenced in June 2024 to 138 months in prison followed by five years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge, United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; Geoffrey Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division and Homeland Security Investigations in New England. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and Howard Locker of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Associate of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Drug and Firearms Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man associated with Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang, pleaded guilty yesterday to drug and firearms trafficking charges.
Steve Depina, age 37, pleaded guilty to distribution of cocaine and cocaine base and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Feb. 25, 2025.
During the investigation, Depina was identified as an older associate of the Cameron Street gang who had a history of drug trafficking. In 2018, Depina was convicted in Plymouth Superior Court of possession with intent to distribute heroin and fentanyl and was sentenced to 3-5 years in prison.
Depina was recorded as he distributed cocaine and cocaine base to a cooperating witness. Depina also sold a cooperating witness a 9 millimeter firearm and 16 rounds of ammunition. On Aril 15, 2022, during a search of his residence, another firearm and an additional quantity of cocaine base was seized from Depina.
According to court documents, Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect, and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear, and enhance its reputation.
The charge of distribution of cocaine and cocaine base provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of Levy’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Retired Boston Police Captain Sentenced to Federal Prison for Overtime Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A retired Captain of the Boston Police Department was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for participating in a long-running overtime fraud scheme at the Boston Police Department (BPD) that cost taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars in fraudulent overtime payments.
Richard Evans, 65, of Hanover, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one year and a day in federal prison, two years of supervised release, restitution of $154,249.20 and a fine of $15,000. In March 2024, a federal jury convicted Evans of conspiracy to commit theft concerning programs receiving federal funds, theft concerning programs receiving federal finds, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud. Evans was arrested and charged in March 2021 after a lengthy investigation into the overtime practices of Evans and other BPD officers proved that officers had been lying on their overtime slips so that they could get paid for countless hours that they did not work.
“Members of law enforcement are expected to uphold the law, not violate it,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mr. Evans abused the public trust and violated his oath, and his greed corrupted others in the department. His actions do not reflect the selfless, outstanding work done every day by thousands of Boston Police Department officers and police officers across the Commonwealth. To anyone who may be tempted to follow a similar path, today’s sentence should send a strong message that police officers who steal taxpayer money by fraudulently trying to get paid for hours they do not work will be held accountable and face significant penalties.”
“After 37 years on the force, Richard Evans should know that crime doesn’t pay. Nonetheless, he orchestrated this long-running overtime fraud scheme, ensnared his former officers, and ignored all ethical boundaries in order to make a buck," said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The public’s trust is critical for our justice system to function properly, which is why the FBI will do everything in its power to bring officers whose criminal actions undermine that trust to justice. We thank the Boston Police Department for its help in rooting out this egregious fraud.”
“Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that public servants who cheat and steal will be held accountable. Evans participated in and orchestrated a scheme to defraud taxpayers by submitting and certifying fraudulent overtime for himself and subordinate officers. This is not a victimless crime. His illicit gains were at the expense of the taxpayers,” said Timothy C. Edmiston, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General Mid-Atlantic Region.
Evans, who retired from the BPD shortly after he was charged in this case, was a 42-year veteran of the BPD and one of the highest-ranking officers in the department. From May 2012 to March 2016, Evans was the commander of BPD’s Evidence and Supply Management Division, where he was responsible for, among other things, overseeing the Evidence Control Unit (ECU) that stored and managed all the evidence for the BPD.
The investigation revealed that that when BPD’s evidence warehouse started overflowing with evidence, the department authorized an overtime program to “purge” old and unneeded evidence to make room for new evidence. As part of this purge overtime program, officers in the ECU were authorized to work up to four hours a day, after their regular day shift, to help purge old evidence.
For virtually the entirety of the time that Evans was in charge of the ECU, Evans and those under his command abused the purge overtime program to unjustly enrich themselves. For the purge program, it was contemplated that officers would work up to four hours of overtime in a day, typically from 4:00 to 8:00 from Mondays to Thursdays. The evidence showed that officers rarely worked the hours they were supposed to work, often working only an hour or two of overtime but claiming they worked four hours. Given that overtime was paid at 1.5 times the regular pay rate, this meant that officers could get six hours of pay for claiming four hours of overtime, even though in reality they were only working for an hour or two.
As part of this scheme, for multiple years, officers falsely claimed on BPD pay forms that they worked four hours of overtime when they routinely did not. The BPD’s policies and protocols required that officers, after every shift, submit overtime slips certifying the “actual hours worked” during any shift. On countless occasions over multiple years, Evans and other officers in his unit submitted slips overstating their actual hours worked. The BPD’s evidence warehouse, where the ECU is based, is secured and alarmed when officers are not working in it. Alarm records from the evidence warehouse were introduced to show that the building was not even open during hundreds of hours when Evans and other officers had falsely claimed that they were inside the building purging old evidence.
Evans submitted slips for hundreds of overtime hours he did not work. As a supervisor, Evans also approved the overtime slips of officers under his command who falsely claimed payment for hundreds of overtime hours they did not work. Evans also misled his superior officers about the purge overtime scheme to cover up the fact that officers were inflating their overtime hours and routinely not working even half the number of hours they were claiming.
On top of his base salary, Evans received over $120,000 in overtime payments during his nearly four years as commander of the ECU, including over $17,000 in overtime payments for hours that the evidence warehouse was not even open during the hours Evans claimed he was working. The overtime pay received by Evans allowed his total pay to exceed $200,000 for each of the years between 2013 and 2016 when he led that unit.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; SAC Cohen; DOJ-OIG SAC Edmiston; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kunal Pasricha and Elysa Wan of the Criminal Division prosecuted the case at trial.
Stoughton Man Sentenced to Three Years in Prison for Armed Robberies of Postal WorkersRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for the armed robberies of United States Postal Service (USPS) letter carriers that took place on Nov. 29, 2022 in Mattapan and Dec. 16, 2022 in Hyde Park. In one instance, the defendant robbed the letter carrier at knifepoint.
Kenneth Demosthene, 24, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years in prison, to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Demosthene pleaded guilty to two counts of robbery of any person having lawful charge, control, or custody of any mail matter or of any money or other property of the United States, aiding and abetting and two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding certain officers or employees, aiding and abetting. In May 2023, Demosthene was indicted by a federal grand jury along with his alleged co-conspirator Myesha Lewis.
USPS has seen a rise in the use of arrow keys to facilitate the theft of U.S. Mail. An arrow key is a specific key designed to open designated blue USPS collection boxes in a specific area. These arrow keys are the property of USPS and it is a federal offense for an unauthorized person to possess one. Since July 2022, there have been at least 23 assaults on USPS letter carriers while in the performance of their official duties in Boston and its surrounding communities. These incidents included the attempted or successful robbery of USPS arrow keys from letter carriers. Additionally, of these 23, 15 of the robberies were instances where the perpetrators were reportedly armed with a knife, firearm, or both.
On Nov. 29, 2022, in Mattapan, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis followed and forcibly robbed a USPS letter carrier of an arrow key. Demosthene approached the letter carrier and said, “I’m going to need your master key,” before reaching into the letter carrier’s mail satchel and grabbing the arrow key. The arrow key was secured around the letter carrier’s belt with a brass chain. It is alleged that the force used to physically break the brass chain caused the letter carrier to be pulled off the front steps. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis fled the scene in a rental vehicle.
On Dec. 16, 2022, in Hyde Park, Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis robbed another USPS letter carrier of an arrow key at knife point. Demosthene approached the USPS letter carrier and said, “Give me your f****** arrow key.” The letter carrier put their hands in the air as the defendants attempted to remove the arrow key, at first by force pulling at the chain. Demosthene and, allegedly, Lewis then attempted to cut it with the knife – eventually breaking the arrow key loose, and fleeing the scene on foot.
Lewis is expected to plead guilty on Oct. 30, 2024.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the United States Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Service, Office of the Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
New York Doctor Charged with Health Care FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York doctor was charged today in federal court in Boston for allegedly receiving kickbacks in exchange for ordering medically unnecessary brain scans.
Dr. Kenneth Fishberger, 75, of East Setauket, N.Y. was charged and has agreed to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court.
According to the charging documents, Fishberger, an internist in Long Island, N.Y., was a licensed medical doctor in the State of New York for approximately 47 years. It is alleged that from approximately June 2013 through December 2019, Fishberger conspired with others, including a principal for a mobile medical diagnostics company that performed transcranial doppler (TCD) scans, and a salesperson for the company, to order hundreds of medically unnecessary TCD scans in exchange for kickbacks. TCD scans are brain scans that measure blood flow in parts of the brain – It is further alleged that Fishberger and his co-conspirators used false diagnoses to order the unnecessary brain scans, for which a co-conspirator would submit claims to Medicare and other insurance companies, including private insurance companies, on behalf of the medical diagnostic company for payment. In exchange, Fishberger was paid cash kickbacks of approximately $100 per test. According to the charging documents, the scheme resulted in fraudulent bills of approximately $891,978 to Medicare and private insurance companies.
The charge of conspiracy to commit health care fraud provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Roberto Coviello, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigation Division, Boston Field Office; Carol S. Hamilton, Regional Director of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration, Boston Regional Office; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Howard Locker and Mackenzie Queenin of the Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Colombian Man Sentenced to Six Months in Prison for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man was sentenced yesterday for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Fabian Lopez Mejia, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to six months in prison to be followed by one year of supervised release. In September 2024, Lopez Mejia pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien. In June 2024, Lopez Mejia was indicted by a federal grand jury.
Lopez Mejia was previously removed from the United States in November 2019. Sometime after his removal, Lopez Mejia returned to the United States. Federal authorities became aware of Lopez Mejia’s return to the United States while he was serving a state prison sentence after he pleaded guilty in October 2023 in Suffolk Superior Court to one count of possession with intent to distribute a Class B substance and one count of forgery/misuse of an RMV document.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John J. Reynolds III of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Man Arrested for Exposing Himself on an AircraftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A man was arrested and charged yesterday for allegedly masturbating and exposing himself within the view of two other passengers seated near him on board a flight from Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates to Boston, Mass. yesterday.
Krishna Kunapuli, 39, of India, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States. Kunapuli was arrested yesterday and will appear in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging documents, Kunapuli allegedly made unwanted sexual advances toward a female passenger on board an Etihad Airlines flight, including touching her hair and taking pictures of her without her permission. After a crew member intervened, Kunapuli returned to his seat.
It is alleged that, later in the flight, two male passengers seated near Kunapuli noticed Kunapuli masturbating under a blanket and, at times, with his penis fully exposed. One of the passengers reported this conduct to a flight attendant who intervened and alerted law enforcement.
The charge of lewd, indecent and obscene acts while in the special aircraft jurisdiction of the United States provides for a sentence of up to 90 days in prison, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $5,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Geoffrey D. Noble of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the 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.
Social Security Administration Employee Charged with Attempting to Induce a Social Security Beneficiary for ProstitutionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Social Security Administration (SSA) employee was arrested today for attempting to persuade a Social Security beneficiary to cross state lines to engage in prostitution.
Dae Sung Kim, 35, of Auburn, Mass., was charged with one count of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution.
According to the criminal complaint, in March 2024, Kim handled an in-person visit at the Gardner SSA field office from an individual seeking Social Security benefits after losing her job. After redirecting the individual to another SSA field office near her residence in another state, Kim allegedly called the individual, using the phone number he obtained from SSA’s computer system. Kim allegedly indicated that he understood she was in a difficult situation and stated that maybe they could “work something out” that would benefit them both.
During a call monitored by law enforcement later that month, Kim allegedly again stated to the individual that they could “help each other out” and proposed giving the individual money in exchange for sex. In several subsequent text messages, Kim allegedly suggested that the individual travel to Massachusetts to meet him, offering to pay $100 to have sex in a car at a hotel parking lot. When Kim traveled to the hotel parking lot to execute his plan in October 2024, he was confronted by law enforcement.
The charge of attempting to induce a person to travel in interstate commerce to engage in prostitution provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations and the Fitchburg and Gardner Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Brendan D. O’Shea of the Worcester Branch Office and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Quincy Woman Charged with Social Security FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy woman was charged today in federal court in Boston with fraudulently receiving Social Security disability benefits.
Crystal Gesumaria, 41, was charged with one count of theft of government money. She will appear in court at a later date.
According to the charging documents, July 2013 to August 2022, Gesumaria stole approximately $93,603 in Social Security disability benefits.
The misdemeanor charge of theft of government money provides for a sentence of up to one year in prison, one year of supervised release, five years of probation and a fine of $100,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the 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.
Methuen Man Sentenced to over 11 Years in Prison for Role in Drug Trafficking Conspiracy Involving Fentanyl, Fentanyl Analog and CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Methuen man was sentenced on Oct. 18, 2024, for drug conspiracy charges involving distribution of fentanyl, fentanyl analog and cocaine.
Daniel Lopez-Gonzalez, 28, was sentenced by Chief District Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 135 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release. In March 2024, Lopez-Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, involving 400 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analog. Lopez-Gonzalez was indicted in April 2023 along with Erickson Castro Perez and Gustavo Adolfo Reyes Gonzalez.
Between June 2022 and January 2023, Lopez-Gonzalez and his co-conspirators Castro Perez and Reyes Gonzalez sold fentanyl and fentanyl analog to undercover law enforcement on six separate occasions in Haverhill and Boxford. On January 23, 2023, a search of a Haverhill-based stash location used by the three men resulted in the seizure of additional quantities of fentanyl, fentanyl analog, cocaine and other narcotics. Additionally, an illegal firearm, ammunition, more than $35,000 in U.S. currency and two high-end watches were also seized from Lopez-Gonzalez’s home.
In total, approximately 2.5 kilograms of fentanyl or fentanyl analog was seized over the course of the investigation.
Castro Perez was sentenced in May 2024, to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Reyes Gonzalez was sentenced in Sept 2024 to 21 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Member of Violent Gang Pleads Guilty to Racketeering Involving Drug and Firearms TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston area man pleaded guilty today to his role in Cameron Street, a violent Boston gang.
Jose Afonseca, 32, pleaded guilty today to conspiracy to participate in a racketeering enterprise, conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and dealing in firearms without a license. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 30, 2025.
During the investigation, Afonseca was identified as member of the Cameron Street gang, who worked with other Cameron Street members to distribute hundreds of grams of cocaine and cocaine base, more commonly referred to as “crack” cocaine, from a stash house in Somerville. Afonseca was recorded discussing his ability to acquire illegal firearms and was recorded selling two firearms and over 30 rounds of ammunition to a cooperating witness. On Aril 15, 2022, agents executed a series of arrest and search warrants in this case. Three hundred ninety-eight grams of cocaine, along with packaging materials, two hydraulic presses, a digital scale, a cell phone, and $14,986 in U.S. currency were seized from the stash house.
According to court documents, Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence and threats of violence to preserve, protect, and expand its territory, promote a climate of fear, and enhance its reputation.
The charge of RICO conspiracy and conspiracy to interfere with commerce by force or violence each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of conspiracy to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, a $5 million fine, and a minimum four years supervised release up to life. The charge of dealing in firearms without a license provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Bosnian Prison Camp Supervisor Convicted of Concealing Participation in Wartime PersecutionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swampscott, Mass. man was convicted on Oct. 18, 2024, following a two-week jury trial in Boston, of a 25-year scheme to conceal his persecution of ethnic Serbs during the Bosnian War. He was also convicted of making false claims to become a refugee to the United States and ultimately a United States citizen.
Kemal Mrndzic, 52, was convicted of engaging in a scheme to conceal his involvement in persecution of Serb prisoners at the notorious Celebici prison camp in Bosnia in 1992; making a false statement to Homeland Security agents about his role at the camp; possessing a fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate and Social Security card; and using a fraudulently obtained passport and certificate of naturalization. The jury acquitted him of two counts of making false statements to a Homeland Security Investigations special agents. In June 2023, Mrndzic was indicted by a federal grand jury.
“The heartbreaking testimony of the Celebici survivors reminded us that the physical pain and mental anguish inflicted by Kemal Mrndzic and his fellow guards at that notorious camp still haunts them 30 years later,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Mrndzic concealed his crimes for decades, but gravely underestimated the bravery of these victims and law enforcement’s dedication to finding and prosecuting those who engage in wartime persecution. Investigating and prosecuting these historical transnational cases demands extraordinary commitment and we are deeply grateful for the exceptional work of our federal law enforcement partners and our partners in countries across the globe.”
“A jury found Mrndzic guilty of lying about his past to come to the U.S. under false pretenses, concealing his work as a guard at the notorious Celebici prison camp, a prison with well-documented cases of violence, abuse and even murder of prisoners during the Bosnian War,” said Michael J. Krol, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations, New England. “HSI continues to use our international reach and regional expertise to uncover the past and bring to justice those who lie to undeservingly seek refuge in the U.S. We want to express our deep gratitude to the bravery of the survivors who came forward to testify during this trial.”
Mrndzic served as a supervisor of the guards at a notorious prison camp in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the sectarian war which fractured the country in the 1990s. Five camp survivors testified at trial, recounting the horrific conditions at the Celebici camp in 1992 when Mrndzic was a supervisor there. Survivors testified about their detention in a lightless, airless tunnel for months on end, their near suffocation after being sealed in manholes for hours at a time, and the daily and nightly beatings that were administered by the guards at the camp — with baseball bat, wooden poles and rifle buts. The survivors testified to murders, the burning of one detainee’s tongue with a heated knife blade, the wrapping of another detainee with a long fuse cord and then lighting it on fire, sexual abuse, and other harrowing acts committed over a period of many months. One survivor recounted the beating death of a 70-year-old detainee whom guards pinned a military badge to his forehead while he was still dying. Survivors also testified about being starved and deprived of the most basic needs, including sleeping on the concrete floor of a sheet metal hanger for months on end while being fed only a slice of bread a day.
A United Nations tribunal investigated the crimes committed at Celebici in the 1990s and convicted the two top commanders of the camp and one particularly sadistic guard on numerous crimes including murder and torture. While Mrndzic was interviewed by investigators in connection with that case in 1996, he was not charged by international authorities. Mrndzic subsequently concocted a scheme to leave Bosnia by crossing the border into Croatia and applying as a refugee to the United States using a fabricated story. In his refugee application and interview, he falsely claimed that he fled his home after he was captured, interrogated and abused by Serb forces, and could not return home for fear of future persecution. As the government argued at trial, Mrndzic used his own experience as a persecutor to press a false narrative that he had been persecuted. He was admitted to the U.S. as a refugee in 1999, and ultimately became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2009.
The charges of using a fraudulently obtained passport and fraudulently obtained naturalization certificate each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The three remaining charges each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; HSI SAC Krol; Amy Connelly, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Boston Field Office; Matthew O’Brien, Special Agent in Charge of U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service, Boston Field Office; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement. This matter was investigated with the assistance of the Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs, the United States Interagency Human Rights Violators & War Crimes Center and the United States Citizen and Immigration Service. Assistance was provided by the Criminal Division’s Human Rights and Special Prosecutions Section and the United States Embassies in Sarajevo, Belgrade and Helsinki. The Australian Federal Police, Bosnian and Herzegovinian Ministry of Justice, Serbian Ministry of Justice, law enforcement authorities in Finland and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police all provided valuable assistance. The Cook County (Ill.) Sheriff’s Office and Swampscott (Mass.) Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. McNeil and Jason A. Casey of the National Security Unit are prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Firearm Trafficking and Straw Purchasing ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on Oct. 18, 2024, for conspiring to illegally traffic and straw purchase firearms.
Shakim Grant, 23, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to three years of probation. In May 2023, Grant pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to make false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL and one count of aiding and abetting making false statements in records required to be kept by an FFL. Grant was initially charged by complaint on Jan. 17, 2023 along with co-conspirators Cory Daigle and Gustavo Rodriguez. He was subsequently charged by an Information on March 16, 2023.
From in or about August 2022 through November 2022, Daigle and Rodriguez conspired to create false entries in records required to be maintained by Daigle, an FFL, in order to conceal the illegal sale of multiple firearms via Grant to Rodriguez, who could not lawfully purchase or possess firearms. Specifically, Grant and, allegedly, Daigle made and signed false representations on required forms to disguise Rodriguez’s identity as the true firearm purchaser. Rodriguez is prohibited from possessing a firearm. It is further alleged that the defendants attempted to coverup the illegal straw purchase by providing false information to law enforcement. One of the guns sold by Daigle was used two weeks later in a shooting outside of Rodriguez’s residence. According to court documents, the same gun, was subsequently recovered from a juvenile in New Bedford by police.
Daigle pleaded guilty in August 2024 and is currently pending sentencing. Rodriguez pleaded guilty in November 2023 and is awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Revere Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Connecticut Fisherman Sentenced to Prison for Evading Taxes on More Than $1.4 Million in IncomeRead the Press Release
BOSTON –– A Connecticut man was sentenced on Oct. 16, 2024 for evading taxes on income he earned from commercial fishing in Massachusetts.
Brian Kobus, 49, of Durham, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to one year and one day in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release. Kobus was also ordered to pay restitution to the United States of $377,839. In July 2024, Kobus pleaded guilty to two counts of tax evasion.
Kobus worked as a commercial fisherman and deckhand for various fishing companies in Massachusetts for over 30 years, earning over $1.4 million in taxable income between 2011 and 2013 and between 2017 and 2021. The companies paid Kobus by check after each fishing trip and provided Kobus with IRS forms which detailed his earnings and made clear that no taxes had been withheld. Despite this, Kobus never filed a federal income tax return or paid the taxes he owed on this income. Kobus intentionally concealed his income by immediately cashing each paycheck and paying for all of his personal expenses in cash. In total, Kobus caused a tax loss to the IRS of approximately $377,839.90.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Stuart M. Goldberg of the Justice Department’s Tax Division; and Harry Chavis, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Victor Wild of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Trial Attorney Matthew L. Cofer of the Justice Department’s Tax Division prosecuted the case.
Associate of Violent Gang Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Home Invasion RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of the violent Boston gang Cameron Street was sentenced yesterday for committing an armed home invasion robbery with fellow gang members.
Brendon Amado, 27, of Randolph, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In February 2024, Amado pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by threats or violence.
Amado was identified as an associate of Cameron Street, a violent gang based largely in the Dorchester section of Boston that uses violence, including murder and attempted murder, to preserve, protect and expand their territory.
In July 2018, Amado, along with Cameron Street members and co-defendants Deronde Bethea and Michael Nguyen, committed a home invasion robbery with firearms of two victims at the home of a rival drug dealer in Canton. Amado, Bethea and Nguyen broke into the home through the back door, wearing masks and dark hoodies and carrying firearms. One victim ran out of the front door of the house and called 911. The second victim was brought into the living room, punched in the head, had a gun put to her head. as the men ransacked the house demanding, “where’s the stuff, where’s the money, where’s your boyfriend?” Amado, Bethea and Nguyen later fled the house in a silver pickup truck after stealing $2,000 in cash and a safe. Among other evidence, Amado and Bethea were identified on convenience store surveillance footage shortly before the robbery took place.
In December 2023, Nguyen pleaded guilty and in March 2024 he was sentenced to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bethea pleaded guilty in February 2024 and in June 2024 was sentenced to 250 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, and Boston Police Commissioner Cox made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff’s Office; Suffolk, Plymouth, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorney’s Offices; and the Canton, Quincy, Randolph, Somerville, Brockton, Malden, Stoughton, Rehoboth and Pawtucket (R.I.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Charles Dell’Anno of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendants named in the indictment are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Lowell Man Arrested for Fentanyl and Methamphetamine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell man has been arrested for his involvement in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and methamphetamine.
Jorge Manuel “Manny” Huertas, 46, was charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute and possess with the intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. Huertas will make his initial appearance in federal court in Boston later today.
According to the charging document, Huertas distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine to a confidential source. Search warrants were conducted this morning at Huertas’s residence and the residences of his associates.
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 50 grams of methamphetamine carries a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum sentence of 40 years, at least four years of supervised release, and a maximum fine of $5,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration; and Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lowell Police Department and the Middlesex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering 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.
Leader of South Shore Drug Trafficking Ring Sentenced to 32 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The leader of a large-scale drug trafficking conspiracy that distributed fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine throughout Quincy and Weymouth was sentenced on Oct. 15, 2024 in federal court in Boston.
Aderito Patrick Amado, 34, of Brockton and Quincy, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 32 years in prison to be followed by 10 years supervised release. In June 2024, Amado was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 100 grams or more of a fentanyl analogue and 500 grams or more of cocaine – and conspiracy to do the same; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, 40 grams or more of fentanyl and 100 grams or more of fentanyl analogue; one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and 40 grams or more of fentanyl; two counts of possessing firearms as a convicted felon; and one count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of a drug offense. The Court sentenced Amado to 27 years in prison on counts one through four and counts six through seven, to be followed by five consecutive years in prison on count five. At sentencing, the Court applied a stash house and leadership enhancement and found that Amado obstructed justice at trial through his testimony.
In September 2022, Amado was indicted by a federal grand jury along with co-defendants Erica Vieira, Neylton Fontes and Chaasad Cyprien. The defendants were subsequently charged in a superseding indictment in December 2022 and, later, a second superseding indictment in October 2023. Amado was charged in a third superseding indictment in May 2024.
“Mr. Amado was the leader of an organization that pumped multiple kilograms of dangerous and deadly drugs into our communities, including fentanyl and fentanyl analogue. He will now have more than three decades in prison to contemplate his critical role in driving fentanyl addiction and contributing to overdose deaths through his wholesale and street-level distribution all in pursuit of the almighty buck,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “This case demonstrates that people like Aderito Patrick Amado, who terrorize communities with their guns, drugs, and manipulation of others, will pay a heavy price. This was an exceptionally skilled and dogged investigation by the prosecutors in our office, the FBI, the Quincy Police and other law enforcement partners. This lengthy sentence should send a strong message to others, do not engage in the toxic brew of illicit narcotics and guns or you will go to jail for a very long time.”
“Aderito Patrick Amado and his crew were a crime wave unto themselves. As the leader of this large-scale drug trafficking operation that brought in and sold multi-kilo quantities of fentanyl and cocaine, protected by high-capacity firearms, Mr. Amado could have cared less about this area’s raging opioid crisis,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “The FBI’s Metro Boston Gang Task Force worked with our law enforcement partners on the South Shore to make this case that led to Amado being sent to prison for the next three decades, and we’re all gratified to see such a prolific criminal finally held accountable.”
“I would like to thank the Detectives assigned to the Quincy Police Drug Control Unit, our local, state and federal partners and particularly the prosecutors from the U.S. Attorney’s office for bringing this case forward. Taking this individual off the streets undoubtedly saved lives in our community,” said Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy.
Until at least January 2021, Amado helped lead a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine in and around the Quincy and Weymouth areas. The investigation determined that the drug distribution conspiracy operated primarily out of a stash house in Weymouth, with additional evidence located inside Amado’s apartment in Quincy and in his vehicle.
Specifically, a January 2021 search of Amado’s Quincy apartment resulted in over 40 grams of fentanyl, a quantity of cocaine, over $270,000 in cash, a money counter, a loaded Glock and ammunition being recovered. Amado’s vehicle contained over 40 grams of fentanyl and over 100 grams of fentanyl analogue, along with approximately $50,000 cash and multiple cellphones. Additionally, the Weymouth stash house was, in essence, a drug factory – housing two presses used to form controlled substances into kilogram-sized bricks and extensive drug paraphernalia, including blenders, digital scales, cutting agents, a money counter, and packaging equipment. The stash house also contained more than 10 kilograms of fentanyl, fentanyl analogue and cocaine as well as three firearms and ammunition, including two high-capacity magazines and a speed loader. One firearm was equipped with a laser beam and another firearm had a custom slide. Given Amado’s status as a felon, he is prohibited from possessing any firearms. At least one of Amado’s fingerprints were recovered on the ammunition tray located inside one of the boxes of ammunition in the stash house. His fingerprints were also recovered on one of the bags of cutting agents.
Information from a court-ordered GPS ankle monitor placed Amado at both his residence and the stash location nearly every day over a two-month period while on probation for a state drug conviction. Additionally, web history information from one of Amado’s devices showed that he conducted online reviews of various items ultimately recovered from the stash house, including the kilogram presses, firearms and cutting agents.
Vieira pleaded guilty in May 2024 and is scheduled to be sentenced on March 24, 2025. Fontes pleaded guilty in May 2024 and was sentenced in September 2024 to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Cyprien pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in July 2024 was sentenced to two years in prison and three years of supervised release.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy, FBI SAC Cohen and Quincy Chief Kennedy made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Weymouth, Braintree, Randolph and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Philip A. Mallard of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Hyannis Man Sentenced to Six Years in Prison for Being a Felon in PossessionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Hyannis man was sentenced yesterday for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Specifically, the defendant possessed and sold a Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle.
Ryan Diefenbach, 33, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young to six years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In July 2024, Diefenbach pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. In November 2022, Diefenbach, along with co-defendant Donnell Pina, was indicted by a federal grand jury.
In September 2021, Diefenbach, and allegedly Pina, sold a Chinese SKS .762 caliber rifle to a confidential informant in Hyannis. Due to previous felony convictions, including prior convictions for carrying a firearm without a license, unlawfully possessing a firearm, possessing a firearm with a defaced serial number and assault with a dangerous weapon, Diefenbach was prohibited from possessing firearms.
At the time Diefenbach committed the offense, the charge of being a felon in possession provided for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant United States Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of the Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Pina is scheduled to plead guilty on Nov. 21, 2024.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce gun violence and other violent crime, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results. For more information about Project Safe Neighborhoods, please visit Justice.gov/PSN.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Brockton Man Sentenced for Unlawful Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was sentenced today in federal court in Boston to unlawfully possessing a Glock pistol and 18 rounds of ammunition.
Michael Whitfield, 43, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to time served (one day) to be followed by three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of two years in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2024, Whitfield pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. In November 2023, Whitfield was indicted by a federal grand jury.
On March 6, 2023, upon arrival at a motor vehicle accident scene in Brockton, law enforcement observed Whitfield in a vehicle with significant damage, its airbag deployed and a broken passenger door window. There was a strong odor of alcohol coming from inside the vehicle and an empty tequila bottle was observed on the passenger seat floor. A Glock 19X .9mm pistol loaded with 18 rounds was found on the driver’s side floorboard between Whitfield’s legs.
Due to a prior felony conviction, Whitfield is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office, Massachusetts State Police, Brockton Police Department and the Brockton Fire Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of the Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Raytheon Company to Pay over $950M in Connection with Defective Pricing, Foreign Bribery, and Export Control SchemesRead the Press Release
Raytheon Company (Raytheon) — a subsidiary of Arlington, Virginia-based defense contractor RTX (formerly known as Raytheon Technologies Corporation) — will pay over $950 million to resolve the Justice Department’s investigations into: (i) a major government fraud scheme involving defective pricing on certain government contracts and (ii) violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and its implementing regulations, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Raytheon will enter into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal information filed today in the District of Massachusetts charging Raytheon with two counts of major fraud against the United States. As part of that resolution, Raytheon admitted to engaging in two separate schemes to defraud the Department of Defense (DOD) in connection with the provision of defense articles and services, including PATRIOT missile systems and a radar system.
Separately, Raytheon entered into a three-year DPA in connection with a criminal information unsealed today in the Eastern District of New York charging Raytheon with two counts: conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the FCPA for a scheme to bribe a government official in Qatar and conspiracy to violate the AECA for willfully failing to disclose the bribes in export licensing applications with the Department of State as required by part 130 of ITAR.
Both agreements require that Raytheon retain an independent compliance monitor for three years, enhance its internal compliance program, report evidence of additional misconduct to the Justice Department, and cooperate in any ongoing or future criminal investigations.
Raytheon also reached a separate False Claims Act settlement with the department relating to the defective pricing schemes. The Justice Department’s FCPA and ITAR resolution is coordinated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In addition, the Justice Department’s resolutions ensure that the appropriate federal agencies can proceed with determining whether Raytheon or any other individuals or entities associated with the company should be suspended or debarred as federal contractors. Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), when more than one agency has an interest in an entity’s potential suspension or debarment, the FAR requires that the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC) identify the lead agency for conducting governmentwide suspension or debarment proceedings. In connection with this resolution, the Justice Department has referred Raytheon’s factual admissions to the appropriate officials within the DOD to initiate the process with the ISDC to identify which federal agency will take the lead in such administrative proceedings, which occur independently of the Justice Department’s criminal and civil resolutions.
“Raytheon engaged in criminal schemes to defraud the U.S. government in connection with contracts for critical military systems and to win business through bribery in Qatar,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin Driscoll of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Such corrupt and fraudulent conduct, especially by a publicly traded U.S. defense contractor, erodes public trust and harms the DOD, businesses that play by the rules, and American taxpayers. Today’s resolutions, with criminal and civil recoveries totaling nearly $1 billion, reflect the Criminal Division’s ability to tackle the most significant and complex white-collar cases across multiple subject matters.”
“Government contractors have an obligation to be fully transparent about their cost and pricing data when they seek an award of a sole source contract,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The department is committed to holding accountable those contractors that knowingly misrepresent their cost and pricing data or otherwise violate their legal obligations when negotiating or performing contracts with the United States.”
“International corruption in military and defense sales is a violation of our national security laws as well as an anti-bribery offense,” said Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division. “Raytheon willfully failed to disclose bribes made in connection with contracts that required export licenses. Today’s resolution should serve as a stark warning to companies that violate the law when selling sensitive military technology overseas.”
“Over the course of several years, Raytheon employees bribed a high-level Qatari military official to obtain lucrative defense contracts and concealed the bribe payments by falsifying documents to the government, in violation of laws including those designed to protect our national security,” said U.S. Attorney Breon Peace for the Eastern District of New York. “We will continue to pursue justice against corruption, and as this agreement establishes, enforce meaningful consequences, reforms and monitorship to ensure this misconduct is not repeated.”
“Through deliberate and deceptive actions, Raytheon not only defrauded the U.S. government — it compromised the integrity of our defense procurement process,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who prioritize profits over national security and clear legal obligations. This case underscores our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice, particularly when taxpayer dollars and DOD operations are at stake. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that this type of misconduct is fully exposed and addressed with serious consequences.”
“Investigating procurement fraud impacting DOD contracts is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DOD Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector General Robert Storch of DOD. “When DOD contractors fail to provide truthful pricing data and overcharge the government, they undermine the integrity of the DOD procurement process and harm critical DOD programs. The DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and the Justice Department to ensure DOD contractors that engage in defective pricing schemes are held accountable for their actions. The Defense Contract Audit Agency’s (DCAA’s) Operations Investigative Support Division provided valuable expertise during this investigation.”
“The Raytheon Company set out to intentionally defraud the U.S. government,” said Assistant Director Chad Yarbrough of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division (CID). “This agreement highlights the importance of integrity when it comes to government contracting. The FBI, with its law enforcement partners, will continue to investigate these types of crimes that waste taxpayer dollars and prosecute all those who are intent on cooking up these major fraud schemes.”
“Raytheon Corporation engaged in a systematic and deliberate conspiracy that knowingly and willfully violated U.S. fraud and export laws,” said Special Agent in Charge William S. Walker of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) New York. “Raytheon’s bribery of government officials, specifically those involved in the procurement of U.S. military technology, posed a national security threat to both the United States and its allies. As this investigation reflects, national security continues to be a top priority for HSI New York. The global threats facing the United States have never been greater, and HSI New York is committed to working with our federal and international partners to ensure that sensitive U.S. technologies are not unlawfully and fraudulently acquired.”
The Defective Pricing Case
The Criminal Resolution
According to admissions and court documents filed in the District of Massachusetts, from 2012 through 2013 and again from 2017 through 2018, Raytheon employees provided false and fraudulent information to the DOD during contract negotiations concerning two contracts with the United States for the benefit of a foreign partner — one to purchase PATRIOT missile systems and the other to operate and maintain a radar system. In both instances, Raytheon employees provided false and fraudulent information to DOD in order to mislead DOD into awarding the two contracts at inflated prices. These schemes to defraud caused the DOD to pay Raytheon over $111 million more than Raytheon should have been paid on the contracts.
Under the terms of the DPA, Raytheon will pay a criminal monetary penalty of $146,787,972, pay $111,203,009 in victim compensation, and retain an independent compliance monitor for three years. The Justice Department has agreed to credit the victim compensation amount against restitution Raytheon pays to the Civil Division in its related, parallel False Claims Act proceeding.
Pursuant to the DPA, in addition to the independent compliance monitor, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program at Raytheon designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations. Raytheon and RTX have also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts in any ongoing or future criminal investigations.
The Justice Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense conduct, which involved two separate schemes to defraud the U.S. government. Raytheon received credit for its affirmative acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) facilitating interviews with current and former employees; (ii) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the department to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (iii) making detailed presentations to the department; (iv) proactively identifying key documents in the voluminous materials collected and produced; (v) engaging experts to conduct financial analyses; and (vi) demonstrating its willingness to disclose all relevant facts by analyzing whether the crime-fraud exception applied to certain potentially privileged documents and releasing the documents that it deemed fell within the exception. However, in the initial phases of the investigation prior to March 2022, Raytheon’s cooperation was limited by unreasonably slow document productions.
Raytheon also engaged in timely remedial measures, including (i) terminating certain employees who were responsible for the misconduct; (ii) establishing a broad defective pricing awareness campaign; (iii) developing and implementing policies, procedures, and controls relating to defective pricing compliance; and (iv) engaging additional resources with appropriate expertise to evaluate and test the new policies, procedures, and controls relating to defective pricing compliance.
In light of these considerations, as well as Raytheon’s prior history, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 25% reduction off the 10th percentile above the low end of the otherwise applicable guidelines fine range.
The False Claims Act Settlement
Raytheon also entered into a civil False Claims Act settlement to resolve allegations that it provided untruthful certified cost or pricing data when negotiating prices with the DOD for numerous government contracts and double billed on a weapons maintenance contract.
Under the False Claims Act settlement, which is the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the Act, Raytheon will pay $428 million for knowingly failing to provide truthful certified cost and pricing data during negotiations on numerous government contracts between 2009 and 2020, in violation of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). Congress enacted TINA in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts — where there is no price competition — by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. As part of the settlement, Raytheon admitted that it failed to disclose cost or pricing data, as required by TINA, regarding its labor and material costs to supply weapon systems to DOD.
Raytheon also admitted that by misrepresenting its costs during contract negotiations it overcharged the United States on these contracts and received profits in excess of the negotiated profit rates. Further, Raytheon admitted that it failed to disclose truthful cost or pricing data on a contract to staff a radar station. Raytheon also admitted that it billed the same costs twice on a DOD contract.
As part of the civil resolution, Raytheon received credit under the Justice Department’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation, and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases for cooperation provided by RTX. That cooperation included conducting and disclosing the results of an internal investigation, disclosing relevant facts and material not known to the government but relevant to its investigation, providing the department with inculpatory evidence, conducting a damages analysis, identifying and separating individuals responsible for or involved in the misconduct, admitting liability and accepting responsibility for the misconduct, and improving its compliance programs.
“The Defense Department greatly appreciates the Justice Department’s outstanding efforts culminating in this significant recovery,” said Principal Director of Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy John Tenaglia of DOD. “The price we pay for equipment and services absolutely matters. The more we pay, the less combat capability we can deliver for our nation’s warfighters. This Justice Department recovery both restores funding that will be used to acquire more capability while also serving as a strong deterrent to all companies that might seek to deny DOD contracting officers the factual information they require to negotiate contracts at fair and reasonable prices.”
The civil settlement includes the resolution of a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by Karen Atesoglu, a former Raytheon employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Atesoglu v. Raytheon Technologies Corporation, 21-CV-10690-PBS (DMA). Ms. Atesoglu will receive $4.2 million as her share of the settlement.
The FCPA Case
According to admissions and court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York, between approximately 2012 and 2016, Raytheon, through certain of its employees and agents, engaged in a scheme to bribe a high-level official at the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), a branch of Qatar’s Armed Forces (QAF) that was primarily responsible for the conduct of air warfare, in order to assist Raytheon in obtaining and retaining business from the QEAF and QAF. Raytheon entered into and made payments on sham subcontracts for air defense operations-related studies in order to corruptly obtain the QEAF official’s assistance in securing certain air defense contracts. Raytheon also entered into a teaming agreement with a Qatari entity in order to corruptly obtain the QEAF official’s assistance in directly awarding a potential contract to Raytheon to build a joint operations center that would interface with Qatar’s several military branches.
Under the terms of the DPA, Raytheon will pay a criminal monetary penalty of $230.4 million, pay forfeiture of $36,696,068, and retain an independent compliance monitor for three years. In addition, as part of the resolution of the SEC’s parallel investigation, Raytheon will pay approximately $49.1 million in disgorgement and prejudgment interest and a civil penalty of $75 million ($22.5 million of which will be credited against the criminal monetary penalty). The Justice Department has agreed to credit approximately $7.4 million of the disgorgement Raytheon pays to the SEC against the criminal forfeiture.
As part of the DPA, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to cooperate with the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York in any ongoing or future criminal investigations. In addition to the independent compliance monitor, Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to enhance Raytheon’s compliance program.
The Justice Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Raytheon received credit for its affirmative acceptance of responsibility and cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) providing information obtained through its internal investigation, which allowed the government to preserve and obtain evidence as part of its own independent investigation; (ii) facilitating interviews with current and former employees; (iii) making detailed factual presentations to the government; (iv) proactively disclosing certain evidence of which the government was previously unaware and identifying key documents in materials it produced; and (v) engaging experts to conduct financial analyses. However, in the initial phases of the investigation, prior to in or around 2022, Raytheon was at times slow to respond to the government’s requests and failed to provide relevant information in its possession.
Raytheon also engaged in timely remedial measures, including (i) recalibrating third party review and approval processes to lower company risk tolerance; (ii) implementing enhanced controls over sales intermediary payments; (iii) hiring empowered subject matter experts to oversee its anti-corruption compliance program and third party management; (iv) implementing data analytics to improve third party monitoring; and (v) developing a multipronged communications strategy to enhance ethics and compliance training and communications.
In light of these considerations, as well as Raytheon’s prior history, the criminal penalty calculated under the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines reflects a 20% reduction off the 20th percentile above the low end of the otherwise applicable guidelines fine range.
The ITAR Case
According to admissions and court documents filed in the Eastern District of New York, between approximately 2012 and 2016, Raytheon, through certain of its employees and agents, engaged in a scheme to willfully violate the AECA and ITAR Part 130 by failing to disclose to the State Department, Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, fees and commissions paid in connection with two Qatar-related contracts — specifically, the bribes Raytheon paid to the high-level QEAF official through sham subcontracts.
The Justice Department reached this resolution with Raytheon based on a number of factors, including, among others, the nature and seriousness of the offense. Raytheon received credit for its cooperation with the department’s investigation, which included (i) gathering evidence of interest to the government and proactively identifying key documents related to willful ITAR-related misconduct; (ii) making factual presentations concerning the ITAR-related misconduct; and (iii) facilitating witness interviews and expediting the government’s ability to meet with witnesses. Raytheon did not receive full credit for its cooperation because in the initial phase of the investigation, before the National Security Division joined the investigation, it failed to provide information relevant to the ITAR violations beyond what was requested in the FCPA investigation.
Raytheon also received credit for remediation, which included, in addition to the remediation described above in connection with the FCPA case, (i) hiring additional empowered subject matter experts in legal and compliance; (ii) developing a multipronged communications strategy to enhance ethics and compliance training and communications; and (iii) making enhancements to its ITAR-related compliance program.
In light of these considerations, the ITAR-related financial penalty of $21,904,850 includes a cooperation and remediation credit of 20% off the otherwise applicable penalty.
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DCIS, Army Criminal Investigation Division, FBI, and Air Force Office of Special Investigations are investigating the criminal defective pricing case. Senior Auditor Glen Hughes from DCAA’s Office of Investigative Support Division assisted in the civil investigation of the False Claims Act Matter. HSI and the FBI’s International Corruption Unit are investigating the FCPA and ITAR case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs assisted in the investigation for the FCPA and ITAR case.
Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey, Acting Assistant Chief Laura Connelly, and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Benjamin Saltzman for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the criminal defective pricing case.
Attorneys Art J. Coulter, Patrick Klein, and Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian LaMacchia for the District of Massachusetts are prosecuting the False Claims Act matter.
Acting Assistant Chief Katherine Raut and Trial Attorney Elina A. Rubin-Smith of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, Trial Attorneys Christine Bonomo and Leslie Esbrook of the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, and Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Pitluck, Hiral Mehta, and Jessica Weigel for the Eastern District of New York are prosecuting the FCPA and ITAR case.
The Justice Department also expresses its appreciation for the assistance provided by the State Department and the legal offices of the Army, Air Force, Defense Logistics Agency, Defense Contract Management Agency, and Department of Navy.
The Criminal Division’s Fraud Section is responsible for investigating and prosecuting FCPA and Foreign Extortion Prevention Act matters. Additional information about the Justice Department’s FCPA enforcement efforts can be found at www.justice.gov/criminal-fraud/foreign-corrupt-practices-act.
View the Executed Civil False Claims Act Settlement Agreement here.
Raytheon Agrees to Pay over $950 Million in Connection with Defective Pricing, Foreign Bribery and Export Control SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Raytheon Company (Raytheon), a subsidiary of RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies Corporation) in Arlington, Va., has agreed to pay over $950 million to resolve the government’s investigations into a major government fraud scheme involving defective pricing on certain government contracts and violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and its implementing regulations, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Massachusetts announced today that Raytheon will pay over $574 million to resolve criminal civil liability for overcharging government contracts. Raytheon has entered into a three-year deferred prosecution agreement (DPA) in connection with a criminal Information filed today in the District of Massachusetts charging Raytheon with two counts of major fraud against the United States. Raytheon has agreed to pay $147 million to resolve the criminal allegations. Today’s settlement with the District of Massachusetts also resolves civil allegations that Raytheon provided untruthful certified cost or pricing data when negotiating prices with the DOD for numerous government contracts and double billed DOD on a weapons maintenance contract. Raytheon has agreed to pay $428 million, the second largest government procurement fraud recovery under the False Claims Act, to resolve the civil allegations. Under both resolutions, Raytheon will pay a total of $574.7 million. Under the terms of the DPA, Raytheon will pay $146.7 million in a criminal monetary penalty, $111.2 million in victim compensation and retain an independent compliance monitor for three years.
Separately, Raytheon entered into a three-year DPA in connection with a criminal information unsealed today in the Eastern District of New York charging Raytheon with two counts: conspiracy to violate the anti-bribery provision of the FCPA for a scheme to bribe a government official in Qatar and conspiracy to violate the AECA for willfully failing to disclose the bribes in export licensing applications with the Department of State as required by Part 130 of ITAR.
The agreements in Boston the District of Massachusetts and the Eastern District of New York require that Raytheon retain an independent compliance monitor for three years, enhance its internal compliance program, report evidence of additional misconduct to the Justice Department, and cooperate in any ongoing or future criminal investigations.
Raytheon also reached a separate False Claims Act settlement with the department relating to the defective pricing schemes. The Justice Department’s FCPA and ITAR resolution is coordinated with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
In addition, the Justice Department’s resolutions ensure that the appropriate federal agencies can proceed with determining whether Raytheon or any other individuals or entities associated with the company should be suspended or debarred as federal contractors. Pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR), when more than one agency has an interest in an entity’s potential suspension or debarment, the FAR requires that the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee (ISDC) identify the lead agency for conducting governmentwide suspension or debarment proceedings. In connection with this resolution, the Justice Department has referred Raytheon’s factual admissions to the appropriate officials within the DOD to initiate the process with the ISDC to identify which federal agency will take the lead in such administrative proceedings, which occur independently of the Justice Department’s criminal and civil resolutions.
“Through deliberate and deceptive actions, Raytheon not only defrauded the U.S. government – it compromised the integrity of our defense procurement process,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “Our office is committed to holding accountable those who prioritize profits over national security and clear legal obligations. This case underscores our unwavering commitment to pursuing justice, particularly when taxpayer dollars and DOD operations are at stake. We will continue to work tirelessly with our law enforcement partners to ensure that this type of misconduct is fully exposed and addressed with serious consequences.”
“Raytheon engaged in criminal schemes to defraud the U.S. government in connection with contracts for critical military systems and to win business through bribery in Qatar,” said Deputy Assistant Attorney General Kevin Driscoll of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “Such corrupt and fraudulent conduct, especially by a publicly traded U.S. defense contractor, erodes public trust and harms the Department of Defense, businesses that play by the rules, and American taxpayers. Today’s resolutions, with criminal and civil penalties totaling nearly $1 billion, reflect the Criminal Division’s ability to tackle the most significant and complex white-collar cases across multiple subject matters.”
“Government contractors have an obligation to be fully transparent about their cost and pricing data when they seek an award of a sole source contract,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Department will use all available tools to hold accountable contractors that knowingly provide inflated pricing information or otherwise violate their legal obligations when negotiating or performing contracts with the United States.”
“Investigating procurement fraud impacting DOD contracts is a top priority for the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS), the law enforcement arm of the DOD Office of Inspector General,” said Inspector General Robert Storch for the Department of Defense. “When DOD contractors fail to provide truthful pricing data and overcharge the government, they undermine the integrity of the DOD procurement process and harm critical DOD programs. The DCIS will continue to work with its law enforcement partners and the Department of Justice to ensure DOD contractors that engage in defective pricing schemes are held accountable for their actions. The Defense Contract Audit Agency's Operations Investigative Support Division provided valuable expertise during this investigation.”
“We rely on private contractors to help build our unparalleled defense technology, not to pull the wool over our eyes by convincing the government to shell out tens of millions more than what their technology is actually worth,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Boston Division. “Today’s settlement holds Raytheon both criminally and financially responsible for doing just that, using fraud and deceit to gouge American taxpayers to boost its company’s bottom line. The FBI and our partners will not hesitate to investigate any entity that sets out to undermine the principles of fair and free competition to defraud the federal government and waste precious tax dollars.”
“This recovery exemplifies the commitment of the Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division to ensure that contracts supporting our warfighters are executed effectively and fairly, guaranteeing our armed forces remain unmatched in capability and lethality,” said Special Agent-in-Charge Keith K. Kelly, Department of the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s (CID) Fraud Field Office. “Army CID applauds the efforts of our partners in this investigation and recovery. We will continue to work tirelessly to defend our defense procurement enterprise against any party which would seek financial advantage to the detriment of our men and women in uniform.”
“Any attempt to defraud the government also degrades our military’s ability to invest in the capabilities needed to protect our nation,” said Special Agent Jason Hein of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Director of Procurement Fraud. “The AFOSI procurement fraud team is committed to working with our partners to protect the procurement process and the government funds entrusted to the Department of the Air Force.”
According to admissions and court documents filed in the District of Massachusetts, Raytheon employees provided false and misleading information to the DOD during contract negotiations concerning two contracts with the United States for the benefit of a foreign partner, one to purchase PATRIOT missile systems and the other to operate and maintain a radar station. In both instances, Raytheon employees provided false and deceptive information to DOD in order to mislead DOD into awarding the two contracts at inflated prices. These schemes to defraud caused the DOD to pay Raytheon $111.2 million more than Raytheon should have been paid on the contracts.
Raytheon cooperated with the investigation and engaged in remedial measures, including, terminating employees who remained at the company that were responsible for the misconduct; establishing a broad defective pricing awareness campaign; developing and implementing policies, procedures and controls relating to defective pricing compliance; and engaging additional resources with appropriate expertise to evaluate and test the new policies, procedures and controls relating to defective pricing compliance.
Pursuant to the DPA, Raytheon has also agreed to retain an independent compliance monitor for a period of three years, and Raytheon and RTX have agreed to continue to implement a compliance and ethics program at Raytheon designed to prevent and detect fraudulent conduct throughout its operations. Raytheon and RTX also agreed to continue to cooperate with the Department of Justice in any ongoing or future criminal investigations by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section or the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
Under the False Claims Act settlement Raytheon will pay $428 million for knowingly failing to provide truthful certified cost and pricing data during negotiations on numerous government contracts between 2009 and 2020, in violation of the Truth in Negotiations Act (TINA). Congress enacted TINA in 1962 to help level the playing field in sole source contracts, where there is no price competition, by making sure that government negotiators have access to the cost or pricing data that the offeror used when developing its proposal. As part of the settlement, Raytheon admitted that it failed to disclose cost or pricing data, as required by TINA, regarding its labor and material costs to supply weapons systems to DOD, and that it failed to disclose cost or pricing data, as required by TINA, regarding its labor costs to staff a radar station. As a result, Raytheon overcharged the United States and received profits in excess of the negotiated profit rates. Raytheon also admitted it billed the same costs twice on a maintenance contract for the DOD.The DOD’s Principal Director of Defense Pricing, Contracting, and Acquisition Policy, Mr. John Tenaglia said, “The Defense Department greatly appreciates DOJ’s outstanding efforts culminating in this significant recovery. The price we pay for equipment and services absolutely matters. The more we pay, the less combat capability we can deliver for our nation’s warfighters. This DOJ recovery both restores funding that will be used to acquire more capability while also serving as a strong deterrent to all companies that might seek to deny DOD contracting officers with factual information they require to negotiate contracts at fair and reasonable prices.”
“During the course of a Truth in Negotiations audit, DCAA’s auditors found indicators of suspected irregular conduct and elevated these concerns to the Department of Defense Inspector General and the Department of Justice. DCAA’s Investigative Support team assisted on the case and provided valuable insight into the calculations of the damages to the Government. Preventing fraud and ensuring a fair and reasonable price for products is everyone’s job and DCAA is a valuable member of the team required to investigate and prosecute those who seek to defraud the government,” said Terri L. Dilly, Director, Defense Contract Audit Agency (DCAA).
The civil settlement includes a resolution of a lawsuit filed under the qui tam or whistleblower provision of the False Claims Act, which permits private parties to file suit on behalf of the United States for false claims and share in a portion of the Government’s recovery. The qui tam lawsuit was filed by a former Raytheon employee, and is captioned United States ex rel. Atesoglu v. v. Raytheon Technologies Corporation, 21-CV-10690-PBS (D. Mass.). The whistleblower will receive $4.2 million as her share of the settlement.
The criminal case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian LaMacchia and Benjamin Saltzman of the District of Massachusetts and Assistant Chief Kyle Hankey, Acting Assistant Chief Laura Connelly and Trial Attorney Tamara Livshiz of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section. The case was investigated by DCIS, Army-CID, FBI and Air Force OSI.
The civil investigation was handled by Assistant U.S. Attorney Brian LaMacchia of the District of Massachusetts, along with Trial Attorneys Art J. Coulter, Patrick Klein and Jared S. Wiesner of the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, Fraud Section.
Maine Man Sentenced to over 10 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a nationwide drug trafficking ring was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for drug trafficking charges. During the investigation, over 160 pounds of pure methamphetamine, as well as an AK-47, a Glock with no serial number, two loaded Smith & Wesson handguns and over 4,200 rounds of ammunition were seized. An illegal marijuana grow operation with hundreds of marijuana plants was also dismantled.
Emil Dzabiev, 44, of Scarborough, Maine, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 121 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. In June 2024, Dzabiev pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Dzabiev was arrested and charged along with seven others in July 2021 and was subsequently charged in a superseding indictment that added an additional three defendants in September 2021.
In late 2020, Reshat Alkayisi was identified as a large-scale methamphetamine trafficker, who distributed multi-pound quantities to customers throughout the New England area. Dzabiev was identified as one of Alkayisi’s regular customers who routinely purchased methamphetamine and redistributed it in Maine. In May 2021, Dzabiev was stopped after a meeting with Alkayisi and found in possession of approximately 455 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine in his vehicle.
Alkayisi pleaded guilty in April 2024 and in September 2024 sentenced to 23 years in prison to be followed by five years of supervised release. Dzabiev is the 8th defendant to be sentenced in the case. All remaining defendants have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts Department of Correction; Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office; and the Concord, Hudson, Peabody, Reading, Watertown and Waltham Police Departments. Assistance was also provided by the Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Alathea Porter and Katherine Ferguson of the Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Repeat Sex Trafficker Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Traffic Four Women Using Violence and ThreatsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man, previously convicted of multiple counts of sex trafficking, pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to sex trafficking multiple adult women.
Marvin Pompilus, 39, pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in in November 2023, and indicted by a federal grand jury in January 2024. U.S. District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 23, 2025.
In February 2018, Pompilus was convicted in Suffolk Superior Court of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. He was sentenced to six years in state prison and was released in October 2021.
“Marvin Pompilus targeted and brutalized his victims, and this was promptly after he was released from jail following his conviction on similar state charges,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “These crimes are a violation of human dignity and human rights. Our office, along with our federal, state and local partners, are dedicating substantial resources to both protecting victims of trafficking and holding defendants accountable by prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. This is especially true for repeat offenders like Mr. Pompilus.”
“This defendant callously picked up right where he left off when he was released from state prison, believing that he could profit by peddling drugs and misery to people suffering with substance abuse issues,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted victims who were struggling with addiction to opioids and cocaine, coerced them into sex trafficking and cruelly exploited them because of their vulnerability. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute human traffickers who exploit for their own personal gain the most vulnerable members of society, such as those experiencing substance abuse disorders.”
“Marvin Pompilus admitted today that after being released from state prison for sex trafficking, he started doing it again, targeting and exploiting four vulnerable women using violence and threats to force them to engage in commercial sex. What he did is unconscionable, and the harm he’s inflicted on these women is immeasurable,” said Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division. “The FBI will do everything in its power to protect trafficking victims from further harm and see the predators who so viciously abuse them brought to justice.”
Following his release from state custody in October 2021, Pompilus conspired to exploit and recruit multiple women into the commercial sex trade, using a combination of physical violence, sexual violence, threats of violence, verbal abuse and withholding of controlled substances from drug dependent victims to coerce and/or force them to engage in commercial sex acts. He then collected all of the proceeds. Pompilus required his victims to check in with him, forbade them from interacting with other men, and precluded them from obtaining drugs from anyone other than him. If one of the victims attempted to keep any of the proceeds from commercial sex or attempted to refuse to see a sex buyer, Pompilus would become physically violent, at times striking the victim in the face and kicking them. Pompilus would also engage in other forms of abuse as well such as using degrading names toward his victims, spitting on them, and throwing drinks on them, as well as isolating them from others.
If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please contact [email protected].
The charge of conspiracy to sex traffic by force, fraud, or coercion provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least two years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1,000,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; AAG Clarke; and FBI SAC Cohen made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Boston and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Riley, Chief of the Human Trafficking & Civil Rights Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Justice Department’s Human Trafficking Protection Unit are prosecuting the case.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Multiple Civil Rights Charges for Committing Sex Trafficking of Victims Addicted to Opioids and Cocaine and Other OffensesRead the Press Release
A Massachusetts man pleaded guilty today to four counts of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and fentanyl.
According to court documents, Marvin Pompilus, 39, of Stoughton, conspired to use force, threats of force, fraud and coercion to compel three adult victims to engage in commercial sex acts in the Randolph, Massachusetts, area between October 2021 and October 2022. He also conspired to compel another other adult victim to engage in commercial sex acts in September 2022. In addition, Pompilus pleaded guilty to possessing cocaine and fentanyl with the intent to distribute in September 2022. Pompilus was previously arrested and charged in November 2023. He has remained in federal custody.
According to court documents, Pompilus knew that the victims abused opioids and cocaine, and he specifically targeted the victims because of this vulnerability. For example, Pompilus promised the victims cocaine, heroin and fentanyl in exchange for engaging in commercial sex, with all the profits of the sex acts going directly to Pompilus. Pompilus also possessed distribution quantities of cocaine and fentanyl when Randolph Police Department conducted a car stop in September 2022 and found these drugs inside the crotch of his pants.
Court documents also demonstrate that Pompilus was previously convicted in Suffolk Superior Court in February 2018 of multiple counts of trafficking a person for sexual servitude and deriving support for prostitution. Pompilus was sentenced to six years in state prison and he was released in October 2021. Within days of his release, Pompilus began the sex trafficking conspiracy to which he pleaded guilty today.
“This defendant callously picked up right where he left off when he was released from state prison, believing that he could profit by peddling drugs and misery to people suffering with substance abuse issues,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The defendant specifically targeted victims who were struggling with addiction to opioids and cocaine, coerced them into sex trafficking and cruelly exploited them because of their vulnerability. The Justice Department will continue to investigate and prosecute human traffickers who exploit for their own personal gain the most vulnerable members of society, such as those experiencing substance abuse disorders.”
“Marvin Pompilus targeted and brutalized his victims, and this was promptly after he was released from jail following his conviction on similar state charges,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy for the District of Massachusetts. “These crimes are a violation of human dignity and human rights. Our office, along with our federal, state and local partners, are dedicating substantial resources to both protecting victims of trafficking and holding defendants accountable by prosecuting them to the fullest extent of the law. This is especially true for repeat offenders like Mr. Pompilus.”
“Marvin Pompilus admitted today that as soon as he got out of state prison for sex trafficking, he started doing it again, targeting and exploiting four vulnerable women using violence and threats to force them to engage in commercial sex,” said Special Agent in Charge Jodi Cohen of the FBI Boston Field Office. “What he did is unconscionable, and the harm he’s inflicted on these women is immeasurable. The FBI will do everything in its power to protect trafficking victims from further harm and see the predators who so viciously abuse them brought to justice.”
A sentencing hearing is scheduled for Jan. 23, 2025. According to the plea agreement, Pompilus faces a minimum penalty of 12 years in prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Boston Field Office, Massachusetts State Police and Randolph Police Department investigated the case. Massachusetts State Police Troopers Ashleigh Moore and John Hagerty are especially commended for identifying Pompilus and detecting his trafficking scheme during a routine car stop in the summer of 2021.
Chief of the Civil Rights and Human Trafficking Unit Liz Riley-Cunniffe for the District of Massachusetts and Trial Attorney Meghan Tokash of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit are prosecuting the case.
Anyone who has information about human trafficking should report that information to the National Human Trafficking Hotline toll-free at 1-888-373-7888, which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. For more information about human trafficking, please visit www.humantraffickinghotline.org. Information on the Justice Department’s efforts to combat human trafficking can be found at www.justice.gov/humantrafficking.
LA Autoridad De Vivienda De Chicopee Resuelve Una Demanda De Discriminación Por Discapacidad Y RacialRead the Press Release
BOSTON- La Autoridad de Vivienda de Chicopee (CHA) y su ex Director Ejecutivo, han resuelto una demanda que alegaba que la CHA y su Director llevaban a cabo un modelo de prácticas de discriminación contra inquilinos de la CHA basadas en su raza, nacionalidad de origen o discapacidad.
La Orden de Consentimiento requiere que la CHA pague $435,000 para compensar a las personas perjudicadas por sus prácticas discriminatorias, y una multa civil de $25,000 a los Estados Unidos. El acuerdo también requiere que la CHA realice amplios cambios para proteger los derechos de los inquilinos con discapacidades, incluida la contratación de un Coordinador de Derechos por Incapacidad, la implementación de nuevas medidas para manejar las solicitudes de los inquilinos para alojamiento y mudanzas y la construcción de nueve nuevas unidades de vivienda para personas con discapacidades. La Orden de Consentimiento también prohíbe la discriminación en el futuro y requiere que la CHA implemente nuevos procedimientos para quejas por discriminación y la capacitación de los empleados.
De conformidad con el acuerdo, la Directora de la CHA, Monica Blazic, renunciará a su cargo en la CHA al final del 2024 y no tendrá ninguna vinculación adicional con la CHA. El asunto surgió de una investigación del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD), que, en Marzo del 2021 halló que la CHA y Blazic violaron la Ley de Vivienda Justa al no permitir que una persona con enfermedad renal en etapa terminal se transfiriera a una unidad de un cuarto en un primer piso o con acceso a un ascensor, para que pudiese recibir tratamiento diario de diálisis en su hogar. Los Estados Unidos inicialmente presentaron una demanda contra los acusados en Abril del 2021 por no proveer alojamiento razonable. En Diciembre del 2021, los Estados Unidos modificaro su demanda, de modo que incluyese reclamos adicionales de que los demandados discriminaban a inquilinos negros e hispanos, al realizar declaraciones discriminatorias a inquilinos negros e hispanos acerca de ellos, incluyendo insultos raciales y lenguaje despectivo.
“Es completamente inaceptable que los funcionarios de vivienda pública discriminen por motivos de raza y discapacidad. Este acuerdo compensará a los inquilinos que fueron perjudicados por las prácticas ilegales de la CHA y garantizará que la autoridad de vivienda avance con un nuevo liderazgo y nuevos sistemas para proteger a sus inquilinos de la discriminación en el futuro”, dijo el fiscal federal interino Joshua S. Levy. "Al crear nuevas unidades de vivienda accesibles, la CHA también podrá satisfacer mejor las necesidades de la comunidad".
"La discriminación racial y de origen nacional, y la discriminación contra personas que viven con discapacidades, son ilegales y no se permitirán en el mercado inmobiliario de nuestro país", dijo la subsecretaria adjunta principal Diane M. Shelley de la Oficina del Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (HUD) de Vivienda Justa e Igualdad de Oportunidades. "La HUD aplaude al Departamento de Justicia por llegar a este acuerdo y continuará apoyando sus esfuerzos para responsabilizar a los proveedores de vivienda cuando no cumplan con sus obligaciones conforme a las leyes de vivienda del país".
Los inquilinos de CHA pueden ser elegibles para participar del presupuesto del acuerdo si previamente solicitaron transferir apartamentos para adaptarse a una discapacidad, y la CHA retrasó o negó indebidamente la transferencia. Se recomienda a esos inquilinos que se comuniquen con la Oficina del Fiscal Federal llamando al 617-275-8756 o enviando un correo electrónico a [email protected].
El fiscal federal interino Levy; La Fiscal General Adjunta Kristen Clarke; y la subsecretaria adjunta principal de la HUD, Shelley, hicieron el anuncio hoy. Los fiscales federales adjuntos Hillary Harnett, Anuj Khetarpal, Gregory Dorchak, Michelle Leung y Jennifer Serafyn de la Unidad de Derechos Civiles se encargaron del asunto. La resolución de este asunto fue el resultado de un esfuerzo coordinado entre la Fiscalía Federal para el Distrito de Massachusetts y el Departamento de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano de los Estados Unidos.
La Unidad de Derechos Civiles de la Fiscalía Federal se estableció en 2015 con la misión de mejorar la aplicación federal de los derechos civiles. Para obtener más información sobre los esfuerzos de derechos civiles de la Oficina, visite www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Haverhill Man Sentenced for Drug Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for his role in a North Shore-based drug trafficking organization (DTO) that allegedly distributed tens of thousands of counterfeit prescription pills containing fentanyl and methamphetamine.
David Delauri, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Dennis F. Saylor IV to 102 months in prison to be followed by four years of supervised release. In July 2024 Delauri pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances; aiding and abetting; one count of possession with intent to distribute more than 50 grams of a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine; and aiding and abetting.
According to court documents, the DTO distributed counterfeit oxycodone pills containing fentanyl and counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine, among other things, to various individuals in the Lynn area.
On May 10, 2022, Delauri allegedly arranged to acquire nearly 600 counterfeit Adderall pills containing methamphetamine from co-defendant Lawrence Michael Nagle. Delauri immediately distributed the pills to co-defendant Savannah Bartone. Bartone was subsequently stopped by police, who seized the pills.
Bartone pleaded guilty in November 2023 and is pending sentencing. Lawrence Michael Nagle has pleaded not guilty and is scheduled for trial on Jan. 6, 2024.Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Stephen Belleau, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Geoffrey Noble, Colonel of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Beverly, Everett, Peabody, Revere, Salem, Saugus and Swampscott Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan D. Panich of the Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf.
The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The remaining defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Falmouth Woman Pleads Guilty to Embezzling More Than $1.3 MillionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former bookkeeper of a Falmouth flooring company pleaded guilty to embezzling more than $1.3 million from her employer.
Susan Figuerido, 73, of Falmouth, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and filing a false tax return. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Jan. 15, 2025.
Between June 2015 and February 2023, Figuerido embezzled more than $1.3 million from her employer by writing checks to herself drawn on her employer’s bank account. To conceal her scheme, Figuerido did not record the checks that she wrote to herself in her employer’s accounting system. Figuerido did not report or include the funds that she embezzled on her federal income tax filings, resulting in a tax loss of approximately $353,000.
The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Acting U.S. Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Harry T. Chavis Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. The Falmouth Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of the Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dominican Man Indicted for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dominican man has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for illegally reentering the United States after deportation.
Jose De La Rosa Rosario, 50, was indicted on one count of unlawful reentry of a deported alien.
De La Rosa was remanded into federal custody after previously being arrested by police on Sept. 3, 2024, and then detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Sept. 16, 2024. He will appear in federal court in Boston on a later date.
According to the indictment, De La Rosa was deported from the United States on July 3, 2018. It is alleged that sometime after his July 2018 removal, De La Rosa illegally reentered the United States without permission.
The charge of unlawful reentry of a deported alien provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement today. Special Assistant U.S. Attorney James J. Nagelberg of the 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.
Chicopee Housing Authority Settles Disability and Race Discrimination LawsuitRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The Chicopee Housing Authority (CHA) and its former Executive Director, have resolved a lawsuit alleging that the CHA and its Director engaged in a pattern or practice of discrimination against CHA tenants based on race, national origin, or disability.
The Consent Order requires CHA to pay $435,000 to compensate individuals harmed by its discriminatory practices and a $25,000 civil penalty to the United States. The settlement also requires CHA to make broad changes to protect the rights of tenants with disabilities, including hiring a Disability Rights Coordinator, implementing new policies for handling tenant requests for reasonable accommodations and transfers and building nine new accessible housing units for persons with disabilities. The Consent Order also bars future discrimination and requires CHA to implement new discrimination complaint procedures and employee training.
Pursuant to the agreement, CHA Director, Monica Blazic will resign from her role at CHA by the end of 2024 and will not have further involvement with CHA.
The matter arose from an investigation by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which, in March 2021, found that CHA and Blazic violated the Fair Housing Act by failing to allow a tenant with end stage renal disease to transfer to a first floor or elevator accessible one-bedroom unit needed for her to receive daily in-home dialysis. The United States initially filed suit against the defendants in April 2021 for failing to make reasonable accommodations. In December 2021, the United States amended its lawsuit to include additional claims that the defendants had engaged in a pattern of disability discrimination. Specifically, the amended complaint alleged that CHA, for years, had systematically postponed requests for reasonable accommodations made by tenants with disabilities who were seeking to transfer apartments for medical reasons. Additionally, the United States alleged that the defendants discriminated against Black and Hispanic tenants when Blazic made discriminatory statements about and to Black and Hispanic tenants, including using racial slurs and other derogatory language.
“It is completely unacceptable for public housing officials to discriminate based on race and disability. This settlement will compensate the tenants who were harmed by CHA’s illegal practices and ensure that the housing authority will move forward with new leadership and new systems in place to protect its tenants from discrimination in the future,” said Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy. “By creating new accessible housing units, CHA will also be better able to meet the needs of the community.”
“Racial and national origin discrimination, and discrimination against persons living with disabilities, are unlawful and will not be allowed in our country’s housing market,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Diane M. Shelley of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity. “HUD applauds the Justice Department for reaching this settlement and will continue supporting its efforts to hold housing providers accountable when they fail to meet their obligations under the nation’s housing laws.”
CHA tenants may be eligible to participate in the settlement fund if they previously requested to transfer apartments to accommodate a disability, and the transfer was improperly delayed or denied by CHA. Those tenants are encouraged to contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office by calling 617-275-8756 or by emailing [email protected].
Acting U.S. Attorney Levy; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke; and HUD Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Shelley made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Hillary Harnett, Anuj Khetarpal, Gregory Dorchak, Michelle Leung and Jennifer Serafyn from the Civil Rights Unit handled the matter. The resolution of this matter was the result of a coordinated effort between the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
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.
Previously Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing Loaded Firearm with Obliterated Serial NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haverhill man has pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Rashad Diggs, a/k/a “Summers,” 37, pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 14, 2025.
In December 2022 in Revere, Diggs possessed a semiautomatic pistol with an obliterated serial number loaded with over 40 rounds of ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions, including for unlawful firearms possession, Diggs is prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.