District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Bronx Man Indicted for Child Exploitation OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y. man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston in connection with coercing a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography, as well as traveling with the intent to engage in illicit conduct with the minor victim.
Markell Greene, 25, was indicted on one count of sexual exploitation of minors and one count of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct. Greene is currently in state custody on related charges and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Greene persuaded, enticed and coerced a 13-year-old minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography. Additionally, it is alleged that on or about Feb. 14, 2022, Greene traveled in interstate commerce with a motivating purpose of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with the minor victim.
The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of travel with intent to engage in illicit conduct provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington, Mass. and New York City Police Departments; the Middlesex County District Attorney’s Office; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, New York Field Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Luke A. Goldworm of Rollins’ 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.
Stoughton Man Sentenced for Illegal Possession of Firearms and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for firearm offenses.
Michael Robert Moura, 28, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge George A. O’Toole Jr. to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 13, 2022, Moura pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and one count of receipt and possession of an unregistered firearm.
Over the course of several months in 2020 and again in February 2021, Moura sought to purchase a firearm. On the morning of April 28, 2021, Moura purchased a Glock handgun, an assault rifle, pistol and rifle magazines and over 100 rounds of ammunition in a parking lot in Brockton. Shortly thereafter, Moura was arrested and the illegally obtained handgun, rifle, ammunition and magazines were seized.
Moura is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to an April 2020 conviction in Worcester County punishable by more than one year in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; 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 the Brockton and Stoughton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin Tolkoff and Timothy Kistner of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Pleads Guilty to Bank RobberyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty today to robbing a TD Bank branch in Boston.
Coleman Nee, 42, pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery before U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani who scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2023. Nee was indicted by a federal grand jury in July 2021.
On the afternoon of April 26, 2021, Nee entered a TD Bank branch in Boston, showed a teller what appeared to be a firearm and threatened to kill a teller and a bank customer before robbing the bank of $990. Within approximately 20 minutes of the robbery, Nee was apprehended by law enforcement due to a GPS tracker attached to one of the stolen bill packets.
The charge of bank robbery provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority Police Chief Kenneth Green made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Indicted for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in Boston on sex trafficking offenses, including allegedly trafficking a minor he met on social media.
Jimall Dawn Brown, 33, was indicted on one count of sex trafficking of a minor; one count of sex trafficking by force, fraud, or coercion; one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to induce a minor to engage in prostitution; and one count of transporting a person for purposes of prostitution. Brown was previously charged by criminal complaint with one count of sex trafficking of a minor on Oct. 26, 2022. He has remained in custody since his arrest on Oct. 27, 2022.
According to the charging documents, Brown trafficked a 17-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex acts. It is alleged that Brown first met the victim, who was living outside Massachusetts, on social media and induced and coerced her to fly to Boston, with promises of a “better lifestyle.” Brown posted advertisements of the victim online and arranged “dates” for the victim to have sex in exchange for money. Brown allegedly set the pricing for the commercial sex acts she engaged in, for which he collected all of the funds.
In March 2022, Brown allegedly coerced the victim, who was still a minor at the time, to fly to Georgia, where he arranged for her to engage in commercial sex, for which he collected all of the funds. In April 2022, Brown allegedly took the victim to Nevada, again arranging for her to engage in commercial sex and keeping all of the funds.
According to the charging document, local law enforcement in Massachusetts met with the victim at which time she alleged that Brown told her she would have a better life if she came to Boston to “be with him,” however once she did so, Brown prevented her from leaving. Specifically, it is alleged that when the victim would attempt to leave Brown, he would threaten her or beat her up. For example, as stated in court documents, if she told him she wanted to go home, he would put his hands on her, slap her and yell at her. On multiple occasions, Brown allegedly hit the victim, choked her and physically restrained her.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The sex trafficking statute also imposes a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years for offenses committed by means of force, threats of force, fraud or coercion. The charge of using a facility of interstate commerce to induce a minor to engage in prostitution provides for a minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Each count also provides for mandatory 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Arlington and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of Rollins’ Civil Rights & Human Trafficking 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.
Auburn Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Auburn man was sentenced today in federal court in Worcester for child pornography offenses.
Jesse Laino, 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 88 months in prison and five years of supervised release. On April 6, 2022, Laino pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.
In May 2019, Laino utilized the Kik platform to upload and distribute two images of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). During a search of Laino’s residence in June 2020, two phones and one laptop seized were found to contain CSAM. Laino also used a cloud storage service to store and share links to images and videos of CSAM as well as to using a social media application to connect with other users for the purpose of obtaining and distributing the images. Social media records revealed that from about January 2019 to July 2020, Laino participated in hundreds of chats and distributed over 1,700 images of CSAM, including images of infants and toddlers being sexually abused.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Auburn Police Chief Andrew J. Sluckis, Jr.; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted 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.
Justice Department Launches Civil Investigation of Worcester Police DepartmentRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts and the Justice Department announced today that it has opened a pattern or practice investigation into the Worcester Police Department (WPD). This civil investigation will assess whether WPD engages in a pattern or practice of excessive force or engages in discriminatory policing based on race or sex. The investigation will include a comprehensive review of policies, procedures, trainings, investigatory files, and data. The investigation will also include a review of WPD’s systems of accountability, including its systems to address misconduct complaints and discipline. The Department will also evaluate how WPD officers interact with the public, collect evidence, and complete investigations.
“The City of Worcester is a thriving and vital part of our District and we work closely every day with its Police Department. Worcester police officers have a challenging job of ensuring the safety of the Worcester community. This often means responding to or encountering tense and at times dangerous conflicts and situations. I am well aware that the overwhelming majority of officers serve and do their jobs with honor, pride, restraint and distinction," said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “The purpose of this civil investigation is to determine – through objective and thorough examination – whether or not there is an overall pattern or practice of conduct that violates the Constitution or federal law. This is the beginning of the process. We will go where the facts take us. You will hear from me at the end of the investigation, irrespective of outcome. Our ultimate goal is to ensure that policing in Worcester is constitutional, safe, and effective all while the civil rights of their residents remain intact. We thank the City of Worcester, and specifically Chief Steven Sargent, for their cooperation and collaboration in this matter.”
“Based on information provided to the Justice Department, we find significant justification to investigate whether the Worcester Police Department engages in a pattern or practice of racially discriminatory and gender-biased policing, and uses excessive force,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “Ensuring that our law enforcement officers act in a constitutional and non-discriminatory manner is among the highest priorities of the U.S. Department of Justice. Our pattern or practice investigations are a key tool in our efforts to ensure community safety and promote constitutional policing across the country. We look forward to working with officials towards the shared goals of ensuring constitutional, effective policing and fostering greater trust between law enforcement officers and the community members they serve.”
The investigation is being conducted pursuant to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, which prohibits state and local governments from engaging in a pattern or practice of conduct by law enforcement officers that deprives individuals of rights protected by the Constitution or federal law. The statute allows the Department to remedy such misconduct through civil litigation. The Justice Department will be assessing law enforcement practices under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, as well as under the Safe Streets Act of 1968 and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
This is the second investigation of a Massachusetts law enforcement agency conducted pursuant to this statute. In 2018, the Justice Department opened an investigation of the Springfield Police Department, which was resolved by a consent decree in 2022.
Prior to this announcement, Department Officials informed Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent, Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty and Worcester Acting City Manager Eric Batista of the investigation. They pledged to cooperate with the investigation. As part of this investigation, Department officials will reach out to members of the public to learn about their experiences with WPD.
The Special Litigation Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts will jointly conduct this investigation. Individuals with relevant information are encouraged to contact the Department of Justice via email at [email protected] or by toll free phone at 888-221-6023. Individuals can also report civil rights violations regarding this or other matters using the Civil Rights Division’s reporting portal, available at https://civilrights.justice.gov/.
For more information on the U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Civil Rights Unit, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights. Additional information about the Civil Rights Division of the Justice Department is available on its website at www.justice.gov/crt. Information specific to the Civil Rights Division’s Police Reform Work can be found here: /media/872116/dl?inline.
Former Trap House Landlord and Associate of New Bedford Latin Kings Chapter SentencedRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former landlord and associate of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) was sentenced today for racketeering and drug offenses.
Robert Avitable, a/k/a “Bobby,” 52, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel time served (approximately four days in prison) and three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 10 months in prison. On April 19, 2022, Avitable pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity and one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. As part of the plea agreement, Avitable has agreed to forfeit the three apartment buildings that he owned in the City of New Bedford. These apartment buildings, referred to as “trap houses” by the Latin Kings, were used by the gang in furtherance of the racketeering conspiracy.
Avitable was an associate of the Latin Kings enterprise in New Bedford, where he owned several apartment buildings. Avitable partnered with the Latin Kings and his properties became “trap houses” used by the gang to facilitate their crimes. The apartment buildings became centers of power for the Latin Kings and served as primary locations in which gang members resided, stored weapons, dealt drugs and coordinated violence. Avitable rented the apartments to Latin Kings members, knowing that they would be used to sell, store and manufacture drugs. It was from these properties, provided in partnership with Avitable, that the Latin Kings facilitated their campaign of street violence and drug dealing. Avitable was a key player in facilitating the Latin Kings’ expansion in the area, as the apartment buildings provided powerful infrastructure to recruit members and lure vulnerable juveniles to join the gang with the promises of housing and brotherhood.
Avitable directly associated and partnered with Jorge Rodriguez, a/k/a “King G,” who at the time was second in command of Latin Kings leadership in Massachusetts. In doing so, Avitable granted a safe haven to the Latin Kings – allowing crimes to fester and grow more brazen as members operated with a sentence of impunity. Street brawls, beatings, shootings and robberies regularly occurred within, or in front of, the apartment buildings. In October 2019, a juvenile Latin Kings member was murdered steps away from one of the trap houses.
Despite the fact that police executed search warrants in the rental units controlled by the Latin Kings numerous times, Avitable continued to rent the units to the gang and was captured on multiple recordings in discussions with gang leaders. Avitable even was captured on recording discussing the manner of completing a joint real estate deal with Rodriguez. During this recording, Avitabile explains how he would launder Rodriguez’s drug proceeds through the transaction and avoid the bank scrutinizing the source of the funds.
In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. In total, 60 defendants in the case have pleaded guilty. Of the 62 charged defendants in the indictment, two remain in warrant status. All of the remaining 60 defendants have pleaded guilty and have been sentenced or are awaiting sentencing. Avitable is the 56th defendant to be sentenced.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit and Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol Head, Chief of Rollins’ Asset Forfeiture Unit, prosecuted 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 documents are allegations. The two remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe Chairman and Architecture Firm Owner Sentenced in Bribery CaseRead the Press Release
UPDATE: On Sept. 27, 2024, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed David DeQuattro’s conviction for federal-program bribery. The case was remanded for further proceedings. On Oct. 21, 2024, the Court ordered the defendant acquitted.
UPDATE: On Sept. 27, 2024, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Cedric Cromwell’s convictions on the federal program bribery counts and reinstated his extortion convictions.
BOSTON – The former Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the owner of an architecture-and-design firm in Providence, R.I. were sentenced today for bribery relating to the Tribe’s plans to build a resort and casino in Taunton, Mass.
Cedric Cromwell, 57, of Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to three years in prison and one year of supervised release. David DeQuattro, 56, of Warwick, R.I., was sentenced by Judge Woodlock to one year of probation to be spent in home confinement with electronic monitoring. Cromwell and DeQuattro were each also ordered to pay fines in the amounts of $25,000 and $50,000, respectively.
On May 5, 2022, the defendants were convicted by a federal jury following a 10-day trial. Specifically, Cromwell was convicted of two counts of accepting bribes as an agent of an Indian tribal government, three counts of extortion under color of official right and one count of conspiring to commit extortion. DeQuattro was convicted of one count of paying a bribe to an agent of an Indian tribal government. Cromwell continues to face four remaining charges of filing a false tax return. At today’s sentencing, Judge Woodlock granted Cromwell’s motion for acquittal on the extortion counts but denied the defendants’ motions for acquittal on the bribery counts.
Cromwell was the Chairman of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and President of the Tribe’s Gaming Authority. DeQuattro’s architecture-and-design company signed a contract to serve as the Gaming Authority’s owner representative for the First Light Resort and Casino, which the Tribe was building in Taunton. Cromwell accepted three bribes from DeQuattro in exchange for an agreement to protect DeQuattro’s firm’s contract: $10,000 in November 2015; a Bowflex Revolution home gym in August 2016; and a weekend stay at an upscale Boston hotel in May 2017. DeQuattro was found guilty of bribing Cromwell with regard to the Bowflex and the hotel stay.
“Mr. Cromwell was elected to represent the 12,000-year-old Wampanoag Tribe. He received the privilege of leading the Mashpee Wampanoag people, who put their faith and trust in him with each ballot they cast. Rather than striving to make his community better through honorable deeds of service, he dishonored his people and his position by accepting bribes for his own personal gain,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “It is my hope that today’s sentence brings accountability to the Mashpee Wampanoag community and closes the door on this dark chapter in their rich history. Just last week, I had the privilege of meeting with tribal leaders in Mashpee. I look forward to continued positive interactions and supporting opportunities for education and growth with the tribe members in Mashpee.”
“Cedric Cromwell abused his elected position and betrayed the trust of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe by seeking to monetize his position of power at every turn. He solicited and accepted thousands of dollars in bribes from David DeQuattro over three years and went to great lengths to try and conceal their criminal conduct,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Today’s sentence makes it clear that the FBI will not hesitate to investigate elected officials who commit illegal acts for their own selfish and unlawful gain.”
According to evidence presented at trial, in November 2015, Cromwell received a $10,000 personal check from DeQuattro and deposited it into a bank account for a company he had formed called One Nation Development LLC. Cromwell’s website described One Nation Development as helping Native American tribes with economic development. It stated, “One Nation works with Federal and State agencies on behalf of Native American communities. We have relationships with the Bureau of Indian Affairs and provide our Native community clients with direct and active engagement with these various agencies.” The website touted experience in the areas of strategic planning, gaming, hospitality and legal services. It stated, “One Nation Development is comprised of a team of committed professionals that bring together several decades of collective wisdom and experience to the work done on behalf of client communities. Each professional is individually committed to the One Nation approach: a multi-generational approach to advance community-building solutions.” In fact, One Nation Development had no employees and Cromwell spent DeQuattro’s check on personal expenses.
In August 2016, Cromwell asked DeQuattro for a piece of exercise equipment. In turn, DeQuattro and his business partner bought a used Bowflex on Craigslist for $1,700 and had it delivered to Cromwell’s home. Cromwell told DeQuattro he was disappointed it was used.
In May 2017, Cromwell texted DeQuattro: “Hello Dave. I hope all is well. My Birthday is coming up this Friday May 19th and I wanted to spend Friday through Monday at a very nice hotel in Boston for my Birthday weekend. Is it possible that you can get me a nice hotel room at the Four Seasons or a suite at the Seaport Hotel? I am going to have a special guest with me. Please let me know and Thank You.” DeQuattro forwarded the text to his business partner, writing, “U can’t think of this stuff…..what is next?” DeQuattro and his business partner paid over $1,800 for Cromwell to stay in an Executive Suite King – Harbor View at the Seaport Boston Hotel for three nights.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Attleboro Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine J. Wichers and Jared C. Dolan of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
With respect to the tax charges, the details contained in the charging document are allegations. Cromwell is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Possessing AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Cambridge man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to illegally possessing ammunition as a previously convicted felon.
Kyle Evans, 36, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty on Nov. 9, 2022 to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Feb. 23, 2023. Evans was initially charged by criminal complaint in October 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020.
In August 2020 Evans was pulled over in Everett by local law enforcement after failing to stop his vehicle at a red light. When asked for his license and registration, Evans stated that he did not have a license. Law enforcement confirmed that Evans’ driver’s license was suspended and he was subsequently placed under arrest, at which time four rounds of .22LR caliber ammunition were found in his left pants pocket.
Due to a prior conviction punishable by at least one year in prison that he had received, Evans was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charge of being a felon in possession of ammunition provides 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. 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Everett Police Chief Steven A. Mazzie made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, 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.
This case is also part of Project Guardian, the Department of Justice’s signature initiative to reduce gun violence and enforce federal firearms laws. Initiated by the Attorney General in the fall of 2019, Project Guardian draws upon the Department’s past successful programs to reduce gun violence; enhances coordination of federal, state, local, and tribal authorities in investigating and prosecuting gun crimes; improves information-sharing by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives when a prohibited individual attempts to purchase a firearm and is denied by the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), to include taking appropriate actions when a prospective purchaser is denied by the NICS for mental health reasons; and ensures that federal resources are directed at the criminals posing the greatest threat to our communities. For more information about Project Guardian, please see: https://www.justice.gov/projectguardian.
Boston Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Drug and Gun OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court for gun and drug offenses.
Omari Peterson, 39, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Douglas P. Woodlock to 66 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On March 29, 2022, Peterson pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine) and two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
In January 2021, an investigation began into drug trafficking activities by Peterson in the Boston area. On Feb. 18, 2021, Peterson sold crack cocaine and cocaine to a cooperating witness. A search of Peterson’s apartment on March 5, 2021 resulted in the seizure of two firearms, a Sig Sauer P220 pistol and a Ruger LCP .380 pistol, along with 136 rounds of various caliber ammunition. During a subsequent search of Peterson’s storage unit in Quincy on March 6, 2021, six additional firearms and 67 rounds of various caliber ammunition were also seized.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag; and Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime & 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 violent crime and gun violence, 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.
Convicted Felon Charged with Federal Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A previously convicted felon was indicted by a federal grand jury in Worcester today for allegedly manufacturing and selling firearms – including ghost guns – and unlawfully possessing ammunition.
Mickie Simmons, 31, of Brookfield, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to deal firearms without a license, one count of dealing firearms without a license and two counts of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Simmons will appear in federal Court in Worcester on Nov. 15, 2022. Simmons was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on May 25, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on two separate occasions between March and May 2022, Simmons sold a confidential source ammunition and ghost guns – firearms that have been manufactured by an individual and not by a firearms manufacturing company. It is alleged that during a later search of Simmons’ residence, at least five ghost guns, including an AR-15 short-barrel rifle, 15 ghost gun kits, numerous rounds of ammunition, components of assault-style rifles, several other firearms and more than $25,000 in cash was seized.
Due to a 2014 state conviction for breaking and entering, larceny and conspiracy for which he was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Simmons is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
The charges of conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and dealing firearms without a license each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to a $250,000. The charges of being a felon in possession of ammunition each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to a $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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Danial E. Bennett and Brendan O’Shea of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Watertown Man Arrested in Connection with African Sports Investment Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Watertown man was arrested today for allegedly defrauding investors who believed they were financing lucrative short-term sports ventures in Africa.
Adrian Kawuba, 33, was charged with one count of wire fraud. Kawuba will appear in federal court in Boston at 2:30 p.m. today before United States Magistrate Judge M. Page Kelley.
According to the charging documents, Kawuba told his investors that he would invest their money in short-term financing of sports ventures in Africa and elsewhere overseas and that he would personally guarantee their investments. It is alleged however, that Kawuba did not invest any of the funds he received from victim investors. Instead, Kawuba allegedly used the money to pay for luxury goods and to pay purported returns to his investors – in some instances paying back an investor’s earlier investment with money that investors had just sent Kawuba for a new investment.
The charge of wire fraud provides a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the monetary loss or gain, whichever is greater, 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. The Watertown Police Department provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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.
Rockland Man Charged with Child Pornography OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Rockland man has been arrested on child pornography charges.
Donald J. Caruso, 40, was charged with one count of distribution of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. Caruso was arrested on Nov. 7, 2022 and, following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Nov. 8, 2022 before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson, was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Nov. 17, 2022.
According to the charging documents, a federal investigation determined that the user of an account on an online communication platform was distributing child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The user – who was later identified as Caruso – allegedly disseminated links to an undercover agent to folders containing CSAM. It is alleged that a preliminary forensic analysis of devices seized from Caruso’s residence on Nov. 4, 2022 revealed that they contained CSAM.
The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigation’s in New England; Rockland Chief of Police Nicholas Zeoli; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ 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.
MS-13 Clique Leader Sentenced to over 13 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON –The leader of a local MS-13 clique was sentenced on Nov. 8, 2022 in federal court in Boston.
Manuel Adan Yanez Cruz, a/k/a “Rocky,” a/k/a “Flaco,” 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 162 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Yanez Cruz is an El Salvadoran citizen and will be subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On March 18, 2022, Yanez Cruz pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO or racketeering conspiracy.
MS-13 is a transnational street gang operating in Massachusetts and numerous other states, as well as countries such as El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala who often commit acts of extreme violence against suspected rivals, those suspected of cooperating with law enforcement and others whom the gang views as a threat. In recent years, dozens of MS-13 members have been convicted of RICO conspiracy and other serious felonies in the District of Massachusetts.
MS-13 is organized in Massachusetts and elsewhere in the form of so-called “cliques” or smaller groups that operate under the larger mantle of MS-13. Yanez Cruz was a member and local leader of the Huntington Locos Salvatrucha (HLS) clique, which operated in the cities of Boston, Lynn, Everett, Chelsea, Somerville and other parts of Massachusetts.
On Dec. 24, 2016, Yanez Cruz was involved in the murder of a teenage boy in East Boston. Specifically, Yanez Cruz informed at least one individual of the murder before it occurred and participated in the planning of the victim’s murder, which was based on the belief that the victim may have been associated with a rival gang. Yanez Cruz was present at the murder along with other MS-13 members to serve as both a witness for El Salvador leaders and to assist as needed. At the time the murder was committed, Yanez Cruz was a juvenile.
Following the murder, Yanez Cruz boasted about his involvement in the murder to help recruit others, including minors, into the MS-13 gang and to earn elevated gang status. Intercepted communications showed that Yanez Cruz communicated with both national and international MS-13 leaders and members about MS-13 gang matters, including the transmission of fees to El Salvador.
Although Yanez Cruz was not charged with the 2016 murder, as part of the Nov. 8, 2022 sentence for federal RICO conspiracy, the Court held him responsible for his involvement in the murder.
In April 2018, Yanez Cruz was also involved in the attempted murder of a victim whom he, along with other MS-13 members, suspected of being a gang rival. MS-13 members lured the victim to the Belle Isle Marsh where a member shot the victim in the head. The gun malfunctioned, however, and the victim survived.
In September 2018, Yanez Cruz was arrested for an assault on a rival gang member in which he possessed a knife on a public street in broad daylight. In phone communications following the incident, another MS-13 member present at the incident told an associate about the violent nature of the event and that they had almost killed the victim.
Yanez Cruz had entered into the United States unlawfully in 2015 and, following his arrest and conviction on the state knife offense, was transferred into the custody of immigration authorities for deportation proceedings. Authorities sought to remove Yanez Cruz from the United States and pointed to his association with MS-13 as part of the reasons to oppose his petition for asylum and other relief. Yanez Cruz testified under oath at his removal proceedings and made a number of false statements, telling the Court that he was not associated with MS-13 and was unfamiliar with HLS. The immigration judge found Yanez Cruz’s testimony to be credible. However, Yanez Cruz was federally indicted in this case before any ultimate ruling was issued on his immigration status.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Essex County District Attorney Jonathan W. Blodgett; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Lynn Police Chief Christopher Reddy made the announcement.
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.
Former Owner and Operator of Arlington Insurance Agency Sentenced for Stealing over $380,000 in Government BenefitsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former owner and operator of an Arlington-based insurance agency was sentenced on Nov. 8, 2022 for fraudulently receiving disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Social Security Administration (SSA).
Patrick Quinn, 50, of Arlington, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one year and one day in prison followed by one year of supervised release. Quinn was also ordered to pay restitution of $98,940 to the VA. Quinn has already paid restitution in the amount of $281,439 to SSA. On April 12, 2022, Quinn was convicted by a federal jury of two counts of theft of public funds and two counts of making false statements.
Since January 2012, Quinn stole more than $380,000 in Veterans Affairs benefits and Social Security benefits by falsely telling the VA and SSA that he was unable to work due to a disability, when in reality, he owned and operated Quinn Insurance Group, Inc.
In October 1995, shortly after being discharged from the U.S. Marine Corps, Quinn applied and was approved for disability compensation benefits with the VA based on a series of physical injuries and, later, post-traumatic stress disorder. In March 2005, Quinn applied for Individual Unemployability benefits with the VA, which is paid to individuals who are unable to maintain substantially gainful employment as a result of their service-connected disabilities. In the application, Quinn claimed that his PTSD prevented him from securing or following any substantially gainful occupation and that he had become too disabled to work. In support of his application, Quinn submitted a letter from his purported final employer, Insurance Management Consultants, Inc., claiming Quinn was let go due to his erratic behavior and was no longer employed at the firm. While receiving IU benefits, Quinn completed and returned four VA employment questionnaires, in each of which he attested he had not worked during the previous year.
Similarly, in November 2005, Quinn applied and was approved for Disability Insurance Benefits with Social Security, this time claiming he had become unable to work due to his disabling condition in September 2004. In June 2006, Quinn applied for Child’s Insurance Benefits, which are paid to the dependent of a disabled individual receiving Disability Insurance Benefits, on behalf of his minor child. Social Security beneficiaries are obligated to report if they return to work to the SSA. In May 2018, Quinn reported to the SSA that he had not worked since May 2006. The SSA continued to pay benefits to Quinn and his son based on this report.
In actuality, however, Quinn was self-employed as the owner and operator of his own insurance agency, Shannon Francis & Quinn Insurance, which later became Quinn Insurance Group, Inc, since at least March 2003 – contrary to his claims to the VA and SSA. Quinn also served as the President, Treasurer, Secretary and Director of Insurance Management Consultants, Inc. from 2000 through 2007, despite telling the VA and SSA that the company fired him in 2005. While operating his own insurance company, Quinn regularly received payments ranging in amounts of $6,500 to $15,000 and grew his business significantly through acquisitions of nine smaller insurance companies at various times between 2012 through 2019. Additionally, Quinn was appointed by 65 insurance companies to conduct business on their behalf and renewed his insurance producer license on numerous occasions.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Christopher Algieri, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Social Security Administration, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Boston Field Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys J. Mackenzie Duane and Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Former Head Coach of Women’s Soccer at Yale University Sentenced in College Admissions CaseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Yale University women’s soccer coach was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of students to Yale as purported athletic recruits.
Rudolph “Rudy” Meredith, 54, of Madison, Conn., was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to five months in prison and one year of supervised release. Meredith was also ordered to pay a $19,000 fine and forfeiture of $557,774. This sentence was above the government’s recommendation of a non-incarceratory sentence. In March 2019, Meredith pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and honest services wire fraud and one count of wire fraud and honest services wire fraud.
From 1995 through November 2018, Meredith was employed as the head women’s soccer coach at Yale University. Beginning in April 2015, Meredith conspired with William “Rick” Singer to falsely designate the children of Singer’s clients as soccer recruits in exchange for bribes. Between 2015 and 2018, Meredith accepted a total of $860,000 from Singer in exchange for purporting to recruit the children of Singer’s clients to the Yale soccer team, or attempting to facilitate their admission to Yale by other means. In addition, separate and apart from his arrangement with Singer, Meredith agreed to accept a bribe of approximately $450,000 directly from a parent in exchange for designating his daughter as a soccer recruit to secure her admission to Yale.
Singer previously pleaded guilty and is awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Terry Harris, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Education Office of Inspector General Eastern Regional Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen E. Frank, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Ian J. Stearns of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Drug Distributor in Fidelis Way Drug Trafficking Organization Pleads GuiltyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A drug distributor within a Boston-area drug trafficking organization (DTO) pleaded guilty yesterday to a drug trafficking conspiracy involving cocaine and cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Keith Daye, 47, of Boston, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Feb. 15, 2023.
Daye was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall, which ultimately resulted in the charging of two different drug trafficking conspiracies during the overall period of November 2018 through June 2020. Daye is the final defendant to plead guilty in the Fidelis-Way related drug conspiracy.
Beginning in November 2018, law enforcement investigated a DTO in which Daye was a drug distributor. The DTO was comprised of Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. The DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, which they used to store, cook, package, and sell drugs – most of which consisted of cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers and distributors. As a result, the DTO caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.
Daye supplied and distributed cocaine to at least one Fidelis Way DTO member as well as to others outside of the Fidelis Way DTO. In one instance, Daye was observed meeting with a drug customer at the time and manner agreed upon during calls intercepted by law enforcement. During a subsequent traffic stop of the drug customer following the meeting approximately 125 grams of cocaine was recovered from the vehicle.
In total, Daye is estimated to have distributed between approximately 28 and 120 grams of crack cocaine during the course of his participation in the charged drug conspiracy and, in total, between 200 and 300 grams of cocaine (including both powder and base).
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Bryan Kyes, U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; the Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the Organized Crime & Gang 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.
Dorchester Man Sentenced to Nearly Four Years in Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dorchester man previously convicted of state firearm charges was sentenced yesterday for illegally possessing a semiautomatic pistol and ammunition.
Michael King, a/k/a “Rugga”, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 46 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On July 14, 2022, King pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Dec. 18, 2020, King possessed a Smith & Wesson, Model 442 Airweight, .38 caliber revolver, loaded with five rounds of .38 caliber ammunition. King is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Canton Police Chief Kenneth Berkowitz; and Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrisey made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of the Organized Crime & 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 violent crime and gun violence, 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.
Lynn Man Sentenced for Mail TheftRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for stealing money from the mail.
Juan Murillo, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to one year of probation and was ordered to pay restitution of $2,400. On Aug. 9, 2022, Murillo pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee of the U.S. Postal Service.
On June 22 and 30, 2021, while serving as a City Carrier for the United States Postal Service, Murillo stole two iPads which had been previously delivered to a Harvard University dorm while on his route delivering other mail. Additionally, on or about Sept. 23, 2021, Murillo stole cash from mail that he was supposed to deliver to postal customers.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Harvard University Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the case.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a scheme to launder the proceeds of various telephone fraud scams.
Utkarsh Thakur, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years in prison and three years of supervised release. Thakur was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,535,518. On April 25, 2022, Thakur pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering conspiracy.
Between January and August 2021, Thakur’s co-conspirators called victims over the phone pretending to be individuals in positions of authority, such as law enforcement, and threatening the victims in order to obtain money. For example, Thakur’s co-conspirators threatened that the victims would be arrested or lose public assistance benefits if they did not mail cash to fictitious individuals at addresses in Massachusetts. Thakur obtained fake identification cards in the names of those fictitious individuals, retrieved the cash mailed by the victims and transported the cash to others involved in the scheme. In total, Thakur laundered more than $1.5 million in victim funds and kept a portion of those funds for himself.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by many local law enforcement partners, including the Norfolk County District Attorney’s Office and the Sharon and Bellingham Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution Offenses and Possessing a Loaded FirearmRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Somerville man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with distributing and possessing fentanyl while illegally in possession of a loaded firearm.
Tevon Ngomba, 29, pleaded guilty to one count of distributing and possessing with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, one count of possessing with intent to distribute fentanyl and one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition as a convicted felon. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Feb. 1, 2023. Ngomba was indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2020.
On July 16, 2020, less than two months following his release from state prison, Ngomba distributed more than 40 grams of fentanyl to an individual in exchange for $1,800 in a recorded drug transaction.
On Aug. 3, 2020, Ngomba purported to sell a loaded firearm to the same individual in exchange for $1,500 in another recorded transaction. During the deal, which occurred in the individual’s vehicle, Ngomba loaded the firearm and pretended to leave it under the driver’s seat before exiting the vehicle. Instead, Ngomba took both the $1,500 cash from the individual as well as the firearm he had pretended to sell. Ngomba did not realize, however, that he accidentally left his cellphone in the individual’s vehicle which he preceded to chase down. Law enforcement immediately apprehended Ngomba who was still clutching the $1,500 in his hand.
During a subsequent search of Ngomba’s vehicle, a loaded Ruger firearm with an obliterated serial number was found in the trunk as well as 16 grams of fentanyl and a second cellphone containing drug-related communications in the glove compartment. The cellphone Ngomba left in the individual’s car was found to contain images from the night before of Ngomba posing with what appeared to be the same firearm found in his vehicle.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $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, 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, New England Field Division; Somerville Police Chief Charles Femino; and Somerville Housing Authority Chief of Police Daniel Meade made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Fred M. Wyshak, III of Rollins’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, 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.
Convicted Felon Pleads Guilty to Crack Cocaine DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man previously convicted of numerous state drug distribution charges pleaded guilty today to distributing cocaine base (crack cocaine).
Jerry Cooper, a/k/a “Jerkz,” 29, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine base. U.S. District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2023. Lee was indicted by a federal grand jury in October 2021.
This case arose from a series of controlled purchases of crack cocaine from Cooper, who, in September 2021, was recorded conducting a controlled purchase of crack cocaine.
The charge of distribution and possession of a controlled substance with intent to distribute provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. The investigation was led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Metro Boston Gang Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Dawley, Jr. of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit is prosecuting the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, 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.
Stoughton Man Sentenced for $400,000 COVID Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Stoughton man was sentenced on Nov. 4, 2022 in federal court in Boston in connection with filing a fraudulent loan application in order to obtain over $400,000 in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loan funds.
Adley Bernadin, 44, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 15 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Bernadin was also ordered to pay forfeiture of $284,596. On June 22, 2022, Bernadin pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud.
In May 2020, Bernadin used a purported healthcare business, “La Salette,” to fraudulently apply for a PPP loan of over $400,000. In the application, which he submitted through a Small Business Administration approved lender, Bernadin misrepresented information about the purported home health care company’s employees and payroll expenses and falsified a tax form in an effort to qualify the business for the PPP loan. For example, Bernadin reported that the purported home health care business had a monthly payroll of $175,200, which was false.
After receiving the PPP funds, Bernadin did not use money for the purported home health care company’s business. Instead, he made mortgage payments on his home and wrote checks to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship.
The CARES Act is a federal law enacted on March 29, 2020, designed to provide emergency financial assistance to the millions of Americans who are suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One source of relief provided by the CARES Act was the authorization of forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain approved expenses, through the PPP.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and William A. Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, Northeast Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Benjamin A. Saltzman of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Raquelle Kaye of Rollins’ Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted 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, among other methods, 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.
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 (NCDF) Hotline at 866-720-5721 or via the NCDF Web Complaint Form at: https://www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud/ncdf-disaster-complaint-form.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty to Tax Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty to his role in a tax fraud conspiracy arising from a “ten-percenting” scheme in which he cashed winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets on behalf of the ticket holders and claimed fake gambling losses to avoid taxes on the winnings.
Mohamed Jaafar, 31, of Watertown and Waltham, pleaded guilty on Nov. 4, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2023. Jaafar was indicted by a federal grand jury along with two co-defendants in August 2021.
Mohamed Jaafar admitted to conspiring with others to purchase winning lottery tickets from the actual winners for cash at a discount of typically between 10-30 percent of each ticket’s value. This scheme, commonly referred to as “ten-percenting,” allows lottery winners to avoid identifying themselves to the Massachusetts Lottery Commission or the Internal Revenue Service, thereby avoiding taxes or child support payments on their winnings. Mohamed Jaafar admitted to presenting the winning tickets to the Massachusetts Lottery Commission as his own and collecting the full value of the tickets. Mohamed Jaafar also admitted to reporting the ticket winnings on his income tax returns and improperly offsetting the claimed winnings with falsified gambling losses, thereby avoiding federal income taxes.
In total, between 2011 and 2019, Mohamed Jaafar and allegedly his co-conspirators cashed more than 13,000 lottery tickets and claimed more than $20,000,000 in Massachusetts lottery winnings. In 2019, Mohamed Jaafar was by himself the third highest individual ticket casher in Massachusetts.
The charge of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher J. Markham and Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Man Previously Convicted of Drug Trafficking Sentenced for Illegal ReentryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Haitian man was sentenced on Nov. 3, 2022 in federal court in Boston for illegally reentering the United States.
Friendly Grandoit, 42, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to time served (20 months in prison) and one year of supervised release. Grandoit will now be placed into removal proceedings that will likely result in his deportation. On Sept. 28, 2022, Grandoit pleaded guilty to one count of illegal re-entry into the United States after deportation.
In 2005, Grandoit was located in pre-trial detention by immigration officials while pending trial on drug distribution charges in Middlesex County. Grandoit was convicted in Sept. 2006 of trafficking in cocaine and sentenced to three years in state prison. Upon completion of his sentence, Grandoit was placed into removal proceedings and deported to Haiti in July 2008.
Sometime after his removal, Grandoit illegally reentered the United States. In Sept. 2019, Grandoit was arrested and charged in Woburn District Court with distribution of cocaine, identity fraud and operating with a suspended license and was ordered detained. In April 2020, Grandoit posted bail and was released from state custody. In October 2020, Grandoit was charged federally with illegal re-entry into the United States after deportation and was located by law enforcement in March 2021.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director, Boston, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.
Lawrence Man Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced on Nov. 4, 2022 in federal court in Boston for his role in a Lawrence-based fentanyl trafficking conspiracy.
Elvin Mendoza, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On June 2, 2022, Mendoza pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
In June 2021, Mendoza was indicted along with 13 others following an over two-year investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) operating out of the Lawrence area. As a result of the investigation, Mendoza was identified as a drug trafficker responsible for distributing over 300 grams of fentanyl throughout Massachusetts and southern New Hampshire. In December 2020, approximately $74,000 cash and approximately four kilograms of fentanyl, among other evidence, were seized from members of the DTO in various locations in Billerica, Methuen, Lawrence and Ayden, N.C.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in New England and the Andover, Billerica, Haverhill, Lawrence, Lowell, Methuen, North Andover, Tewksbury, Wilmington and Salem (N.H.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted 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 documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Four Men Charged with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Four men from the greater Boston area have been arrested and charged for attempting to pay for sex with 12- and 14-year-old girls. If convicted, the defendants face mandatory minimum sentences of 10 or 15 years in prison.
Sadeq Ali Quraishi, 45, of Boston; Dmitri McKenzie, 27, of Boston; and David Cannon, 59, of Lexington were each arrested and charged by criminal complaint with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child. Misael Fabian Medina, 37, was also arrested and charged with Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child under 14 years old. Quraishi, McKenzie, and Cannon appeared before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul Levenson and were each held pending detention hearings scheduled for Nov. 8, 2022. Medina appeared before Magistrate Paul Levenson on Nov. 4, 2022 and agreed to voluntary detention and waived a probable cause hearing.
According to the charging documents, Quraishi, McKenzie, Cannon and Medina each responded to an advertisement on a website commonly used to advertise commercial sex acts. Each defendant communicated via text message with an individual who purported to be selling 12- and 14-year-old girls for commercial sex. Each defendant allegedly agreed to purchase sex with one or both of the advertised children and then traveled to a local hotel to have sex with the fictitious victims. It is alleged that, upon arrival at the hotel, each defendant physically met up with the individual purporting to sell the 12- and 14-year-old girls for sex and again allegedly committed to paying to sexually abuse one or both of the children.
“These arrests show that the sex trafficking of children is happening every day. There is a huge demand for this abusive, repugnant and criminal behavior. We need to dispel the myths about who actually commits this horrific crime. The perpetrators can be white collar professionals who live in nice suburban neighborhoods. Many are married. All put their own sexual gratification over the trauma and harm inflicted on vulnerable, innocent child victims,” said United States Attorney Rachael S Rollins. “We are dedicating substantial resources in the fight against labor and sex trafficking. That includes reducing the demand driving this horrific conduct. These four defendants are the first of many more to come. Consider yourself warned.”
“Knowing people are out there on the internet, looking to prey on children is every parent’s worst fear, but trafficking of children is a heartbreaking reality that Homeland Security Investigations fights against every day. This operation, with the vital assistance of our partners, has identified and led to the arrest of four men alleged to be willing to participate in that horrific crime. Human trafficking is a crime that is notoriously difficult to combat and progress is only possible with the collaboration and support of our many partners and survivor support services. We are grateful to be part of this united effort and to continue the fight to end trafficking,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns, or information about this case should contact the U.S. Attorney’s Office at 617-748-3274.
The charge of Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child is punishable by up to life in prison and carries a 10-year mandatory minimum sentence for offenses involving children 14 and older, and a 15-year mandatory minimum for Attempted Sex Trafficking of a Child under 14 years old. The charges also carry a maximum of at least a five-year term of supervised release and a maximum 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and HSI SAC Millhollin made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Lexington, Waltham, Barnstable, Quincy and Cambridge Police Departments as well as the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian A. Fogerty, Torey Cummings, Elizabeth Riley of Rollins’ newly established Human Trafficking and Civil Rights Unit and Timothy Moran, Chief of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the cases.
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.
California Man Pleads Guilty to Making Threatening CallsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A California man pleaded guilty today to making threatening communications to the Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) in May 2021.
Sammy Sultan, 49, of Hayward, Calif., pleaded guilty to one count of making threats in interstate commerce before U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin who scheduled sentencing for Feb. 3, 2023. Sultan was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on March 31, 2022 and subsequently charged by an Information on Oct. 21, 2022.
On or about May 28, 2021, Sultan made eight phone calls to TUPD, six of which included specific threats. During the calls, which collectively lasted about an hour, Sultan claimed to be hiding beneath a bed in a dorm room with a taser and pistol somewhere on campus. Sultan stated that he intended to use the taser if a woman returned to the dorm room and discovered him hiding. During the calls, Sultan played the sounds of a taser activating and a pistol racking – a pistol’s chamber being emptied and reloaded.
TUPD and local police carried out a room-by-room search of numerous buildings on Tufts University’s Medford campus but failed to locate the caller. A subsequent investigation of electronic evidence determined that Sultan had made the calls from California. A law enforcement officer familiar with Sultan’s voice from a prior investigation recognized Sultan’s voice on the TUPD call recordings.
Sultan previously pleaded guilty in December 2017 in the Northern District of California to making hundreds of obscene and harassing phone calls to law enforcement agencies, for which he was sentenced to two years in prison.
The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Tufts University Police Department; Massachusetts State Police; Illinois State Police; and the Medford, Somerville, North Andover, Malden and Peabody Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner of Rollins’ National Security Unit is prosecuting the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Trafficking CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Nov. 3, 2022 on day four of his jury trial in connection with drug trafficking activities involving cocaine.
Julio Ortiz, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Earlier in the hearing, Ortiz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute, and to possess with intent to distribute, five kilograms or more of cocaine, and one count of possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Ortiz was charged by complaint in August 2019 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2019.
An individual in Puerto Rico attempted to ship a box containing approximately 29 kilograms of cocaine to an automotive repair garage in Lawrence. After a routine inspection of the box, employees of the shipping company found packages appearing to be narcotics wrapped in plastic and notified law enforcement. A search of the package revealed a total of 29 kilograms of cocaine. Following a controlled delivery of the package to the recipient address in Lawrence, Ortiz and his co-defendant, Edgar Castro, were observed unpacking the box and moving containers of cocaine into another vehicle. Ortiz and Castro were arrested on site.
Ortiz’s co-defendant, Edgar Castro, pleaded guilty on Oct. 31, 2022 prior to jury empanelment and is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 27, 2023.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Drug Enforcement Administration, Massachusetts State Police and the Woburn Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Stephen W. Hassink and Lindsey E. Weinstein of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Rhode Island Man Sentenced to 18 Years in Prison for Sex TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Woonsocket, R.I. man was sentenced yesterday for trafficking multiple victims to engage in prostitution across seven states.
Ronald Hall, 48, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 years in prison and five years of supervised release. Hall was also ordered to pay restitution in an amount that will be determined at a later date. On Aug. 9, 2022, Hall pleaded guilty to four counts of sex trafficking by force, fraud or coercion and one count of transportation of an individual with intent to engage in prostitution.
“Mr. Hall is a predator driven by high profits and low risks. He targeted and exploited five vulnerable victims with substance use disorder – utilizing addiction and false promises of good earnings for recruitment – and then used extreme violence, threats and isolation to create a climate of fear from which he could maintain control and exploit them for his own profit,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “As the chief federal law enforcement officer in our Commonwealth, I’ve made combating this modern form of slavery one of my top priorities. Although nothing will ever erase the profound pain and trauma these victims have suffered as a result of a near-decade of exploitation and abuse from Mr. Hall, we hope this sentencing brings some long-awaited justice and accountability.”
“This sentence is a victory for justice and for the trafficked victims of Mr. Hall who were ruthlessly exploited for criminal purposes and profit,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “We hope that this sentence can serve as some form of closure to allow Hall’s victims to begin to recover their lives from the devastation that he inflicted on them. We are grateful to the U.S. Attorney for her commitment to prosecuting human trafficking cases and to the Massachusetts State Police. whose help in this investigation was invaluable.”
From at least late 2010 through late 2019, Hall used force, threats and coercion to traffic five victims between Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Florida and Nevada, to engage in prostitution. Hall targeted and recruited several of the victims who suffered from substance use disorder and used their drug addictions to coerce them into engaging in commercial sex in exchange for drugs. Hall regularly scheduled the victims to engage in prostitution – sometimes multiple times per day, every day of the week – and took almost all of the proceeds for himself. Hall punished victims who did not meet the quotas he set for them by withholding drugs or through violence. To maintain control, Hall subjected his victims to starvation, regular threats of injury, physical abuse, forced intercourse, violent assaults with weapons including knives, belts and bats and made some of the victims brand themselves with a tattoo of his nickname.
Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274 or contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Rhode Island. Assistant U.S. Evan Gotlob of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
To read the impact statement from one of the victims, please see attachment below.
Two Lawrence Men Arrested for Conspiring to Distribute Fentanyl at Veterans Affairs Medical CenterRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Two Lawrence men have been arrested for allegedly distributing fentanyl and targeting veterans at the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
Deiby Bladimil Casado Ruiz and Pedro Antonio Sanchez Bernabel, both of Lawrence, were indicted on one count of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Casado Ruiz was charged with an additional count of distribution of fentanyl. The defendants were arrested on Nov. 2, 2022 and, following an initial appearance yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, were detained pending detention hearings scheduled for Nov. 9, 2022.
According to the charging document, between July 27, 2022 and Oct. 26, 2022 Casado Ruiz and Bernabel conspired to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl in Bedford. Specifically, it is alleged the defendants targeted veterans seeking treatment for substance use disorder at the Bedford Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
“Every day, veterans risk their lives to protect our country, our freedom and our civil liberties. These sacrifices often come at great expense to their families, loved ones, and mental and physical health. One of the few benefits veterans receive is life-long healthcare services at any of the 170 VA medical centers and outpatient clinics throughout the country. If a veteran has a substance use disorder or mental health issue, a VA can offer life-saving treatment and services. We allege that these two defendants conspired to sell fentanyl to veterans at or near the VA medical center/outpatient clinic in Bedford,” said United States Attorney Rollins. “Fentanyl continues to be the main driver of overdose deaths in our Commonwealth and nationwide. Last year alone, we lost over 2,000 people in Massachusetts to drug poisonings. The opioid crisis is real and growing. Individuals who seek to distribute fentanyl, especially those who target vulnerable populations, are a grave threat to our communities. We are committed to finding and prosecuting them. That is a promise.”
“Veterans seeking treatment for substance abuse are often at their most vulnerable. The VA Office of Inspector General is committed to ensuring VA medical centers are safe for veterans receiving care,” said Special Agent in Charge Christopher Algieri of the VA Office of Inspector General’s Northeast Field Office. “We thank the US Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners for their efforts in this joint investigation.”
“What these two men are accused of doing is absolutely appalling. We believe they targeted veterans who have valiantly defended our country’s freedoms and are now seeking treatment for their substance abuse disorder, and plied them with fentanyl, a deadly narcotic 50-100 times stronger than morphine,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “This investigation clearly demonstrates that the grave consequences of the opioid crisis extend far beyond street level dealing, and the FBI’s resolve to work closely with our law enforcement partners to do everything we can to rid our communities of this deadly and destructive substance.”
“Massachusetts is in the midst of a devastating opioid crisis as deaths from fentanyl climb,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “The DEA will continue to use every resource available to identify those who are contributing to this crisis across our communities. Today’s arrests serve as a warning to those traffickers who are fueling the opioid epidemic and addiction.”
The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl provides for mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of distribution of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, VA OIG SAC Algieri, FBI SAC and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement today. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Bedford VA Medical Center Police Service and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick Callahan, Lauren Graber and Kelly Lawrence of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former eBay Employee Sentenced for Aggressive Cyberstalking CampaignRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former intelligence analyst for eBay, Inc. was sentenced today for her role in a cyberstalking campaign targeting the editor and publisher of a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company.
Veronica Zea, 28, of San Jose, Calif., a former eBay contractor who worked as an intelligence analyst in eBay’s Global Intelligence Center (GIC), was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to two years’ probation with her first year to be served in home confinement and a $5,000 fine. In October 2020, Zea pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit cyberstalking and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses.
On Sept. 29, 2022, co-conspirator James Baugh was sentenced to 57 months in prison, two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $40,000. Also on Sept. 29, 2022, co-conspirator David Harville was sentenced to two years in prison, two years of supervised release and was ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. Co-conspirators and former eBay employees Philip Cooke, Stephanie Popp, Stephanie Stockwell and Brian Gilbert previously pleaded guilty for their roles in the conspiracy to cyberstalk the victims. Cooke was sentenced in July 2021 to 18 months in prison. On Oct. 11, 2022, Popp was sentenced to one year and one day in prison and Stockwell was sentenced to two years of probation with a year of home confinement. Gilbert is awaiting sentencing.
Between approximately Aug. 5, 2019 and Sept. 6, 2019, Zea and her co-conspirators at eBay agreed to engage in a harassment campaign targeting a husband and wife in Natick, Mass. for their roles in publishing a newsletter that reported on issues of interest to eBay sellers. Senior executives at eBay were frustrated with the newsletter’s tone and content as well as the substance of comments posted beneath the newsletter’s articles. The harassment campaign arose from communications between those senior executives and Baugh, who was eBay’s senior security employee.
Zea and her co-conspirators executed a three-part harassment campaign intended to intimidate the victims and to influence their reporting about eBay. The campaign included sending anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home; sending private Twitter messages and public tweets criticizing the newsletter’s content; threats to visit the victims in Natick; and traveling to Natick to surveil the victims and installing a GPS tracking device on their car.
Among other things, several of the defendants ordered anonymous and disturbing deliveries to the victims’ home, including a preserved fetal pig, a bloody pig Halloween mask, a funeral wreath, a book on surviving the loss of a spouse, and pornography addressed to the victims but delivered to their neighbor’s homes. Zea used cash to purchase prepaid debit cards for use in the campaign and ordered insects to the victims’ home.
As part of the second phase of the campaign, Zea’s co-conspirators sent public tweets and private threatening Twitter messages that were written as if they had been sent by eBay sellers who were unhappy with the victims’ coverage in the newsletter. Some of these messages posted the victims’ address and threatened to visit them at their home.
The third phase of the campaign involved covertly surveilling the victims in their home and community. On Aug. 15, 2019, Zea travelled from California to Natick with Baugh and Harville to surveil the victims and to install a GPS tracking device on the victims’ car. Zea and Harville registered for a software development conference to explain the trip to Boston. The victims spotted the surveillance team and contacted local police. At Baugh’s direction, Zea also lied to an eBay investigator who was responding to the Natick Police’s request for assistance.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division; and Natick Police Chief James G. Hicks made the announcement today. eBay provided valuable assistance and cooperation with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Former President of Massachusetts State Police Union and Former Lobbyist Convicted of RICO, Fraud, Obstruction and Tax ChargesRead the Press Release
UPDATE: On June 2, 2025, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Dana Pullman's three wire fraud convictions and affirmed the other convictions. The case was remanded for further proceedings.
UPDATE: On June 2, 2025, the First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed Anne Lynch's convictions for three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of tax fraud and affirmed the other convictions. The case was remanded for further proceedings.
BOSTON – The former President of the State Police Association of Massachusetts (SPAM) and the union’s former Massachusetts lobbyist were convicted by a federal jury today of racketeering, fraud, obstruction of justice and tax crimes.
Dana A. Pullman, 60, of Worcester, and Anne M. Lynch, 71, of Hull, were convicted following a 20-day jury trial of one count of racketeering conspiracy, one count of honest services wire fraud, three counts of wire fraud, one count of obstruction of justice and one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service. Pullman was also convicted of two additional counts of wire fraud and two counts of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return. Lynch was convicted of an additional count of obstruction of justice and four counts of aiding and assisting in the filing of a false tax return. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for March 8, 2023. Pullman and Lynch were arrested and charged in August 2019 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2019.
“Being a police officer is a noble and valued profession. It is an honor and privilege to serve as a member of law enforcement. With that honor and privilege comes immense responsibility. Regardless of whether some may think it’s unfair, as members of law enforcement, we are and should be held to a higher standard. Our fundamental responsibility is plain and simple – to protect and serve. We enforce the law, we do not break it,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Police union leadership is supposed to fight for the rights, benefits and protections of their members. Not their own self-interests for personal financial gain. Mr. Pullman and Ms. Lynch concocted a fraudulent scheme to game the system for their personal financial benefit, all under the guise of looking out for hard working union members. Today’s conviction affirms that. Their criminal conduct has diminished the already strained relationship and lack of trust some communities feel toward law enforcement. And when communities don’t trust law enforcement, we are all less safe.”
“Today’s verdict proves that Dana Pullman and Anne Lynch were paid to look out for the best interests of Massachusetts State Police union members, but instead were only looking out for themselves, lining their pockets with thousands of dollars in bribes and kickbacks and defrauding at least two different companies seeking to do business with the state,” said Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “They crossed over the thin blue line to committing felonies while the real victims in this case—hard-working troopers, taxpayers, and businesses—were short changed and shut out of the honest government services they deserve. The FBI has zero tolerance for those who exploit their official positions for personal gain and then try to obstruct our investigation into their criminal conduct.”
“Instead of honestly representing the interests of the more than 1,500 Massachusetts law enforcement professionals, these defendants cared more about enriching themselves through a series of bribes and kickbacks. Today’s guilty verdict affirms that their actions violated the trust given to them and this conduct will not go unpunished,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, Boston Field Office.
SPAM is an association consisting of more than 1,500 Troopers and Sergeants from the Massachusetts State Police (MSP). SPAM acts as the exclusive bargaining agent between its members and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts regarding the terms and conditions of SPAM members’ employment. Pullman, who was an MSP trooper from 1987 to 2018, was the President of SPAM from 2012 until his resignation on Sept. 28, 2018. Lynch’s lobbying firm represented SPAM during the same time period, in exchange for monthly retainer payments.
From at least 2012 until Pullman resigned as the President in September 2018, Pullman and Lynch turned SPAM into a racketeering enterprise, using Pullman’s position and power to defraud SPAM members, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and vendors looking to do business with the MSP. Among other things, Pullman and Lynch defrauded SPAM members and the Commonwealth of their right to honest services from Pullman when Lynch paid Pullman a $20,000 kickback in connection with a settlement agreement between SPAM and the Commonwealth. Pullman and Lynch defrauded two different companies that sought to do business with the MSP by hiding from the vendors the fact that Lynch was paying Pullman to direct vendors to use Lynch’s services. The defendants hid the payments from Lynch and her lobbying firm to Pullman in a manner designed to avoid reporting and paying taxes on that income to the IRS. Pullman and Lynch also attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation of this matter by manipulating subpoenaed records, and Lynch attempted to obstruct the grand jury’s investigation by lying to investigators.
Additionally, Pullman embezzled and misused SPAM funds for personal use by using a debit card tied to a SPAM bank account to pay for thousands of dollars of meals and travel for an individual with whom Pullman was having a romantic relationship.
The charges of racketeering conspiracy and fraud each provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of obstruction of justice provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a $250,000 fine. The charge of conspiracy to defraud the United States provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of aiding and assisting the filing of a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta and IRS SAC Simpson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristina E. Barclay and Neil J. Gallagher Jr. of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit are prosecuting the case.
Concord Man Pleads Guilty to Defrauding InvestorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Concord man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to defrauding an investor of $72,000.
Eric Lyons, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of investment advisor fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley who scheduled sentencing for Feb. 15, 2023.
Between 2015 and 2017, Lyons participated in the operation of multiple investment funds, including the Synchrony Value Fund LP, for which Lyons solicited investors and participated in distribution decisions for the funds. In that role, Lyons defrauded an investor by allowing for the distribution of that investor’s gains, as well as a portion of their underlying investment, to other investors. The defrauded investor eventually liquidated their position in the fund, receiving approximately $72,000 less than the amount to which they were entitled.
The charge of investment adviser fraud provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation Boston Division made the announcement. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Lowell Postal Carrier Pleads Guilty to Attempting to Bribe Supervisor to Divert Packages of CocaineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lowell postal worker pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to attempting to bribe a postal supervisor and sell them cocaine.
John Noviello, of Nashua, N.H., 61, pleaded guilty to one count of bribery of a public official and one count of distribution of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 14, 2023. Noviello was charged on May 11, 2022.
Noviello was a mail carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Lowell. On Feb. 15, 2022, Noviello approached a U.S. Postal supervisor seeking their assistance in a scheme to divert postal packages suspected of containing cocaine. Noviello offered to pay the supervisor $1,750 per kilogram of cocaine successfully obtained from any diverted packages. On Feb. 17, 2022, Noviello left $850 in cash, concealed in a Dunkin’ bag, inside the supervisor’s vehicle in an attempt to encourage the supervisor to agree to the scheme. Noviello, referring to the $850, later commented to the supervisor, “that was a nice envelope for starters.” After contacting authorities, the supervisor conducted a controlled purchase from Noviello during which the defendant distributed approximately 3.7 grams of cocaine for $200.
The charge of bribery of a public official provides for a sentence of up to 15 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. The charge of distribution of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the United States Postal Service, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Office; and Ketty Larco Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins Announces Election Day Program EffortsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins announced today that Assistant United States Attorney (AUSA) Eugenia M. Carris will lead the efforts of her Office in connection with the Justice Department’s nationwide Election Day Program for the upcoming November 8, 2022, general election. AUSA Carris has been appointed to serve as the District Election Officer (DEO) for the District of Massachusetts, and in that capacity is responsible for overseeing the District’s handling of election day complaints of voting rights concerns, threats of violence to election officials or staff, and election fraud, in consultation with Justice Department headquarters in Washington.
“Every citizen must be permitted to vote without interference or discrimination and to have their vote counted in a fair and free election. Similarly, election officials and staff must be able to do their vitally important jobs without being subject to unlawful threats of violence. The Department of Justice will stand up and protect the integrity of the election process,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins.
The Department of Justice plays an important role in deterring and combating 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. The law also contains special protections for the rights of voters, and provides that they can vote free from interference, intimidation, and any other acts designed to prevent or discourage people from voting or voting for the candidate of their choice. The Voting Rights Act 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).
“Voting is the bedrock of American democracy. We all must ensure that those who are eligible to vote can exercise that right if they choose, and that those who seek to corrupt the voting process are held accountable,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. In order to respond to complaints of voting rights concerns and election fraud during the upcoming election, and to ensure that such complaints are directed to the appropriate authorities, AUSA Carris will be on duty in this District while the polls are open. She can be reached by the public at the following telephone number: 617-748-3363.”
In addition, the FBI will have 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 be made directly to the Civil Rights Division in Washington, DC by phone at 800-253-3931 or by complaint form at https://civilrights.justice.gov/ .
“Ensuring free and fair elections depends in large part on the assistance of the American electorate. If you have specific information about voting rights concerns or election fraud please contact any of us at the Department of Justice,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins.
Please note, however, 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.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Role in Large-Scale Heroin Trafficking OrganizationRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced on Oct. 27, 2022 in federal court in Springfield for his role in a large-scale heroin trafficking organization.
William Brantley, 51, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to 43 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In July 2019, Brantley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute more than one kilogram of heroin. He was indicted along with 17 co-conspirators in August 2017.
Brantley was a member of a Springfield-based drug trafficking organization led by co-conspirator Alberto Marte. Marte had direct contact with heroin supply sources in the Dominican Republic. On a monthly basis, members of the organization transported between eight and 20 kilograms of heroin to the Springfield area. Brantley regularly purchased large amounts of heroin from Marte which he then distributed to various retail-level dealers in the Springfield area. Specifically, Brantley purchased 300 packs – or 30,000 doses – of heroin from Marte on a number of occasions from July 2016 to September 2016.
In March 2020, Marte was sentenced to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Hampden County District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood; Chicopee Police Chief Patrick J. Major; Holyoke Police Chief Manny Febo; and West Springfield Police Chief Paul Connor made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil L. Desroches of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted 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.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Paying Bribes in Exchange for ContractsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Springfield in connection with paying bribes to receive contracts for work at a college in New York.
Willian Borges, 30, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., pleaded guilty on Oct. 26, 2022 to one count of conspiracy and three counts of bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Feb. 27, 2023. Borges was arrested in September 2020.
Borges was a principal of DWD Builders, a general contracting firm, from 2018 to 2019. During this time, Borges paid bribes to co-conspirator Floyd Young, who held positions involving facility maintenance at a New York college, in exchange for preference in obtaining contracts for construction, repair, maintenance, and other work for the college. The bribes Borges paid Young were made in cash in the amount of 15% of the contract during face-to-face meetings. In addition, as Borges received payment for work done at the college, he paid Young bribes on a periodic basis. Borges also inflated the amount of the invoices submitted to the college in order to be repaid the cost of the bribe payment made to Young. On occasion, Young and Borges arranged for no-work invoices to be submitted to the college and then split the payment.
In August 2020, Young pleaded guilty to steering contracts for construction, repair, maintenance and other work for the colleges to favored contractors, including Borges, in exchange for bribe payments typically in the amount of 15% of the contract. He is scheduled to be sentenced on March 2, 2023.
The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. The charges of bribery concerning programs receiving federal fund each provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven H. Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office is prosecuting the case.
Springfield Man Sentenced for Trafficking Heroin Laced with FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for drug trafficking offenses involving fentanyl.
David Cruz, 25, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 23, 2022, Cruz pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
In January 2021, Cruz sold 9,816 bags of fentanyl laced heroin, with a total weight of 120 grams, to a cooperating witness. In March 2021, a total of 55,703 bags – with a combined weight of 600 grams – of fentanyl laced heroin was seized from Cruz.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance in the investigation was provided by the Holyoke Police Department, and the Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd E. Newhouse of Rollins’ Springfield Office prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Indicted for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Thiago da Silva Pinheiro, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio was indicted on one count of possession of child pornography. Pinheiro was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Sept. 21, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 20, 2022, Pinheiro flew from Ontario, Canada to Boston with an ultimate destination of Brazil. During screening at Logan Airport, customs officers observed apparent CSAM on Pinheiro’s tablet. Preliminary review of the tablet allegedly revealed approximately 2,800 videos and images depicting apparent CSAM, some of which depicted children as young as two to four years old. Further forensic review of Pinheiro’s cell phone uncovered alleged additional videos and images depicting CSAM.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by Customs and Border Protection. Assistant U.S. Attorney Meghan C. Cleary of Rollins’ 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.
Illinois Lawyer Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Sophisticated Wire Fraud and Money Laundering SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Belgian and Lebanese national holding an Illinois law license was sentenced today for his role in a scheme to defraud victims in multiple states, many of whom thought they were closing real estate transactions or sending money to romantic partners. Once the lawyer received the funds, he sent large sums to fellow fraudsters overseas and took a cut for himself, which he used to spend on luxury items and an international lifestyle.
Hassan A. Abbas, 55, of Belgium, was sentenced today by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to nine years in prison and three years of supervised release. Abbas was also ordered to pay restitution and forfeiture of $2,001,853 and to pay a $600 special assessment. In May 2022, Abbas was found guilty by a federal jury of one count of money laundering conspiracy, one count of money laundering, two counts of wire fraud, and two counts of unlawful monetary transactions.
“Mr. Abbas abused his law degree in furtherance of a scheme that stole millions of dollars from innocent victims across the country. All of Mr. Abbas’s lies and schemes have finally caught up with him. He was an equal opportunity scammer. Whether it was a fake romance or a fake real estate deal, he took advantage of victims by laundering their hard-earned money. He will now have nine years to realize the error of his ways,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“With today’s sentence, Hassan Abbas has learned his fate for exploiting his law degree to defraud unwitting victims and moving that money overseas in a sophisticated scheme to avoid getting caught,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “The FBI is committed to holding the criminals behind these scams accountable for the harm they do to everyday citizens and our financial institutions resulting in millions of dollars in losses.”
Between June 2017 and January 2019, Abbas and others defrauded victims through a series of romance, business email compromise (BEC), and other scams designed to trick victims into wiring funds to bank accounts that Abbas controlled. A BEC scheme is a type of sophisticated fraud that typically targets individuals and businesses that engage in wire transfer payments. The fraud is carried out by compromising and/or “spoofing” legitimate business email accounts and then communicating with victims through email to cause them to transfer funds to accounts controlled by the scammers. In romance scams, perpetrators generally create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the U.S.; they then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Abbas participated in both types of scheme by receiving victims’ money and moving funds abroad before victims could recall the wires or banks became suspicious.
Abbas incorporated at least five shell companies with no legitimate business and opened bank accounts in their names. Individual and corporate victims of BECs and romance scams were instructed to wire funds to Abbas’s sham corporate accounts. Some victims, including two Massachusetts residents, were tricked into wiring money to Abbas while in the process of closing on a home purchase. The perpetrators also instructed victim businesses to remit invoice payments to Abbas’s accounts. Other victims, including a Massachusetts woman, were led to believe they were transferring funds for the benefit of their romantic partners.
Upon receiving money from victims, Abbas transferred a portion to his personal bank accounts and spent victim funds on personal expenses, including luxury goods and international travel. He also wired victim funds to foreign bank accounts of overseas co-conspirators.
When approached by financial institutions about his account activity, Abbas disguised the purposes of wire transfers to bank investigators, claiming that certain transfers were for non-existent “clients” and, in one instance, insisting that information about the wires was protected by the attorney-client privilege.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Essex County District Attorney’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin and David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Chicopee Man Sentenced for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Chicopee man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Herve Plasse, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to three years in prison and five years of supervised release. On May 9, 2022, Plasse pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
In July 2015, a search of Plasse’s residence revealed over 100 images of child pornography on his computer, including images of prepubescent girls engaged in sexually explicit conduct. Plasse admitted that he had accessed a website on an encrypted network for the purpose of viewing child pornography.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine Curley of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.
Additional Defendant Charged in Nationwide Identity Theft Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Fall River resident was indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston yesterday in connection with a nationwide conspiracy to open fraudulent driver accounts with rideshare and delivery service companies.
Caio Felipe Oliveira Dos Santos, 27, of Brazil, was indicted on one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
According to the indictment, Dos Santos and others conspired to use stolen identities and/or falsified documents to open fraudulent driver accounts and/or rent or sell those accounts to individual drivers who might not otherwise qualify to drive for the rideshare or delivery services. The indictment further alleges that co-conspirators exploited referral bonus programs offered by the rideshare and delivery companies and used “bots” and GPS “spoofing” technology to increase the income earned from the companies. As a result of the scheme, Internal Revenue Service Forms 1099 were generated in victims’ names for income co-conspirators earned from the rideshare and delivery companies.
The indictment also alleges that Dos Santos and his co-conspirators used victims’ identifiers to apply for driver accounts with the rideshare and delivery companies, enabling Dos Santos and his co-conspirators to pass those companies’ required background checks and create driver accounts in victims’ names. At times, co-conspirators also edited victims’ driver’s license images to display photos of the drivers renting or buying the fraudulent accounts in order to circumvent facial recognition technology that the rideshare and delivery companies used as a security measure. Dos Santos and his co-conspirators allegedly obtained victims’ names, dates of birth, driver’s license information, and/or Social Security numbers from co-conspirators and other sources, including sites on the Dark Net. They also obtained driver’s license images directly from victims, by photographing victims’ licenses while completing an alcohol delivery through one of the services.
Eighteen co-conspirators were indicted in connection with the scheme in May 2021. Fifteen of those defendants have been arrested, while three remain at large. If you believe that you may be a victim of the allegations in this case, please visit: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/victim-and-witness-assistance-program/us-v-wemerson-dutra-aguiar-and-us-v-priscila-barbosa-et-al
The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greater. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory minimum of two years in prison, to be served consecutive to any other sentence imposed. 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; National Crime Insurance Bureau; and the Concord, Lexington, Plymouth, Wilmington, Marlborough and Village of Rye Brook (N.Y.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kristen A. Kearney and David M. Holcomb of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Sentenced to over Five Years in Prison for Hobbs Act ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday for his role in an attempted robbery of a Rockland-based glassware dealer.
Grace Katana, a/k/a “King Grace,” 31, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 64 months in prison followed by three years of supervised release. On June 7, 2022, Katana was convicted by a federal jury of conspiring to interfere with interstate commerce by robbery, commonly referred to as Hobbs Act robbery. Katana was indicted in July 2019 with co-defendants Junior Melendez, Shaun Walker and Keith Johnson.
In March 2019, Katana conspired with Melendez, Walker and, allegedly, Johnson to rob the home of a high-end glassware dealer in Rockland. From March 18, 2019 through March 25, 2019, intercepted communications of a cellphone used by Melendez revealed that Katana and his co-conspirators had planned an armed home invasion and robbery of the Rockland residence.
During the afternoon of March 25, 2019, the four men traveled over 60 miles from Worcester to Rockland in two vehicles. Katana and Melendez first scoped out the robbery target location, a residence which at that time was occupied by a female resident. Katana and Melendez then proceeded to a nearby hardware store and purchased a two-foot iron crowbar, a screwdriver and razor blades. Law enforcement monitoring the defendants converged on the four men in the parking lot of the hardware store – disrupting the attempted robbery. In addition to the items just purchased at the hardware store, a loaded .380 firearm was seized from one of the vehicles.
Melendez and Walker previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 29, 2022, and Nov. 15, 2022, respectively. Johnson has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent; and Rockland Police Chief John R. Llewellyn made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm and Kristen M. Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office prosecuted 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 North Shore Men Arrested for Controlled Substance ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Reading man and a Saugus man have been arrested in connection with conspiring to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Charles Brennick Bates, 31, of Reading, and Aaron Lenardis, 36, of Saugus, were each charged with conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Following initial appearances on Oct. 25, 2022 and Oct. 26, 2022 in federal court in Boston before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, the defendants were detained pending a further hearing set for Oct. 31, 2022 at 2 p.m.
“These charges are yet another example of my office’s efforts to address the near constant stream of illegal drugs flowing into our communities. We must reduce and ultimately eliminate overdose deaths,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Swallowing a deadly drug can have the same fatal outcome as injecting one. The only difference is that, with the recent spike in counterfeit pill distribution, someone may not even know that they’re taking a deadly narcotic.”
“Fentanyl and methamphetamine are causing tremendous damage to our community,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “Those who distribute these drugs within fake prescription pills are endangering the safety of the citizens of Massachusetts. The DEA will continue to work each day alongside our law enforcement partners to identify and prosecute those who are responsible for distributing fentanyl and other deadly drugs. We won’t stop until they are brought to justice”.
According to the charging documents, in August 2022, federal law enforcement opened an investigation into Bates after he ordered 50 kilograms of an orange binding agent commonly used to make counterfeit Adderall pills. During subsequent surveillance, Bates was allegedly observed transporting a large, heavy item that appeared to be a pill press to Lenardis’ residence in Saugus. It is alleged that on Sept. 3, 2022, Bates called a confidential source asking for instruction on how to change a “punch” on a TDP5 machine. A punch is the component that can stamp letters onto pills and a TDP5 machine is a large pill press.
During a search of Lenardis’ residence in Saugus on Oct. 25, 2022, investigators recovered an industrial pill press, 14 firearms, several bins of loose orange and white powder and “M30” stamps commonly used to manufacture counterfeit pills, counterfeit Adderall suspected to contain methamphetamine and oxycodone pills suspected to contain fentanyl.
The charge of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least 3 years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to one million dollars. 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Samuel R. Feldman of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Northeastern University Employee Previously Arrested for Staging a Hoax Explosion Indicted by Federal Grand JuryRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man was indicted by a federal grand jury today for allegedly staging a hoax explosion at Northeastern University in Boston and providing law enforcement with materially false and misleading information about the incident.
Jason Duhaime, 45, formerly of San Antonio, was indicted on one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive and two counts of making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent. Duhaime was arrested and charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 4, 2022.
According to the indictment returned today, Duhaime, who at the time was employed as the New Technology Manager and Director of the Immersive Media Lab (the “Lab”) at Northeastern University, placed a 911 call at approximately 7 p.m. on Sept. 13, 2022, to report that he was injured by “sharp” objects expelled from a plastic case he opened inside the Lab that evening. Specifically, it is alleged that Duhaime told the 911 operator that upon opening one of two “Pelican” cases he had collected from an on-campus mail area earlier that day, “very sharp” objects flew out and under his shirt sleeves, causing injuries to his arms. Duhaime also allegedly reported that the case contained an anonymous “violent note” directed at the Lab.
Duhaime’s 911 call and concern about the second unopened “Pelican” case triggered a significant law enforcement response that included, among other things, the assistance of two law enforcement bomb squads and the evacuation of a large portion of Northeastern’s Boston campus. Numerous campus-wide alerts were also issued by the Northeastern University Police Department, one of which described an “explosion” on campus.
According to court documents, responding local and federal law enforcement officers observed that the case described by Duhaime to the 911 operator was empty and undamaged. Neither the case nor the letter that Duhaime said was inside the case showed any indication of having been exposed to a forceful or explosive discharge of any type or magnitude. Additionally, the storage closet appeared normal and bomb technicians did not observe any small objects or suspicious debris on the floor or elsewhere.
During subsequent interviews with law enforcement, Duhaime allegedly provided statements about the incident that were consistent with his report to the 911 operator. He allegedly expressly denied fabricating his story about the case, the letter and his injuries.
Forensic analysis of one of the computers seized during a Sept. 14, 2022 search of Duhaime’s office at Northeastern allegedly revealed a word-for-word electronic copy of the letter stored in a backup folder. According to court documents, the metadata associated with this file reflected a “Created Date/Time” of Sept. 13, 2022, at 2:57 p.m. and a “Last Printed Date/Time” of Sept. 13, 2022, at 4:02 p.m.
The charges of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive and making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent each provide for a sentence of up to five 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.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; Michael A. Davis, Vice President of Campus Security and Chief of Police at Northeastern University; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement today. This investigation was conducted by the Boston Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) in cooperation with the Northeastern University Police Department. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Field Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason A. Casey of Rollins’ National Security 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.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced in Wide-Ranging Fentanyl, Heroin, Crack and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Branny Taveras, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 40 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On March 11, 2022, Taveras pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute one kilogram or more of heroin, 400 grams or more of fentanyl, 280 grams or more of cocaine base (commonly known as crack cocaine) and 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Following a fatal fentanyl overdose in September 2018, law enforcement began an investigation into a drug trafficking organization (DTO) in the Fitchburg area led by co-conspirators Pedro Baez and Anthony Baez. Beginning in July 2019, electronic communications revealed that Taveras and others in the DTO distributed a fentanyl and heroin mixture on a regular basis to individuals in the Fitchburg area, including to Pedro and Anthony Baez, who redistributed that mixture to others.
Over the course of the investigation, over 1.8 kilograms of a heroin and fentanyl mixture, over 3.6 kilograms of cocaine and over 50 grams of crack cocaine, as well as a stolen, loaded handgun, drug manufacturing equipment and over $376,000 were seized. Taveras was responsible for distributing over 400 grams of a fentanyl and heroin mixture.
Taveras was charged along with 17 others in July 2020. He is the 10th defendant to be sentenced in the case. In December 2020, Anthony Baez was sentenced by Judge Hillman to 13 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On Oct. 24, 2022, a federal jury convicted co-defendant Adiangel Paredes, who is scheduled to be sentenced on March 1, 2023. Three of the remaining defendants, Pedro Baez, Jessica Hughes and Hector Matos have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. The Fitchburg Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Lunenburg Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea E. Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted 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.
Career Criminal Sentenced to a Total of More Than Three Years in Prison for Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A career criminal was sentenced on Oct. 24, 2022 in federal court in Boston for trafficking fentanyl while on supervised release for a previous federal conviction.
Robert Roscoe, 31, of Boston and Attleboro, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 16 months in prison and three years of supervised release. At the time he distributed fentanyl, Roscoe was on federal supervised release for a 2019 conviction of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. This sentence will run consecutive with a two-year sentence imposed on Roscoe on June 16, 2022, by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton for violating his supervised release by distributing fentanyl. Roscoe had been previously convicted of armed robbery, unlawful possession of a firearm, and assault and battery on a police officer.
On June 30, 2022, Roscoe pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl. Roscoe’s co-defendant, Ozair Pereira, is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 10, 2022 after previously pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Charged with Sex Trafficking of a MinorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged with allegedly trafficking a minor he met on social media to engage in commercial sex acts.
Jimall Dawn Brown, 33, was charged by criminal complaint with one count of sex trafficking of a minor. Brown was arrested this morning and will appear in federal court in Boston at 3 p.m. this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein.
“Human trafficking – which includes both sex and labor trafficking – is a form of slavery that causes unimaginable harm through exploitation and degradation. It is an assault on an individual’s dignity and is an urgent threat to public safety and public health. Human Trafficking impacts people across races, genders, age, immigration status, and socio-economic statuses and is often perpetrated against the most vulnerable among us – in this case, a child,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
U.S. Attorney Rollins continued, “We allege that Mr. Brown preyed on a vulnerable teenager that he found on social media, coerced her to travel to Boston, where he trafficked her to engage in commercial sex. He exploited this child for thousands of dollars of profit by forcing her to engage in sex acts inflicting violence and harm when she tried to break away and leave. We must begin to face the harsh reality that human trafficking is happening every single day in our Commonwealth and across our country. With my newly established Civil Rights & Human Trafficking Unit, the United States Attorney’s Office remains steadfast in our fight to combat this growing threat, hold traffickers accountable and bring services, treatment and some level of justice to victims and survivors of this awful crime.”
“No person, let alone a minor, should be treated as a commodity to be transported and sold again and again. But that is exactly what Jimall Dawn Brown is accused of doing for his own financial gain. He even went as far as allegedly threatening this victim in this case with violence if she tried to break free from this cycle of abuse,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division. “Sex trafficking is a despicable crime that has a long-lasting and devastating impact on its victims. Every day, FBI Boston’s Child Exploitation – Human Trafficking Task Force is working hard to protect children by bringing to justice those who exploit them. We take a victim-centered approach to each case, and we urge anyone who is or believes they may be a victim to contact us.”
"We are proud of the collaboration the Boston Police Department has with our federal law enforcement partners. This is another example of our department working to keep the community safe," said Michael Cox, Commissioner of the Boston Police Department.
According to the charging document, Brown trafficked a 17-year-old victim to engage in commercial sex acts. It is alleged that Brown first met the victim, who was living outside Massachusetts, on social media. He induced and coerced her to fly to Boston, with promises of a ‘better lifestyle.” Brown posted advertisements of the victim online and arranged “dates” for the victim to have sex in exchange for money. Brown allegedly set the pricing for the commercial sex acts she engaged in, for which he collected all of the profit.
In March 2022, Brown allegedly coerced the victim, who was still a minor at the time, to fly to Georgia, where he arranged for her to engage in commercial sex, for which he collected all of the profit. It is further alleged that in April 2022, Brown took the victim to Nevada, again arranging for her to engage in commercial sex and keeping all of the profit.
According to the charging document, local law enforcement in Massachusetts met with the victim at which time she alleged that Brown told her she would have a better life if she came to Boston to “be with him,” however once she did so, Brown prevented her from leaving. Specifically, it is alleged that when the victim would attempt to leave Brown, he would threaten her or beat her up. For example, as stated in court documents, if she told him she wanted to go home, he would put his hands on her, slap her and yell at her. On multiple occasions, Brown allegedly hit the victim, choked her and physically restrained her.
Members of the public who believe they may be a victim of this alleged crime should contact [email protected]. If you or someone you know may be impacted or experiencing commercial sex trafficking, please visit https://polarisproject.org/ for information and resources.
The charge of sex trafficking of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, five 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta, BPD Commissioner Cox and Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Arlington and Randolph Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Torey B. Cummings of Rollins’ Civil Rights & Human Trafficking 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.
Lawrence Man Sentenced to Nearly Six Years in Prison for Firearms OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced yesterday for the unlawful possession of firearms stemming from his illegal dealing of rifles and handguns.
John H. Morales, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf, to 70 months in prison to be followed by three years of supervised release. On April 7, 2021, Morales pleaded guilty to two counts of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.
“Our Commonwealth has strict requirements and thorough vetting processes to legally purchase, sell and carry firearms for a reason – they are dangerous and deadly weapons. Keeping illegal firearms off the street and out of the hands of prohibited individuals is at the core of combating the continued rise in violent crime we have seen across our nation,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Despite being a convicted felon strictly prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition, Mr. Morales illegally delt 14 firearms – including a high-powered semi-automatic rifle with two 30 round magazines – within just four short months. His conduct is alarming and each of those firearms and the ammunition have been taken off the street. Each of those bullets is a potential gun violence victim. We are committed to protecting the safety and wellbeing of Massachusetts residents and removing individuals like Mr. Morales from our communities is a step in the right direction.”
“The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force is working with our law enforcement partners to rid our communities of illegal firearms and whether it’s through takedowns of violent gun-toting gangs or, one by one, arresting felons like Mr. Morales, a criminal in possession of 14 firearms and ammunition – including an SKS rifle – we will continue to do all we can to make our neighborhoods safer. There is little doubt these guns would have ended up in the hands of gang members had we not obtained them, resulting in serious danger to the public,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division.
In early 2019, federal law enforcement opened an investigation into Morales’ illegal firearm dealing. The investigation revealed that between February 2019 and May 2019, Morales sold a cooperating witness 14 firearms – including pistols, concealable weapons and a high-powered SKS rifle accompanied by two 30 round magazines – which were seized during the investigation. Morales was arrested in November 2019 and has been in custody since that date.
Due to prior felony convictions from 2010 and 2016, Morales is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. The FBI’s North Shore Gang Task Force conducted the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip C. Cheng of Rollins’ Organized Crime & 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 violent crime and gun violence, 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.