District of Massachusetts
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Former Nurse Pleads Guilty to Drug Diversion from Two Boston-Area HospitalsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former nurse pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to diverting opioids from two Boston-area hospitals.
Lisa Tarr, 33, of St. Petersburg, Fla., pleaded guilty to four counts of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud, deception and subterfuge. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock scheduled sentencing for Feb. 7, 2023. Tarr was charged by an Information on Sept. 12, 2022.
In August 2018, Tarr was a Student Nurse working at a Boston-area hospital. Tarr admitted to investigators at the hospital that she had stolen and self-injected fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, from the hospital.
In 2020, while working for another Boston-area hospital, Tarr stole an infusion bag containing fentanyl that was being used to treat a patient. On another occasion in 2020, while still working at the second hospital, Tarr stole multiple syringes of hydromorphone, a Schedule II controlled substance, from a locked drug cabinet.
The charge of unlawfully obtaining controlled substances by fraud provides a sentence of no greater than four years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Fernando McMillan, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; and Margret Cooke, the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Begg Lawrence, Chief of Rollins’ Health Care Fraud Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Evan Panich of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit are prosecuting the case.
Former Northeastern University Employee Arrested for Staging Hoax ExplosionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man has been arrested and charged with allegedly staging a hoax explosion at Northeastern University in Boston in September 2022 and providing law enforcement with materially false and misleading information about the incident.
Jason Duhaime, 45, of San Antonio, was charged with one count of intentionally conveying false and misleading information related to an explosive device and one count of making materially false statements to a federal law enforcement agent. Duhaime was arrested this morning in the Western District of Texas and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.
According to the charging documents, Duhaime, who was at the time employed as the New Technology Manager and Director of the Immersive Media Lab (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 he and a Northeastern student who was working in the Lab had collected several packages from a mail area earlier that evening and brought them into the Lab. Among the packages were two “Pelican” cases, which Duhaime brought into a storage closet inside the Lab. Duhaime allegedly told the 911 operator that when he opened one of the cases inside the closet, “very sharp” objects flew out of the case and under his shirt sleeves, causing injuries to his arms. It is further alleged that Duhaime also reported that the case contained an anonymous “violent note” directed at the Lab.
The reports 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, the evacuation of a large portion of Northeastern’s Boston campus. Numerous campus-wide alerts were issued by the Northeastern University Police Department – one of which described an “explosion.”
According to court documents unsealed today, responding local and federal law enforcement 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 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 University 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 device 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.
Former Chair of Massachusetts Health Care Company Board of Directors and Attorney Agree to Plead Guilty to Selling Unregistered SecuritiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Canadian citizen and resident of Long Beach, Calif., has been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to three felony securities offenses, two of which concern his undisclosed sale of over $1.3 million worth of shares in a company for which he was the board chairman. His attorney in Yuba City, Calif., who facilitated the undisclosed stock sales, has also been charged and has agreed to plead guilty to a felony securities offense.
Avtar Singh Dhillon, 61, was charged with one count of willful failure to disclose stock sales, one count of aiding and abetting the sale of unregistered securities and one count of touting compensation nondisclosure conspiracy. Daniel V. Martinez, 62, was charged with one count of sale of unregistered securities. Plea hearings for the defendants have not yet been scheduled by the Court. Dhillon was previously arrested and charged by criminal complaint in August 2021.
According to the charging documents, Dhillon and Martinez violated the securities laws when they worked together to sell shares of the Massachusetts-based company Arch Therapeutics, Inc., for which Dhillon was then the board chairman. Specifically, Dhillon and Martinez allegedly placed 2.75 million Arch Therapeutics shares that Dhillon beneficially owned into a limited liability company that Martinez created. It is alleged that Dhillon and Martinez then worked together to sell the shares in the open market without a valid exemption under the relevant securities laws and to distribute the approximately $1.34 million in proceeds. The proceeds were distributed primarily to third parties for Dhillon’s benefit, with a small portion distributed to Martinez directly. Dhillon thereafter willfully failed to report the stock sales to the U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission and the investing public, as he was required to do.
Separately, Dhillon is also alleged to have participated in a securities conspiracy involving the nondisclosure of compensation paid to a subscription newsletter analyst. Specifically, Dhillon agreed with others to cause Emerald Health Pharmaceuticals (EHP), a life sciences company in San Diego, to indirectly compensate a subscription newsletter analyst to tout a securities offering by EHP without the analyst or the newsletter disclosing the compensation, as was required under the securities laws. Dhillon was both a one-time board member of and an indirect shareholder in EHP, which raised tens of millions of dollars in the securities offering.
The charge of willful failure to disclose sales provides for a sentence up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. The charges of sale of unregistered securities and touting compensation nondisclosure conspiracy each provide for a sentence up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000, or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. 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 Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by SEC’s headquarters, Boston and Los Angeles regional offices. Assistant U.S. Attorney James R. Drabick of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud 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.
Worcester Man Sentence for Firearm and Ammunition OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Barry Jumpp, 30, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 46 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On May 11, 2022, Jumpp pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
On Jan. 7, 2021, Jumpp was arrested by local authorities in connection with an outstanding warrant from Connecticut. In the pocket of Jumpp’s jacket, law enforcement found a 9 mm firearm loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. The firearm had been stolen from a Worcester resident in 2016. Jumpp 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 & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Worcester Police Chief Steven Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun and Kristen Noto of Rollins’ Worcester Branch Office 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.
Florida Medical Practice Agrees to Pay $130,000 to Resolve Allegations That it Received Kickbacks from Pharmaceutical DistributorRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Southeast Florida Hematology and Oncology Group (SEFHOG), a now-defunct specialty medical practice in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., has agreed to pay $130,000 to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by receiving “upfront discounts” from its specialty pharmaceutical distributor, Cardinal Health, in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute. In January 2022, Cardinal Health entered into a $13.125 million settlement to resolve allegations concerning these and other upfront discounts.
The Anti-Kickback Statute prohibits pharmaceutical distributors from offering or paying any compensation to induce physicians to purchase drugs for use on Medicare patients. When a pharmaceutical distributor sells drugs to a physician practice for administration in an outpatient setting, the distributor may legally offer commercially available discounts to its customers under certain circumstances prescribed by the Office of Inspector General for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS-OIG). HHS-OIG has advised that upfront discount arrangements present significant kickback concerns unless they are tied to specific purchases and distributors maintain appropriate controls to ensure that discounts are clawed back if the purchaser ultimately does not purchase enough product to earn the discount. According to admissions contained in the settlement agreement, the payments that SEFHOG received were not attributable to identifiable sales.
Under the terms of this agreement, SEFHOG is paying $65,000 to the federal government and $65,000 to the State of Florida. This matter was handled jointly with the Office of the Attorney General for the State of Florida.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge for the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Evan Panich and Lindsey Ross of Rollins’ Office handled the matter.
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Prison for Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Anton Rise, 40, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Mark L. Wolf to 79 months in prison and three years of supervised release. In March 2019, Rise pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
According to court filings, in the early morning of March 4, 2017, Rise was arrested with a firearm loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition tucked in his waistband shortly after he left a nightclub in Boston.
Due to prior felony convictions, Rise is prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement.
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.
Two Former eBay Executives Sentenced to Prison for CyberstalkingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The former Senior Director of Safety & Security at eBay, Inc. and the company’s former Director of Global Resiliency were sentenced to prison today for their roles in a cyberstalking campaign targeting the editor and publisher of a newsletter that eBay executives viewed as critical of the company.
James Baugh, 47, of San Jose, Calif., was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 57 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Baugh was also ordered to pay a fine of $40,000. David Harville, 50, of Las Vegas, Nev., was sentenced to two years in prison and two years of supervised release. Harville was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000. On April 25, 2022, Baugh pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and through facilities of interstate commerce, two counts of stalking through interstate travel, two counts of stalking through facilities of interstate commerce, two counts of witness tampering and two counts of destruction, alteration and falsification of records in a federal investigation. On May 12, 2022, Harville pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit stalking through interstate travel and through facilities of interstate commerce, two counts of stalking through interstate travel and two counts of stalking through facilities of interstate commerce.
“The internet is incredibly powerful. It brings community, information, and even merchandise right to our homes. Mr. Baugh and Mr. Harville used the internet’s power to harass and intimidate a couple who did nothing—nothing—other than publish content that our First Amendment protects. The defendants’ toxic brand of online and real-world harassment, threats, and stalking was outrageous, cruel and defies any explanation—all the more because these men were seasoned and highly paid security executives backed by the resources of a Fortune 500 corporation. Their behavior was reprehensible. The just sentences the Court imposed today will take Mr. Baugh and Mr. Harville offline and out of our community for some time. This should serve as a strong reminder to all that holding positions of wealth and privilege does not absolve or shield criminals from accountability and incarceration. The government’s investigation continues,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins.
“Both men demonstrated a clear contempt for the law when they weaponized eBay’s security department to engage in an incredibly disturbing pattern of retaliatory harassment and intimidation to torment this couple, who, thankfully, did not let their fear silence them,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “While today’s sentencings cannot erase the substantial distress their victims suffered, it does make it crystal clear that anyone who goes online to threaten, intimidate, or harass others will face real-world consequences, including federal prison time.”
Harville and Baugh were arrested and charged in June 2020. Co-conspirators and former eBay employees Philip Cooke, Brian Gilbert, Stephanie Popp, Veronica Zea and Stephanie Stockwell previously pleaded guilty for their roles in a conspiracy to cyberstalk the victims. Cooke was sentenced in July 2021 to 18 months in prison. Gilbert, Popp, Zea and Stockwell are awaiting sentencing.
Between approximately Aug. 5, 2019 and Sept. 6, 2019, Harville, Baugh and their 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.
The defendants and their 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.
The deliveries ordered to the victims’ home included a book on surviving the death of a spouse, a bloody pig mask, a fetal pig, a funeral wreath and live insects. The harassment also featured Craigslist posts inviting members of the public to experience sexual encounters at the victims’ home.
The threatening Twitter messages 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’ home address and threatened to show up at their home.
On Aug. 15, 2019, Baugh, Harville and a co-conspirator traveled from California to Natick to surveil the victims and install a GPS tracking device on the victims’ car. The victims spotted the surveillance team and contacted local police. Harville also purchased tools intending to break into the victims’ garage and lied to an eBay investigator who was responding to the Natick Police’s request for assistance.
After learning of the police’s investigation, Harville and Baugh deleted digital evidence related to the cyberstalking campaign. Additionally, Baugh made false statements to police and internal investigators and falsified records intended to throw the police off the trail.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, FBI SAC Bonavolonta 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.
Drug Supplier and Distributor for Two Boston-Area Cocaine Trafficking Rings Sentenced to Five Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – The main supplier and drug distributor of two Boston-area drug trafficking organizations (DTO) was sentenced yesterday for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Kenji Drayton, 42, of Boston, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On April 12, 2022, Drayton pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine.
Drayton was charged with 23 others in June 2020 as part of Operation Snowfall.
According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement investigated a DTO – for which Drayton was a principal drug supplier – that 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. It is alleged that the DTO assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs – most of which was cocaine or cocaine base, which the DTO supplied to customers, wholesalers and distributors. The DTO’s destructive activity led to the blight of the Fidelis Way complex and reduced the quality of life of the many law-abiding people who live there.
The second part of the investigation targeted large-scale drug suppliers and their associates. It is alleged that the DTO continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. Intercepted communications in spring 2020 revealed Drayton complained about drug supply shortages resulting from the pandemic. On one call, Drayton discussed a co-conspirator’s travels to California to obtain significant quantities of cocaine for the DTO.
Drayton served as one of the main drug suppliers and distributors within each of the identified DTOs. Drayton purchased, sold, and distributed wholesale quantities of cocaine as part of each DTO and is estimated to have distributed a total of over 3.5 kilograms of cocaine.
Drayton is the second defendant to be sentenced in the Fidelis-Way related drug conspiracy, and the 11th defendant to be sentenced in the other charged drug conspiracy case. The remaining defendants are either pending sentencing or have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial. One defendant, Derek Hart, remains at large.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting 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’ Office. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin R. O’Donnell and Timothy E. Moran of the 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.
Swansea Man Agrees to Plead Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Swansea man agreed to plead guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to possession of child pornography.
Todd Miozza, 52, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. The Court deferred acceptance of the proposed plea agreement until sentencing, which U.S. Senior District Judge William G. Young scheduled for Jan 19, 2023. Miozza was arrested and charged on June 29, 2022.
As stated during the hearing, Miozza admitted that he had obtained child pornography over the internet using a social media platform. During a search of Miozza’ s residence in June, his iPhone and laptop were seized and found to contain child sexual abuse material – including videos depicting infants.
Miozza was previously convicted of possession of child pornography in the District of Massachusetts in 2002.
The charge of possession of child pornography by a person previously convicted of a child pornography offense carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 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. 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 Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for Homeland Security Investigations, New England made the announcement. The Swansea Police Department provided valuable assistance to the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum 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.
Quincy Real Estate Broker Sentenced for Real Estate Deposit ScamRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Quincy real estate broker was sentenced in federal court in Boston today for operating a scheme in which he falsely marketed properties that were not for sale, or had already been sold, and then stole the buyers’ real estate deposits.
Michael P. Flavin, 39, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The Court reserved imposing a restitution order until a later date. On Dec. 17, 2021, Flavin pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and two counts of aggravated identity theft.
Between 2017 and April 2020, Flavin solicited deposits on real estate transactions by marketing numerous real estate properties that were not actually for sale. In each case, Flavin executed purchase and sale agreements and received deposit checks from or on behalf of the potential buyers, even though the actual owners of the properties had not agreed to sell their properties or to sell them to those buyers. Flavin forged the signatures of the sellers on the purported purchase and sale agreements. Over this period of approximately three years, Flavin cashed more than 60 deposit checks totaling approximately $1.8 million.
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 Victor A. Wild of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Identity Theft and Social Security OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for misusing a Social Security number to fraudulently obtain a Massachusetts ID and driver’s license as well as MassHealth benefits.
Manuel Alejandro Pujols Diaz, 37, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 25 months in prison. On May 16, 2022, Pujols pleaded guilty to one count of false representation of a Social Security number and one count of aggravated identity theft.
Pujols used the name and Social Security number of another individual to submit fraudulent applications to the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles in July 2016, August 2016 and September 2016. As a result, Pujols obtained a Massachusetts ID and driver’s license under the victim’s identity as well as MassHealth benefits.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Christopher A. Scharf, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Transportation, Office of Inspector General, made the announcement today. The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security’s Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized field investigative group comprised of personnel from various local, state, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity, and benefit fraud schemes. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M. Carris, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the case.
Career Criminal Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A career criminal pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to trafficking fentanyl while still on supervised release for a previous federal conviction.
Ozair Pereira, 34, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and four counts of distribution of fentanyl. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2022. Earlier this afternoon, Pereira was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to two years in prison for violating the terms of his supervised release.
“Today, Mr. Pereira admitted to his role in a conspiracy that sought to profit off addiction and harm,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “Even more troubling, Mr. Pereira engaged in this criminal conduct while on federal supervised release for a prior drug trafficking conviction. Opioids continue to cause irreversible destruction and chaos in communities across our Commonwealth and the nation. Two thousand lives were lost last year in Massachusetts, people stolen from us that will never return. We will attack this problem with every resource we have. The goal is to cut the flow of deadly narcotics onto our streets. Drug traffickers, especially repeat offenders, be warned – you will be identified and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
On four occasions in February and March 2021, Pereira worked with co-defendant Robert Roscoe and others to distribute over 40 grams of fentanyl. At the time of the offense, Pereira was on supervised release for a prior federal drug trafficking offense. Specifically, in 2018, Pereira and several other defendants were arrested as part of a wide-ranging investigation targeting drug trafficking and violence in Brockton. Pereira was intercepted on a court-authorized wiretap ordering heroin from a drug supplier. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to conspiracy to distribute heroin.
On June 30, 2022, Roscoe pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 24, 2022.
Because of his prior federal conviction, on the charge of conspiracy to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, Pereira faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least eight years of supervised release and a fine of $8 million. The charge of distribution of fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least six years of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; James 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 is prosecuting the case.
Brockton Man Sentenced in Sophisticated Drug Trafficking Conspiracy that Operated Using the Dark WebRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in a highly sophisticated drug trafficking operation that manufactured and distributed a multitude of controlled substances using the Dark Web.
Steven McCall, 26, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. McCall was also ordered to forfeit his vehicle, a 2012 BMW 535 sedan. The government recommended a sentence of 70 months in prison. On June 28, 2022, McCall pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, Ketamine and Alprazolam (Xanax).
McCall was indicted in June 2019 along with co-conspirators Binh Thanh Le and Allante Pires. Le, who was the ringleader of the drug-trafficking operation, created and operated a vendor site called “EastSideHigh” in marketplaces on the Dark Network, more commonly known as the Dark Web. The Dark Web is any portion of the internet that can only be accessed with specific software, configurations or authorization that anonymize internet traffic. Le used these Dark Web markets to advertise various drugs for sale, including cocaine, MDMA, Ketamine and Xanax. Le ordered and received wholesale quantities of the drugs he and the others were distributing in the mail, principally from foreign sources in Canada and Europe. McCall and Pires then processed and manufactured those controlled substances at an office space Le rented in Stoughton. After receiving the orders and payment via Bitcoin, the men mailed the drugs to customers throughout the United States.
At the time of his arrest, McCall had been manufacturing and packaging controlled substances at the co-conspirators’ stash location in Stoughton and was wearing latex gloves and a respirator.
Over 19 kilograms of MDMA, almost seven kilograms of Ketamine, nearly one kilogram of cocaine, more than 10,000 counterfeit Xanax pills and over $114,000 in cash were seized by authorities during the investigation. Investigators also recovered a computer with the “EastSideHigh” vendor page open, numerous packages containing MDMA and Ketamine, various shipping and packaging materials and a pill press from the office space in Stoughton.
McCall is the final defendant in this case to be sentenced. On March 10, 2022, Le was sentenced to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. Le was also ordered to forfeit more than 59 Bitcoin (representing a forfeiture in excess of $1.1 million), $114,680 in cash, $42,390 representing the proceeds from the sale of a 2018 BMW M3, along with other items including a pill press and currency counter. On Sept. 8, 2022, Pires was sentenced to 28 months in prison and three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of 70 months in prison. Pires was also ordered to forfeit a 2013 Mercedes E sedan.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge for the Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Norfolk County District Attorney Michael W. Morrissey; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement. Special assistance with the investigation was provided by the Homeland Security Investigations in Colorado; Postal Inspectors from around the country; and the Stoughton, Norwood and Brockton Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney James E. Arnold of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Role in Armed Robbery of Brockton Cell Phone StoreRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in the January 2019 robbery of a T-Mobile store in Brockton and shooting at police officers as he and his co-defendants fled the scene.
Dennis Martin, 27, of Brockton, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Douglas P. Woodlock to eight years in prison and three years of supervised release. In August 2019, Martin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to interfere with commerce by robbery; interference with commerce by robbery; brandishing, using and carrying a firearm in relation to a crime of violence; and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
Martin was charged in 2019 along with co-conspirators Stephan Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Diovanni Carter.
On the evening of Jan. 26, 2019, Martin, Rosser-Stewart and Darius Carter entered a T-Mobile store in Brockton, carrying semi-automatic firearms, which they pointed at the store manager as they demanded cash and electronics. Darius Carter struck the store manager in the head with a firearm. The men stole approximately $25,000 in cash and electronics and then fled in a vehicle driven by Diovanni Carter.
Police located the getaway vehicle and a high-speed chase ensued, reaching speeds of over 70 mph in residential neighborhoods. During the chase, Diovanni Carter ordered the other men in the car to fire at pursuing police cruisers. Rosser-Stewart and Darius Carter fired a total of eight rounds at the pursuing police cruisers. Law enforcement apprehended Martin, Rosser-Stewart and Darius Carter after an object on the road disabled their vehicle and recovered the stolen phones, cash and the three firearms used in robbery. Diovanni Carter fled the scene when the car was stopped and was later apprehended in March 2019. Martin, Rosser-Stewart, Darius Carter and Diovanni Carter were each prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition due to prior criminal convictions. Martin was previously convicted of armed robbery.
On Sept. 8, 2022, Rosser-Stewart, was sentenced to 16 years in prison and two years of supervised release. In March 2021, Darius Carter pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 14 years in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty to his role in the robbery. In March 2020, Diovanni Carter was convicted by a federal jury and sentenced to over 22 years in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal of the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald Jr.; and Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Philip A. Mallard 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.
Texas Man and Woman Indicted for Money Laundering for Online Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Texas man and woman were indicted today by a federal grand jury for allegedly operating an unlicensed money transmitting business to launder the proceeds of online investment fraud and romance fraud schemes.
Charles Ochi, 27, of Grand Prairie, Texas, and Vanessa Okocha, 24, of Houston, Texas were indicted on one count each of money laundering conspiracy, one count of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business and one count of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. Ochi will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Okocha remains at large.
According to the charging documents, beginning in or around 2016, Ochi and Okocha conspired with others to launder and transmit proceeds of Ponzi-style investment fraud schemes based in Nigeria and of romance scams. Specifically, the investment fraud schemes allegedly purported to offer trading and Bitcoin investing services when, in fact, investor funds were stolen and victims’ investments were later used to pay purported returns to earlier investors. The romance fraud schemes deceived online victims into sending money to persons with whom they believed they had a romantic relationship. It is alleged that Ochi and Okocha laundered the fraud proceeds as part of aa network of co-conspirators in the United States, including the owners of at least two used car exporting companies. Ochi and Okocha, along with their co-conspirators, did not hold money transmitting licenses in their respective states of residence, nor were they registered as money transmitters as required by federal law.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business and the charge of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business each provide for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Division of Enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. 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 defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Former Naval Police Officer Charged for Making Threats in Interstate CommerceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former naval police officer at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in New Hampshire was charged yesterday in connection with allegedly threatening his ex-wife and her mother in Iowa.
Luis De Leon, 30, of Middleton, a was charged with three counts of making threatening communications in interstate commerce. De Leon, who is currently in custody at the Middleton House of Corrections on unrelated state charges, will make an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Boston on Oct. 3, 2022.
According to the charging documents, from June 2021 until June 2022, De Leon was employed by the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard as a Naval Police Officer.
It is alleged that on or about April 30, 2022, De Leon made a threatening phone call to his ex-wife in Iowa from a mobile telephone belonging to another individual. Specifically, during the call, De Leon allegedly made several threatening statements including, “You’re gonna f****** pay! Do you understand!? There will be death! There will be war in the street! You wanna to go war!? I’ll take you to f****** war!”
On or about May 2, 2022, De Leon was arrested by Lawrence Police on unrelated charges including carrying a dangerous weapon (a hatchet knife), resisting arrest, disorderly conduct, threatening to commit a crime and motor vehicle offenses. De Leon has remained in custody since his arrest.
Between May and June 2022, while still in custody in Middleton House of Corrections, De Leon allegedly sent two letters containing threats to his ex-wife’s mother in Iowa. In the letters, it is alleged that De Leon wrote, among other things, “I’ll be heading over there soon […] God help you and your dysfunctional family if you try and stop me. I won’t be alone either just so you know and that’s for your safety NOT MINE!!! […] If you don’t believe me just look where I’m sending this from. I don’t really have much else to lose, and do you know what men with nothing left to lose usually do?”
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 was provided by the Essex County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy H. Kistner 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.
U.S. Attorney's Office Warns Skilled Nursing Facilities Not to Refuse Treatment to People with Opioid Use DisorderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – As part of its response to the opioid crisis, United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins sent a letter to all skilled nursing facilities in Massachusetts warning that refusing to provide care for persons with opioid use disorder (OUD) violates the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and that the U.S. Attorney’s Office will aggressively enforce these protections.
The ADA, which prohibits discrimination based on disability, protects individuals with OUD. Since 2018, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has entered into 10 settlement agreements with entities owning a total of 51 skilled nursing facilities for refusing to admit individuals prescribed medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including buprenorphine (Suboxone), vivitrol and methadone. To ensure compliance with the nondiscrimination provisions of the ADA, skilled nursing facilities must evaluate each applicant individually to determine suitability for admission, rather than enacting a blanket policy denying admissions to all persons treated with MOUD.
“Medications can be a crucial tool in battling the opioid crisis. In many instances, these prescription treatments save lives,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. “Yet each year, countless people are turned away from skilled nursing facilities solely because they are on prescribed MOUD. This puts vulnerable people in the awful position of either risking their life by not taking their MOUD or risking their life by continuing their opioid use. Denying access to necessary healthcare, based solely on someone’s substance use disorder exacerbates the tremendous damage opioids already cause residents of our Commonwealth and their loved ones.”
Courts may impose civil penalties for ADA violations, which could be as high as $92,383 for a first violation, and potentially double that amount for subsequent violations. These ADA enforcement actions are part of a larger effort by the United States Attorney’s Office to eliminate discriminatory barriers to treatment for Opioid Use Disorder in the medical community, in the criminal justice system, and in housing.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Gregory Dorchak of Rollins’ Civil Rights Unit handled this matter.
The Civil Rights Unit of the U.S. Attorney’s Office was established in 2015 with the mission of enhancing federal civil rights enforcement. For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.
Malden Man Pleads Guilty to Distributing MethamphetamineRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Malden man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with distributing methamphetamine to an undercover law enforcement officer.
David Desousa, 32, pleaded guilty on Sept. 22, 2022 to one count of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine, one count of distributing a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine and three counts of possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2023. Desousa was arrested in August 2020 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020.
In February 2020, federal agents began an undercover investigation into DeSousa’s methamphetamine distribution activities. On three separate occasions in February, March and July 2020, Desousa met with and sold various quantities of methamphetamine to an undercover agent. Desousa was arrested on Aug. 6, 2020 in Medford while he was travelling to deliver two ounces of methamphetamine to the undercover agent. More than 55 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine and 10.814 grams of cocaine base were seized from Desousa’s vehicle. During a subsequent search of Desousa’s residence, agents seized more than 75 grams of methamphetamine and a loaded Remington .380 caliber pistol. An additional 83 grams of 99% pure methamphetamine and $90,000 in cash were also seized from Desousa’s storage unit.
The charges of distributing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine and possessing 50 grams or more of methamphetamine with intent to distribute each provide for a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $10 million and forfeiture. The charge of distributing five grams or more of methamphetamine provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of up to $5 million and forfeiture. The charge of distributing a mixture or substance containing methamphetamine provides for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, a fine of $1 million 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; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Division; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service’s Boston Division; Arlington Police Chief Juliann Flaherty; Medford Police Chief Jack Buckley; and Malden Police Chief Glenn Cronin made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip C. Cheng and James E. Arnold of Rollins’s Narcotics & Money Laundering 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.
Level 2 Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man pleaded guilty on Sept. 23, 2022 in federal court in Boston to possessing hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography.
Rudy Frabizio, 60, pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris scheduled sentencing for Dec. 9, 2022. Frabizio was arrested and charged by criminal complaint in May 2021 and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
During a search of Frabizio’s residence on May 19, 2021, agents found a “microSD” memory card that contained at least hundreds of images and videos depicting child pornography. The image and video files included material involving prepubescent minors, as well as the abuse of infants or toddlers. In addition, Frabizio uploaded images depicting child pornography via his Google account. Frabizio is a registered Level 2 sex offender due to an April 2009 conviction for possession of child pornography.
The charge of possession of child pornography provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Due to his prior conviction, Frabizio faces a minimum mandatory sentence of 10 years in prison. 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. The Taunton Police Department provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division 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.
Former Methuen Resident Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl and Cocaine Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former Methuen man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston to his role in a Lawrence-based drug trafficking conspiracy involving fentanyl and cocaine.
Pablo Rosario Pablo a/k/a “Angel Ayala Roque” a/k/a “Cuco,” 57, formerly of Methuen, pleaded guilty on Sept. 21, 2022 to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances and one count of possession with intent to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances. U.S. District Court Judge Angel Kelley scheduled sentencing for Feb. 8, 2023.
According to court documents and information presented in court, in May 2020, law enforcement agents began investigating a Lawrence-based drug trafficking organization (DTO). Between December 2020 and December 2021, intercepted communications between members of the DTO and their associates revealed that the defendants allegedly distributed fentanyl and cocaine in and around the Merrimack Valley. Rosario Pablo was intercepted communicating in furtherance of drug trafficking. During a search of Rosario Pablo’s residence on Dec. 15, 2021, agents seized fentanyl, powder cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana and steroids, as well as drug paraphernalia.
The charges of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, cocaine, and other controlled substances, and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and other controlled substances carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison, a mandatory minimum of three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release, and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes that govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
This operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-ocdetf.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Office, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine Ferguson, Deputy Chief of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit, is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Biogen Inc. Agrees to Pay $900 Million to Settle False Claims Act Allegations Related to Improper Physician PaymentsRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Pharmaceutical company Biogen Inc. (Biogen), based in Cambridge, Massachusetts, has agreed to pay $900 million to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by causing the submission of false claims to Medicare and Medicaid by paying kickbacks to physicians to induce them to prescribe Biogen drugs.
The settlement announced today resolves a lawsuit filed and litigated by former Biogen employee Michael Bawduniak against Biogen under the qui tam or whistleblower provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit a private party (known as a relator) to file a lawsuit on behalf of the United States and receive a portion of any recovery. The United States may intervene in the action or, as in this case, the relator may proceed with the lawsuit.
In his lawsuit filed in the District of Massachusetts, Bawduniak alleged that Biogen paid kickbacks to physicians to induce them to prescribe the company’s multiple sclerosis drugs. According to the relator’s complaint, from Jan. 1, 2009, through March 18, 2014, Biogen held programs through which it offered and paid remuneration, including speaker honoraria, speaker training fees, consulting fees and meals, to health care professionals who spoke at or attended Biogen’s speaker programs, speaker training meetings or consultant programs to induce them to prescribe the drugs Avonex, Tysabri and Tecfidera in violation of the Anti-Kickback Statute.
“We thank Mr. Bawduniak for uncovering this behavior and bringing it to light,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “This matter is an important example of the vital role that whistleblowers and their attorneys can play in protecting our nation’s public healthcare programs.”
“Bawduniak doggedly pursued this matter on behalf of the United States for over seven years,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Department of Justice’s Civil Division. “The settlement announced today underscores the critical role that whistleblowers and their attorneys play in utilizing the False Claims Act to combat fraud affecting federal healthcare programs.”
Under the terms of the settlement, Biogen will pay $843,805,187 to the United States and $56,194,813 to 15 states. The United States will pay Bawduniak a share of the federal recovery.
The case was monitored by the Department of Justice’s Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
United States Attorney's Office Honors Law Enforcement Personnel for Exceptional ServiceRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins announces the recipients of the 2022 Law Enforcement Awards. Over 60 federal, state and local law enforcement personnel and community leaders who contributed to the success of federal cases during the 2021 calendar year are being recognized for their commitment to pursuing justice and public safety. Each year the U.S. Attorney in Massachusetts holds a formal ceremony to honor award recipients, which will take place in October 2022 at the John Joseph Moakley Courthouse.
These awards recognize federal agents, state troopers, local officers, investigators and community leaders for exceptional leadership, outstanding collaboration, investigative achievement and excellence, victim assistance and excellence in community engagement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys who prosecuted the cases nominated the honorees. In one instance, U.S. Attorney Rollins herself nominated the recipient due to their outstanding and unwavering commitment to the City of Boston – Former Acting Boston Police Commissioner Gregory Long.
“The typical workday does not exist for law enforcement professionals, they work around the clock. Day in and day out, law enforcement professionals work tirelessly in the pursuit of justice, often putting their lives on the line to protect the people of our Commonwealth against criminal operators,” said U.S. Attorney Rollins. “It is directly because of these dogged, relentless efforts that my office can hold perpetrators accountable through successful investigations and prosecutions. The Annual Law Enforcement Awards are an important opportunity to recognize and honor the professionals whose work has been instrumental to our cases and to keeping our communities safe.”
The category of Investigative Achievement Award is reserved for those who substantially contributed to the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice. The following cases and agencies will be honored:
U.S. v. Bruce Brown
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; Newton Police Department
U.S. v. Hubley
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): IRS Criminal Investigation
U.S. v. Jasiel Correia
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; U.S. Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation; Massachusetts Office of Inspector General
U.S. v. John Casey
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Marshfield Police Department; Burlington Police Department
U.S. v. Leslie Caraceni et al., and U.S. v. Meghan Giacomuzzi
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; Homeland Security Investigations
U.S. v. Stefanie Hirsch et al.
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General
U.S. v. Sunil Akula
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation
The category of Investigative Excellence recognizes an individual whose actions led directly to the arrest of a dangerous subject or to the exposure of a significant criminal conspiracy. The following case and agency will be honored:
U.S. v. Anthony Deordio and U.S. v. Jonathan Monson
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation
The category of Excellence in Community Outreach and Prevention Award recognizes individuals, or a team of individuals, who have shown outstanding commitment and/or innovation in the area of law enforcement and community outreach to include training, relationship building, prevention programs and other similar activities. The following programs and agencies will be honored:
Civil Rights Opioid Work
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): New England Americans with Disabilities Act Center, a project of the Institute for Human Centered Design in Boston
Project Safe Childhood Cape and Islands Education Series
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; Barnstable Police Department; Chatham Police Department, Orleans Police Department; Cape & Islands District Attorney’s Office
Project Safe Childhood in the Berkshires Education Series
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Department of Homeland Security, Federal Protective Service; North Adams Police Department; Berkshire District Attorney’s Office; North Adams Public Schools
The category of Exceptional Leadership recognizes an individual who has shown exceptional leadership of an organization or department in the face of adversity or significant challenges. The following agency will be honored:
Exceptional Leadership in the City of Boston
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Boston Police Department
The category of Outstanding Collaborative Award recognizes investigators from a multi-agency collaboration whose exceptional efforts to overcome significant challenges led to a successful conclusion. Recipients in one case also received the Victim Service Award. The following cases and agencies will be honored:
U.S. v. Anthony Howard
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; Boston Police Department
U.S. v. Derek Sheehan
Agency/Organization of Recipient(s): Federal Bureau of Investigation; Norwell Police Department; Massachusetts State Police
*Victim Service Award
U.S. v. Samuel Rodriguez, et al.
Agency/Organization of Recipient: Massachusetts State Police; Fairhaven Police Department; United States Drug Enforcement Administration; United States Postal Inspection Service
Taunton Man Sentenced for Being a Felon in Possession of Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Taunton man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a firearm and ammunition.
Jerrod Lee, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 37 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Lee was indicted in October 2020 with co-defendant Ronney Fullard. In December 2021, Lee pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
In August 2020, during the execution of an arrest warrant in connection with pending state firearms charges, law enforcement found Lee and Fullard each in possession of a loaded firearm at Lee’s residence. Specifically, Lee possessed a Ruger .45 caliber pistol, Model P90 loaded with five rounds of .45 caliber ammunition and Fullard possessed a Taurus PT 709 9mm pistol loaded with six rounds of 9mm ammunition. Due to prior felony convictions, federal law prohibits both defendants from possessing firearms and ammunition.
On March 10, 2022, Fullard was sentenced to time served (approximately 14 months) and three years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to the same charge.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Taunton Police Chief Edward James Walsh made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Hoefle 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.
Boston Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Prison for Racketeering and Drug Trafficking ConspiraciesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday for racketeering (RICO) and drug trafficking conspiracies stemming from his involvement in the Boston-based street gang, NOB.
Joshua Teixeira, a/k/a “Trouble,” 27, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to seven years in prison and three years of supervised release. In April 2022, Teixeira pleaded guilty to one count of RICO conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances.
Teixeira is one of 10 defendants indicted in June 2020 as part of a federal sweep targeting numerous NOB street gang members and associates, all of whom have pleaded guilty to various charges and are scheduled to be sentenced in the upcoming months.
According to court documents, NOB – an abbreviation for the Norton/Olney/Barry streets in Dorchester – is a violent criminal enterprise whose members and associates are involved in numerous types of criminal activities throughout Massachusetts, including murders, attempted murders, armed robberies, drug trafficking, sex trafficking and illegal firearms offenses. In addition to multiple firearms and drugs recovered during the investigation, numerous contraband items including 11 firearms, over one kilogram of fentanyl (including over 2,000 fentanyl pills manufactured to appear as commercial oxycodone pills), a commercial pill press, over 15 pounds of marijuana and approximately $36,000 in cash were also seized.
Teixeira was an active and central member of the NOB gang who personally committed, planned and supported various crimes on behalf of the NOB gang including drug trafficking activities involving multiple pounds of marijuana. In May 2018, Teixeira drove with two other NOB members/associated into a rival gang territory during ongoing hostilities between the gangs. Teixeira was armed with a 9mm handgun and fired at least six rounds at a group of people in a residential neighborhood, leading to an exchange of gunfire. No one was hit by Teixeira’s gunfire. The Court determined this conduct constituted attempted murder and took it into consideration at sentencing.
First Assistant United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro; Quincy Police Chief Paul Keenan; Randolph Police Chief Anthony Marag; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Stoughton Police Chief Donna McNamara; Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Plymouth County Sheriff Joseph D. McDonald, Jr.; Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III; and Norfolk County Sheriff Patrick W. McDermott made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Crowley and Sarah Hoefle of the Organized Crime & Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced for Federal Firearm OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with his illegal possession of ammunition.
Syrus Hampton, 32, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani to 18 months in prison and 30 months of supervised release. The U.S. Attorney’s Office had requested 42 months in prison. In May 2021, Hampton pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition.
In January 2019, during a routine traffic stop by local law enforcement for a car lights violation, Hampton sped away from police and jumped out of his still-running minivan – causing the vehicle to run over a police officer’s foot and crash into two other cars, including one occupied by a pregnant woman and her children. Hampton was shortly apprehended and was found in possession of an Uzi-style machinegun firearm that had been made from a kit and bared no serial number (commonly known as a “ghost gun”) loaded with an extended magazine containing 20 rounds of ammunition and a bullet in the chamber. Hampton was prohibited from possessing ammunition due to a prior felony conviction punishable by more than one year in prison.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna J. Nuzum and Adam W. Deitch of Rollins’ Criminal Division 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.
Statement from United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha Regarding United States v. JosephRead the Press Release
BOSTON – United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announces that, in accordance with an agreement reached with Massachusetts state District Court Judge Shelley M. Richmond Joseph, Judge Joseph has today referred herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct, a forum that is designed to investigate and address judicial misconduct and to make final recommendations on discipline to the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts, the state’s highest judicial body. As part of this agreement, Judge Joseph has also made factual admissions that the Commission can consider as part of its review, along with the public allegations previously made in this case.
Former court officer and co-defendant Wesley MacGregor, who is no longer employed by the Massachusetts state court system, has entered into a deferred prosecution agreement with the United States with respect to the single count of perjury with which he is charged.
In light of these agreements, the United States has filed a motion to dismiss three of the four counts of the pending indictment, and to defer prosecution on the final count against Mr. MacGregor. This will resolve the entirety of the pending federal prosecution.
“This case is about the conduct of a sitting state court judge, on the bench, in the course of her judicial duties. Its purpose has been to shed light on, and, as warranted, to secure accountability for that conduct,” said U.S. Attorney Cunha. “After I was assigned to oversee this matter, I undertook a full and comprehensive review of the evidence, the applicable law, and relevant equitable and prudential factors. Having done so, I have concluded that the interests of justice are best served by review of this matter before the body that oversees the conduct of Massachusetts state court judges, rather than in a continued federal criminal prosecution. The requirement that Judge Joseph refer herself to the Massachusetts Commission on Judicial Conduct and make certain factual admissions will ensure that review takes place.”
Judge Joseph and Mr. MacGregor were indicted in April 2019 in the District of Massachusetts on obstruction of justice charges for allegedly preventing an ICE Officer from taking custody of an alien defendant. Mr. MacGregor was also charged with one count of perjury.
Mr. Cunha, the United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, was assigned to oversee this matter by the Department of Justice upon recusal of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Massachusetts.
Former Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Artistic Advisor Sentenced to Five Years in Prison for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A former employee of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for possession of child pornography.
David St. George, 75, of Arlington, was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to five years in prison and five years of supervised release. St. George was also ordered to pay a $5,100 special assessment and restitution of $3,000 to each of the victims in this case. On March 30, 2022, St. George pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.
“Child pornography is not a victimless crime. It depicts child abuse. Plain and simple. Every single image or video of the material entails unspeakable harm and trauma inflicted upon an innocent child, and those who possess, distribute or view it not only break the law but more importantly revictimize these children with each act that sexualizes them,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “As the chief federal law enforcement officer of our Commonwealth and a mother, I see it as my duty in this role to protect our children. And my office will dedicate every resource necessary to do so.”
“The child sexual abuse materials that St. George possessed captured the horrific abuse of children. Searches of his home and electronics revealed he possessed thousands of these images while he was employed by the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and the Boston Philharmonic Youth Orchestra,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “HSI is committed to pursuing those who possess and trade child sexual abuse material wherever they hide, even when they go to great lengths to anonymize their activity and conceal their identities.”
In May 2018, investigators received information regarding a shared secure online storage account containing child pornography. The IP address for this account ultimately was linked to St. George’s internet. The storage account contained over 5,000 files, including sexually explicit images and videos of children, many of which depicted child sexual abuse – including the depiction of an adult raping an infant of approximately one year of age.
In September 2018, a search of St. George’s residence revealed thousands of files of child pornography, including the depiction of sexual assaults of children between six-and-eight years old. Emails revealed that St. George continued to re-post child sexual abuse materials despite being repeatedly banned by an online service provider. During the search, St. George admitted that he had been receiving and downloading child pornography from the Dark Web while taking steps to conceal his identity, as well as receiving and downloading child pornography via email for upload to his shared secure storage account.
U.S. Attorney Rollins and HSI SAC Millhollin made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Arlington Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney James D. Herbert of Rollins’ Criminal Division 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.
Fall River Woman Pleads Guilty to Sexually Exploiting ChildrenRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fall River woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston to child sexual exploitation charges.
Nichole Cyr, 27, pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual exploitation of children. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 20, 2022. Cyr was indicted by a federal grand jury in November 2020.
“Today, Ms. Cyr admitted to some of the most egregious conduct that my office prosecutes. She sexually victimized two children in her life – one that was only a toddler – captured the abuse on camera, and then shared the horrific material. Ms. Cyr took advantage of these young, innocent children entrusted to her care. For that, this predator is now a convicted felon facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “My office will continue to use every tool in our arsenal to investigate and prosecute those who prey on and sexualize our children.”
“The production of child sexual abuse material immortalizes the horrific act of sexually abusing a child through photos and video, making it even more difficult for survivors to heal from the trauma of abuse. Today’s plea ensures Cyr will face significant time behind bars for her actions,” said Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England. “The protection of children is one of our greatest and most solemn duties as a law enforcement agency. HSI will continue in our mission to investigate predators like Cyr and bring them to justice before they can do more harm.”
In July 2020, Cyr was arrested for child exploitation offenses after child sexual abuse material (CSAM), including images and videos, were located on her cell phones. Forensic analysis of Cyr’s phones revealed CSAM involving a two-year-old victim and a seven-year-old victim, including videos and photographs that showed Cyr sexually abusing the two-year-old victim on various dates. Forensic analysis also revealed that Cyr had shared the CSAM with another individual. Subsequent investigation determined that the Cyr produced the CSAM of the two minor victims, who she had babysat on multiple occasions.
The charging statute provides for a minimum mandatory sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
U.S. Attorney Rollins, HSI SAC Millhollin, Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III, Fall River Police Chief Paul Gauvin and New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anne Paruti, Chief 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.
Supervisor of Colombian Maritime Cocaine Trafficking Conspiracy Sentenced to 15 Years in PrisonRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Colombian man, who was extradited from Colombia after indictment, was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for his role in an international drug trafficking organization.
Henry Carrillo-Ramirez, 52, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young to 15 years in prison and five years of supervised release. In November 2019, Carrillo-Ramirez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and four counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of five kilograms or more of cocaine on board a vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. Carrillo-Ramirez was indicted in April 2017 and extradited from Colombia in April 2019.
Since 2013, Carrillo-Ramirez and at least four co-conspirators were involved in a conspiracy that trafficked thousands of kilograms of cocaine, sourced in Colombia, by boat via Venezuela to Spain, Puerto Rico, and other locations. The cocaine was sourced from the Catatumbo region of Colombia and transported to Isla Margarita, Venezuela. Thereafter – based on an agreed-upon date, time, sea coordinates, and code word – small motorboats carrying the cocaine would meet a fishing vessel located offshore onto which the cocaine was transferred and transported to points in Europe and the Caribbean. Carrillo-Ramirez played an indispensable part in the conspiracy – organizing the shipments and transportation of the cocaine from Colombia to Venezuela, managing logistics, providing at-sea coordinates, and serving as the communications hub of the conspiracy.
It is estimated that Carrillo-Ramirez and his co-conspirators successfully shipped approximately 1,200 kilograms of cocaine to Spain in June 2014. In all, law enforcement seized at least 2,235 kilograms of cocaine from Carrillo-Ramirez’s drug trafficking conspiracy.
In August 2014, an international law enforcement operation located and boarded a vessel travelling from South America to Spain and seized 960 kilograms of cocaine. In November 2014, an allied British vessel carrying U.S. Coast Guard officials interdicted a boat arranged by Carrillo-Ramirez and others destined for Puerto Rico that was approximately 30 nautical miles west of Montserrat. Once the vessel was stopped, the crew was observed jettisoning bales of cocaine, which were recovered and weighed 180 kilograms. The remaining bales were lost at sea. In December 2014, the Spanish Guardia Civil boarded another vessel in international waters arranged by Carrillo-Ramirez and others and seized an additional 728 kilos of cocaine. In August 2015, U.S. investigators disabled a Yamaha power boat in the Farjardo coast area of Puerto Rico that was arranged by Carrillo and others. A search of the proximate area recovered 13 bales containing nearly 400 kilograms of cocaine.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division, made the announcement. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs and the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drug Section (NDDS) Judicial Attachés in Bogotá, Colombia, worked with law enforcement partners in Colombia to secure the arrest and extradition of Carrillo-Ramirez to the United States. Valuable assistance was provided by the Colombian National Police, the Spanish Guardia Civil and the Portuguese Air Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Ohio Man Arrested for Child Pornography OffenseRead the Press Release
BOSTON – An Ohio man has been arrested in connection with possessing child sexual abuse material (CSAM).
Thiago da Silva Pinheiro, 42, of Cincinnati, Ohio was charged with one count of possession of child pornography. Following an initial appearance in federal court in Boston today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Paul G. Levenson, Pinheiro was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 22, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on Sept. 20, 2022, Pinheiro flew from Ontario, Canada to Boston with an ultimate destination of Brazil. During a screening by Customs and Border Protection at Logan Airport, customs officers observed apparent CSAM on Pinheiro’s tablet. It is alleged that a preliminary review of the tablet revealed approximately 2,800 videos and images depicting apparent CSAM, some of which depicted children as young as two to four years old.
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.
New York Woman Pleads Guilty to Trafficking FentanylRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New York woman pleaded guilty on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Boston in connection with trafficking five kilograms of fentanyl.
Shanese DeJesus, 25, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more fentanyl. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2022. DeJesus was indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 5, 2022.
“Lives of real people in our communities are being destroyed by opioids on a daily basis. These are brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, sons and daughters. Ms. DeJesus trafficked five kilograms of fentanyl, a drug that kills more Americans each year than any other,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We will continue to prosecute anyone who jeopardizes the wellbeing of residents of our Commonwealth by distributing deadly drugs.”
“The state of Massachusetts is faced with an opioid crisis unlike ever before,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division. “Those responsible for distributing lethal drugs like fentanyl to the citizens of Massachusetts need to be held accountable for their actions. DEA will aggressively pursue Drug Trafficking Organizations and individuals like Ms. DeJesus who distribute this poison in order to profit and destroy people’s lives. This investigation demonstrates the strength and continued commitment of our local, state and federal law enforcement partners.”
In October 2021, DeJesus drove from the New York City area to a hotel parking lot in Andover to deliver approximately five kilograms of fentanyl to a cooperating source. Upon arriving in the parking lot, DeJesus retrieved a shopping bag from her trunk and entered the source’s vehicle. Inside the shopping bag were two UPS boxes that were addressed to DeJesus’ home in Brooklyn, N.Y. and contained a total of five kilograms of fentanyl.
The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine 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.
U.S. Attorney Rollins; DEA SAC Boyle; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Colonel Nathan Noyes, Director of the New Hampshire State Police made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Dedham Veterinarian Agrees to Pay $15,000 Settlement to Resolve Allegations of Inadequate Recordkeeping of Controlled SubstancesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Dedham veterinarian has agreed to resolve allegations that he maintained inadequate records of controlled substances, improperly stored controlled substances at his office and residence, ordered controlled substances without a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration, and failed to report he was on probation on his DEA registration forms.
Wilbur M. Salter, II D.V.M., a veterinarian who practices at Animed Pet Hospital in Dedham, has agreed to pay $15,000 to resolve allegations that he violated the civil remedies provisions of the Controlled Substances Act (CSA). The CSA was enacted to prevent the diversion or misuse of controlled substances and requires complete and accurate recordkeeping by medical professionals—including veterinarians—and others involved in the distribution and administration of controlled substances.
According to the settlement agreement, Dr. Salter admitted that he did not furnish required records with respect to Euthanasia Solution, Ketamine, Diazepam 5mg, Hydrocodone liquid, and Diazepam 1mg in connection with a 2019 DEA audit of controlled substances at his practice. As a result, the investigators found CSA violations with respect to these controlled substances. Dr. Salter also admitted that he stored controlled substances at his residence, but did not register his residence with the DEA; improperly stored Tramadol, a controlled substance, in an unlocked cabinet; ordered a schedule IV controlled substance after he no longer held a DEA registration; and did not report that the Board of Registration in Veterinary Medicine had placed him on probation on his subsequent DEA registration forms, as required.
“It is essential that all prescribers—including veterinarians—keep accurate records of controlled substances so that we can identify and prevent any diversion, especially in the midst of a rampant and destructive opioid epidemic,” said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. “We will enforce compliance of these important safeguards.”
“The DEA is committed to ensuring that all registrants are in compliance with the required regulations, which are enforceable through the Controlled Substances Act,” said Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA, Boston Division. “Failure to do so increases the potential for diversion and jeopardizes public health and public safety. DEA pledges to work with our law enforcement and regulatory partners to ensure these rules and regulations are followed.”
During the investigation, Dr. Salter surrendered his DEA registration number and, as part of the settlement, agreed that he would not seek a new DEA registration number.
U.S Attorney Rollins and DEA SAC Boyle made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Carol E. Head of Rollins’ Civil Division handled the case.
Massachusetts Man Pleads Guilty in $4 Million Romance Scam FraudRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Massachusetts man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with a wire fraud and money laundering scheme involving funds obtained from “romance scam” victims.
Kofi Osei, a/k/a Paul Proia, a/k/a Kenneth Buck, a/k/a Jeffrey Anashe, a/k/a Author Ivey, a/k/a David Label, a/k/a Manuel Abdalla, a/k/a Andrew Matses, 30, pleaded guilty on Sept. 16, 2022 to seven counts of making a false statement to a bank, six counts of wire fraud and two counts of money laundering. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 20, 2023. Osei was charged in February 2021.
Between no later than 2016 through at least 2020, Osei opened bank accounts in the greater Boston area using fake identity documents. Those bank accounts were used to receive fraudulently obtained funds from a number of victims of romance scams, in which perpetrators create fictitious online personas to develop online romantic relationships with individuals in the United States and then leverage those relationships to obtain money and/or property. Once the fraudulently obtained funds reached the accounts controlled by Osei, Osei generally withdrew the money in cash, used the funds to purchase cashier’s checks, or spent the money on personal purchases. During a search of Osei’s residence and vehicle in February 2021, additional fake identity documents in the names of other aliases were recovered. In total, Osei opened more than 40 bank accounts using seven aliases. Those accounts received more than $4 million in victim funds.
The charge of making a false statement to a bank provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of 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 scheme, whichever is greater. The charge of money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000, or twice the value of the criminally derived property. 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; Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen A. Kearney of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Longmeadow Man Sentenced for Tobacco Tax Fraud and Illegal Check-Cashing BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Longmeadow man was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Springfield for two cases in connection with evading payment of tobacco sales tax and operating an illegal check-cashing business.
Satish Kumar, 67, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark. G. Mastroianni to one year of probation. In November 2015, Kumar pleaded guilty in one case to one count of conspiracy, three counts of wire fraud and one count of money laundering. In the second case, Kumar pleaded guilty to one count of failure to register a money transmitting business.
In 2006, Kumar purchased a wholesale warehouse business in Berlin, Conn. Kumar systematically evaded Connecticut state tobacco taxes, in selling cigars and smokeless tobacco to convenience stores and gas stations. Kumar consistently failed to pay the required tobacco excise taxes to Connecticut, paying just two percent of the tax owed. In 2008, Kumar sold the business, but he continued to receive proceeds from the continuing tobacco tax fraud that occurred at the Berlin warehouse. In June 2012, the fraud ceased when federal agents executed a search warrant at the Berlin warehouse and 12 other locations in Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania. During the six-year scheme, Kumar and others helped to evade over $16 million in taxes owed to the state of Connecticut.
In the illegal check cashing case, Kumar owned a liquor store in Springfield, Mass. that also acted as an unregistered money transmitting business. Kumar cashed checks without the required registration despite warnings from his bank. Among the checks cashed were 195 United States Treasury tax refund checks worth approximately $1.2 million obtained through fraudulent returns filed with the IRS.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; James M. Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Commissioner Geoffrey E. Snyder of the Massachusetts Department of Revenue; Acting Commissioner John Biello of the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services; and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher L. Morgan and Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Breslow of Rollins’ Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the cases.
Lawrence Man Sentenced for Fentanyl Trafficking and Possession of Firearms in Furtherance of Drug TraffickingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for charges related to fentanyl trafficking and possession of firearms in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime.
Luis Berroa, 33, was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs to seven years in prison followed by four years of supervised release. On May 18, 2022, Berroa pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Berroa has remained in federal custody since his arrest in May 2019.
During a search of Berroa’s residence in March 2019, more than 70 grams of fentanyl, a metal drug press, two handguns and ammunition were found in Berroa’s bedroom. Berroa is not licensed to carry firearms, had not applied for a license and did not purchase the handguns from a licensed federal firearms dealer. On his cellular phone, law enforcement found photographs of numerous handguns, including one of the handguns seized from Berroa’s bedroom.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration’s New England Field Office made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Katherine Ferguson and Stephen Hassink of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
Fitchburg Man Sentenced in Wide-Ranging Fentanyl, Heroin and Cocaine ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Fitchburg man was sentenced on Sept. 16, 2022 in federal court in Worcester for his role in a wide-ranging fentanyl, heroin, crack and cocaine trafficking conspiracy.
Kevin Martinez, 43, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 22 months in prison and six years of supervised release. On March 23, 2022, Martinez 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.
According to court documents, 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. Intercepted communications identified the DTO’s cocaine, heroin and fentanyl suppliers, which included Martinez. In October 2019, Martinez delivered nearly 500 grams of cocaine to Pedro Baez.
Over the course of the investigation, agents seized 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.
Martinez was charged along with 17 others in July 2020. Martinez is the ninth 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. Pedro Baez pleaded guilty on Feb. 2, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 3, 2022. Three of the remaining defendants, Branny Taveras, Jessica Hughes, and Hector Matos have pleaded guilty and are awaiting sentencing. Four defendants have pleaded not guilty and are pending trial.
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. The Fitchburg Police Department, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the Lunenburg Police Department also provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.
The operation is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Strike Force Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations to disrupt and dismantle the most significant drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations.
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.
Brockton Woman Sentenced for Role in Conspiracy to Operate a Prostitution BusinessRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Brockton woman was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 in federal court in Boston for her involvement in a conspiracy that involved coercing young women to engage in prostitution.
Natashia Bowman, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Alison D. Burroughs to three years of probation and was ordered to pay restitution to victims. In September 2020, Bowman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise related to a prostitution business.
Bowman was charged by an Information in November 2019 for her involvement in a sex trafficking business ran by co-conspirator Matthew Engram, a/k/a “Magic.” From January 2009 until August 2015, Bowman assisted Engram in the recruitment and trafficking of multiple victims from a residence in Brockton and elsewhere to engage in commercial sex acts and took all or part of the proceeds for the financial benefit of the enterprise.
Engram and Bowman recruited multiple victims by falsely promising good earnings. Engram and Bowman advertised the victims on websites and Engram exchanged text messages with Bowman to share advertisements, organized prostitution dates and reserved hotel rooms. To maintain control, Engram used physical violence, intimidation and isolation to create a climate of fear that compelled the victims to continue engaging in commercial sex acts for the profit of the prostitution business. When the victims did not comply with Engram’s demands or did not make enough money, he physically assaulted them or directed Bowman to physically assault them. Engram or Bowman also transported the victims to other states, including Florida, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Vermont, and Pennsylvania, to perform commercial sex acts for the business.
On May 19, 2022, Engram was sentenced by Judge Burroughs to 12 years in prison and five years of supervised release after previously pleading guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit sex trafficking, two counts of transportation of an individual for purposes of prostitution and one count of conspiracy to commit interstate travel in aid of a racketeering enterprise.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in New England; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Philadelphia. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit and Trial Attorneys Shan Patel and Vasantha Rao of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division prosecuted the case.
Boston Man Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Prison for Pandemic Fraud, Identity Theft, Firearm and Drug OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced on Sept. 15, 2022 for fraud, identity theft, firearm and drug offenses.
Jammy Alphonse, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 94 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On May 19, 2022, Alphonse pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy, false representation of a Social Security number, aggravated identity theft, possession of a firearm and ammunition and possession with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl.
Beginning in or around May 2020, Alphonse conspired to obtain Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) benefits, which were made available under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act. Specifically, Alphonse conspired to submit false PUA claims in other persons’ names and using other persons’ personally identifiable information. Alphonse and his co-conspirators created email accounts for the purpose of submitting fraudulent PUA claims from Alphonse’s Everett residence and other locations. The fraudulently obtained funds were then directed into accounts held in Alphonse’s name or in the name of a co-conspirator.
Additionally, in February 2021, Alphonse submitted an application to rent a property in East Boston using the name, Social Security number and date of birth of another person. As a result, Alphonse resided in that apartment from approximately February 2021 through Aug. 6, 2021, when he was arrested on a federal firearms offense. A search of the apartment recovered a loaded Glock model 43X, 9-millimeter firearm, 47 rounds of ammunition, and approximately 75 grams or more of fentanyl, among other things.
Alphonse was previously arrested and charged in August 2021 with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon following a shooting in Cambridge, Mass., in July 2021. Alphonse has remained in custody since that date.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Andrew Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; Jonathan Mellone, Special Agent in Charge of Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigations; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox; and Cambridge Police Commissioner Christine Elow made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney J. Mackenzie Duane of Rollins’ Major Crimes 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.
Boston Man Charged with Illegal Possession of AmmunitionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Boston man has been charged in federal court in Boston in connection with illegally possessing ammunition.
Tyreek Hall, 20, was charged by criminal complaint on one count of being a felon in possession of ammunition. Following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Donald L. Cabell, Hall was detained pending a probable cause hearing scheduled for Oct. 3, 2022.
According to the charging documents, on June 9, 2022, Hall was found in possession of a semi-automatic pistol, bearing no manufacturer serial number (commonly known as a “ghost gun”), that being a Glock-style, 9x19mm caliber privately made firearm and eight rounds of ammunition. Hall is prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.
The felon in possession charge provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner Michael Cox made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Dawley of Rollins’ Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce 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.
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.
Worcester Man Sentenced to 16 Years in Prison for Drug Trafficking and Firearm OffensesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2022 in federal court in Worcester for unlawful firearm possession and trafficking in fentanyl, heroin and cocaine.
Daniel Donald, 41, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 16 years in prison followed by eight years of supervised release. In October 2021, Donald was convicted by a federal jury of one count of possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin, over 500 grams of cocaine, over 28 grams of cocaine base (a/k/a crack cocaine), and fentanyl; and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Based on his criminal history, the Court determined that Donald qualified as a Career Offender with respect to his drug convictions and an Armed Career Criminal with respect to his possession of the firearm.
In April 2017, law enforcement began investigating drug sales by Donald and his co-defendant Robert Young on Groton Street in Worcester. On Nov. 30, 2017, searches of two apartments leased by Donald at the property resulted in the discovery of a “hide” located between the exterior and interior walls of the detached apartment located at the rear of the property. One kilogram of cocaine, 345 grams of heroin, over 80 grams of crack cocaine, approximately 200 pills containing fentanyl and a loaded 9 mm firearm were seized.
In November 2021, Young was sentenced to five years in prison and three years of supervised release.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Norfolk County Sheriff’s Office; and the Westborough, Wellesley, Douglas, and Southbridge Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Greg A. Friedholm, John T. Mulcahy and Lucy Sun of Rollins’ Criminal Division 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.
North Andover Man Sentenced for Misusing a Social Security NumberRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A North Andover man has been sentenced in federal court in Boston for fraudulently using someone else’s Social Security number.
Angel Manuel German Familia, 38, was sentenced on Sept. 14, 2022 by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 18 months in prison and three years of supervised release. German Familia is subject to deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence. On May 31, 2022, German Familia pleaded guilty to two counts of false representation of Social Security number.
In 2016, German Familia fraudulently applied to renew a driver’s license at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles using the name, date of birth and Social Security number of a United States citizen. German Familia also applied for MassHealth benefits and opened bank accounts in the victim’s name. German Familia was using the stolen identity since as early as 2009 and had submitted a Social Security card and birth certificate in the victim’s name in a previous RMV application.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Ketty Larco-Ward, Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Boston Division made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Police; U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service; U.S. Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General; and the North Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Fred M. Wyshak III of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
The investigation was conducted by Homeland Security Investigation’s Document and Benefit Fraud Task Force (DBFTF), a specialized investigative group comprising personnel from various state, local, and federal agencies with expertise in detecting, deterring, and disrupting organizations and individuals involved in various types of document, identity and benefit fraud schemes.
Lawrence Man Sentenced in Fentanyl Trafficking ConspiracyRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Lawrence man was sentenced on Sept. 9, 2022 in federal court in Boston to fentanyl trafficking.
Saury Rodriguez-Ruiz, 28, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to 57 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 26, 2022, Rodriguez-Ruiz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl.
Rodriguez-Ruiz was indicted along with his co-conspirator, Danybelkis Vasquez-Rodrigue, in January 2021. On Aug. 30, 2022, Vasquez-Rodrigue was convicted by a federal jury of one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl. She is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 13, 2022.
In November 2020, law enforcement began an investigation into Rodriguez-Ruiz, who had been identified as a Lawrence-based drug supplier. On Nov. 24, 2020, Rodriguez-Ruiz distributed nearly one kilogram of fentanyl to a cooperating witness. In exchange for the fentanyl, the cooperating witness made two payments to Rodriguez-Ruiz’s associates in December 2020. The first payment of $10,000 was to an associate of Rodriguez-Ruiz and the second payment of $32,000 was to Rodriguez-Ruiz’s co-conspirator, Vasquez-Rodrigue.
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 case was investigated by the FBI’s Strike Force including the Norfolk County Sherriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.
Florida Man Pleads Guilty to Money LaunderingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Florida man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston in connection with operating an unlicensed money transmitting business to launder the proceeds of online investment fraud schemes.
Tochukwu Abel Edeh, 32, a Nigerian national previously residing in Jacksonville, Fla., pleaded guilty before U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to one count of money laundering conspiracy and one count of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business. A sentencing hearing has not yet been scheduled by the Court. Edeh was charged by criminal complaint and subsequently indicted by a federal grand jury in September 2021.
Edeh managed used car dealerships and currency transfer services in Texas, Florida and Nigeria. This included a trading company as well as a cryptocurrency firm, both of which were based in Nigeria, through which Edeh exchanged Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies for profit.
In or around 2015, Edeh conspired with others to launder and transmit proceeds of Ponzi-style investment fraud schemes based in Nigeria. Specifically, the schemes purported to offer trading and Bitcoin investing services when, in fact, investor funds were stolen and later victims’ investments were used to pay purported returns to earlier investors. Edeh laundered the fraud proceeds using a network of co-conspirators in the United States and using his personal and business accounts in the United States and Nigeria. Edeh, along with his co-conspirators, did not hold money transmitting licenses in their respective states of residence, nor were they registered as money transmitters as required by federal law.
The charge of money laundering conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the laundered funds, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to conduct an unlicensed money transmitting business 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 gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Jennifer De La O, Director of Field Operations of U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Boston Field Office made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the Division of Enforcement at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kriss Basil of Rollins’ Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
Westfield Woman Charged with Hoax Bomb Threat Against Boston Children's HospitalRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Westfield woman was arrested and charged today in connection with a hoax bomb threat made against Boston Children’s Hospital.
Catherine Leavy, 37, was charged with one count of explosive materials - willfully making a false bomb threat. She was arrested this morning at her home in Westfield and, following an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge Judith G. Dein, was detained pending a detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 16, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.
According to the charging documents, in August 2022, federal agents began monitoring threats made against Boston Children’s Hospital and its employees. Among the wide range of healthcare services it provides, Boston Children’s Hospital is home to the Gender Multispecialty Service (GeMS) program – the first major healthcare program in the United States to focus on gender-diverse and transgender adolescents.
On Aug. 30, 2022, Boston Children’s Hospital received a telephonic bomb threat, in which the caller allegedly said, “There is a bomb on the way to the hospital, you better evacuate everybody you sickos.” As a result of the call, the hospital and surrounding area was placed on lockdown status and a bomb squad was dispatched. An investigation determined no explosive devices were located at Boston Children’s Hospital. Law enforcement obtained subscriber and call detail records and location information for the phone number that called-in the bomb threat. Records obtained allegedly indicated the phone number was subscribed in Leavy’s name and that it pinged off a cell tower nearby Leavy’s residence at the time the bomb threat was made.
During a search of Leavy’s residence this morning pursuant to a federal search warrant, the phone used to make the threat from Leavy’s residence was recovered.
The charge of making threatening communications in interstate commerce provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.
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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Westfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nadine Pellegrini and Jared C. Dolan, Chief and Deputy Chief of Rollins’ National Security Unit, respectively, 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.
Rhode Island Man Pleads Guilty to Role in Violent KidnappingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Pawtucket, Rhode Island man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to charges related to a violent kidnapping tied to a Cape Cod heroin trafficking ring.
Albert Lee, also known as “Mook,” 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit kidnapping. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Dec. 14, 2022. Lee was charged along with four co-conspirators in March 2020.
This case arose from an investigation into a wide-ranging heroin trafficking conspiracy in the Cape Cod area. According to court documents, in April 2019, Lee and his co-conspirators lured a known victim from Massachusetts to Rhode Island, where they kidnapped and held him, stripped him naked, assaulted and threatened to rape him, and then took his clothing and cellular telephone. The purpose of this kidnapping and assault was to retaliate against the victim because Lee and allegedly his co-conspirators erroneously believed the victim was cooperating with law enforcement. A video of the kidnapping and assault was filmed and maintained by Lee’s co-conspirators.
The charge of conspiracy to commit kidnapping provides for a sentence of up to life in prison, up to five 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.
On Aug. 11, 2022, one of Lee’s co-conspirators, Anthony Basilici, pleaded guilty to his role in the violent kidnapping as well as drug trafficking, witness retaliation and intimidation charges. Three remaining defendants – Cameron Cartier, Edwin Otero, Justin Joseph and Tony Johnson – have pleaded not guilty and are presumed innocent.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Barnstable Police Chief Matthew K. Sonnabend; and Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Pohl and Lauren Graber of Rollins’ Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.
This prosecution is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level drug traffickers, money launderers, gangs, and transnational criminal organizations that threaten the United States by using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks. 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.
Member of Brockton Drug Crew Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Distribution and Gun ChargesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A member of a Brockton drug crew pleaded guilty yesterday to fentanyl distribution and firearm charges.
Jason Miranda, 27, of Brockton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl, three counts of distribution of fentanyl and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns scheduled sentencing for Jan. 18, 2023. Jason Miranda was indicted along with three alleged co-conspirators in November 2019.
According to court documents, law enforcement began investigating a violent Brockton-area drug crew that distributed large quantities of fentanyl throughout southeastern Massachusetts. The drug crew ran a fentanyl delivery service that encompassed all of Brockton as well as neighboring cities. Specifically, it is alleged that drug users/customers placed orders for fentanyl by contacting a cellphone maintained and shared by crew members, which included Jason Miranda, his brother Natalio Miranda, Placido Pereira and Djoy Defrancesco, who worked together to deliver the fentanyl order. Beginning in September 2019, agents succeeded in using an undercover law enforcement officer to make six purchases of fentanyl from members of the crew.
On Oct. 16, 2019, a search was conducted at an address in Taunton where Jason Miranda had been staying. Agents seized a black Glock .40 caliber semiautomatic pistol with a defaced serial number; two different ammunition clips containing 9 millimeter ammunition; a money counter; a safe containing $28,000 in cash; and a painting of Miranda holding up a large stack of cash.
Because of Miranda’s criminal record, the charge of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl provides for up to 30 years in prison, at least six years of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million. The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of 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 Rollins; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Brockton Police Chief Brenda Perez; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy J. Cruz made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the East Bridgewater, West Bridgewater, Whitman and Bridgewater State University Police Departments as well as the Plymouth County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher Pohl of Rollins’ Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Worcester Man Sentenced for Attempting to Purchase $83,000 Sports Car and Opening Bank Accounts Using Stolen IdentitiesRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Worcester for using two victims’ identities to open bank accounts and attempting to purchase an $83,000 Chevrolet Camaro.
Brandon Brouillard, 29, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 47 months in prison and five of supervised release. On April 7, 2022, Brouillard pleaded guilty to two counts of bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.
In February 2021, Brouillard used the identity of a New Hampshire resident to open a bank account at Avidia Bank where he wired $108,000 from another individual’s Bank of America account. Brouillard also fraudulently obtained a New Hampshire driver’s license in the name of a New Hampshire resident, which he used to attempt to obtain a car loan from Capital One which was ultimately denied.
On April 17, 2021, Brouillard test drove a 2021 Chevrolet Camaro at a dealership in Norwood, Mass. After test-driving the Camaro, Brouillard agreed to purchase the car for $83,000 and paid for the vehicle with a cashier’s check made out to the dealership. He provided his Massachusetts driver’s license, proof of insurance, signed sales contract, Massachusetts application for registration and car title in connection with the purchase.
On April 19, 2021, Brouillard picked up the Camaro from the dealership. A few days later, the dealership learned that the account listed on the bank check provided by Brouillard was frozen. The dealership contacted Brouillard, who promised that he would wire $83,000 to pay for the car.
On April 26, 2021, an Arizona resident contacted local police and reported an attempted fraudulent wire transfer of $83,000 from the victim’s bank account. The victim reported that a fraudulent email purportedly from the victim was sent to the bank, requesting a wire transfer of $83,000 to pay for the victim’s “brother-in-law’s car.” The bank contacted the victim for verification, and the victim did not approve the transfer. Starting in or about September 2020, the victim’s accounts were compromised, and large fraudulent purchases were made and shipped to Brouillard’s address. It is estimated that approximately $500,000 of the victim’s funds were stolen.
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. Valuable assistance was provided by the Boston, Braintree, Natick, Newton, Norwood, Worcester and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Rollins’ Criminal Division prosecuted the case.
Pharmaceutical Company Akorn Operating Company LLC Agrees to Pay $7.9 Million to Resolve Allegations of Fraudulent BillingRead the Press Release
BOSTON – Akorn Operating Company LLC (Akorn), an Illinois-based pharmaceutical company, has agreed to pay $7.9 million to resolve allegations that it caused Medicare to pay false claims. Specifically, Akorn caused Medicare Part D to pay for three Akorn generic drugs that were no longer eligible for Medicare coverage. As part of the settlement, Akorn admits that it continued to sell generic drugs under obsolete prescription-only labeling.
FDA-approved “prescription only” (Rx-only) drugs may be dispensed only pursuant to a prescription. Medicare Part D reimburses for Rx-only drugs, but it does not reimburse for “over the counter” (OTC) drugs, which may be purchased by retail customers without a prescription. Subject to FDA approval, pharmaceutical manufacturers may seek to fully convert a brand-name Rx-only drug to an OTC drug. After FDA’s approval of a drug’s full conversion to OTC status, the drug is no longer considered an Rx-only product and makers of generic equivalents, like Akorn, are then required either to seek FDA approval for their own OTC switch or to seek withdrawal of their generic’s Rx-only approval and cease marketing it.
Akorn is a pharmaceutical manufacturer which sold, among other products, the following generic drugs: (1) Diclofenac Sodium 1%, a generic nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory cream (Diclofenac); (2) Olopatadine Hydrochloride 0.1% and 0.2%, a generic antihistamine eyedrop (Olopatadine); and (3), Azelastine Hydrochloride 0.15%, a generic antihistamine nasal spray (Azelastine) (collectively, Akorn Generics) during the relevant time. The FDA approved a full Rx-to-OTC conversion of the brand names of Diclofenac and Olopatadine in February 2020 and for Azelastine in June 2021.
As part of the settlement, Akorn has admitted that it delayed seeking the required conversions for the Akorn Generics from Rx-only to OTC status. Akorn continued to sell newly manufactured units of the Akorn Generics under their obsolete Rx-only labeling rather than beginning the process of converting these products to OTC or withdrawing their approval and ceasing their distribution.
Akorn did not apply to the FDA for an OTC conversion of Diclofenac until March 2021 or for Olopatadine until January 2021. Akorn eventually sought to withdraw its FDA approval for Azelastine, rather than convert it to OTC use, but did not do so until January 2022. FDA implemented this withdrawal in February 2022.
Under the Department of Justice’s guidelines for taking disclosure, cooperation and remediation into account in False Claims Act cases the Department of Justice credited Akorn’s cooperation in this matter.
The allegations resolved by the settlement agreement were, in part, originally brought in a case filed under the whistleblower, or qui tam, provision of the False Claims Act. The case is captioned U.S. ex rel. Albermarle, LLC v. Akorn Operating Company LLC. (D. Mass. 2021). The whistleblower will receive approximately $946,000 from the recovery.
United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Abraham R. George, Chief of Rollins’ Affirmative Civil Enforcement Unit, and Senior Trial Counsel Augustine Ripa of the Department of Justice handled the matter.
New Bedford Man Pleads Guilty to Possessing Heroin Intended for DistributionRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A New Bedford man has pleaded guilty in federal court in Boston in connection with heroin distribution.
Ramon Serrano, 43, pleaded guilty on Sept. 12, 2022 to possession with intent to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin. U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2023. Serrano was charged in July 2019.
During a search of Serrano’s residence in Feb. 20, 2019, approximately $27,000, digital scales, cellular telephones and a money counter were recovered. Additionally, over 544 grams of fentanyl and heroin as well as over 206 grams of cocaine – divided into separate plastic bags for distribution – were also found at Serrano’s residence.
The charge of possession with intent to distribute over 100 grams of heroin provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 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 New Bedford Police Chief Paul Oliveira made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Rollins’ Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.
Maine Recidivist Sex Offender Indicted for Failure to Register as a Sex OffenderRead the Press Release
BOSTON – A Maine recidivist sex offender has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Boston for failing to register as a sex offender when he moved from Haverhill, Mass. to Fryeburg, Maine.
Frank Boyd, 53, was indicted on one count of failure to register as a sex offender, in violation of the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. Boyd was previously charged by complaint on Aug. 4, 2022 and is currently in state custody. He appeared in federal court in Boston yesterday.
According to the charging documents, Boyd was a Level 3 Sex Offender who had been convicted of sex offenses against children in 2001 and 2009. Accordingly, he was required to register as a sex offender and update his registration any time he moved or changed employment.
In 2020, Boyd registered and listed a Haverhill, Mass. address as his residence. It is alleged that on or around March 23, 2021, police determined that Boyd was no longer living at the Haverhill residence he had listed on his registration form and was later found to have moved to Fryeburg, Maine. He did not register as a sex offender in Maine nor update his sex offender registration in Massachusetts at any point prior to his arrest on state charges on July 27, 2022. Boyd has two prior state court convictions in 2009 and 2015 for failure to register as a sex offender.
The charge of failure to register as a sex offender provides for a sentence of up to 10 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; Douglas Bartlett, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Massachusetts; and Kevin Neal, Acting U.S. Marshal for the District of Maine made the announcement today. The Haverhill and Fryeburg (Maine) Police Departments provided valuable assistance. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Rollins’ Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.