District of Massachusetts

BOSTON – A Taunton man was indicted today by a federal grand jury in connection with sexual exploitation of children and distribution of child pornography.

Cody Mercure, 24, was charged with one count of sexual exploitation of children and one count of distribution of child pornography. Mercure is currently in state custody and will appear in federal court at a later date.

According to the indictment, between Dec. 29, 2020 and April 3, 2021, Mercure engaged in and recorded sexually explicit conduct with a toddler. On Jan. 16, 2021, Mercure allegedly distributed child pornography.

The charge of sexual exploitation of children provides a sentence of at least 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of distribution of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the Rhode Island State Police and the Taunton Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elianna J. Nuzum of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case.

The case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Saugus man pleaded guilty yesterday to drug and firearm offenses.

Vinicius Teixeira, a/k/a “Vinny,” 31, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, including marijuana and psilocyn, and being a user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Oct. 25, 2021. Teixeira was indicted in April 2019.

In March 2019, a search of Teixeira’s residence recovered at least one kilogram of marijuana, over 400 grams of mushrooms (dry) containing psilocyn, drug trafficking paraphernalia and an American Tactical 9mm semiautomatic pistol containing 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of being a user of controlled substances in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement. The Suffolk County Sheriff’s Department and the Revere, Everett and Chelsea Police Departments provided assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Steinberg and Kaitlin R. O’Donnell of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – Former Massachusetts State Representative David M. Nangle was sentenced today for illegally using campaign funds to pay for his personal expenses, defrauding a bank to obtain loans to purchase his home and repay his personal debts, and collecting income that he failed to report to the Internal Revenue Service.

Nangle, 60, of Lowell, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to 15 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Nangle was also ordered to pay restitution of $33,347 to the IRS and forfeiture of $15,650. On Feb. 24, 2021, Nangle pleaded guilty to 10 counts of wire fraud, four counts of bank fraud, four counts of making false statements to a bank and five counts of filing false tax returns.

“Former Representative Nangle was a 22-year veteran of the Massachusetts State House and former Chairman of the Ethics Committee when he illegally used campaign funds for private golf club dues, trips to casinos and expensive dinners,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “He broke the law and violated his duty to the voters – as Chairman of the Ethics Committee, no less. This case is the latest proof that this office is intent on holding corrupt public officials accountable.”

“State lawmakers are elected by the people, to serve the people, not to serve their own financial interests like David Nangle did. Mr. Nangle betrayed his constituents’ trust and broke the law, knowing full well what he was doing was wrong. Today’s sentence shows there are serious consequences for corrupt public officials who try to undermine the integrity of our government,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division. “Citizens expect and deserve their elected officials to serve them honestly, and the FBI will not hesitate to go after others like him who willfully and maliciously abuse their office.”

“As a state lawmaker, David Nangle was less concerned about his constituents and more interested in his own personal and financial gain,” said Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation Division. “Today’s sentencing sends a clear message that elected office is not for sale, and those who doubt this will be held accountable for their actions. Cases involving betrayal of the public’s trust are of utmost importance and IRS-CI will continue to be a partner in these efforts.”

From 1999 to 2020, Nangle was the elected member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives for the 17th Middlesex District. Nangle, who previously served as a House Ethics Committee Chairman, used his campaign committee’s debit card to make personal purchases, including thousands of dollars in gift cards for his personal use, among other things.

During the period of the charged offenses, Nangle was heavily in debt and gambled extensively at area casinos and online, and then used thousands of dollars in campaign funds to pay for various personal expenses such as dues at a local golf club, rental cars to travel to casinos, flowers for his girlfriend, gas, hotels and restaurants. Nangle knew that using campaign funds for personal use was prohibited and subject to oversight by an independent state agency and concealed his theft by filing false reports that disguised the personal nature of the spending.

In addition, from at least 2015 to 2018, Nangle devised a scheme to fraudulently obtain loans from a bank in order to finance the purchase of his home, fund his gambling activities and repay his personal debts. Nangle did so by making false statements on multiple loan applications, misstating his income and understating his debt.

Upon learning of the investigation into his embezzlement and fraud, Nangle also obstructed justice by entering into a sham consulting agreement with a local business owner designed to make payments he received appear legitimate. In reality, Nangle never provided any legitimate services in exchange for receiving $27,000 from that business owner. Instead, Nangle helped the business owner curry favor with an important client by sponsoring legislation that benefited the business owner’s client.

Separately, Nangle filed false tax returns for tax years 2014 to 2018 by reporting fictitious business deductions for purported “consulting” work that he did for a Billerica company. Nangle also double dipped on deductible expenses arising from his work as a state legislator, fraudulently claiming thousands of dollars in false deductions for alleged charitable donations and misleading his tax preparer. Further, Nangle concealed the income he received through goods and services from business owners and other sources. This included $7,000 in kitchen and bathroom work done in Nangle’s home and $7,000 in check payments from a contractor; gambling income from a Connecticut casino; and thousands of dollars that he stole from his campaign account.

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, FBI Boston SAC Bonavolonta and IRS-CI SAC Simpson made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kunal Pasricha prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – The former head coach of men and women’s tennis at Georgetown University has agreed to plead guilty in connection with soliciting and accepting bribes to facilitate the admission of prospective Georgetown applicants and failing to report a significant portion of those bribe payments on his federal income taxes.

Gordon Ernst, 54, of Chevy Chase, Md. and Falmouth, Mass., will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery, three counts of federal programs bribery and one count of filing a false tax return. A plea hearing has not yet been scheduled.

According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence of at least one year and up to four years in prison, two years of supervised release and forfeiture of $3,435,053.

As set forth in the charging document, Ernst solicited and received bribe payments from William “Rick” Singer and prospective Georgetown applicants to facilitate their admission to Georgetown as student athletes. Ernst then failed to report a significant portion of those bribe payments on his federal income tax returns.

The charge of federal programs bribery provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. The charge of filing a false tax return provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $100,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents, and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; 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 Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney and Kriss Basil of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The former Chief Financial Officer of Alden Shoe Co. was sentenced today for embezzling approximately $30 million from the company as part of a long-running scheme. 

Richard Hajjar, 64, of Duxbury, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton to 70 months in prison and three years of supervised release. Hajjar was also ordered to pay restitution of $33,962,880 and forfeiture of $27,300,552. On May 5, 2021, Hajjar pleaded guilty to one count each of wire fraud, unlawful monetary transactions and filing a false tax return.

From at least 2011 through October 2019, when he was terminated by Alden Shoe Co., Hajjar embezzled money by writing checks to himself from company bank accounts and transferring funds from company accounts to his personal accounts and to another individual. In total, Hajjar embezzled approximately $30 million which he used to enrich himself and to buy gifts and luxury travel for others close to him, including private flights to the Caribbean and diamond jewelry.

In addition, between approximately 2014 and 2019, Hajjar failed to report the proceeds of his embezzlement as income on his tax returns, thereby failing to pay approximately $5,112,822 in taxes to the Internal Revenue Service.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Mackenzie A. Queenin of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit and Carol E. Head of Mendell’s Asset Recovery Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Clinton man previously convicted in federal court of cocaine conspiracy was sentenced yesterday for cocaine offenses.   

Emmanuelli Rojas-Moraza, 40, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 87 months in prison and four years of supervised release. On May 26, 2021, Rojas-Moraza pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine and one count of use of a communications facility in connection with a narcotics offense.

In January 2020, agents seized approximately one kilogram of cocaine inside a package sent from Puerto Rico and addressed to Rojas-Moraza’s residence in Clinton. After picking up the package from the local post office, Rojas-Moraza was arrested and taken into federal custody. During a search of Rojas-Moraza’s residence following his arrest, agents recovered drug packaging tools and materials. In addition, in April 2019, agents seized another package addressed to the Rojas-Moraza that contained approximately one kilogram of cocaine.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Clinton Police Chief Bryan W. Coyne made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney John T. Mulcahy of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Swampscott financial advisor was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for defrauding an elderly victim and her bank by stealing the victim’s retirement assets.

Felix Gorovodsky, 29, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 33 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Gorovodsky was also ordered to pay restitution of $310,492. On May 11, 2021, Gorovodsky pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud.

Gorovodsky served as a financial advisor for the victim. In or about July 2019, the victim terminated that advisor relationship and revoked the power of attorney she had previously granted Gorovodsky. Approximately nine months later, Gorovodsky accessed and liquidated the victim’s bank account, transferring more than $250,000 into his own bank account. Gorovodsky then used the victim’s stolen retirement funds for personal expenses, including paying off more than $100,000 in federal student loans. As part of the scheme, Gorovodsky forged the victim’s signature on a purported “gift letter,” which he sent to the bank in an attempt to legitimize the fraudulent transfer.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. The Department of Education, Office of Inspector General provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Ian J. Stearns and Mackenzie A. Queenin of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Two former owners of massage parlors have been charged in connection with filing for and obtaining fraudulent pandemic-related loans under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act for their respective illicit businesses where workers engaged in commercial sex acts with customers.

Chynna Savath, 56, of Woonsocket, R.I., was charged with two counts of wire fraud.  Savath is the former owner of Thai Body Work, a massage parlor in Franklin.

According to the charging documents, in June 2020, Savath submitted fraudulent applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for COVID-19 relief through the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) and Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program under the CARES Act. In the applications, Savath falsely certified that the applicant was not engaged in any illegal activity, despite knowing that her employees at Thai Body Work engaged in prostitution with customers and collected a portion of fees paid by each customer. In total, Savath obtained $29,646 in fraudulent payments from the EIDL and PPP loan programs.   

Aticha Jittaphol, 32, of Brighton, was charged separately with two counts of making false statements in federal loan applications. Jittaphol is the former owner of Mantra Dhevi Spa in Brighton.

According to the charging documents, in March and April of 2020, Jittaphol submitted fraudulent applications for EIDL and PPP loans in which she falsely stated that the applicant was not engaged in any illegal activity. However, her employees at Mantra Dhevi Spa engaged in prostitution from which she collected a portion of fees paid by each customer. Jittaphol also actively promoted the prostitution by recruiting employees and attracting new customers. In total, Jittaphol obtained $7,066 in fraudulent payments from the EIDL and PPP loan programs.   

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 up to $250,000. The charge of making false statements 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 on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Special assistance was provided by the Cambridge, Boston, Franklin and Lexington Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorney Elysa Wan of Mendell’s Criminal Division and Suffolk County Assistant District Attorneys Alyssa Tochka and Luke Goldworm, who were appointed as Special Assistant U.S. Attorneys, are prosecuting the cases.

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.

The details contained in the court documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 in federal court in Boston for illegally possessing a Mustang .380 pistol and ammunition.

Victor Morales, 35, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Patti B. Saris to 70 months in prison and two years of supervised release. On June 8, 2021, Morales pleaded guilty to one count of possessing a firearm and ammunition while being a convicted felon.

On approximately July 20, 2020, Morales possessed a Colt MK IV Mustang .380 loaded pistol and 12 rounds of .380 caliber ammunition in his apartment. Federal law prohibits Morales from possessing a firearm or ammunition due to a prior felony conviction.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth G. Shine and Evan Gotlob of Mendell’s Major Crimes 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. The Department of Justice reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A former clerk for Boston Police Department’s (BPD) District A-1 Detectives Unit pleaded guilty today in connection with an investigation of overtime fraud at the Boston Police Department.

Marilyn Golisano, 68, pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from an agency receiving federal funds and six counts of wire fraud. U.S. District Court Judge Nathaniel M. Gorton scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2022. Golisano was arrested and charged on Jan. 13, 2021.

Golisano, who handled the overtime paperwork for her unit, submitted dozens of false and fraudulent overtime slips in 2017 and 2018 claiming she had worked extra hours, with many of those slips bearing forged signatures of her supervisor. Although Golisano’s work was done primarily on the computer, Golisano never logged into the BPD computer system at all during many of the overtime shifts she claimed to have worked. Furthermore, on several occasions when Golisano was supposedly working overtime in downtown Boston, cellphone location information placed Golisano well outside the city. In total, Golisano stole $11,000 from BPD in 2017 and $18,000 in 2018 as a result of the fraud.

From 2016 through 2018, BPD received annual benefits from the U.S. Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Justice in excess of $10,000, which were funded pursuant to numerous federal grants.

Pursuant to a plea agreement, the government and the defendant have agreed to recommend to the Court that Golisano serve a sentence of 90 days in prison, three years of supervised release with the first three months to be spent in home confinement and pay restitution of $29,000 to the City of Boston.  As part of the plea agreement, the government agreed to dismiss aggravated identity theft charges.  

The charge of theft of government funds provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. 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. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Russell W. Cunningham, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Justice Office of the Inspector General, Washington Field Office; and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Boston woman was sentenced on Friday, Sept. 10, 2021 for her role in a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018.

Tatiana Fridkes, a/k/a Sonya, 34, of Mattapan, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to time served and two years of supervised release. Fridkes was also ordered to pay restitution of $82,000. On Sept. 23, 2020, Fridkes pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to distribute more than 100 kilograms of marijuana.

Fridkes and Deana Martin, 52, of Milton, were indicted in May 2019 in connection with their management of Northern Herb, a marijuana delivery service that operated in Massachusetts from 2015 to 2018. In May 2021, Martin pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion, one count of conspiracy to distribute marijuana, one count of possession with intent to distribute marijuana and three counts of money laundering and is awaiting sentencing which is scheduled for Sept. 16, 2021.

Fridkes served as the office manager for Northern Herb. Fridkes coordinated with Martin on finances, marijuana suppliers, marijuana inventory, deliveries, workers and warehouse operations. Fridkes managed Northern Herb employees when Martin was not present, collected and organized cash from marijuana sales and paid cash wages to Northern Herb employees.

From May 2016 through July 2018, Northern Herb had total revenue exceeding $14 million. Northern Herb did not withhold or pay taxes on its millions of dollars in marijuana sales, did not remit or pay employment taxes in connection with its workforce and did not pay taxes on its profits. Northern Herb was not licensed by Massachusetts or any other governmental entity to sell or distribute marijuana. While Northern Herb purported to provide medical marijuana, it did not require a customer to provide proof of a medical marijuana card and would deliver marijuana to unattended locations (such as a front door or hallway) where unknown third parties might have access to it.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Joleen D. Simpson, Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. The United States Postal Inspection Service also provided valuable assistance with this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorneys William Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division, and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the September 11th terrorist attacks, Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell, along with the Department of Justice, encourages members of the public to participate in the National Day of Service and Remembrance to honor those who lost their lives during, and as a result of, the unprecedented terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

“Saturday marks the 20th anniversary of the attacks that cut short the lives of nearly 3,000 innocent Americans and transformed our nation,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell. “Although two decades have now passed, the wounds from that day remain fresh, especially for the families of the victims and for those who responded courageously to the attacks – both in the United States and the men and women in uniform abroad. In remembrance of those killed and injured, first responders and those who continue to defend our nation’s freedom, I invite the public to join me in a day of service. Volunteerism is one small way to honor those we lost that tragic day and continue the spirit of unity and patriotism that this great nation is built upon. Service is also an important way to recognize the many courageous and selfless men and women who have spent the last 20 years defending our freedom and making the world a safer place. Their sacrifices were critical in the continued safety of our country and the world. I hope that you will do your part and join the National Day of Service and Remembrance.”

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell said, “Standing on the Boston waterfront looking out at Logan Airport is a solemn and powerful reminder of the souls on American Airlines Flight 11 and United Airlines Flight 175 who departed from Boston bound for Los Angeles. We must continue to honor of the selflessness and bravery of those on the planes, as well as their families, friends and colleagues who we continue to remember and pray for.”    

To find and register for a volunteer opportunity, visit https://americorps.gov/911-day.

BOSTON – A Southbridge man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Worcester to methamphetamine distribution.

Christopher Williams, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine and one count of distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 11, 2022. Williams was charged on March 9, 2021.

On two occasions in January 2021, Williams sold multiple ounces of methamphetamine to an undercover officer for $4,500 in Southbridge. 

The charge of distribution of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of distribution of 50 grams or more of a mixture and substance containing methamphetamine provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service in Boston; and Southbridge Police Chief Shane Woodson made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man pleaded guilty today to civil disorder and possession of three Molotov cocktails during a demonstration in the City of Worcester over the death of George Floyd.

Vincent Eovacious, 19, pleaded guilty to one count of civil disorder and one count of possession of an unregistered firearm. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2022. Eovacious was indicted in October 2020.

On June 1, 2020, crowds gathered at various locations in Worcester to protest the death of George Floyd, including South Main Street. At approximately 10:00 p.m., a large crowd blocked traffic and began throwing objects in the direction of the police. As officers on scene gathered into a line formation, one officer observed a man dressed in a trench coat standing on top of a building at 848 Main Street which is clearly marked, “No Trespassing.” The man, later identified as Eovacious, paced back and forth on the rooftop. The officer then observed Eovacious remove a bottle from his satchel that appeared to contain liquid and attempt to insert a rag into the bottle while holding a silver object that the officer believed to be a lighter. Minutes later, officers observed Eovacious walking in the area of May and Main Streets, still carrying the satchel, and stopped him. They searched the satchel and recovered three clear glass bottles with a slightly yellow liquid that smelled of gasoline, five white rags, one green lighter and one silver lighter. Eovacious stated that the liquid in the glass bottles was gasoline and that he was “with the anarchist group” and was “waiting for an opportunity.”

The charge of civil disorder provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine $250,000. The charge of unlawful possession of a firearm 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 other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial Bennett of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A Bronx, N.Y. man was sentenced today in connection with his role in a conspiracy to distribute a fentanyl in 2019.

Jason Jimenez, 27, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel to one year and one day in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 4, 2021, Jimenez pleaded guilty to one count of use of a communication facility to commit a felony under the controlled substances act.

On July 10, 2019, Jimenez was arrested after making admissions to investigators in connection with a fentanyl transaction which he facilitated using his phone. He was indicted in August 2019 as part of a coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley dubbed “Operation Devil’s Highway.” The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell 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 Lawrence Police Department and North Andover Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Moran and Evan Panich of Mendell’s Office prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Lynn man was sentenced today for his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Patrick Dunn, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of eight months in prison. On March 26, 2021, Dunn pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl and cocaine.

Dunn was charged as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the greater Boston area. In September 2017, Dunn distributed cocaine and fentanyl to an undercover officer in Boston.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Corey Steinberg and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Narcotics & Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty today in federal court in Boston in connection with distributing fentanyl pills.

Ruben Mejia, 28, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and heroin, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin and one count of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin. U.S. Senior District Court Judge William G. Young scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2022. Mejia was arrested and charged in September 2020.

On Aug. 13, 2020, Mejia sold an estimated 500 fentanyl pills disguised as oxycodone pills for $4,000 ($8 per pill). Mejia sold the pills, which he stored in a baby diaper, in five bags containing approximately 100 pills each. On Aug. 26, 2020, Mejia sold another estimated 500 fentanyl pills for $4,000. Mejia was arrested on Sept. 11, 2020 after he was found in possession of an estimated 5,000 fentanyl pills, which he planned to sell for $40,000.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of fentanyl and heroin provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute and distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. The charge of possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and heroin provides for a sentence of at least 10 years and up to life in prison, at least five years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $10 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division; and Lawrence Police Chief Roy Vasque made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Craig Estes of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit is prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Florida man was sentenced yesterday in connection with a scheme to defraud his former employer, a Massachusetts-based uniform-supply company, by falsifying invoices.

Richard Ritz, 58, was sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to 21 months in prison and two years of supervised release. Ritz was also ordered to pay restitution of $1,373,156 and forfeiture of $289,250. On June 3, 2021, Ritz pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Between approximately 2000 and March 2019, Ritz and others defrauded the uniform-supply company by causing the company to pay fake invoices for products that were not actually delivered, and by diverting other products that they re-sold for their own benefit. Ritz’s co-conspirators also created a fake supply company, to which Ritz caused the uniform-supply company to pay more than $800,000 on fraudulent invoices.

Ritz is the first former employee of the uniform-supply company to be sentenced in connection with the conspiracy. Co-conspirator Keith Smedley pleaded guilty in June 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 12, 2021. Co-conspirator Brian Halpern pleaded guilty in August 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 16, 2021.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Ian Stearns of Mendell’s Securities Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Chinese national was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for illegally procuring and exporting more than $100,000 worth of U.S. origin goods to Northwestern Polytechnical University (NWPU), a Chinese military university that is heavily involved in military research and works closely with the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on the advancement of its military capabilities.

Shuren Qin, 44, a Chinese national residing in Wellesley, who gained admittance into the United States through the EB-5 Immigrant Investor Visa Program in 2014, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise Casper to two years in prison, to be followed by two years of supervised release. Qin was also ordered to pay a fine of $20,000 and will face deportation proceedings upon completion of his sentence.

On April 28, 2021, Qin pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to unlawfully export items from the United States to NWPU without first obtaining the required export licenses; one count of visa fraud; two counts of making false statements to law enforcement agents regarding his customers and the types of parts he caused to be exported from the United States to the People’s Republic of China (PRC); four counts of money laundering; and two counts of smuggling hydrophones from the U.S. to the PRC.

Qin established LinkOcean Technologies, LTD., which he used to import goods and technology with underwater and marine applications into the PRC from the United States, Canada and Europe. NWPU has been involved in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles and missile proliferation projects. Since 2001, the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC) has designated NWPU on its Entity List for national security reasons. Between approximately July 2015 and December 2016, Qin caused at least 60 hydrophones (devices used to detect and monitor sound underwater) to be exported from the United States to NWPU without obtaining the required export licenses from the DOC. Qin and his company, LinkOcean, did so by concealing from the U.S. manufacturer of the hydrophones that NWPU was the true end-user and by causing false end-user information to be filed with the U.S. government. In addition, on four occasions in connection with the export of hydrophones to NWPU, Qin transferred more than $100,000 from Chinese bank accounts to bank accounts located in the United States with the intent to promote and facilitate his unlawful export scheme.

Additionally, in July 2016, Qin engaged in visa fraud in connection with his application to remove conditions on his U.S. Permanent Resident Status by falsely certifying that he had not committed any crime for which he was not arrested since becoming a conditional permanent resident when, in fact, he had caused the illegal export of hydrophones from the United States to NWPU in December 2015.

Qin also made false statements to federal agents on two occasions regarding LinkOcean’s customers and its export activities. Specifically, during a November 2017 interview with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers, Qin falsely stated that he only exported instruments that attach to a buoy. However, Qin had exported and caused the export of remotely-operated side scan sonar systems, unmanned underwater vehicles, unmanned surface vehicles, robotic boats and hydrophones. The items that Qin concealed from CBP during this interview have military applications and several of these items were delivered to military end-users in China. For instance, Qin exported a U.S.-manufactured remotely-operated side scan sonar system to a PLA Troop in November 2015. On or about July 21, 2018, Qin lied to investigators during an interview when he stated that he did not have any customers on the DOC’s Entity List. In fact, Qin had at least two such customers – NWPU and the National University of Defense Technology (NUDT). NUDT is involved in national defense research for the PLA and responsible for modernizing the PRC’s armed forces. Since 2015, it has been designated on DOC’s Entity List.  

Prior to entering his guilty plea in this case, Qin moved to suppress evidence seized from his laptop and iPhone and statements he made to CBP officers during a secondary inspection upon his return to the United States from the PRC at Logan Airport in November 2017. After eight days of evidentiary hearings, Judge Casper found that the “Chinese Navy” was one of Qin’s customers according to LinkOcean’s website. At the time of the search, agents testified that they were “concerned that Qin was involved [in] working on behalf of the Chinese Navy to procure items from the United States, export them to China so that they could be used or incorporated in systems the Chinese Navy or research institutes were developing to be used in electronic warfare, anti-submarine warfare.” Judge Casper further found that by the end of the summer of 2017, investigators had learned that Qin was interested in procuring both AUVs and sonobuoys, which raised concerns for the agents as they learned that Ultra Electronics was at that same time developing “an AUV that worked in conjunction with [a] sonobuoy … strictly for military use by the U.S. Navy.” Qin also lied when questioned about the types of parts he exported, concealing his “interest in procuring side scan sonar systems, AUVs and sonobuoys.”       

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell; Acting Assistant Attorney General Mark J. Lesko for the Justice Department’s National Security Division; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of the Homeland Security Investigation, Boston Field Office; Patrick Hegarty, Special Agent in Charge of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office; William Higgins, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Commerce, Office of Export Enforcement, Boston Field Office; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Michael Wiest, Special Agent in Charge of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, Northeast Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney B. Stephanie Siegmann, Chief of Mendell’s National Security Unit, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Casey, also of National Security Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Chicago man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston in connection with bank robberies in Massachusetts and Illinois.

Eugene Davis, 54, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin to 78 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 28, 2021, Davis pleaded guilty to two counts of bank robbery.

In July 2019, Davis was indicted for a Massachusetts bank robbery and in March 2021 he was charged in the Northern District of Illinois with an unrelated bank robbery. The Illinois case was transferred to Massachusetts for plea and sentencing purposes.

On June 3, 2019, Davis robbed a branch of the East Boston Savings Bank in South Boston. Davis walked into the bank, pulled out a suitcase and handed a handwritten demand note to the teller. The note said that there was a bomb in the bag, that everyone was going to die and to put all the money into Davis’s hand. The teller took $6,055 cash out of the teller drawer and gave it to Davis who placed it in his shirt and walked out of the bank. Davis was apprehended later that day and ultimately confessed to committing the bank robbery.

On May 22, 2019, Davis robbed a branch of Chase Bank in Chicago. Davis entered the bank, pulled out a suitcase and handed the teller a demand note stating that he had a bomb, demanded money and threatened that if dye packs were included, they would all die. The teller provided approximately $3,460 in cash to Davis who then left the bank with the money.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; John R. Lausch, Jr., United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Boston Division; Emmerson Buie, Jr., Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigations, Chicago Field Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Suzanne Sullivan Jacobus of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty today to drug charges.

Tanairy Ruiz, a/k/a “Queen Tanairy,” 34, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2022.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

Ruiz admitted to conspiring with other Latin Kings members to manufacture and distribute cocaine base throughout the City of New Bedford. Ruiz resided in one of the many “trap houses” or multi-unit apartment buildings in New Bedford that were controlled by the Latin Kings. Ruiz’s apartment was used as a location where cocaine was “cooked” or manufactured into cocaine base.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against dozens of leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Ruiz is the 51st defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The charge of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, a minimum of three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced today in federal court in Boston for possessing child pornography.

Paul Fest, 50, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to 10 years in prison and five years of supervised release. On May 4, 2021, Fest pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography.

On Dec. 15, 2020, a search of Fest’s Beacon Hill residence resulted in the seizure of a computer and multiple external storage devices. On one thumb drive, there were over 100 videos and more than 50 images of child pornography.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Charles Dell’Anno and Kenneth G. Shine of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

BOSTON – A Boston gang associate pleaded guilty yesterday to his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Renardo Williams, 44, of South Boston, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine 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. 25, 2022.

Investigators identified Williams as a drug customer and distributor for co-defendant Kenji Drayton, the alleged leader of the drug-trafficking organization. In the hours preceding his arrest, investigators intercepted calls and conducted surveillance of Williams and Drayton, which allegedly indicated that Williams sought to purchase drugs from Drayton. At the time of his arrest, Williams was found in possession of approximately 125 grams of cocaine and a loaded firearm. Drayton pleaded not guilty and is pending trial.   

In June 2020, Williams was charged along with 23 others as part of Operation Snowfall.  According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement conducted an investigation into drug trafficking activities by 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 defendants, through their drug trafficking activities, assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs. As a result, their activities caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.

The investigation also targeted large-scale drug suppliers and their associates. It is alleged that the targets continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown. Williams is the seventh defendant to plead guilty in the case.

Due to a prior felony drug offense, Williams faces a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, at least six years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $2 million on the charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The charge of possessing a firearm and ammunition by a convicted felon provides for a sentence up to 10 years in person, three years supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; 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 Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement. Assistance with the investigation was provided by the Braintree, Cambridge, Canton, Randolph and Weymouth Police Departments; Suffolk, Norfolk and Bristol County District Attorneys’ Offices; and the Suffolk, Plymouth and Norfolk County Sheriffs’ Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kaitlin O’Donnell and Timothy Moran of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A spinal device manufacturer based in Malden, Mass. and its Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Chief Financial Officer (CFO) were arrested today and charged in connection with a kickback scheme to bribe surgeons to use company products in exchange for sham consulting fees.

Kingsley R. Chin, MD, 57, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., the CEO and founder of SpineFrontier; Aditya Humad, 36, of Cambridge, Mass., the company’s CFO; and SpineFrontier, Inc., were indicted on one count of conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute, six counts of violations of the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering. 

According to the indictment, SpineFrontier, Chin and Humad paid, and conspired to pay, millions of dollars in bribes to surgeons in the form of sham consulting fees for work they did not perform. The defendants allegedly bribed surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products, and in turn, SpineFrontier received millions of dollars in revenue from surgeries the surgeons performed.

The defendants allegedly entered into contracts with surgeons, agreeing to pay the surgeons between $250 and $1,000 per hour for purported consulting for SpineFrontier. In reality, however, the defendants allegedly paid the surgeons for using SpineFrontier’s products. Although the surgeon-consulting program was purportedly directed at gathering technical feedback about SpineFrontier’s products, the indictment alleges that Chin and Humad designed and used the program, and the bribes they paid pursuant to that program, to induce surgeons to use SpineFrontier’s products in surgeries that were paid for by federal health care programs such as Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE and VHA. It is further alleged that the surgeons frequently spent only a small fraction of their reported time, if any at all, performing actual consulting. On numerous occasions the bribe amounts were determined following a review of the number of procedures a surgeon performed and the amount of revenue those procedures generated for SpineFrontier. The defendants allegedly paid each surgeon described in the indictment between $32,625 and $978,000 in bribes during the conspiracy.

“Kickback arrangements pollute federal health care programs and take advantage of patient needs for financial gains,” said Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell. “Medical device manufacturers must play by the rules and we will keep pursuing those who fail to do so, regardless of how their corruption is disguised.”

“Kickbacks paid to surgeons as sham medical consultants, as alleged in this case, cheat patients and taxpayers alike,” said Phillip M. Coyne, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General. “Working with our law enforcement partners, we will continue to investigate kickback schemes that threaten the integrity of our federal health care system, no matter how those schemes are disguised.”

“As alleged, Chin, Humad, and their medical device company SpineFrontier conspired to pay out millions of dollars in kickbacks in the form of sham consulting fees to surgeons across the country who sadly, prioritized these payoffs over their patients’ best interests. We believe they also cheated taxpayers who ultimately foot the bill for their medical procedures,” said Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Boston Division. “Today’s arrests show that the FBI will not hesitate to go after those who try to undermine the integrity of the medical decision-making process to take advantage of patients for their own personal gain.”

This indictment follows two guilty pleas in related criminal prosecutions. In August 2020, Jason Montone, D.O., 45, of Lawson, Miss., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and obstruction and John Balzer, 43, of Lenexa, Kan., pleaded guilty to conspiracy to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute and one count of witness tampering. Montone and Balzer are scheduled to be sentenced on March 22 and 23, 2022, respectively.    

The charge of conspiring to violate the Anti-Kickback Statute provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss resulting from the offense, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution. The charges of violating the Anti-Kickback Statute provide for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of up to $100,000, forfeiture and restitution. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, forfeiture and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting U.S. Attorney Mendell, HHS-OIG SAC Coyne and FBI SAC Bonavolonta made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was provided by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Northeast Field Office and the U.S. Postal Service, Office of Inspector General. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patrick M. Callahan, David J. Derusha, Abraham R. George and David G. Lazarus of Mendell’s Office are prosecuting the criminal case.

The details contained in the indictment are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced today in federal court in Springfield for collecting on an extension of credit by extortionate means.

Anthony J. Scibelli, 52, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to six months in prison and two years of supervised release. Scibelli was also ordered to pay restitution of $200 and forfeiture of $1,300. On April 6, 2021, Scibelli pleaded guilty to one count of collecting on an extension of credit by extortionate means.

Beginning in 2017, Scibelli made collections on a $5,000 loan to the victim, who made monthly payments of $1,300 until June 2019. Scibelli used threats as he attempted to collect on that line of credit. Specifically, on June 19, 2019, Scibelli beat the victim for failing to make the monthly $1,300 payment. During the beating, the defendant threatened that the victim must have all the money “on the first,” referring to the 1st of the month.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Neil Desroches of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office and Trial Attorney Marianne Shelvey of the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Nigerian national residing in Boston pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021 to his role in online fraud schemes.

Macpherson Osemwegie, 32, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud before U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper, who scheduled sentencing for Jan. 27, 2022. Osemwegie was charged on July 26, 2021.

Osemwegie conspired with others to participate in a series of romance and other online scams designed to defraud victims into sending money to accounts and debit cards that Osemwegie and others controlled. Romance scams occur when a criminal adopts a fake online identity to gain a victim’s affection and trust. The scammer then uses the illusion of a romantic or close relationship to manipulate and/or steal from the victim.

To carry out the schemes, Osemwegie and his co-conspirators used false foreign passports in others’ names to open numerous bank accounts, and in turn directed the victims to send money to these accounts. 

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank and wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of up to $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Jonathan Davidson, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of State’s Diplomatic Security Service made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sara Miron Bloom and Ian Stearns of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case. 

BOSTON – A former U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employee was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for stealing mail, including almost $5,000 in stimulus payments, and making over $16,000 in fraudulent purchases and ATM withdrawals.

Angela Gomez, 40, of Lynn, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to three months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 11, 2021, Gomez pleaded guilty to one count of theft of mail by an employee. As part of the plea agreement, Gomez has agreed to pay $21,387 in restitution to the victims. 

In February 2020, investigators received information that customers in Lynn reported missing mail. For example, one USPS customer reported that an expected Lilly Pulitzer gift card never arrived in the mail. Further investigation revealed that USPS City Carrier Assistant Angela Gomez handled that particular customer’s route. Records indicated that the expected gift card was used in January 2020 for purchases delivered to Gomez’s then-home address and that the corresponding email address belonged to Gomez. Subsequent surveillance of Gomez during the performance of her duties revealed that she rifled through and stole mail on 21 separate occasions.

An Eastern Bank fraud investigator, who was investigating multiple unauthorized ATM withdrawals and debit card purchases made using three separate Eastern Bank accounts, contacted federal investigators. The Eastern Bank accounts were owned by individuals who resided on the carrier route Gomez was assigned to prior to when the unauthorized transactions began. Eastern Bank records confirmed three compromised accounts. Security camera video footage related to several of the unauthorized debit card purchases (including at Walmart and Target shopping centers) showed Gomez making unauthorized purchases using debit cards associated with the three compromised Eastern Bank accounts. In addition, ATM and bank security camera videos from Eastern Bank showed Gomez making unauthorized cash withdrawals from the three Eastern Bank accounts. In total, $16,587 was stolen from the three Eastern Bank accounts.

Gomez also stole four U.S. Treasury Economic Impact Payment (EIP) checks, more commonly known as stimulus checks, totaling $4,800, which were intended for delivery to USPS customers who lived on Gomez’s carrier route. 

In total, Gomez stole $21,387 in fraudulent debit card purchases, ATM withdrawals and stimulus checks.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General, Northeast Area Field Office; and William Kalb, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Office of Investigations, New York Field Office made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugenia M Carris, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man was convicted by a federal jury today of distributing nearly one kilogram of cocaine.

Julio Rivera, 47, was convicted following a three-day jury trial of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2021. 

In October 2018, a federal investigation into co-conspirator Melvin Burgos intercepted numerous communications between Burgos and co-conspirator William Torres arranging to obtain one kilogram of cocaine from Rivera. On Nov. 1, 2018, Rivera led Burgos to his storage unit in Worcester where he distributed 900 grams of cocaine to Burgos. Agents subsequently stopped both Rivera and Burgos and a search of Rivera’s vehicle recovered the phone he used to communicate with Torres and Burgos, which he had attempted to destroy. A search of Burgos’ vehicle resulted in the seizure of the 900 grams of cocaine.

Torres and Burgos each pleaded guilty to their role in the conspiracy. On Feb. 26, 2021, Torres was sentenced to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. Burgos is scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 30, 2021.

The charge of distribution and possession with intent to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Division; and Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys John T. Mulcahy and Mackenzie A. Queenin of Mendell’s Criminal Division and William F. Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division, prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A former member of the Springfield Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty yesterday to a firearm offense.

Hector Adorno, a/k/a “King Gordo,” 35, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of ammunition. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Dec. 15, 2021.

At the time of his arrest in May 2019, Adorno was found in possession of a loaded firearm, located beside him on a bedroom nightstand in his residence. Due to prior felony convictions, Adorno was prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against dozens of leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Adorno is the 50th defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm 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 other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Two Everett men pleaded guilty today in connection with their role in a scheme to launder money that was fraudulently obtained from customer bank accounts.

Lindsley J. Georges, 27, and Dave Guillaume, 24, pleaded guilty to one count each of money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2022. The defendants were indicted in October 2019.

In December 2017 and January 2018, co-conspirators fraudulently withdrew more than $900,000 from customer accounts at Santander Bank and TD Bank. The funds were used to purchase bank checks in the names of several entities, and Georges and Guillaume deposited those bank checks into business accounts in the names of those entities at TD Bank and Bank of America. Georges and Guillaume subsequently made substantial withdrawals of cash and checks from those accounts. Guillaume opened two of the business accounts using false names, as well as a fraudulent driver’s license. 

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 up to $500,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright and Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Lawrence man pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to drug trafficking activities involving fentanyl and illegal possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Jose Martinez, 26, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl and two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Sterns scheduled sentencing for Jan. 6, 2022.

Martinez was arrested in June 2019 after a search of his residence revealed a loaded Kel Tec .566 semi-automatic rifle caliber pistol, a Glock 26 handgun, as well as additional ammunition, a bullet proof vest, an attachment for a firearm and gun oil. In addition, law enforcement found two large plastic bags containing empty capsules, a tray to fill pill capsules, several wet plastic bags in the trash can that contained a white residue, a bottle of lactose and several plastic bags, a digital scale, a money counter, a large quantity of cash and multiple cellphones.

Martinez was charged as part of a coordinated enforcement operation in the Merrimack Valley dubbed “Operation Devil’s Highway.” The operation targeted the distribution of opioids, including fentanyl and heroin, and resulted in charges against a total of 40 people for federal drug offenses, with at least a dozen more individuals facing state charges.

The charge of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. The charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement. The Massachusetts State Police and the Lawrence Police Department assisted in this investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alathea Porter of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – Co-owners of a New Hampshire asbestos abatement company were sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for making false statements to employee pension plans. 

Richard Quinn, 58, of Sterling, Mass., and Gary McCaffrey, 66, of Salem, N.H., were each sentenced by U.S. Senior District Court Judge Douglas P. Woodlock to two years of probation with the first six months to be served in home confinement. Both defendants were also ordered to pay a fine of $25,000 and restitution of $337,416. Quinn and McCaffrey previously pleaded guilty on April 30, 2021 and May 25, 2021, respectively, to one count each of making false statements to a pension plan covered by the Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA).

Quinn and McCaffrey owned and operated Absolute Environmental Inc., an asbestos abatement company. Between November 2014 and May 2017, Quinn and McCaffrey continued to employ several undocumented individuals after being notified of their status. During this time period, Quinn and McCaffrey knowingly falsified reports to pension plans about the work performed by the undocumented individuals, failing to make required pension contributions of over $337,000.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General, Office of Investigations, Labor Racketeering and Fraud, New York Region; and Carol Hamilton, Boston Regional Director of the Employee Benefits Security Administration made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Grady of Mendell’s Public Corruption & Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Worcester man was sentenced today in federal court for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

Nicholas Briggs, 22, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman to 40 months in prison and three years of supervised release. On May 11, 2021, Briggs pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.

On July 4, 2020, Briggs was arrested for carrying a loaded Glock pistol. Briggs is prohibited from possessing a firearm due to prior convictions punishable by more than one year in prison.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Worcester Police Chief Steven M. Sargent made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Danial E. Bennett of Mendell’s 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. PSN is part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

BOSTON – A former employee of the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) pleaded guilty today to fraud and identity theft charges arising from her claims for Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) funds.

Tiffany Pacheco, a/k/a Tiffany Tavery, 35, formerly of New Bedford, pleaded guilty to six counts of wire fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani scheduled sentencing for Jan. 12, 2022. She was indicted in January 2021 along with her husband, Arthur Pacheco, who pleaded guilty in July 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on Nov. 18, 2021.

Tiffany Pacheco was hired by the DUA in April 2020, shortly after her release from federal prison following a conviction for aggravated identity theft. While employed by DUA, Tiffany Pacheco misused her position to submit fraudulent PUA claim information on behalf of herself and Arthur Pacheco, who was incarcerated in Texas until Sept. 4, 2020, and thus ineligible for PUA funds.

Specifically, in June 2020, PUA claims submitted for Tiffany Pacheco and her husband reflected 2019 income of $0 and no dependents. In July 2020, via her employment with DUA, Tiffany Pacheco obtained access to the PUA computer system, and later changed claim information for herself and Arthur Pacheco in order to increase the amount of PUA funds they would receive. For example, Tiffany Pacheco increased the amount of 2019 income for her and Arthur Pacheco to more than $240,000 and increased the number of their dependents to seven. Tiffany Pacheco further used her access to the PUA system to verify the increased 2019 income on both claims without the required income verification documents.

In November 2020, Arthur Pacheco called DUA and falsely denied that he had been incarcerated during the timeframe leading up to September 2020, and that he was only incarcerated for approximately one month. Tiffany Pacheco also spoke with DUA and misrepresented the period of time in which Arthur Pacheco had been incarcerated.

A search of the New Bedford apartment where Tiffany and Arthur Pacheco resided uncovered various tools of identity fraud, including an ID laminator, 100 blank ID cards, 68 hologram overlays, 150 card lamination sheets and 649 sheets of blank checks. Law enforcement also seized approximately $17,000 cash and a notebook that appeared to contain the personal identifying information of various individuals. In addition, a driver’s license recovered during the search matched the name of a victim Tiffany Pacheco used to submit another fraudulent PUA claim. On Sept. 23, 2020, DUA terminated Tiffany Pacheco’s employment.

The charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud provide for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a sentence of up to two years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; and Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Labor Racketeering and Fraud Investigation made the announcement. The New Bedford Police Department, Massachusetts Parole Board and Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, Program Integrity Unit provided valuable assistance with the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney William Abely, Chief of Mendell’s Criminal Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Dustin Chao, Chief of Mendell’s Public Corruption and Special Prosecutions Unit, are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dennis Port man was sentenced today for receipt and possession of child pornography.

Sean Gleason, 36, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 68 months in prison and five years of supervised release. In August 2020, Gleason pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography.

Following an investigation into the use of a messaging application in the exchange of child pornography, a search of Gleason’s cell phone on Sept. 10, 2019 revealed hundreds of images of child pornography. A full forensic review of the phone revealed at least 498 images and at least one video of child pornography. The cache of child pornography included images depicting the abuse of infants, toddlers and prepubescent minors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam W. Deitch of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov.

BOSTON – A Boston man pleaded guilty on Friday, Aug. 27, 2021 to his role in a drug trafficking conspiracy.

Carlos Monteiro, 44, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and to possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. U.S. District Court Chief Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 10, 2022. Monteiro was indicted in September 2020.

Monteiro was charged as part of an investigation into a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine and other controlled substances in the greater Boston area. In 2017, Monteiro participated in the drug trafficking conspiracy including distributing fentanyl on behalf of a co-conspirator.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute a controlled substance provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Field Division; James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sarah Hoefle and John Mulcahy of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A New Bedford man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for his role in a cocaine trafficking conspiracy.

Jason Valliere, 43, was sentenced by U.S. Chief District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV to five years in prison and four years of supervised release. On March 26, 2021, Valliere pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute cocaine.

In October 2020, Valliere was charged along with three co-conspirators for negotiating and coordinating a multi-kilogram cocaine deal with undercover agents. Initially, Valliere sought to negotiate for 10 kilograms of cocaine by offering cash as well as armed manpower (his co-conspirators). Subsequent renegotiations ultimately resulted in the deal of at least one and up to three kilograms of cocaine. At the time of Valliere’s arrest, law enforcement recovered a loaded firearm that was concealed in a compartment in Valliere’s car. The firearm matched a description that Valliere previously had given to undercovers of a gun he could bring to the anticipated drug deal. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; Suffolk County Sheriff Steven W. Tompkins; Bristol County Sheriff Thomas M. Hodgson; Boston Police Acting Commissioner Gregory Long; Brockton Police Chief Emanuel Gomes; Bridgewater Police Chief Christopher D. Delmonte; East Bridgewater Police Chief Paul O’Brien; and Westport Police Chief Keith Pelletier made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by the Fall River Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kaitlin O’Donnell of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case. 

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Lynn man pleaded guilty yesterday in connection with his involvement in a scheme to defraud several financial institutions and obtain money from their customers using fraudulent identification documents.

Emeka Iloba, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft. U.S. District Court Judge Leo T. Sorokin scheduled sentencing for Dec. 16, 2021. Iloba was charged with an alleged co-conspirator on March 15, 2021.

As stated during the plea hearing, Iloba participated in and at times directed a scheme to defraud financial institutions. To carry out the scheme, Iloba and others used fraudulent identification documents, among other means, to withdraw money from customers’ accounts at various banks in the form of checks, cash and wire transfers. The fraudulently-obtained funds were then deposited in other bank accounts opened in the names of fictitious business entities before being withdrawn. According to the charging documents, this scheme resulted in over $1.5 million in losses between April 2017 and March 2018.

The charge of conspiracy to commit bank fraud provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, up to five years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory sentence of two years in prison to be served consecutively to any other sentenced imposed, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Joseph R. Bonavolanta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division, made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leslie A. Wright and Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit are prosecuting the case.

BOSTON – A Dominican national previously residing in Lawrence was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for fentanyl conspiracy charges.

Enmanuel Brioso Fabal, 31, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to four years in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 7, 2021, Brioso Fabal pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute 400 grams or more fentanyl, one count of distribution of 40 grams or more of fentanyl and one count of distribution of fentanyl.

Brioso Fabal was a member of a drug trafficking organization that included co-defendants Jimenez Minyetty, Guillermo Aybar-Guerrero and Nieves Guzman. On Aug. 5, 2019 and Sept. 26, 2019, investigators conducted two controlled purchases of fentanyl from Brioso Fabal of approximately 500 fentanyl pills and approximately 56 grams of fentanyl powder, respectively. On Nov. 2, 2019, a search was executed at a stash house in Lawrence associated with the drug organization where various drug distribution paraphernalia, including a mixing bowl containing suspected fentanyl, sifters and blenders were recovered.

On May 12, 2021, Guzman was sentenced by Judge Casper to time served (approximately 18 months in prison). Guzman will be subject to deportation upon completion of her sentence. On May 27, 2021, Jimenez Minyetty was sentenced by Judge Casper to eight years in prison and four years of supervised release. Jimenez Minyetty will be subject to deportation upon completion of his sentence.

Aybar-Guerrero pleaded guilty in June 2021. He is awaiting a consolidated sentencing for his role in this case and in a separate fentanyl conspiracy, which is scheduled for Sept. 29, 2021. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, New England Field Division made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Graber of Mendell’s Narcotics and Money Laundering Unit prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Maine woman pleaded guilty yesterday in federal court in Boston to charges of conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute, controlled substances.

Shelby Kleffman, 36, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to manufacture, distribute and to possess with intent to distribute 40 grams or more of fentanyl, methamphetamine, cocaine, cocaine base, and other controlled substances. U.S. Chief District Court Judge F. Dennis Saylor IV scheduled sentencing for Jan. 5, 2022. Kleffman was charged on March 26, 2021.

Kleffman admitted to her role in a drug trafficking conspiracy between Massachusetts and Maine. Kleffman operated as a Maine-based dealer who received large quantities of fentanyl, cocaine, cocaine base and methamphetamine from Massachusetts-based gang members, which she would then distribute locally to customers in Maine.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute and possess a controlled substance with intent to distribute provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 40 years in prison, at least four years and up to life of supervised release and a fine of up to $5 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. 

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; and James Ferguson, Special Agent in Charge of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today. Assistance was provided by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maine; the Maine Drug Enforcement Agency; the Essex County and Hancock County Sheriff’s Departments; and the Lynn, Salem, Malden, Bangor (Maine), Portland (Maine) and Westbrook (Maine) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Sarah Hoefle of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit are prosecuting the case.

The operation was conducted by a multi-agency task force through the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a partnership between federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. The principal mission of the OCDETF program is to identify, disrupt and dismantle the most serious drug trafficking, weapons trafficking and money laundering organizations, and those primarily responsible for the nation’s illegal drug supply. More information on the OCDETF program is available here: https://www.justice.gov/ocdetf/about-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.

BOSTON – A teacher at Foxborough High School was arrested today and charged in connection with possession of child pornography and receiving child pornography over the internet.

Thomas Davis, 41, of Mansfield, was charged with possession and receipt of child pornography. Following an initial appearance today before U.S. District Court Magistrate Judge David H. Hennessy, Davis was detained pending a probable cause and detention hearing scheduled for Sept. 1, 2021.

According to the charging documents, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Davis’ residence today and seized a laptop belonging to Davis. An on-site examination of the device revealed approximately 40 images of child pornography on the defendant’s laptop, including images involving prepubescent minors under the age of 12-years-old.

The charge of receipt of child pornography provides for a sentence of at least five years and up to 20 years in prison, at least five years and up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. 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 judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell 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 Mansfield Police Department. Assistant U.S. Attorney David G. Tobin of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit is prosecuting the case

Members of the public who have questions, concerns or information regarding this case should call 617-748-3274.

The case is brought as part of Project Safe Childhood. In 2006, the Department of Justice created Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative designed to protect children from exploitation and abuse. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.projectsafechildhood.gov/.

The details contained in the criminal complaint are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Four individuals have been charged with conspiring to deceive banks into allegedly processing more than $150 million in credit and debit card payments on behalf of merchants involved in prohibited and high-risk businesses, including online gaming, debt collection, debt relief, online pharmaceuticals and payday lending, among others. 

Ahmad “Andy” Khawaja, 49, of Los Angeles, and Thomas Wells, 74, of Martin County, Fla., were charged with wire fraud conspiracy. Mohammad “Moe” Diab, 45, of Glendale, Calif., and Amy Ringler Rountree, 38, of Logan, Utah, were charged with wire fraud conspiracy and bank fraud conspiracy. Diab, Rountree and Wells were arrested today and will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date. Khawaja was charged in a December 2019 indictment along with Diab and others with campaign finance violations and obstruction of justice. Khawaja remains a fugitive.

According to the charging documents, Khawaja was the owner and Chief Executive Officer of Allied Wallet, Inc., a payment processing company headquartered in Los Angeles that served merchants doing business over the internet. Diab served as Chief Operating Officer of Allied Wallet and Rountree was the Vice President of Operations. Allied Wallet obtained for its clients access to services that enabled them to accept debit and credit card payments over global electronic payment networks run by Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover, among others (card brands). Allied Wallet served as an intermediary between its merchant clients and financial institutions that were members of the card brand networks (acquirers). Wells, through his company, Priority Payout, introduced merchant clients seeking payment processing to Allied Wallet.

It is alleged that the defendants and others engaged in a scheme to defraud several acquirers, the card brands and others of money and property by fraudulently inducing them to provide payment processing services to merchants engaged in prohibited or high-risk transactions, as well as to merchants that were terminated for fraud, chargeback or other compliance concerns, by knowingly misrepresenting the types of transactions the merchants were processing and the true identities of the merchants. The defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly accomplished the scheme through, among other steps, creating shell companies, designing fake websites that purported to sell low-risk retail and home goods and using industry-standard codes that miscategorized the true nature of the transactions. Through the scheme, it is alleged that the defendants and their co-conspirators fraudulently obtained more than $150 million in payment card processing through more than 100 sham merchants. In furtherance of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators allegedly caused telephone calls and emails to be directed into Massachusetts.

The charge of wire fraud conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, forfeiture and restitution. The charge of bank fraud conspiracy provides for a sentence of up to 30 years in prison, five years of supervised release, a fine of $1 million or twice the gross gain or loss, forfeiture and restitution. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, New York Field Office; Joshua McCallister, Acting Inspector in Charge of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; and Todd M. Lyons, Field Office Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Boston, made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, Rhode Island Task Force. Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Kosto, Deputy Chief of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit, and Trial Attorney Randall Warden of the Criminal Division’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Boston gang associate was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for cocaine trafficking offenses.

Kareem Chaplin, 47, of Canton, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard G. Stearns to three years and one month in prison and three years of supervised release. On April 28, 2021, Chaplin pleaded guilty to conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute cocaine and cocaine base.

In June 2020, Chaplin was charged along with 23 others as part of Operation Snowfall.  According to the charging documents, beginning in November 2018, law enforcement conducted an investigation into drug trafficking activities by Boston-based street gang members and associates in the Commonwealth Development in Brighton, Mass., formerly known as Fidelis Way, a multi-apartment public housing development. It is alleged that the defendants, through their drug trafficking activities, assumed control over multiple apartments, where they stored, cooked, packaged and sold drugs. As a result, their activities caused a blight of the development and reduced the quality of life of the other residents.

The investigation, which included Chaplin, also targeted large-scale drug suppliers and their associates. It is alleged that the targets continued to distribute cocaine and cocaine base throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and shutdown.

During the investigation, a search warrant of a “stash house” associated with Chaplin recovered over 400 grams of cocaine, six firearms, multiple rounds of ammunition and drug paraphernalia, including a digital scale.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; 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 Acting Commissioner Gregory Long 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 O’Donnell and Timothy Moran of Mendell’s Organized Crime and Gang Unit prosecuted the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A New Jersey man was arrested today in connection with his alleged involvement in a scheme to fraudulently obtain COVID-19-related unemployment assistance.

Omar Thompson, 39, of Paterson, N.J., was charged with one count of wire fraud. Thompson made an initial appearance in federal court in the District of New Jersey today and was released on conditions. He will appear in federal court in Boston at a later date.

In March 2020, in response to the global COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act). The CARES Act created a temporary federal unemployment insurance program called Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA), which in Massachusetts is administered by the Department of Unemployment Assistance. This program provides unemployment insurance benefits for individuals who are not eligible for other types of unemployment benefits.

According to the charging documents, Thompson and his co-conspirator submitted more than 100 fraudulent PUA claims resulting in more than $1.2 million in payments. It is alleged that approximately half of the PUA claims were made on behalf of individuals residing outside of Massachusetts. In some instances, Thompson allegedly recruited individuals from other states to apply for PUA in Massachusetts, submitted claims on their behalf, and received kickback payments for doing so.

The charge of wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, up to three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Frederick J. Regan, Special Agent in Charge of the U.S. Secret Service, Boston Field Office; and Nikitas Splagounias, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General, Office of Investigations made the announcement. The Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Secret Service, Newark Field Office, and New Jersey State Police provided assistance in the investigation. Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Markham of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

On May 17, 2021, the Attorney General established the COVID-19 Fraud Enforcement Task Force to marshal the resources of the Department of Justice in partnership with agencies across government to enhance efforts to combat and prevent pandemic-related fraud. The Task Force bolsters efforts to investigate and prosecute the most culpable domestic and international criminal actors and assists agencies tasked with administering relief programs to prevent fraud by, 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.

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.

BOSTON – A former member of the New Bedford Chapter of the Massachusetts Almighty Latin King and Queen Nation (Latin Kings) pleaded guilty today to racketeering charges.

Tyson Jorge, a/k/a “King Music,” 35, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to conduct enterprise affairs through a pattern of racketeering activity, more commonly referred to as RICO conspiracy. U.S. Senior District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel scheduled sentencing for Nov. 16, 2021.

During today’s hearing, Jorge admitted to his membership in the New Bedford Latin Kings’ racketeering conspiracy and his involvement in the gang’s drug distribution efforts throughout the City. Jorge further admitted that he attended gang meetings in which violence against rival gang members was discussed.

The Latin Kings are a violent criminal enterprise comprised of thousands of members across the United States. The Latin Kings adhere to a national manifesto, employ an internal judiciary and use a sophisticated system of communication to maintain the hierarchy of the organization. As alleged in court documents, the gang uses drug distribution to generate revenue, and engages in violence against witnesses and rival gangs to further its influence and to protect its turf.

In December 2019, a federal grand jury returned an indictment alleging racketeering conspiracy, drug conspiracy and firearms charges against 62 leaders, members and associates of the Latin Kings. Jorge is the 49th defendant to plead guilty in the case.

The RICO conspiracy charge provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Commissioner Carol Mici of the Massachusetts Department of Correction; and New Bedford Police Chief Joseph C. Cordeiro made the announcement today. Valuable assistance was also provided by the FBI North Shore Gang Task Force and the Bristol County and Suffolk County District Attorney’s Offices. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Philip A. Mallard and Mark J. Grady of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A father and his two sons were charged yesterday in connection with a “ten-percenting” scheme in which they allegedly cashed winning Massachusetts state lottery tickets on behalf of the ticket holders to avoid taxes on the winnings.   

Ali Jaafar, 62, and Yousef Jaafar, 28, both of Watertown, and Mohamed Jaafar, 30, of Watertown and Waltham, and were each indicted on one count of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service, one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple counts of filing false tax returns.

According to the charging documents, the defendants conspired with others to purchase winning lottery tickets from the actual winners for cash, at a discount that was typically between 10-20 percent of each ticket’s value, thereby allowing the ticket holders to avoid reporting the winnings on their tax returns – a scheme commonly known as “ten-percenting.” The defendants and co-conspirators then allegedly presented the winning tickets to the Massachusetts Lottery Commission as their own and collected the full value of the tickets. It is also alleged that the defendants reported the ticket winnings as their own on their income tax returns and improperly offset the claimed winnings with purported gambling losses, thereby avoiding federal income taxes. 

Between 2011 and 2019, the defendants together cashed more than 13,000 lottery tickets and claimed more than $20,989,284 in Massachusetts lottery winnings. Based upon their submitted lottery claims, in 2019, Ali Jaafar was the top individual lottery ticket casher for Massachusetts. Mohamed Jaafar was the third highest individual ticket casher and Yousef Jaafar was the fourth highest individual ticket casher.

The charge of conspiracy to defraud the Internal Revenue Service provides for a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater, and restitution. The charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, a fine of $500,000 or twice the value of the property involved in the transaction, whichever is greater, restitution and forfeiture. The charge of filing false tax returns provides for a sentence of up to three years in prison, one year of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston made the announcement. Assistance was provided by the Massachusetts State Lottery Commission. Assistant U.S. Attorney Sara Miron Bloom of Mendell’s Securities, Financial & Cyber Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – The chief executive officer of a California liquor distribution company has agreed to plead guilty to a conspiracy charge in connection with securing her son’s fraudulent admission to the University of Southern California (USC) as a purported athletic recruit.

Marci Palatella, 66, of Hillsborough, Calif., will plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud. According to the terms of the plea agreement, the parties have agreed to a sentence of six weeks in prison, a $250,000 fine, two years of supervised release, with a condition of home confinement for the first six months of supervised release, and 500 hours of community service.

As set forth in the charging document, Palatella agreed with William “Rick” Singer and others to pay $500,000 to facilitate her son’s admission to USC as a football recruit, even though he was not actually being recruited and would not play on the USC football team. 

Palatella will be the 33rd parent to plead guilty in the case.

The charge of conspiracy to commit honest services mail fraud provides for a sentence of up 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss, whichever is greater. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Case information, including the status of each defendant, charging documents, and plea agreements are available here: https://www.justice.gov/usao-ma/investigations-college-admissions-and-testing-bribery-scheme.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Joseph R. Bonavolonta, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Ramsey E. Covington, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; and Mark Deckett, Resident Agent in Charge of the Department of Education, Office of Inspector General made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Justin D. O’Connell, Leslie A. Wright, Kristen A. Kearney, Ian J. Stearns, and Stephen E. Frank of Mendell’s Criminal Division are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – Two men were arrested on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021 in connection with a conspiracy to use stolen identities to fraudulently obtain disaster loans from the Small Business Administration (SBA) and to launder the funds. 

Edwin Acevedo, 35, of Acton, and Hector Garcia, 49, of Manchester, N.H., were each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Garcia was also charged with one count of aggravated identity theft. Acevedo made his initial appearance on Thursday, Aug. 19, 2021 and is being held pending a detention hearing. Garcia will make an initial appearance in federal court in Boston on Sept. 3, 2021.

According to charging documents, the defendants conspired with others to use stolen identity information of United States citizens to apply for SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans. It is alleged that Garcia used stolen identity information of a United States citizen to open a fraudulent bank account, which was then linked to other fraudulent bank accounts set up to receive the SBA funds. Acevedo allegedly coordinated co-conspirators’ receiving some of the debit cards associated with fraudulent bank accounts into which SBA funds were deposited, and assisted in laundering those funds by using the debit cards to purchase iPhones for re-sale. It is also alleged that Garcia and other co-conspirators wired a portion of the funds to the Dominican Republic.

It is alleged that over $452,000 in SBA funds were fraudulently obtained in connection with the scheme. Approximately $250,000 of this money was used to purchase iPhones in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.

The charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000 or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense. The charge of aggravated identity theft provides for a mandatory two-year sentence that must run consecutively to any other sentence imposed, up to one year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based on the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell and Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement. Valuable assistance was also provided by Homeland Security Investigations in Orlando, Fla.; Small Business Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Housing and Urban Development, Office of the Inspector General; Social Security Administration, Office of the Inspector General; Department of Labor, Office of the Inspector General; Department of State; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; Massachusetts State Police; New Hampshire State Police; and the Acton, Nashua (N.H.), Manchester (N.H.) and Ocala (Fla.) Police Departments. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Elianna Nuzum and Adam Deitch of Mendell’s Major Crimes Unit are prosecuting the case.

The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

BOSTON – A Sutton man was convicted by a federal jury in Worcester today of conspiring to distribute cocaine.

Bruce Marando, 47, was convicted following a four-day trial of conspiracy to distribute cocaine. U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman scheduled sentencing for Dec. 10, 2021.

Evidence at trial established that from March to May 2017, Marando conspired with Vito Nuzzolilo and others to distribute cocaine, including crack cocaine. A wiretap revealed numerous communications in which Marando and Nuzzolilo discussed purchasing and selling cocaine, cooking crack cocaine and distributing cocaine to satisfy a $9,000 debt that Marando owed Nuzzolilo. As a result of the investigation, law enforcement seized drugs from various locations, including 250 grams of cocaine from Nuzzolilo’s band room.

In April 2020, Nuzzolilo was sentenced to 134 months in prison and eight years of supervised release.

The charge of conspiracy to distribute cocaine provides for a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, at least three years of supervised release and a fine of up to $1 million. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Brian D. Boyle, Special Agent in Charge of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Boston Division; and Webster Police Chief Michael D. Shaw made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Lucy Sun of Mendell’s Worcester Branch Office and Elysa Wan of Mendell’s Criminal Division prosecuted the case.

BOSTON – A Springfield man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Springfield for racketeering offenses relating to the promotion of commercial sex. 

Kevin Smoot, 60, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni to time served (approximately 22 days) and three years of supervised release. The government recommended a sentence of one year in prison. On April 12, 2021, Smoot pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to use a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution offenses and seven counts of use of a facility of interstate commerce to promote prostitution offenses.

Between February 2019 and June 2020, Smoot conspired with others to promote commercial sex involving several women. Smoot transported women to and from commercial sex appointments, recruited and encouraged them to engage in commercial sex acts for money and helped to procure illegal drugs for use by the drug-addicted women. In addition, Smoot provided a residential location for commercial sex acts between female victims of sex trafficking and male customers, taking actions to collect money from male customers, and benefiting from the proceeds.

Acting United States Attorney Nathaniel R. Mendell; Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey; Matthew B. Millhollin, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston; Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi; Colonel Christopher Mason, Superintendent of the Massachusetts State Police; and Springfield Police Commissioner Cheryl Clapprood made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alex J. Grant of Mendell’s Springfield Branch Office prosecuted the case.