District of Maryland
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Serial Fraudster Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Participating in Elder Fraud “Grandparent” Scheme and a COVID-19 CARES Act Unemployment Benefit SchemeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Medard Ulysse, age 38, most recently of Miami, Florida, today to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for wire fraud and conspiracy to commit mail fraud in relation to multiple fraud schemes, including an elder fraud “grandparent” scam and a COVID-19 CARES Act fraud related to unemployment benefits. Judge Bennett also ordered Ulysse to pay restitution totaling $2,485,512. Of that amount $1,866,745 is for the elder fraud scam and $618,767 is for the unemployment benefits scheme.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General.
“This is a despicable crime causing fear and emotional turmoil for some of the most vulnerable members of our society,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI's Baltimore field office. “Ulysse used fraud and deceit to prey upon grandparents’ trust and love. The FBI is committed to combatting elder fraud and financial exploitation and ensuring our seniors are protected.”
“As a part of multiple fraud schemes, Medard Ulysse conspired with others to use stolen identities to defraud pandemic Unemployment Insurance programs established under the CARES Act to unlawfully obtain over $618,000, which deprived those who were truly in need of assistance during the pandemic,” said Troy W. Springer, Acting Special Agent in Charge, National Capital Region, U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Inspector General. “I am grateful for the strong partnerships with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland, the FBI, and our state workforce agency partners, as we continue focused efforts to hold accountable those who undermine the integrity of unemployment assistance programs.”
According to his guilty plea, from January 2018 to November 2019, Ulysse and others executed an elder fraud scam, called a “grandparent scam,” in which they persuaded elderly victims to send thousands of dollars in cash by posing as a police officer, lawyer, or other person in law enforcement and convincing victims that their grandchild needed money for bail or legal fees. If the victims sent money, conspirators asked for more cash claiming that additional funds were needed for legal expenses, fines, or damages. Conspirators called the elderly victim pretending to be the victim’s grandchild or other troubled relative to convince the victims to send cash. To conceal the scheme, the conspirators told the victims that a gag order had been placed on the case or that the situation was embarrassing for the grandchild, and that the victim should not share the information with others.
The victims were directed to send cash to residential addresses, that were either vacant or for sale, so no one would be at those locations at the time of the deliveries. Ulysse recruited people to assist in retrieving the packages. Co-conspirators opened the packages, counted the cash inside and sent Ulysse video recordings of the packages being opened and counted, then delivered the fraud proceeds to Ulysse and to other people involved in the scheme. Ulysse distributed, and directed co-conspirators to distribute, cash payments to other members of the conspiracy for their participation in the scheme.
As a result of the execution of the elder fraud scheme, Ulysse and his co-conspirators convinced at least 83 different victims to send a total of at least $2,420,280. Ulysse’s criminal actions resulted in substantial financial hardship to at least five victims.
From April 2020 to November 2020, Ulysse conducted an COVID-19 CARES Act unemployment benefit scheme to fraudulently obtain unemployment funds, including Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) and Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) established under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. As part of the scheme, Ulysse and his conspirators used the identities of numerous victims to submit fraudulent unemployment claims to multiple state workforce agencies, including the Maryland Department of Labor and the California Employment Development Department. The fraudulent applications listed individual victims’ names, social security numbers, and dates of birth. The Maryland Department of Labor and other state workforce agencies disbursed benefits through debit cards issued in the names of the applicants and mailed to addresses provided in the applications, which were locations accessible to Ulysse and other members of the conspiracy. Once conspiracy members obtained the funds on state issued debit cards, they used the funds for their personal benefit.
In total, between April 2020 and November 2020, Ulysse and his co-conspirators submitted at least 143 fraudulent applications in the names of identity theft victims and obtained approximately $618,767 in fraudulent funds.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the DOL-OIG for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Lowndes County Sheriff’s Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Christine Goo, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Cecil County Man Sentenced to More Than 12 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking of a ChildRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On January 17, 2023, U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Xavier Lee, a/k/a “X,” age 44, of Elkton, Maryland, to 150 months in federal prison, followed by 25 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor. Judge Hollander also ordered Lee to pay restitution of $15,600 to a minor victim. As a result of his conviction, upon his release from prison, Lee will be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Lt. Colonel Dalaine Brady, Acting Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Chief Carolyn Rogers of the Elkton Police Department; Anne Arundel County Police Chief Amal E. Awad; and Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer.
According to his plea agreement, for the past decade Lee has operated an illicit prostitution business for financial gain, including operating a website, where Lee posted advertisements of women whom he made available for commercial sexual acts with paying customers. That website was seized by the FBI, in conjunction with the United States Attorney’s Office and the Maryland State Police. For a time, Lee also operated a different website, where he offered a subscription pornographic service to paying customers.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Lee admitted that he had sexual contact with a minor victim, beginning when the victim was 14 years old. Lee recorded his sexual contact with the minor victim when she was 15 and 16 years old. Investigators recovered eight separate videos from Lee’s electronic devices, each of which had been recorded by Lee and each of which documented the sexual abuse of the minor victim, depicting the minor victim engaged in sexual acts with Lee or with another adult man. Lee admitted that he was aware of the minor victim’s true age.
For approximately the five years leading up to his arrest in 2019, Lee’s prostitution business was run almost exclusively out of a hotel located in Elkton, Maryland. Not only did Lee primarily use the same hotel in Elkton to prostitute women, Lee always used the same room. Lee ran his prostitution business according to a set pattern and protocol. Lee posted advertisements of women whom he made available for commercial sex acts with paying customers. The “profiles” of the females whom Lee was prostituting included photographs, descriptions, and fictitious names. The website also listed the cost of prostitution appointments, described services that were available, and allowed customers to post comments.
Finally, Lee admitted that in 2013, including in or about April 2013, Lee also had another minor victim who was sixteen to seventeen years old, to prostitution dates at Lee’s direction. These prostitution dates were arranged through Lee’s website. Lee was aware of the minor victim’s true age during the time because the minor victim advised Lee of her true age.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force, which was created to combat child prostitution, with members from ten state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking, while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Elkton Police Department, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, and the Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam K. Ake, who prosecuted the case.
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Curtis Bay Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On January 12, 2023, Malachi Carter-Bey, age 38, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty to federal charges of illegally possessing a loaded firearm within 1,000 feet of a school, specifically Curtis Bay Elementary-Middle School.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in the early morning hours of December 26, 2020, a Baltimore Police officer found what he thought was an abandoned Acura SUV running at the corner of Elmtree Street and Pennington Avenue in the Curtis Bay neighborhood of Baltimore. The officer approached the car and saw that Carter-Bey and a passenger were asleep in the car. Using a flashlight, the officer saw a large black revolver entirely exposed on the driver’s seat between the driver-side door and Carter-Bey. Once back-up arrived, Carter-Bey and the passenger were removed from the car and the revolver, a .357-caliber revolver loaded with six rounds of ammunition, was also recovered.
Carter-Bey admitted that he knew that he possessed the firearm within 1,000 feet of the grounds of a school zone, specifically, Curtis Bay Elementary-Middle School.
U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Hayes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced for Illegally Possessing a Loaded Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Turrell Davis, age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland for possessing a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school. Davis has served more than 14 months and as part of his sentence Judge Hollander ordered that Davis be on federal supervised release for three years and participate in the Roca, Inc. - Baltimore’s community violence intervention and response services.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF); and Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on November 9, 2020, Davis was arrested after police, using CCTV to monitor suspected drug activity in the 300 block of South Catherine Street, one block north of Frederick Elementary School, saw Davis, who appeared to be armed. Officers in a marked car were sent to the location to investigate. When Davis noticed the officers, he ran. As he ran, Davis threw a .45-caliber handgun, loaded with 13 rounds of ammunition. Body-worn camera, CCTV, and Foxtrot helicopter footage captured the firearm sliding across the street, stopping near the curb. Davis also tossed a clear bag, later found to contain fentanyl, under a parked car and surrendered to police. A search of Davis recovered additional fentanyl, a digital scale, and $623 in cash. The quantity and packaging of the drugs indicated that Davis intended to distribute the fentanyl.
Davis admitted that he knowingly possessed the firearm and that he had reason to believe he was within 1,000 feet of a school zone, specifically, Frederick Elementary School.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Logan Hayes and Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 11 Years in Federal Prison for a Series of Maryland Carjackings and for Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced James Albert Borum, age 20, of Washington, D.C., to 11 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release for carjacking and for brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence, in connection with a series of carjackings he committed in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Chief Jarod Towers of the City of Hyattsville Police Department; Chief Robert J. Contee III of the Metropolitan Police Department; United States Attorney for the District of Columbia Matthew M. Graves; Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy; and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy.
According to his guilty plea, in June 2021, Borum and his accomplices committed a series of carjackings in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties. At the time, Borum was on pre-trial supervision related to charges in Washington, D.C. and was wearing an ankle monitor. According to the plea agreement, Borum and an accomplice participated in four carjackings and an attempted carjacking. Borum admitted that a firearm was brandished in three of the carjackings.
As detailed in the plea agreement, on June 4, 2021, Victim 1 was beaten and carjacked by Borum and an accomplice, who also stole the victim’s cell phone. Victim 1’s wallet, which contained several items, including a bank card, was inside the vehicle at the time of the carjacking. Law enforcement recovered Victim 1’s bank card and a social security card in the name of Victim 1’s spouse from Borum’s bedroom during a search on July 1, 2021.
On June 10, 2021, Borum and his accomplice committed another carjacking in Silver Spring, Maryland. After Victim 2 had parked his car, he began walking into a nearby apartment courtyard. Borum and his accomplice followed Victim 2 and approached Victim 2 in the courtyard. Borum and the accomplice pointed a handgun at Victim 2’s forehead and stated, “I’ll kill you. Give me the keys.” Victim 2 gave Borum and the accomplice his keys and the carjackers drove away in Victim 2’s car. A global positioning device in Victim 2’s vehicle placed it near Borum’s home most of the time when the vehicle was not in use following the carjacking.
According to the plea agreement, on June 18, 2021, Borum and an accomplice attempted to carjack Victim 3 in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Cameron Street in Silver Spring. Borum and his accomplice demanded Victim 3’s keys, but she refused to give them up. Borum and the accomplice grabbed for Victim 3’s purse and a struggle ensued. Neither Borum nor his accomplice were able to obtain Victim 3’s keys, and both men fled as another vehicle pulled into the parking garage.
Surveillance footage obtained from the Rhode Island Avenue, Silver Spring, and Wheaton Metro stations both before and after the attempted carjacking shows Borum and his accomplice wearing clothing that matched the clothing worn by the carjackers. The footage also shows Borum wearing an ankle monitor and a distinctive white sweatshirt. The sweatshirt was later recovered from Borum’s residence.
As detailed in the plea agreement, on June 18, 2021, Borum and his accomplice carjacked Victim 4, who was sitting in his car in the parking lot in the 3500 block of East West Highway in Hyattsville, Maryland. Victim 4’s doors were unlocked and the windows were down. Borum and the accomplice opened the driver’s side door, pointed a gun at Victim 4’s head, and told him to get out of the car. Borum and the accomplice pulled Victim 4 out of the vehicle, pushed him to the ground, then got into Victim 4’s vehicle and drove away. Law enforcement tracked and recovered the vehicle later that evening in the 1200 block of Douglas Street, N.E. in Washington, D.C. The key to Victim 4’s car was found in Borum’s residence.
Finally, on June 23, 2021, Borum and an accomplice carjacked Victim 5 as Victim 5 was entering his car in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Colesville Road in Silver Spring, Maryland. Borum and his accomplice approached Victim 5 from behind, held a black handgun at the left side of Victim 5’s head, and repeated, “Give me the keys!” Victim 5 handed the carjackers his keys and wallet. Borum and the accomplice then fled in Victim 5’s vehicle. Victim 5’s vehicle was located by law enforcement five days later, parked on the same block as Borum’s residence. Borum’s fingerprints were identified on the car.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the City of Hyattsville Police Department, the Metropolitan Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office, and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant United States Attorney Jared C. Engelking and Assistant United States Attorney Jessica Collins, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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MS-13 Gang Member Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison After Being Convicted of Racketeering, Including Murders, and Federal Drug ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Brayan Contreras-Avalos, a/k/a “Anonimo,” “Humilde,” and “Malia,” age 28, of Langley Park, Maryland, late yesterday to the statutory maximum sentence of life in federal prison on charges related to his participation in a racketeering enterprise known as La Mara Salvatrucha, or “MS-13” and a concurrent five years in prison for a drug distribution conspiracy. Contreras-Avalos was convicted after a three-week trial, along with co-defendants Luis Flores-Reyes, a/k/a “Maloso,” “Lobo,”’ and “Viejo Lovvon,” age 42, of Arlington, Virginia and Jairo Jacome, a/k/a “Abuelo”, age 40, of Langley Park, Maryland.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III of the Drug Enforcement Administration – New York Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department.
MS-13 is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, operate throughout Frederick County, Anne Arundel County, Prince George’s County, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Contreras-Avalos, along with co-defendant Luis Flores-Reyes, was a leader within the Sailors Clique, which held territory in Maryland, Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Texas, and El Salvador. Co-defendant Jairo Jacome was the highest-ranking member of the local Langley Park Salvatrucha, or “LPS” clique.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang and to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control.” One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increase the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed during the trial, Contreras-Avalos and his co-defendants participated in at least three murders, including four minor victims, during the period of the conspiracy. Most of the victims were purported gang rivals except for one minor victim. For example, in June 2016, members of MS-13, including Contreras-Avalos, stabbed to death two homeless persons who gang members believed to be members of the 18th Street gang, in Hyattsville, Maryland. The investigation revealed no evidence that the victims were in fact members of any gang. According to the evidence presented at trial, Contreras-Avalos sought on another occasion to kill a homeless man until permission was denied, and later approved an unrelated murder where the intended target survived the attack but an associate did not.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, the defendants ran an extortion scheme in and around Langley Park, extorting local businesses by charging them “rent” for the privilege of operating in MS-13 “territory.” Contreras-Avalos and Flores-Reyes also trafficked illegal drugs, including marijuana and cocaine. A large share of the proceeds of the gang’s illegal activities were sent to gang leadership in El Salvador to further promote the illicit activities of the gang, using structured transactions and intermediaries to avoid law enforcement scrutiny.
Co-defendants Luis Flores-Reyes, a/k/a “Maloso,” “Lobo,”’ and “Viejo Lovvon,” age 42, of Arlington, Virginia and Jairo Jacome, a/k/a “Abuelo”, age 40, of Langley Park, Maryland, were convicted for the racketeering conspiracy and for murder in aid of racketeering. Jacome and Flores-Reyes were also convicted of extortion conspiracy. Flores-Reyes and Jacome face a mandatory sentence of life in prison at their sentencing. Judge Xinis has scheduled sentencing for Flores-Reyes on February 22, 2023 and for Jacome on February 23, 2023.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, DEA, HSI, Prince George’s County Police Department, Montgomery County Police Department, Virginia State Police, Lynchburg Police Department, Prince William County Police Department, Nassau County District Attorney’s Office, the Bedford County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office and the Bedford County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy F. Hagan, Chris M. Sarma, William Moomau, Assistant Director Catherine Dick of the Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division and Trial Attorney Alexander Gottfried of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Felon Sentenced to Statutory Maximum of Five Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm in a Baltimore School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Lawrence Russoe, age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, to the statutory maximum sentence of five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for possession of a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school zone.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department (BPD).
“Schools should be sacred and free from fear. Felon or no felon, if you’re caught with a gun around a school, we’re seeking to prosecute you federally,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
According to Russoe’s guilty plea, on June 7, 2021, BPD Detectives received notice of a stolen gray Hyundai vehicle at a fast-food drive-thru in the 2800 block of Greenmount Avenue in Baltimore. Detectives attempted to stop the vehicle, but the driver, later identified as Russoe, refused to stop. A BPD helicopter maintained surveillance of the vehicle as it fled at a high speed, driving recklessly.
As detailed in the plea, Russoe briefly stopped the car to let out a passenger, then continued driving until entering the 3500 block of Parklawn Avenue, where he abandoned the car while it was still in motion. Russoe had a satchel draped across his body as he got out of the car and ran away, with BPD officers in pursuit. Russoe was arrested a short time later. Detectives searched the gray Hyundi and located an extended magazine, loaded with seven rounds of 9mm ammunition, on the rear driver’s side floorboard. In the satchel that Russoe was carrying, law enforcement recovered a privately made firearm (PMF), commonly known as a “ghost gun,” specifically, a Polymer 80, 9mm semi-automatic pistol without a serial number, a scale, seven baggies of marijuana, one clear gelcap containing a mixture of cocaine, heroin, and fentanyl, and a cell phone.
Russoe admitted that he had reasonable cause to believe he was within 1,000 feet of a school while he possessed the firearm, because he drove directly past the Belair-Edison Middle School and the firearm and ammunition were both found approximately 500 feet from the school.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Russo is currently serving a sentence of seven years for a conviction in Baltimore City Circuit Court for first degree assault and possession of a firearm with a felony conviction. Judge Bennett ordered that Russoe’s federal sentence will be served concurrent to his state sentence and that Russoe must forfeit the PMF, extended magazine, and seven rounds of 9mm ammunition.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacob Gordin, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 35 Years in Federal Prison for Murder-For-HireRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Julie R. Rubin today sentenced Daquante Thomas, a/k/a “Glock,” age 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 35 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death, in connection with a murder-for-hire conspiracy.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Gregory Der of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson.
“This case is a tragedy for the victim and the affected families. I am hopeful that our reenergized law enforcement and community partnerships will help break this cycle of violence,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
“Today’s sentencing is another example of the successful partnership that exists between our office and our law enforcement partners on the local, state, and federal level,” said Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson. “We are committed to working in a collaborative manner to solve cases, make arrests, and hold criminals, such as Daquante Thomas, accountable for their actions.”
“The prioritizing of money over humanity in this case shows just how little this defendant values the lives of others,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “We cannot allow individuals like this to walk freely in our communities, willing to murder citizens for the right price. ATF is proud to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners every day to identify and investigate the people responsible for committing acts of violence in Maryland.”
According to the plea agreement, on October 4, 2020, Howard County Police responded to a shooting in the area of Basket Ring Road in Columbia. Victim Juan Ross was found shot and killed at the scene, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head. Investigation identified Daquante Thomas as one of the shooters. As detailed in the guilty plea, co-conspirator 1 accused the victim, Juan Ross, age 23, of Columbia, Maryland, of cooperating with law enforcement, including on a live social media conversation on September 9, 2020, and in text message. Thomas admitted that co-conspirator 1 solicited him and another conspirator to kill Juan Ross and that he accepted payment to commit the murder.
According to the plea agreement, on October 3, 2020, Thomas and co-conspirator 2 texted each other about the address where they could find the victim. The next day Thomas, co-conspirator 2 and co-conspirator 3 drove to the area of Basket Ring Road in Columbia to locate Juan Ross, then drove to a drug store nearby so that co-conspirator 2 could purchase an Uber card and leave the area. A short time later, Thomas and co-conspirator 3 returned to the area of Basket Ring Road, shot and killed Juan Ross, then drove away together.
Two co-defendants, Jourdain Larose, a/k/a “JBlacc,” age 27, of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Tyrik Braxton, a/k/a “Son-Son,” age 26, of Baltimore, Maryland, are charged with a federal murder-for-hire conspiracy, use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for hire, and use and discharge of a firearm during a crime of violence resulting in death. They remain detained while they await their trial. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Howard County Police Department, and the Howard County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution and thanked the FBI, the Maryland State Police, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Y. Oldham, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Iranian SanctionsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Behrouz Mokhtari, age 72, of McLean, Virginia and Tehran, Iran, a native of Iran and a naturalized citizen of the United States, pleaded guilty today to two conspiracies to violate sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran regarding the exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply directly or indirectly, any goods, technology, or services to Iran.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his guilty plea, from at least March 2018 until at least September 2020, Mokhtari conspired with his co-defendant and others to evade Iranian sanctions by engaging in business activities on behalf of Iranian entities without first obtaining the required licenses from the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Mokhtari held management positions and/or maintained ownership control of multiple business in Iran and the United Arab Emirates (“UAE”), referred to collectively as “the FSR Network.” Mokhtari and his co-conspirators used the FSR Network to provide services to Iranian entities and engage in transactions involving Iranian petrochemical products, including refining petrochemical products and transporting them by sea. Mokhtari and his co-conspirators used bank accounts located in the UAE, including Bitubiz FZE, which was part of the FSR Network and over which Mokhtari exercised partial or complete control, to process these U.S. dollar transactions.
Mokhtari admitted that Bitubiz operated as a conduit for the FSR Network to conceal the fact that Mokhtari and his co-conspirators were engaging in financial transactions with, and providing services to, Iranian entities. Bitubiz maintained daily ledgers which recorded the receipt and transfers of funds. After receiving an incoming wire transfer, Bitubiz would credit most of that amount to Ayegh Isfahan Manufacturing Company (“AIM”). Mokhtari and others held ownership interests in AIM, which was located in Iran, was engaged in the petrochemical industry, and was part of the FSR Network.
As stated in his guilty plea, from about February 2013 until at least June 2017, Mokhtari and a number of Iranian nationals engaged in a conspiracy to conduct illicit shipments of petrochemical products to and from Iran, in violation of the Iranian sanctions and used the U.S. financial system to facilitate such shipments. In furtherance of the scheme, Mokhtari created a front company in Panama, East & West Shipping, Inc., to purchase two liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tanker vessels for approximately $38 million. These vessels were subsequently used to transport Iranian petrochemical products in international commerce on behalf of, and to benefit, Iranian entities associated with the Government of Iran.
After using East & West to purchase the two vessels (LPG Vessel 1 and 2), Mokhtari transferred ownership of the vessels to other entities, in order to conceal the conspirators’ financial and ownership interest in the two vessels. The conspirators then used another entity, Greenline Shipholding, Inc., to control operations of LPG Vessels 1 and 2. For example, through email communications from Greenline email accounts, or email accounts containing some variation of the Greenline name, the conspirators directed Company 5, a ship management company, to oversee the leasing and operation of LPG Vessel 1 and 2 to transport Iranian petrochemical products from Iranian ports to other locations and to participate in ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian products while on the high seas.
The conspirators, including Mokhtari, used the United States financial system to engage in transactions related to the hiring of the vessels and other expenses. In addition, Mokhtari and his co-conspirators frequently communicated by email about the nature and source of the products that the vessels were transporting, as well as the use of false shipping documents and other measures taken to conceal the fact that the vessels were transporting products to and from Iran, in order to evade the Iranian sanctions.
At some point prior to May 2017, ownership of LPG Vessel 1 was transferred to Russell Shipping, Inc., which was owned by Mokhtari. On May 30, 2017, Mokhtari sold LPG Vessel 1 to be scrapped for more than $3.1 million. Mokhtari received a total of $2,862,591.12 from that sale. The purchaser wired funds to accounts at two separate banks held in the name of Mori Construction and Development, LLC (Mori Construction). Mokhtari was the sole owner of Mori Construction and controlled both bank accounts. Through a series of inter-account transfers and check payments, by September 2017 all of the proceeds from the sale of LPG Vessel 1 were located in a third account, over which Mokhtari and his daughter had signature authority. In March 2018, Mokhtari used those proceeds to purchase a home in Campbell, California for $1,512,000.
Mokhtari admitted that he knew that, as a United States citizen, he was prohibited from engaging in business with or providing services to Iranian entities, without first obtaining a license or permission from OFAC to do so. Neither Mokhtari, nor any of his co-conspirators ever applied for or obtained such a license. Mokhtari further knew that it was illegal to engage in transactions intended to evade Iranian sanctions, or to engage in transactions related to goods and services of Iranian origin or export.
As part of his guilty plea, Mokhtari must forfeit money, property, and/or assets derived from, obtained as the result of, or used to facilitate the commission of his illegal activities, including the residence he purchased in Campbell, California and a money judgment in the amount of approximately $2,862,598.12.
Mokhtari faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the two conspiracy counts. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for April 3, 2023 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended FBI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Virginia Man Pleads Guilty to Conspiring to Violate Iranian SanctionsRead the Press Release
Behrouz Mokhtari, 72, of McLean, Virginia, and Tehran, Iran, a naturalized U.S. citizen, pleaded guilty today to two separate conspiracies to violate sanctions imposed by the United States on Iran regarding the exportation, re-exportation, sale, or supply, directly or indirectly, of any goods, technology, or services to Iran.
According to his guilty plea, from at least March 2018 until at least September 2020, Mokhtari conspired with his co-defendant and others to evade Iranian sanctions by engaging in business activities on behalf of Iranian entities without first obtaining the required licenses from the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Mokhtari held management positions and/or maintained ownership control of multiple business in Iran and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), referred to collectively as “the FSR Network.” Mokhtari and his co-conspirators used the FSR Network to provide services to Iranian entities and engage in transactions involving Iranian petrochemical products, including refining petrochemical products and transporting them by sea. Mokhtari and his co-conspirators used bank accounts located in the UAE, including Bitubiz FZE, which was part of the FSR Network and over which Mokhtari exercised partial or complete control, to process these U.S. dollar transactions.
Mokhtari admitted that Bitubiz operated as a conduit for the FSR Network to conceal the fact that Mokhtari and his co-conspirators were engaging in financial transactions with, and providing services to, Iranian entities. Bitubiz maintained daily ledgers which recorded the receipt and transfers of funds. After receiving an incoming wire transfer, Bitubiz would credit most of that amount to Ayegh Isfahan Manufacturing Company (AIM). Mokhtari and others held ownership interests in AIM, which was located in Iran, engaged in the petrochemical industry, and part of the FSR Network.
As stated in his guilty plea, from about February 2013 until at least June 2017, Mokhtari and several Iranian nationals engaged in a separate conspiracy to support illicit shipments of petrochemical products to and from Iran in violation of the Iranian sanctions. In furtherance of the scheme, Mokhtari created a Panama-based front company, East & West Shipping Inc., to purchase two liquid petroleum gas (LPG) tanker vessels to transport Iranian petrochemical products in international commerce on behalf of, and to benefit, Iranian entities associated with the Government of Iran.
After using East & West to purchase the two vessels (LPG Vessels 1 and 2), Mokhtari transferred ownership of the vessels to other entities to conceal the conspirators’ financial and ownership interest. The conspirators then used another entity, Greenline Shipholding Inc., to control the operations of LPG Vessels 1 and 2. For example, through email communications from Greenline email accounts, or email accounts containing some variation of the Greenline name, the conspirators directed Company 5, a ship management company, to oversee the leasing and operation of LPG Vessels 1 and 2 to transport Iranian petrochemical products from Iranian ports to other locations and to participate in ship-to-ship transfers of Iranian products while on the high seas.
The conspirators, including Mokhtari, used the U.S. financial system to engage in transactions related to the vessels and other expenses. In addition, Mokhtari and his co-conspirators frequently communicated by email about the nature and source of the products that the vessels were transporting, as well as the use of false shipping documents and other measures to conceal the fact that the vessels were transporting products to and from Iran in violation of Iranian sanctions.
At some point prior to May 2017, ownership of LPG Vessel 1 was transferred to Russell Shipping Inc., which was owned by Mokhtari. On May 30, 2017, Mokhtari sold LPG Vessel 1 to be scrapped for more than $3.1 million. Mokhtari received a total of $2,862,591.12 from that sale. The purchaser wired funds to accounts at two separate banks – one held in the name of Mori Construction and Development LLC and the other held in the name of Mori Construction. Mokhtari was the sole owner of Mori Construction and controlled both bank accounts. Through a series of inter-account transfers and check payments, by September 2017, the proceeds from the sale of LPG Vessel 1 were located in a third account, over which Mokhtari and his daughter had signature authority. In March 2018, Mokhtari used those proceeds to purchase a home in Campbell, California, for over $1.5 million.
Mokhtari admitted that he knew that, as a U.S. citizen, he was prohibited from engaging in business with or providing services to Iranian entities without first obtaining a license or permission from OFAC to do so. Neither Mokhtari nor any of his co-conspirators ever applied for or obtained such a license. Mokhtari further knew that it was illegal to engage in transactions intended to evade Iranian sanctions or to engage in transactions related to goods and services of Iranian origin or export.
As part of his guilty plea, Mokhtari must forfeit money, property and assets derived from, obtained as the result of, or used to facilitate the commission of his illegal activities, including the residence he purchased in Campbell, California, and a money judgment in the amount of $2,862,598.12.
Mokhtari faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of the two conspiracy counts. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel scheduled sentencing for April 3.
Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen of the Justice Department’s National Security Division, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland, Assistant Director Alan E. Kohler Jr. of the FBI Counterintelligence Division and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office made the announcement.
The FBI investigated the case.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin for the District of Maryland prosecuted the case, with valuable assistance provided by the National Security Division’s Counterintelligence and Export Control Section.
Windsor Mill Couple Facing Federal Charges for Allegedly Obtaining and Attempting to Obtain Multiple Fraudulent COVID-19 Cares Act Loans and Fraudulent Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint has been filed charging Tomeka Glenn, age 46, and Kevin Davis, age 42, both of Windsor Mill, Maryland, for conspiracy to commit wire fraud, relating to the submission of fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program and Economic Injury Disaster Loan applications and their receipt of over $300,000 in fraudulently obtained funds. The complaint was filed December 16, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants.
The defendants are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore beginning at 2:00 p.m. this afternoon.
The charges were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act was a federal law enacted in March 2020 to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, including forgivable loans to small businesses for job retention and certain other expenses, through the Paycheck Protection Program, administered through the Small Business Administration (SBA). The SBA also offered an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) and/or an EIDL advance to help businesses meet their financial obligations. An EIDL advance did not have to be repaid, and small businesses could receive an advance, even if they were not approved for an EIDL loan. The maximum advance amount was $10,000.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, in September 2020, a Baltimore County Police Department detective investigating fraudulent PPP loans associated with targets of a criminal investigation identified several other individuals, including Glenn, who applied for and received PPP loans and EIDLs, using false and fraudulent information. As detailed in the affidavit, a review of the PPP and EIDL applications submitted by Glenn for businesses that she owns and/or controls were found to contain false statements and misrepresentations as to the legitimacy of the business; the number of employees; the financial earnings and payroll expenses of the businesses; and the income taxes withheld by the businesses. The affidavit alleges that how Glenn spent the loan proceeds was inconsistent with payroll and other business expenses allowable under the loan program.
For example, on June 19, 2020, Glenn allegedly filed an EIDL application for “Kdonsvanity décor.” An entity call K’Dons Vanity Décor was formed in Maryland on December 17, 2019. Glenn was listed as the registered agent for the entity with her home address as the address of the company. The application claimed that the business had gross revenues of $175,000 and had 10 employees. IRS records indicate that there were no business tax filings for K’Don’s Vanity Décor LLC for tax years 2019 or 2020. Glenn also responded “no’ to the question as to whether she had been convicted for any felony within the last five years. In fact, Glenn had been convicted of felonious credit card fraud in Fairfax County, Virginia in 2016 and of access device fraud in York County, Pennsylvania. Glenn received a $10,000 EIDL advance as a result of the application, but the larger EIDL loan sought in the application was ultimately declined by the SBA due to “unsatisfactory credit history.”
The affidavit alleges that Glenn submitted a similar fraudulent application for a PPP loan on behalf of K’Dons Vanity Décor and on August 8, 2020, received loan proceeds of $70,357.50. A review of Glenn’s bank accounts reveals that shortly after receiving the PPP loan funds, Glenn made purchases inconsistent with those allowable under the PPP loan program. For instance, Glenn purchased luxury goods, including multiple pairs of Christian Louboutin brand shoes, and resort travel with Davis. On July 19, 2021, Glenn submitted an application for loan forgiveness, claiming that $67,390 of the PPP loan had been spent on payroll costs, and the loan was forgiven.
During the course of the investigation, law enforcement discovered multiple other business entities (or purported business entities) associated with Glenn that applied for EIDL or PPP loans, including TD Innovative Consulting, referenced above, and Epoxy By S.H.E. LLC, in addition to “Kaydon Vanity Décor.” As detailed in the affidavit, the loan applications contained similar false statements as to the legitimacy of the businesses, number of employees, and financial condition of the entities and the loans were ultimately denied.
The affidavit further alleges that Glenn engaged in a scheme to assist Davis, with whom she is in a romantic relationship, to submit and receive fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans. Specifically, Davis allegedly submitted a fraudulent PPP loan application on behalf of For Keepsake Investment Realty, which included false statements as to the number of employees and amount of payroll, as well as including a fraudulent bank statement and IRS Form 940—Employer’s Annual Federal Unemployment Tax Return for 2019—in support of the application. Davis also responded “no’ to the question as to whether he had been placed on any form of parole or probation within the last five years, when in fact, on March 24, 2017, Davis began four years of supervised release for a 2013 federal conviction in Arizona for conspiracy to distribute marijuana. On March 18, 2021, Davis received PPP loan proceeds of $145,369 on behalf of For Keepsake Investment Realty.
Further, a fraudulent EIDL loan application on behalf of For Keepsake Investment Realty, listing Davis as the owner of the business, was submitted on June 30, 2020, which claimed, among other things, that the business had gross revenues of $250,000 and employed 10 employees. On July 2, 2020, and July 15, 2020, Davis received an EIDL advance of $10,000 and EIDL loan proceeds of $64,900, respectively, on behalf of For Keepsake Realty.
As detailed in the affidavit, in the months following the disbursement of the EIDL loans, Davis purchased multiple airline tickets, luxury goods, and paid for vacations. Moreover, on December 7, 2021, For Keepsake Realty sent $7,000 via a teller transfer to KDons Vanity Décor LLC’s bank account, which was controlled by Glenn.
In addition to the fraudulent PPP and EIDL loans obtained by Glenn and Davis, the affidavit alleges that Glenn received approximately $21,000 and Davis received approximately $13,000 in unemployment compensation based on fraudulent applications they submitted.
If convicted, Glenn and Davis each face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
A criminal complaint is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by criminal complaint is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
The District of Maryland Strike Force is one of three strike forces established throughout the United States by the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate and prosecute COVID-19 fraud, including fraud relating to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The CARES Act was designed to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The strike forces focus on large-scale, multi-state pandemic relief fraud perpetrated by criminal organizations and transnational actors. The strike forces are interagency law enforcement efforts, using prosecutor-led and data analyst-driven teams designed to identify and bring to justice those who stole pandemic relief funds.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore County Policed Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who is prosecuting the case. He also recognized the assistance of the Maryland COVID-19 Strike Force Paralegal Specialist Joanna B.N. Huber.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Maryland Man Sentenced to More Than Six Years in Federal Prison for His Role in a $28 Million Ponzi Scheme Involving “1st Million Dollars” Wealth Management CompanyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Arley Ray Johnson, age 63, of Bowie, Maryland, yesterday to 78 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy, wire fraud, and securities fraud charges, in connection with a $28 million Ponzi scheme involving 1st Million, a purported wealth management and financial literacy company. Johnson was convicted on September 29, 2022, after a 10-day trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Matthew R. Stohler of the United States Secret Service - Washington Field Office; and Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington
According to the evidence presented at his trial, Johnson conspired with his co-defendants, including Dennis Mbongeni Jali and John Erasmus Frimpong to defraud investors through several related entities including The Smart Partners LLC, which did business as “1st Million Dollars” or “1st Million.” Johnson served as the Chief Operating Officer for 1st Million, which was headquartered in Largo, Maryland.
According to trial evidence, 1st Million presented itself as a wealth management and financial literacy company, with its core business offering being a 12-month guaranteed investment contract. These investment contracts, entitled “Corporate Guarantees,” represented that the client’s principal would be invested in foreign currency or cryptocurrency and guaranteed individuals who invested money with 1st Million monthly returns ranging from 6% to 35% of the initial investment. At the end of the investment period, the contract promised that the investor would receive the return of all of the principal invested. In reality, the evidence at trial showed, 1st Million did not invest victims’ funds as promised and, instead, misappropriated the funds for themselves and used the funds to keep the scheme afloat, including using funds from new investors to repay existing investors.
In addition to misrepresenting that victim funds would be used to invest, Johnson and his co-defendants also falsely stated that investors’ principal would be held in a trust account protected from any financial instability of 1st Million or market volatility. In fact, victim funds were not placed in a trust account or otherwise guaranteed. In addition, Johnson and his co-defendants falsely claimed that 1st Million was financially healthy and earning astronomical profits, but 1st Million’s accounts, some of which were controlled by Johnson, were frequently overdrawn and 1st Million had substantial cash flow problems, all of which Johnson and his co-conspirators concealed from investors.
As detailed in the trial evidence, Johnson and his co-defendants recruited victims to invest in 1st Million by holding promotional events at upscale hotels and event spaces, attending church-sponsored events intended to target investments from churchgoers, and representing themselves as religious men more interested in the financial freedom of others than personal financial gain. Johnson and his co-defendants presented themselves as “pastors,” and told prospective investors that 1st Million’s work was in furtherance of God’s mission as it helped churches and their members achieve personal wealth and financial freedom. Johnson and his co-defendants also hired “agents” of 1st Million to organize recruiting events to attract more investors, in exchange for a higher return on the agents’ investments.
By Spring 2019, 1st Million’s accounts were often overdrawn by hundreds of thousands of dollars, and some of the checks 1st Million sent to pay investors monthly returns were returned by the bank due to insufficient funds. Nevertheless, Johnson and Frimpong continued to solicit funds from existing investors, as well as new investors, and failed to tell any of these potential investors of 1st Million’s financial problems. Ultimately, the scheme collapsed in May 2019 and hundreds of 1st Million investors collectively lost millions of dollars.
Over the course of the conspiracy, Johnson and his co-defendants persuaded or attempted to persuade more than 1,200 victims from across the United States to provide them with wire transfers, checks, and cash totaling more than $28 million, from numerous victims. The evidence proved that although the victims were promised tremendous returns on their investments, Johnson and his co-conspirators did not invest any of the money, instead using it to fund their own lifestyles and to perpetuate the fraud scheme.
John Erasmus Frimpong, age 42, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland previously pleaded guilty to a wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to commit securities fraud, and to securities fraud. Judge Chuang has scheduled sentencing for Frimpong on February 10, 2023, at 9:00 a.m.
Jali fled the United States in May 2019, but has since been arrested in South Africa.
Separate civil actions filed against Johnson and his co-defendants by the Securities and Exchange Commission and the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission remain pending.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Caitlin R. Cottingham and Jennifer L. Wine, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Germantown Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison for the Illegal Possession and Distribution of Firearms and DrugsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Dwight Luis Clarke, age 32, of Germantown, Maryland, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm and four counts of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. Clarke admitted that he sold crack cocaine and seven firearms, including five privately manufactured firearms, known as “ghost guns” to an undercover law enforcement officer.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Victor Brito of the Rockville City Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, during late 2021 and early 2022, Clarke was identified as a suspected trafficker of narcotics and firearms. In February 2022, an ATF Special Agent, acting in an undercover capacity (the UC) contacted Clarke, who agreed to sell the UC crack cocaine and firearms. During three meetings that month, Clarke sold the UC: two privately made firearms (PMFs) that Clarke referred to as “ghost guns,” specifically, Polymer80 Inc. 9mm semi-automatic pistols, bearing no apparent serial numbers; a.22-caliber semi-automatic AR-style pistol; a 33 round 9mm extended magazine, which contained one 9mm cartridge; a .22-caliber extended AR-style magazine loaded with three .22-caliber cartridges, a .22LR caliber mini mag ammunition box containing 95 cartridges; a .380 caliber semi-automatic pistol; and 44.48 grams of crack cocaine.
During one of the meetings, Clarke told the UC that he was unable to purchase a gun at a gun store for the same reason that the UC stated that the UC could not go to a gun store, that is, due to a prior felony conviction.
As detailed in the guilty plea, at the end of February, Clarke and the UC communicated again regarding the purchase of additional narcotics and firearms. On February 28, 2022, Clarke and the UC met at the designated location and Clarke sold the UC three fully assembled ghost guns for a total of $3,000, specifically, three Polymer80 Inc., 9mm semi-automatic pistols, each bearing no apparent serial number.
Search warrants were executed on March 7, 2022, at Clarke’s residence and vehicle. Law enforcement seized firearms and ammunition from Clarke’s residence. Clarke was not present at the time, but was arrested a short time later, after asking to meet with the UC to complete a previously agreed upon sale of firearms and crack cocaine. Law enforcement recovered a Polymer80 Inc. 9mm semi-automatic pistol that Clarke had attempted to throw away before his arrest, and seized approximately 54.78 grams of crack cocaine from Clarke.
Clarke admitted that he knew he had a previous felony conviction and was prohibited from possessing firearms or ammunition. Further, Clarke admitted that he possessed firearms in connection with his drug trafficking business.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Rockville City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy F. Hagan and Patrick D. Kibbe, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland Drug Dealer Sentenced to Life in Federal Prison for the Murder of a Woman and Her Seven-Year-Old Child in Relation to Federal Drug Trafficking CrimesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett today sentenced Andre Ricardo Briscoe, a/k/a “Poo”, age 39, of Baltimore and Cambridge, Maryland, to life in federal prison for federal drug distribution charges, use of a firearm to commit murder in relation to drug trafficking crimes, killing a witness to prevent communication with law enforcement and being a felon in possession of firearm and ammunition. Defendant Briscoe was convicted of those charges on June 8, 2022, after a 12-day jury trial.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Justin Todd of the Cambridge Police Department.
According to the facts proven at his trial, from March through October 2015, Briscoe conspired with others to distribute heroin. On May 25, 2015, Briscoe traveled from his home in Cambridge, Maryland, to the home of co-defendant Kiara Haynes, with whom he was romantically involved. He told Haynes that he planned to steal heroin from Jennifer Jeffrey, a long-time friend of Haynes. According to trial testimony, during the course of the evening, Briscoe explained that Ms. Jeffrey had heroin and he planned to rob and kill Ms. Jeffrey to get the heroin. Haynes told Briscoe she would help him get a gun.
Haynes subsequently contacted a relative whom she knew to have a gun. The relative was incarcerated at the time. Haynes told the relative on a recorded jail line that she needed the gun so Briscoe could rob Ms. Jeffrey of her drugs. In exchange for allowing Haynes to use the gun, Haynes promised to give the inmate “like 30 [grams]” of the stolen heroin and give him the gun back. The inmate agreed to loan Haynes the gun. After the call, Haynes and Briscoe met with the inmate’s brother, who gave Haynes a .45 caliber firearm. Briscoe and Haynes returned to Haynes’s apartment with the gun.
Later that night, Briscoe left Haynes’s apartment and went to visit Ms. Jeffrey at her nearby home. As detailed during trial testimony, after Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment on the morning of May 27, 2015, Briscoe told Haynes that Ms. Jeffrey had shown him a large amount of heroin and that Ms. Jeffrey’s child did not feel well and had not gone to school that day. At approximately 11:41 a.m. Haynes overheard Briscoe on the phone with Ms. Jeffrey, who was talking about making breakfast for Briscoe. Briscoe retrieved the .45-caliber gun from Haynes’s bedroom and told her that he was going to Ms. Jeffrey’s to get the drugs.
Briscoe then went to Ms. Jeffrey’s home, where he carried out his plan by robbing her of at least 80 grams of drugs and murdered Ms. Jeffrey, shooting her in the wrist, shoulder, chest, and back of the head. Briscoe also killed Ms. Jeffrey’s child while he was in his bed by shooting the child multiple times in the head.
Briscoe returned to Haynes’s apartment and told her that Jennifer Jeffrey and her child were dead and gave Haynes a bag of heroin as her “cut.” As detailed in Haynes’s plea agreement, she returned the gun to the inmate’s relative along with the heroin given to her by Briscoe, as payment for the use of the gun. On May 28, 2015, after a receiving a call for assistance, the Baltimore Police Department discovered Ms. Jeffrey and her child dead in their home.
Co-defendant Kiara Haynes, age 38, of Baltimore, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for two counts of aiding and abetting the use and discharge of a firearm in relation to a drug trafficking crime and crime of violence, causing the death of Jennifer Jeffrey and her seven-year-old child.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Cambridge Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, who prosecuted the case and thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael C. Hanlon and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sandra Wilkinson for their assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Registered Sex Offender Sentenced to 45 Years in Federal Prison for the Sexual Exploitation of Two Minor Girls to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar today sentenced Dennis James Harrison, age 40, of Rocky Ridge, Maryland, to 45 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for the sexual exploitation of children to produce child pornography, related to the sexual exploitation of two minors who were between the ages of 10 and 12 at the time of the abuse. Chief Judge Bredar also ordered that, upon his release from prison, defendant Harrison must continue to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (“SORNA”).
Harrison also had a conviction from August 12, 2009, in the Court of Common Pleas of Adams County, Pennsylvania, for possession of child pornography and was a registered sex offender at the time of his arrest in this federal case.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; and Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith III.
According to his guilty plea, between 2018 and 2021, Harrison sexually exploited two minor girls beginning when the one victim was twelve years old and when the other victim was 10 to 11 years old, to produce child pornography. Specifically, from at least September 2020 through August 2021, Harrison engaged in sexual activity with Jane Doe 1, a 12-year-old girl who resided in Pennsylvania. Harrison picked-up Jane Doe 1 from her residence and drove her to various locations in Maryland, including Harrison’s residence, where he engaged in illegal sexual activity with Jane Doe 1. The defendant produced images and videos of his sexual abuse of Jane Doe 1 and enticed Jane Doe 1 to send him sexually explicit photographs of herself.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Harrison also used a hidden camera and a mobile phone in 2018 to produce a series of images depicting Jane Doe 2, a 10-to-11-year-old girl, nude and partially nude in a bedroom and bathroom in Pennsylvania and in a bathroom in Maryland. The images were taken without the knowledge of Jane Doe 2.
On August 12, 2021, investigators executed a search warrant at Harrison’s residence and recovered a cellphone used by Harrison to film his sexual abuse of Jane Doe 1, as well as several digital devices. A forensic examination of all the devices located files depicting the sexual abuse of children on each one, including depictions of infants and toddlers. In total, over 14,000 files of child pornography were found on Harrison’s devices.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the “Resources” tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office, and the Frederick County State’s Attorney’s Office their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Federal Grand Jury in Maryland Charges Virginia Man for Illegal Possession of a Firearm and AmmunitionRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Lavar William Henderson, age 44, of Richmond, Virginia, for the federal charge of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. The indictment was returned on November 16, 2022. Henderson was arrested on related state charges on November 16, 2022, and had an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt yesterday on the federal indictment. Henderson consented to detention pending trial.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Acting Chief Christopher Stock of the U.S. Park Police, and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to his indictment and court documents, on October 26, 2022, Henderson illegally possessed a 9mm pistol, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition. On that day, officers with the U.S. Park Police were alerted to be on the lookout for a black Jaguar being driven by a man wearing a red hat, who was pointing a firearm with a red laser at other motorists. A vehicle matching that description passed a crash scene and officers at the scene followed, then conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle. Henderson was arrested.
As detailed in court documents, a 9mm pistol, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition, was located in the vehicle. Additional investigation revealed that the firearm was equipped with a red laser and was previously reported stolen from Henrico County, Virginia in 2014. Officers with the United States Park Police and the Maryland State Police conducted interviews with four victims who alleged that Henderson pointed his gun at them while driving that morning, before Henderson’s arrest on the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Court documents further allege that Henderson yelled at the victims, and either beat on, or caused damage to, the victims’ vehicles.
If convicted, Henderson faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the U.S. Park Police, and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney LaShanta Harris and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Two Armed Robbers Each Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal PrisonRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Noland Rheubotton, age 57, of Baltimore, Maryland, yesterday to10 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for an armed commercial robbery and for brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
On November 29, 2022, Judge Gallagher sentenced co-defendant James Featherstone, age 60, of Baltimore, to 10 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for the same crime.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Henry Trabert of the Aberdeen Police Department; and Chief Teresa Walter of the Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to their guilty pleas, on December 22, 2019, Rheubottom and Featherstone entered a gas station convenience store in Aberdeen, Maryland. The defendants brandished handguns and robbed the store of cash and lotter scratch-off tickets. Rheubottom and Featherstone also robbed a store employee of cash before they fled in a silver Toyota Corolla.
Aberdeen Police Department (“APD”) officers responding to the robbery spotted the silver Toyota Corolla. An APD officer attempted to detain the vehicle and occupants at gunpoint, but the vehicle fled and entered I-95. Police officers followed the vehicle and attempted to stop the vehicle while it was traveling on I-95. At one point, the vehicle swerved in attempt to strike one of the police vehicles. The suspect vehicle then exited I-95 and headed towards Havre de Grace. Havre de Grace police officers joined the pursuit. Ultimately, officers placed stop sticks in the roadway which deflated the Toyota’s tires. The defendants then drove the car into a police barricade and Rheubottom and Featherstone were taken into custody.
During the search of the Toyota Corolla, law enforcement officers recovered a Colt, .38 special revolver handgun, on the front passenger floorboard of the vehicle. A bag was also located in the vehicle, which contained Maryland lottery tickets, coin rolls, and loose cash. Law enforcement also recovered from the vehicle a Maryland driver’s license in Featherstone’s name, mail addressed to Featherstone, two cell phones, gloves, and a black hood.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Aberdeen Police Department, and the Havre de Grace Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney John W. Sippel, Jr, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Harford County Man Sentenced to 20 Years in Federal Prison for His Participation in a Drug Distribution ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Che Jaron Durbin, age 44, of Aberdeen, Maryland, on December 19, 2022, to 20 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute cocaine and crack cocaine and for two counts of possession with intent to distribute cocaine, in connection with his participation in a drug trafficking organization distributing cocaine and crack cocaine in Harford County, Maryland.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office; and the Harford County Drug Task Force, a High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program, comprised of members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, the Aberdeen Police Department, the Bel Air Police Department, and the Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to evidence presented at the eight-day trial, in May 2019, members of the Harford County Drug Task Force were investigating Durbin, who was suspected of drug trafficking in the Harford County area. Witnesses testified that on May 17, 2019, a U.S. Postal Inspector notified detectives that a suspicious package was en route to Durbin’s mother’s apartment in Aberdeen, Maryland. Detectives watched as a U.S. Postal Service mail carrier delivered the parcel to Durbin, who took it into the apartment. A short time later, a woman, later identified as co-defendant Jameka Cara Thompson, left the apartment with the parcel and drove to her home. Law enforcement detained Thompson and obtained a search warrant for her vehicle. The parcel was found to contain one kilogram of compressed cocaine. Further investigation revealed that co-defendant Jack Anderson from Tucson, Arizona was the sender of the package.
On January 22, 2020, law enforcement learned from U.S. Postal Inspectors that Durbin sent a parcel from Havre de Grace, Maryland, addressed to Anderson in Tucson, Arizona. A search warrant was obtained for the parcel after a K9 gave a positive alert. The parcel contained $82,300 in cash inside a wireless headphones box.
In February 2020, as part of the investigation, law enforcement intercepted Durbin’s communications, as well as those of Anderson, co-defendant Terrell Walton, and other co-defendants to whom Durbin supplied cocaine and crack cocaine. The evidence at trial demonstrated that Walton obtained cocaine from Durbin, which Walton then sold to a network of individuals in Harford County. Intercepted communications between Durbin and Walton included discussions regarding the amounts of drugs and the price, often using coded language.
According to trial testimony, in May 2020, law enforcement surveilled Durbin meeting with Anderson at a Tucson, Arizona hotel. Soon after the meeting, Durbin picked Thompson up at the Tucson Airport and drove her back to his hotel room. Durbin flew back to Maryland the next day and Thompson ultimately obtained a bulk supply of cocaine from Anderson on Durbin’s behalf. Thompson drove cross-country from Arizona to Harford County, where she was arrested on May 12, 2020. Law enforcement searched her vehicle, seizing 1.4 kilograms of cocaine. Durbin was also arrested. According to trial testimony, over the course of the conspiracy Thompson made at least eight similar trips on Durbin’s behalf, transporting almost 40 kilograms of cocaine to Maryland for Durbin to distribute.
Co-defendant Terrell Darnell Walton, age 36, of Delaware, was also convicted at trial for the drug conspiracy and was sentenced on September 23, 2022, to 13 years in federal prison. Co-defendant Jack Anderson IV, age 46, of Tucson, Arizona, was sentenced to 126 months in federal prison in December 2021, after Anderson entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. Co-defendants Jameka Cara Thompson, age 42, of Abingdon, Maryland, was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison; Gerrick Devlon Jackson, age 40 of Havre de Grace, Maryland, was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison; and Michael Ronnell Wells, age 38, of Forest Hill, Maryland, was sentenced to 71 months in federal prison, for their roles in the conspiracy.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, the DEA, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County Drug Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Romano, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Two Biotech Company Presidents Indicted in Maryland for Securities Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Nader Pourhassan, age 59 of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Kazem Kazempour, age 69, of Potomac Maryland, for their roles in schemes to defraud investors in CytoDyn Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company based in Vancouver, Washington. Pourhassan was CytoDyn’s president and CEO at the time of the alleged fraud. Kazempour is the co-founder, president, and CEP of Amarex Clinical Research LLC (Amarex), a private company with offices in Germantown, Maryland, that managed CytoDyn’s clinical trials. The indictment was returned on December 15, 2022, and unsealed today upon the arrests of the defendants.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Assistant Commissioner Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI); Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
“The indictment alleges that these defendants conspired to defraud investors in order to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Investors must be able to rely on the statements of biotech companies about their products. Executives who knowingly mislead investors must be held accountable.”
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the investing public from criminals who would exploit public health crises for personal profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges also confirm the department’s commitment, together with our law enforcement partners, to hold corrupt C-Suite executives who abuse their positions and engage in securities fraud accountable for their actions.”
According to the 14-count indictment, the defendants engaged in conspiracy and schemes to defraud investors through false and misleading representations and material omissions relating to CytoDyn’s development of leronlimab, a monoclonal antibody investigational drug also known as PRO 140, as a potential treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Pourhassan and Kazempour allegedly deceived investors about the timeline and status of CytoDyn’s regulatory submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to artificially inflate and maintain the price of CytoDyn’s stock and attract new investors, and for their personal benefit, including by selling their personal shares of CytoDyn stock. Amarex served as CytoDyn’s regulatory agent in interactions with the FDA and Kazempour also served on CytoDyn’s Disclosure Committee, which was responsible for reviewing and approving CytoDyn’s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The indictment further alleges that Pourhassan and Kazempour made and caused CytoDyn to make materially false and misleading representations about the timelines by which CytoDyn and Amarex would complete and submit CytoDyn’s biologics license application (BLA) for HIV to the FDA. In April 2020, after CytoDyn and Amarex repeatedly missed publicized timelines, Pourhassan allegedly directed Kazempour and Amarex to submit the BLA – even if it was incomplete – so that Pourhassan and CytoDyn could announce to investors that the BLA had been submitted. Pourhassan and Kazempour allegedly knew that the FDA would refuse to review an incomplete BLA.
After Kazempour and Amarex allegedly submitted the incomplete BLA at Pourhassan’s direction, Pourhassan and CytoDyn misrepresented in a press release that a “complete” BLA had been submitted to the FDA when, in truth and in fact, it had not. Pourhassan then allegedly sold millions of dollars’ worth of CytoDyn stock based on material non-public information, including information about the fact that the BLA was, in truth and in fact, incomplete when submitted.
“Financial crimes like securities fraud may not be violent, but they certainly are not victimless. The two individuals charged today capitalized on the hopes of investors and the public in supporting new treatments for ailments that affect people and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This indictment sends a message to all sophisticated white-collar criminals that no one is beyond the reach of the FBI and our law enforcement partners and we do not tolerate the greedy intentions of those in such trusted positions.”
“The conduct alleged in these charges erodes public trust in the safety and effectiveness of medical products, including drugs,” said Assistant Commissioner Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI). “The FDA would like to extend our thanks to our federal law enforcement partners for sending a strong message to biotechnology executives and others that these types of actions will not be tolerated.”
The indictment also alleges that Pourhassan made, and caused CytoDyn to make, materially false and misleading representations about CytoDyn’s investigation and development of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19, including the results and significance of clinical trials and the status of CytoDyn’s regulatory submissions to the FDA. Pourhassan allegedly knew that, in truth and in fact, leronlimab’s clinical studies failed to achieve the results necessary to obtain any form of FDA approval for use as a treatment for COVID-19 and the results CytoDyn publicly touted were neither statistically significant nor scientifically sound.
“Throughout history, Postal Inspectors have investigated many investment schemes and the one thing that always rings true, where there are large sums of money to be made, scammers are always lurking,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “In this case, these individuals took advantage of the dream of a possible new treatment for HIV and exploited investors, while dashing the hopes of many waiting for a cure. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who break regulatory and investment standards, keeping the investing landscape safe and free of crime for the American public.”
Pourhassan and Kazempour are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, three counts of securities fraud, and two counts of wire fraud related to the HIV BLA scheme. Pourhassan is separately charged with an additional count of securities fraud, an additional count of wire fraud related to the COVID-19 scheme, and three counts of insider trading. Kazempour is separately charged with one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents. Pourhassan and Kazempour made their initial court appearance today in the District of Oregon and the District of Columbia, respectively.
If convicted, Pourhassan and Kazempour each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each securities fraud and wire fraud count, and five years in prison on the conspiracy count. Kazempour also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statement count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/CytoDyn-Inc.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, FDA-CID, and USPIS for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Leo J. Wise, and Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton and Joshua DeBold and Assistant Chief Michael O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Two Biotech CEOs Charged in Securities Fraud SchemesRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in the District of Maryland returned an indictment that was unsealed today charging two men for their roles in schemes to defraud investors in CytoDyn Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company (OTCQB: CYDY) based in Vancouver, Washington.
According to court documents, Nader Pourhassan, 59, of Lake Oswego, Oregon, and Kazem Kazempour, 69, of Potomac, Maryland, allegedly engaged in a conspiracy to defraud investors through false and misleading representations and material omissions relating to CytoDyn’s development of leronlimab, a monoclonal antibody investigational drug also known as PRO 140, as a potential treatment for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Pourhassan and Kazempour allegedly deceived investors about the timeline and status of CytoDyn’s regulatory submissions to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to artificially inflate and maintain the price of CytoDyn’s stock and attract new investors, and for their personal benefit, including by selling their personal shares of CytoDyn stock.
Pourhassan was CytoDyn’s president and CEO at the time of the alleged fraud. Kazempour is the co-founder, president, and CEO of Amarex Clinical Research LLC (Amarex), a private company with offices in Germantown, Maryland, that managed CytoDyn’s clinical trials, and was CytoDyn’s regulatory agent in interactions with the FDA. Kazempour also served on CytoDyn’s Disclosure Committee, which was responsible for reviewing and approving CytoDyn’s periodic filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
“The Department of Justice is committed to protecting the investing public from criminals who would exploit public health crises for personal profit,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “These charges also confirm the department’s commitment, together with our law enforcement partners, to hold corrupt C-Suite executives who abuse their positions and engage in securities fraud accountable for their actions.”
“The indictment alleges that these defendants conspired to defraud investors in order to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “Investors must be able to rely on the statements of biotech companies about their products. Executives who knowingly mislead investors must be held accountable.”
The indictment alleges that Pourhassan and Kazempour made and caused CytoDyn to make materially false and misleading representations about the timelines by which CytoDyn and Amarex would complete and submit CytoDyn’s biologics license application (BLA) for leronlimab’s treatment of HIV to the FDA. In April 2020, after CytoDyn and Amarex repeatedly missed publicized timelines, Pourhassan allegedly directed Kazempour and Amarex to submit the BLA – even if it was incomplete – so that Pourhassan and CytoDyn could announce to investors that the BLA had been submitted. Pourhassan and Kazempour allegedly knew that the FDA would refuse to review an incomplete BLA.
After Kazempour and Amarex allegedly submitted the incomplete BLA at Pourhassan’s direction, Pourhassan and CytoDyn misrepresented in a press release that a “complete” BLA had been submitted to the FDA when, in truth and in fact, it had not. Pourhassan then allegedly sold millions of dollars’ worth of CytoDyn stock based on material non-public information, including information about the fact that the BLA was, in truth and in fact, incomplete when submitted.
“Financial crimes like securities fraud may not be violent, but they certainly are not victimless. The two individuals charged today capitalized on the hopes of investors and the public in supporting new treatments for ailments that affect people and their families,” said Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI Baltimore Field Office. “This indictment sends a message to all sophisticated white-collar criminals that no one is beyond the reach of the FBI and our law enforcement partners and we do not tolerate the greedy intentions of those in such trusted positions.”
“The conduct alleged in these charges erodes public trust in the safety and effectiveness of medical products, including drugs,” said Assistant Commissioner Catherine A. Hermsen of the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI). “The FDA would like to extend our thanks to our federal law enforcement partners for sending a strong message to biotechnology executives and others that these types of actions will not be tolerated.”
The indictment also alleges that Pourhassan made, and caused CytoDyn to make, materially false and misleading representations about CytoDyn’s investigation and development of leronlimab as a potential treatment for COVID-19, including the results and significance of clinical trials and the status of CytoDyn’s regulatory submissions to the FDA. Pourhassan allegedly knew that, in truth and in fact, leronlimab’s clinical studies failed to achieve the results necessary to obtain any form of FDA approval for use as a treatment for COVID-19 and the results CytoDyn publicly touted were neither statistically significant nor scientifically sound.
“Throughout history, Postal Inspectors have investigated many investment schemes and the one thing that always rings true, where there are large sums of money to be made, scammers are always lurking,” said Inspector in Charge Eric Shen of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) Criminal Investigations Group. “In this case, these individuals took advantage of the dream of a possible new treatment for HIV and exploited investors, while dashing the hopes of many waiting for a cure. Postal Inspectors and their law enforcement partners will work tirelessly to bring to justice those who break regulatory and investment standards, keeping the investing landscape safe and free of crime for the American public.”
Pourhassan and Kazempour are each charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and wire fraud, three counts of securities fraud, and two counts of wire fraud related to the HIV BLA scheme. Pourhassan is separately charged with an additional count of securities fraud, an additional count of wire fraud related to the COVID-19 scheme, and three counts of insider trading. Kazempour is separately charged with one count of making false statements to federal law enforcement agents. Pourhassan will make his initial court appearance later today in the District of Oregon. Kazempour will make his initial court appearance later today in the District of Columbia. If convicted, Pourhassan and Kazempour each face a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison on each securities fraud and wire fraud count, and five years in prison on the conspiracy count. Kazempour also faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison on the false statements count. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI Baltimore Field Office, FDA-OCI, and USPIS are investigating the case.
Trial Attorneys Christopher Fenton and Joshua DeBold and Assistant Chief Michael O’Neill of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Leo Wise for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
If you believe you are a victim in this case, please contact the Fraud Section’s Victim Witness Unit toll-free at (888) 549-3945 or by email at [email protected]. Victims can find case updates and additional information at: https://www.justice.gov/criminal-vns/case/CytoDyn-Inc.
An indictment is merely an allegation. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Three MS-13 Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal jury in the District of Maryland convicted three members of La Mara Salvatrucha – a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13 – on Dec. 16 for racketeering conspiracy.
According to court documents and evidence presented at trial, between August 2018 and April 2019, Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, aka Felon, 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland; Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, aka Impaciente, 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, aka Paciente, 29, of Annandale, Virginia, participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. The criminal acts were committed by gang members to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13 operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. Ordonez-Zometa, Ortega-Ayala, and Hernandez-Garvia were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.
Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LCGS clique. On March 8, 2019, Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LCGS clique at his house to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LCGS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. During the meeting, Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.
During the questioning, the defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1 based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LCGS clique members and co-conspirators to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported Victim 1’s body to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, set the victim’s body on fire, and then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations, and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.” One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
Ordonez-Zometa, Ortega-Ayala, and Hernandez-Garcia were convicted of racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, committing murder in aid of racketeering, and conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to their participation in MS-13. They each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. A sentencing date has not yet been set. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department made the announcement.
The FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department investigated the case with assistance from the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office.
Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking for the District of Maryland and are prosecuting this 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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
Six Alleged Baltimore BGF Gang Members and Associates Indicted for a Federal Racketeering Conspiracy Charge, Including Murder, Murder-For-Hire, Drug Trafficking, Armed Robbery, and Witness TamperingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging six Baltimore men for conspiring to participate in a violent racketeering enterprise known as the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang. The indictment, which was returned on December 15, 2022 and unsealed today, charges the following defendants:
David Warren, a/k/a “Meshawn” and “LA Meshawn,” age 30;
Barak Olds, age 33;
Davante Harrison, a/k/a “YGG Tay” and “Lor Bip Bip,” age 28;
Wayne Prince, a/k/a “Taz,” age 23;
Joshua Duffy, a/k/a “Josh,” age 35; and
Tyrell Jeffries, a/k/a “Whitebread,” age 37.Duffy and Jeffries were arrested today and are expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore this afternoon. Initial appearances for the remaining defendants, who are already in custody, will be scheduled at a later date.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives - Baltimore Field Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department.
“The U.S. Attorney’s Office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop gang violence, like that alleged in this indictment,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Gangs will not be allowed to hold communities hostage through violence and intimidation.”
According to the indictment, beginning in 2014 and continuing until the date of the indictment, the defendants are members and associates of the Black Guerilla Family (“BGF”), also known as “Jamaa,” and participated in the BGF criminal enterprise. BGF is a nationwide gang operating in prisons and in cities throughout the United States. Founded in California, BGF appeared in the Maryland correctional system in the 1990’s. Although still a prison gang, BGF is involved in criminal activity, including murder, murder-for-hire, robbery, extortion, drug trafficking, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation throughout Baltimore, in Maryland, and elsewhere. BGF members in Baltimore are organized into “regimes” corresponding to particular regions or neighborhoods. Each “regime” is organized and controlled by a hierarchy called “the bubble.”
BGF members are required to follow a code of conduct and includes: never snitching, never stealing from or lying to Jamaa, never participating in homosexual activities, never revealing BGF secrets, and never running during combat. BGF members who violated this code or who disobeyed an order from a superior were subjected to disciplinary measures, called “sanctions,” which included fines, physical beatings, stabbings, and murders administered by other BGF members.
The indictment alleges that BGF members and associates, operated street-level drug distribution “shops” throughout Baltimore, primarily distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, marijuana, ecstasy, and other controlled substances. The indictment further alleges that the defendants committed acts of violence, including six murders, 11 shootings, attempted murders, and armed robberies. The violent acts were intended to further the gang’s activities, including intimidating witnesses to prevent them from cooperating with law enforcement, protecting the gang’s drug territory, financing the dues paid to BGF, and enforcing gang rules.
For example, the indictment alleges that on June 29, 2014, Harrison paid a BGF member to murder an individual who owed him money for narcotics. Harrison allegedly supplied the BGF member with $10,000 and a gun, which the BGF member used to kill the victim in the 1300 block of Ward Street in Baltimore. The indictment further alleges that in 2018 Harrison hired Warren as a hitman. Between February and August 2018 Warren allegedly attempted to murder three of Harrison’s rivals in exchange for payments from Harrison. The intended victims included two individuals who publicly accused Harrison of cooperating with law enforcement, and a BGF member who burglarized Harrison’s residence in 2013. As detailed in the indictment, Harrison also assaulted an associate after she threatened to report Harrison’s activities to police, allegedly stomping her in the face and knocking her out.
According to the indictment, on April 4, 2018, Warren went to the home of one of the individuals who had accused Harrison of cooperating with police. The intended victim was not there, but the targeted victim’s mother and sister were in the home. The indictment alleges that Warren murdered them both using a .357 caliber handgun and that Harrison later paid Warren for committing the murders. As detailed in the indictment, after the murders, Harrison instructed his girlfriend to look for properties in Atlanta, Georgia, and directed the mother of his child to stay in a hotel in Baltimore County because Harrison was concerned that they may be targeted for violence in retaliation for Harrison’s involvement in the murders.
The indictment alleges that in August 2018, Warren, Prince and a co-conspirator attempted to murder the second person who had accused Harrison of cooperating with law enforcement. The attempted murder took place at a home that the target owned and was having renovated. During the assault, two of the construction workers on the site were shot and one of them was killed.
On July 3, 2019, the indictment alleges that Olds shot and killed a woman while she was pushing her infant daughter in a stroller. The victim was murdered because she was doing business in the 400 block of North Rose Street without obtaining permission from BGF.
The defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the FBI, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez, Patricia C. McLane, and Ariel Evans, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud for Submitting Fraudulent COVID-19 CARES Act Relief Loan ApplicationsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Dana Lamar Antonio Hayes, Jr., age 37, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud charge related to a scheme to obtain a fraudulent Economic Injury Disaster Relief loan application (EIDL loan) and several Paycheck Protection Plan loan applications (PPP loans), under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, from two financial institutions (Bank1 and Bank 2).
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, between March 2020 and October 2021, Hayes submitted a fraudulent EIDL loan application and PPP loan applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) and two financial institutions (Bank1 and Bank 2).
Specifically, in March 2020, Hayes submitted a fraudulent EIDL loan application on behalf of his previously forfeited and recently revived company, D&L Investment Properties Inc. The EIDL loan application contained false statements regarding the number of D&L employees and the payroll expenses of D&L. In addition, the application asked: “For any criminal offense…have you ever been convicted plead guilty, plead nolo contendere, been placed on pretrial diversion, or been placed on any form of parole or probation (including probation before judgment)?” Hayes answered “No,” even though Hayes knew that, on April 30, 2019, Hayes was placed on probation for a firearm offense, specifically for possession of a stolen firearm. Hayes also claimed to have company expenses of $15,000 and equipment costs of $35,000, when in fact, the company had been inactive since 2019.
The SBA initially denied Hayes’ EIDL application, and for the next 18 months, Hayes regularly contacted the SBA to have his EIDL application approved. On the basis of false and fraudulent information, the SBA ultimately approved Hayes’s EIDL application and provided Hayes $15,000 in COVID-19 CARES Act loan funds on behalf of D&L. Once the funds were deposited into D&L’s bank account, Hayes transferred all of the loan proceeds from D&L’s bank account into his personal savings account.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in June 2020 and January 2021, Hayes applied for PPP loans with Bank 1 and Bank 2 on behalf of D&L. In these PPP loan applications, Hayes included false statements regarding the number of employees for his business, falsified tax forms, lied about his probation status, and provided false payroll expenses of D&L. On the basis of fraudulent information, Bank 1 and Bank 2 each approved a PPP loan for D&L, depositing a total of $35,036, in D&L’s bank account. Hayes quickly transferred the loan proceeds into his personal savings account.
In preparing the January 2021 PPP loan for Bank 2, Hayes admitted that he used the name and Preparer Tax Identification number of Victim 1 to submit a fraudulent tax form to Bank 2 without Victim 1’s knowledge or consent. Victim 1 had been previously hired by Hayes to prepare D&L and Hayes’ personal tax returns, however, Victim 1 claims that they have never prepared Form 941’s for D&L, and federal records indicate no such form was ever filed. Hayes admitted that he applied for a second fraudulent PPP loan to Bank 1 in January 2021, but that loan was not approved.
On November 4, 2021, Hayes applied on behalf of D&L to Bank 1 for PPP loan forgiveness for the first draw loan, falsely stating that D&L had spent the entire loan amount, $12,500, on payroll costs. Hayes’s forgiveness application was not approved.
In February 2022, while the alleged COVID-19 relief scheme was ongoing, Hayes applied to become the Chief of Fiscal Services for the Baltimore City Police Department. Hayes was subsequently hired for the position in April 2022 and terminated shortly thereafter.
“The defendant’s guilty plea should reflect our continued resolve to investigate and prosecute those who try to exploit a national emergency to steal taxpayer-funded resources by using the global pandemic as an opportunity to defraud the United States Government,” said Darrell J. Waldon, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office. “IRS Special Agents are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to aggressively uncover and disrupt criminals who conspire to abuse these programs for personal gain.”
Hayes faces a maximum sentence of twenty years in federal prison for wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for Hayes on April 17, 2023, at 2:00 p.m.
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. An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the IRS- CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, who is prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces the Seizure of 23 More Domain Names that Allegedly Violated Copyrights by Illegally Live Streaming the World CupRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has announced the seizure of 23 websites for allegedly live streaming the World Cup games, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information. This is the second round of seizures. On December 10, 2022, 55 websites were seized and these additional sites were seized on December 16, 2022.
The seizure of the domain names was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations – Baltimore; and Director James R. Mancuso of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, FIFA is the international governing body of association football and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being hosted in multiple cities in Qatar. Beginning in September 2022, HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying a number of sites being used to distribute and transmit copyright-infringing content, without FIFA’s authorization. After the initial round of seizures executed on December 10, HSI Agents in Maryland observed public internet messages and social media posts identifying additional, alternative sites offering illicit streams of World Cup matches. Agents then reviewed World Cup games and other infringing content being offered through these sites and confirmed a list of additional domain names subject to seizure.
As detailed in the affidavit, free access to live sports-related copyright-protected content can attract heavy viewing traffic, which makes websites offering such content a potentially lucrative way to serve advertisements. Based on the pervasive use of advertising on each site, the affidavit alleges that the purpose for distributing the infringing content is the private financial gain to these websites’ operators. By seizing the subject domain names, the government prevents third parties from acquiring the name and using it to commit additional crimes, or from continuing to access the websites in their present forms.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended HSI for its work in this investigation and thanked the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance for their assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Stephanie Williamson and Trial Attorneys Jason Gull and Bryce Rosenbower of the Justice Department’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, who are handling the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Three MS-13 Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy Involving a Murder in MarylandRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Jose Domingo Ordonez-Zometa, a/k/a “Felon,” age 33, of Landover Hills, Maryland; Jose Rafael Ortega-Ayala, a/k/a Impaciente,” age 30, of Greenbelt, Maryland; and Jose Henry Hernandez-Garcia, a/k/a “Paciente,” age 29, of Annandale, Virginia, for racketeering and murder in aid of racketeering conspiracies, for committing murder in aid of racketeering, and for conspiracy to destroy and conceal evidence connected to their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13.
The convictions were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Stafford County Sheriff David P. Decatur; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; and Chief Kevin Davis of the Fairfax County Police Department.
MS-13, one of the largest street gangs in the United States, is a national and international gang composed primarily of immigrants or descendants from El Salvador and other central American countries. Branches or “cliques” of MS-13, operate throughout the United States, including in Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The defendants were members and associates of the Los Ghettos Criminales Salvatruchas (“LGCS” or “Ghettos”) clique of MS-13.
The evidence at the two-week trial established that between August 2018 and April 2019, the defendants participated in the MS-13 criminal enterprise by engaging in acts of violence, including murder, the destruction of evidence, and witness tampering, among other crimes. The criminal acts were committed by gang members to increase MS-13’s power in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area, including Maryland and Virginia.
At all times of this conspiracy, members of MS-13 were expected to protect the name, reputation, and status of the gang from rival gang members and other persons. To protect the gang and to enhance its reputation, MS-13 members were expected to use any means necessary to force respect from those who showed disrespect, including acts of intimidation and violence. MS-13 had mottos consistent with its rules, beliefs, expectations and reputation including “mata, viola, controla,” which translates as, “kill, rape, control,” and “ver, oir y callar,” which means, “see nothing, hear nothing and say nothing.” One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, often referred to as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang, as well as against rival gang members. Participation in criminal activity by a member, particularly in violent acts directed at rival gangs or as directed by gang leadership, increases the respect accorded to that member, resulting in that member maintaining or increasing his position in the gang, and opens the door to promotion to a leadership position.
As detailed during the trial, Ordonez-Zometa was the leader of the LGCS clique. Ordonez-Zometa called a meeting of the LGCS clique at his house on March 8, 2019, to discuss clique matters, including recent contacts that an LGCS clique member (Victim 1) had with the police. The defendants, Victim 1, and other MS-13 members participated in the meeting, during which Ordonez-Zometa questioned Victim 1 about his/her cooperation with police.
During the questioning, the defendants and at least one other MS-13 member assaulted Victim 1, based on their incorrect suspicions that Victim 1 was cooperating with law enforcement. They also assaulted another MS-13 member who attempted to defend Victim 1. The assault culminated with Ordonez-Zometa, as LGCS clique leader, ordering that Victim 1 be killed. Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia and other MS-13 members then stabbed and murdered Victim 1 in Ordonez-Zometa’s basement.
According to trial testimony, after the murder, Ordonez-Zometa ordered Ortega-Ayala, Hernandez-Garcia, and other LGCS clique members and co-conspirators, to conceal and destroy evidence of the murder. Ortega-Ayala and other MS-13 members transported the body of the victim to a secluded location in Stafford County, Virginia, and set the victim’s body on fire, then destroyed and concealed evidence of the murder from the vehicle used to transport the victim. Meanwhile, Ordonez-Zometa, Hernandez-Garcia, and another MS-13 member stayed at the crime scene and attempted to remove, destroy, and conceal evidence of the murder, including the blood of Victim 1.
The three defendants each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has not yet scheduled a sentencing date for the defendants.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office, the Prince George’s County Police Department, and the Fairfax County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Morgan, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking, and Trial Attorney Matthew Hoff of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Two Armed Carjackings and an Attempted Armed RobberyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Daquan Murphy, age 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to 15 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for carjacking and brandishing a firearm during a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from February 3 to February 10, 2021, Murphy committed two armed jackings and the attempted armed robbery of a convenience store. In all three instances, Murphy pointed a firearm at the victims. Specifically, early in the morning on February 3, 2021, Murphy approached Victim 1 at a Randallstown, Maryland gas station and asked the victim for a ride to his mother’s house. The victim agreed to give Murphy a ride and followed Murphy’s directions, purportedly to his mother’s house.
During the drive, Murphy told the victim to go to a specific intersection and when they arrived there, Murphy pulled a firearm from his waistband, pointed it at Victim 1, and ordered Victim 1 to get out of the car. Fearing for his life, the victim complied with Murphy’s demands. Murphy also ordered the victim to empty his pockets and surrender his valuables, including a smartphone. Murphy then fled in Victim 1’s car.
Hours later, law enforcement located the stolen car on Brune Street in Baltimore and found a CashApp card bearing Murphy’s username in the car and located a latent fingerprint belonging to Murphy in the car’s center console. Additionally, a search of the car’s telematics system revealed that Murphy connected a cell phone to the car’s system.
As detailed in the guilty plea, on February 10, 2021, Murphy approached Victim 2, who was sitting in his car in the 2900 block of Stranden Road in Baltimore, pointed a gun at Victim 2, then ordered Victim 2 to get out of the car and get on the ground. Fearing for his safety, Victim 2 complied with Murphy’s demands. Murphy fled in Victim 2’s car, which contained Victim 2’s valuables, including a cell phone.
Later that day, Murphy attempted to rob a convenience store in Dundalk, Maryland. During the robbery attempt, Murphy pointed his firearm at the store clerk (Victim 3) and demanded money. Victim 3 told Murphy to “come get the money” and that he also had a gun. Murphy ran to the front of the store, again pointing his firearm in the direction of Victim 3. Murphy fled in the vehicle that he had carjacked from Victim 2 earlier that day and did not obtain any money from the convenience store.
That same day, law enforcement saw Murphy operating Victim 2’s stolen car and pursued Murphy. Murphy eventually stopped the vehicle and attempted to run away. He was ultimately apprehended by officers.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul A. Riley, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Former Baltimore Police SWAT Officer Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for Sexual Exploitation of a Child to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Donald Hildebrandt, age 52, of Bel Air, Maryland, yesterday to 25 years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for sexual exploitation of a child to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography. The indictment was returned on June 3, 2021. Hildebrandt is a former Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) officer with the Baltimore Police Department.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Lieutenant Paul Marziale of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, Director of the Harford County Child Advocacy Center; and Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.
According to his plea agreement, between 2018 and 2020, Hildebrandt purchased at least three “spy” cameras, which he hid in a shared bathroom in his home to secretly record minors showering and using the bathroom. Hundreds of videos of minors in various stages of undress were made, and the minors who were recorded were between the ages of three and 16. At least 10 children were recorded in videos taken in the bathroom and dozens of videos were produced that depicted children with exposed genitals, including at least five minors, four of whom were under 12 years of age.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Hildebrandt placed the cameras slightly above the seat of the toilet and at other location at a height designed to capture the victims’ genitals while getting in and out of the shower, and while using the toilet. In order to record as many victims as possible, visitors were instructed to change clothes only in the bathroom and not in the bedrooms. The images recorded in the videos were located on Hildebrandt’s computer which was seized during a search on October 20, 2021. Additional images depicting children engaged in sexually explicit conduct were found on other electronic media seized during the search.
One day prior to the execution of the search warrant, Hildebrandt was notified that he was the subject of a child exploitation investigation, through a witness and when he was contacted by a member of Child Protective Services. Sometime after that, but before the execution of the search warrant, Hildebrandt admitted that he performed a factory reset of his tablet. Investigators also did not locate any “spy” cameras in the residence.
Finally, it was also proved that Hildebrandt sexually abused a minor, demanding that the victim engage in sex acts with him.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Maryland State Police, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Harford County Child Advocacy Center, and the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul E. Budlow and Mary Setzer, who prosecuted the federal case.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Announces the Seizure of 55 Domain Names that Violated Copyrights by Illegally Live Streaming the World CupRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has announced the seizure of 55 separate websites for allegedly live streaming the World Cup games, an infringement of the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) copyrights. Individuals visiting the sites will now see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.
The seizure of the domain names was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations – Baltimore; and Director James R. Mancuso of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizures, FIFA is the international governing body of association football and holds the exclusive rights to sanction and stage the FIFA World Cup 2022, which is being hosted in multiple cities in Qatar. Beginning in September 2022, HSI received information from a representative of FIFA identifying several sites being used to distribute and transmit copyright-infringing content, without FIFA’s authorization. HSI Agents in Maryland reviewed World Cup games accessible from each of the subject domain names, in violation of FIFA’s copyright.
As detailed in the affidavit, free access to live sports-related copyright-protected content can attract heavy viewing traffic, which makes websites offering such content a potentially lucrative way to serve advertisements. Based on the pervasive use of advertising on each site, the affidavit alleges that the purpose for distributing the infringing content is the private financial gain to these websites’ operators. By seizing the subject domain names the government prevents third parties from acquiring the name and using it to commit additional crimes, or from continuing to access the websites in their present forms.
“HSI will continue to focus on removing websites that facilitate digital piracy, and other intellectual property violations, from the internet,” said Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris III of HSI Baltimore. “While many may believe that such websites do not constitute serious threats, the infringement upon rights holders of any intellectual property is a growing threat to our economic viability. The impact can be felt across multiple industries, and it can be the conduit to other forms of criminal activity.”
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite commended HSI for its work in this investigation and thanked the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center and the National Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Stephanie Williamson and Trial Attorneys from the Justice Department's Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section, who are handling the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao/md.
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Former Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges for Unlawfully Obtaining Phone RecordsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Former Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney Adam Lane Chaudry, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of fraud in connection with obtaining confidential phone records. Chaudry admitted that he committed the crime knowing that information may be used in furtherance of and with the intent to commit stalking.
The plea agreement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Maryland State Prosecutor Charlton T. Howard III; and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to the plea agreement, from June 2009 to June 18, 2021, Chaudry worked as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office (“BSAO”). From September 2015 until he left the BSAO Chaudry worked in the BSAO’s Homicide Division. Chaudry maintained a romantic relationship with Victim #1 from May 2005 through January 2018; and with Victim #2 from August 2017 through September 2020. Victims #3, #4, and #5 were long-time friends of Victim #1. At no point were any of the victims a witness or target of any criminal investigation or prosecution by the BSAO.
As detailed in the guilty plea, between January 3, 2019, and February 22, 2019, Chaudry caused three grand jury subpoenas to be sent to a telecommunications company in Florida requesting all subscriber information, billing information, and toll records, including incoming and outgoing calls, from October 28, 2018 through February 22, 2019, for Victim #1’s phone number. Chaudry caused the subpoenas to appear to be related to a “special investigation in the Circuit Court for Baltimore City”; to contain no identifying case number; and to further state, “The information sought in this subpoena is relevant and material to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry.” The subpoenas directed that the records be produced “as soon as possible” directly to Chaudry at his BSAO address and stated, “Any and all questions should be directed to him.” The grand jury subpoenas contained Chaudry’s signature, the name of the Grand Jury Foreperson, and the signature of the Clerk of Baltimore City Circuit Court. Other subpoenas contained similar fraudulent information.
In a similar manner, Chaudry caused grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued to a telecommunications company in New Jersey for the telephone records of Victim #2 between February 22, 2019 and April 12, 2021; caused multiple grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued for the telephone records of Victim #3 between March 12, 2019 and April 21, 2020; caused multiple grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued for the telephone records of Victim #4 between March 22, 2019 and February 8, 2021; and caused multiple grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued for the telephone records of Victim #5 between January 21, 2019 and February 18, 2020.
In addition, on March 26, 2019, an investigator at BSAO provided Chaudry information that Chaudry had previously requested including Victim #1’s home address, MVA information, and her driver’s license photograph. Chaudry then used the information, including Victim #1’s driver’s license photograph to contact a hotel to request information about Victims #1 and #4’s stays at the hotel using his BSAO email address. The hotel number appeared in Victim #1’s phone records obtained by Chaudry.
On March 4, 2020, Chaudry sent a lengthy email to Victim #1 expressing a desire to get back together. Victim #1 responded the same day, stating, in part, “It has been over a year now and I need you to move on. I was hoping by ignoring the texts, calls, and flowers, you would understand how I feel but now I will make it very clear…Please do not send me any more flowers or anything else, and please do not send anything to my job. It makes me uncomfortable as I am no longer your girlfriend… There is no future for us…Please do not stop by my house or try to “run” into me anywhere else. I will not answer the door as there is nothing more to discuss…If you persist any further I will look into other options.” Chaudry responded the same day with another email that ended, “every response you have ever given me has been out of anger and frustration when I asked you about [Victim #4]. Just level with me and tell me whether you are dating him. Yes or No.” After this email exchange, Chaudry issued a total of 23 Circuit Court subpoenas for the telephone records of Victim #1, #2, #3, and #4.
Between January 3, 2019 and April 12, 2021, Chaudry caused 33 grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued for the telephone records of Victim #1. Using the phone records Chaudry received, he created a spreadsheet of the 67 phone number found in the phone records of Victim #1, including the name associated with each number and “relationship” to Victim #1. The spreadsheet also contained physical addresses and email addresses of some of the individuals associated with those phone numbers, as well as other “associated persons” to the phone number. The spreadsheet also tracked the method of payment for hotel room stays in Victim #1’s name.
After Victim #2 and Chaudry ended their relationship, between December 8 and December 21, 2020, Chaudry caused to be issued subpoenas for jail calls between Victim #2 and a close relative of Victim #2 who was incarcerated in another Maryland County in a case not involving the BSAO. Chaudry also caused a subpoena to be issued for Victim #2’s relative’s visitor logs. Notes on the jail calls found in Chaudry’s desk revealed sensitive information about Victim #2’s family and banking information.
On December 13, 202, a phone belonging to Chaudry captured 96 images of Victim #2’s social media account including lists of her contacts and photographs of Victim #2 and her friends and family. On February 24, 2021, Chaudry further sent a letter on BSAO letterhead for 911 calls made by Victim #2 that appeared in phone record logs he had obtained. He represented that the records were “pertinent to a legitimate law enforcement inquiry.”
In all, Chaudry caused a total of 65 fraudulent grand jury and trial subpoenas to be issued for the telephone records of the five victims.
Chaudry faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for each of the two counts of fraud in obtaining records. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2023 at 2:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and State Prosecutor’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah R. David, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Serial Bank Robber Sentenced to 24 Years in Federal Prison for Bank Robbery and for Violating Supervised Release for Two Previous Federal Robbery ConvictionsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte today sentenced Christopher Michael Cline, a/k/a “Carisa Cline,” age 46, of Gaithersburg, Maryland, to 24 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, after the defendant pleaded guilty to bank robbery. The defendant also admitted violating two terms of supervised release for previous federal bank robbery convictions.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
According to the plea agreement and other court documents, between January 28 and February 8, 2021, less than three months after being released from prison for a federal bank robbery conviction, Cline committed a series of bank robberies in Gaithersburg Maryland. Specifically, Cline attempted to rob a bank in Gaithersburg, Maryland on January 28, 2021, and successfully robbed a different bank in Gaithersburg the next day. Cline also robbed a third Gaithersburg bank on February 8, 2021.
As detailed in court documents, on February 23, 2000, Cline was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for a 1999 bank robbery in Berwyn Heights, Maryland. On October 14, 2004, while serving the final months of that sentence at a residential re-entry facility, Cline absconded and began committing bank robberies the next day. From October 15, 2004, through November 16, 2004, Cline committed a total of 12 bank robberies and one attempted bank robbery. Cline was subsequently convicted of federal bank robbery a second time and sentenced to 188 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release. Cline was released from prison on November 9, 2020, and began serving the three-year term of supervised release for each of those convictions. By committing the 2021 bank robbery, Cline’s third such conviction, Cline violated the terms of supervised release for both previous bank robbery convictions.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the FBI the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in this investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Leader of Baltimore Eight Tray Gangster Crips Sentenced to More Than 37 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering and Drug Conspiracy Charges, Including Three Homicides and Three Non-Fatal ShootingsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Trayvon Hall, a/k/a “Tru,” and “G Tru,” age 31, of Baltimore, yesterday to 454 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for racketeering and drug conspiracy charges, related to his activities as the leader of the Eight Tray Gangster (ETG) Crips gang in Baltimore. Judge Bennett also sentenced ETG Crips member Marcus Williams, a/k/a “Gangsta C,” and “GC,” age 34, of Baltimore to 87 months in prison, followed by five years of supervised release, on the same charges.
The sentences were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
The ETG Crips were a violent subset of the Crips gang that originated in California in the 1970s, eventually operating on the streets and in correctional facilities in Maryland beginning in the 2000s. For many years, the ETG Crips controlled the drug trade in particular territories in Baltimore City, including the area around the intersection between West Baltimore Street and South Hilton Street in West Baltimore (the “Baltimore Hilton neighborhood”), the area around the intersection between West Lexington Street and North Fremont Avenue (the “Lexington Terrace neighborhood”), and the area around the intersection between Frankford Avenue and Sinclair Lane in North Baltimore (the “Frankford Sinclair neighborhood”). The ETG Crips members from the Baltimore Hilton and Lexington Terrace neighborhoods referred to themselves as the Baccwest ETG Crips—modeling themselves after the Baccwest ETG Crips in Los Angeles—and ETG Crips members from the Frankford Sinclair neighborhood called themselves the Nutty North Side ETG Crips. The two groups worked together for common criminal purposes.
According to their guilty pleas, Trayvon Hall was the leader of the Baccwest ETG Crips in Baltimore, referred to as the “G” of the gang and Williams was a member of the gang. In about 2013, Hall flew to California to meet with West Coast leaders of the ETG Crips and gain their official approval for his Baccwest ETG Crips set in Baltimore. The Baccwest ETG Crips operated street-level drug distribution “shops” primarily in the Baltimore Hilton neighborhood, the Lexington Terrace neighborhood and the Franklin Sinclair neighborhood, distributing heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine, and marijuana. Non-members of the gang who attempted to sell drugs in the ETG Crips’ territories were targeted for violence by ETG Crips members.
The ETG Crips used social media websites to assert their claim to drug territories, intimidate rival gangs and witnesses against gang members, and to enhance the status of the ETG Crips and of individual members within the gang. Members of the ETG Crips posted photos and rap videos to social media websites flaunting weapons and threatening to kill those who stood in the way of the gang. By participating in criminal activities in furtherance of the gang, particularly violent acts directed by the ETG Crips leadership, ETG Crips members earned respect from fellow members and maintained or advanced their position within the gang.
As detailed in the plea agreements, Hall his co-defendants, including Williams, conspired to distribute and distributed drugs, including heroin and crack cocaine, and committed robberies to earn money for the enterprise. From May 2016 through November 2016, Hall and other ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Black Guerilla Family (BGF) gang who operated a rival drug shop in the Lexington Terrace neighborhood. During a conversation with fellow gang members on May18, 2016, Williams agreed to “take the lead in a drill” that night to shoot BGF members by approaching the basketball court at Lexington Terrace from “behind,” catching the BGF members unaware. On June 23, 2016, ETG Crips members attempted to murder two BGF gang members, instead shooting two victims who were in the area at the time. On July 18, 2016, Hall murdered BGF member Albert Pittman, shooting him to death in the 4800 block of Midline Road. On November 11, 2016, in the 800 block of West Lexington Street, Hall opened fire on members of the rival BGF gang, killing BGF member Shyheim Brown and wounding two other victims. Immediately afterward, Hall sent an unindicted co-conspirator a series of text messages about the shooting, saying he had “Jus bashed the monkeys” (a derogatory term for members of BGF), and they “Wasn’t exspecting [sic] me be out early lmGCao [laughing my Gangster Crip ass off].”
Further, from July 2017 through July 2019, Hall and other members of the ETG Crips conspired to murder members of the Abington Avenue drug trafficking organization, whose territory the ETG Crips had taken over. Hall directed the ETG Crips to use violence to retaliate against anyone who refused to respect the boundaries of their newly claimed turf. Hall admitted that on July 6, 2018, he opened fire on members of the Abington Avenue organization who were playing dice in the unit block of Abington Avenue, killing Steven McKnight and wounding an additional victim. During a recorded telephone call on July 28, 2017, Williams used coded language to discuss the murder of ETG Crips member, Mitch Finney, with a fellow ETG Crips member and co-defendant, advising him that Finney’s murder was in retaliation for the murder of a BGF member from Abington Avenue.
According to his plea agreement, Hall and other ETG members conspired to murder an individual who they believed had cooperated with law enforcement and threatened a witness who testified against a fellow gang member in a state murder trial. On April 13, 2019, a newly recruited gang member drove ETG Crips members through the unit block of Abingdon Avenue while they shot at Victim 15 using a 9mm caliber firearm and a .45 caliber firearm. Victim 15 was hit in the shoulder but survived. An hour later, Williams sent a co-conspirator a screenshot of a news article about the shooting.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Drug Enforcement Administration, the ATF, the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Anne Arundel County Police Department for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Peter J. Martinez and Kim Y. Oldham, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Area MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Murders and Attempted MurdersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On November 30, 2022, a federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment charging four members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) with racketeering conspiracy involving murder, attempted murder, and drug trafficking. Three of the defendants are scheduled to have initial appearances beginning at 3:00 p.m. today in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. The following defendants, all from Baltimore, are charged with racketeering conspiracy:
Wilson Arturo Constanza-Galdomez, a/k/a “Humilde” and “Marco Saravia,” age 23;
Edis Omar Valenzuela-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Little Felon,” age 22;
Jonathan Pesquera-Puerto, a/k/a “Truney,” age 21; and
Wualter Orellana-Hernandez, a/k/a “Solotario” and “Little Diablo,” age 21.The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Interim Chief Dennis J. Delp of the Baltimore County Police Department; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; Baltimore County State’s Attorney Scott Shellenberger; and Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby.
According to court documents, La Mara Salvatrucha gang, also known as “MS-13”, is an international criminal organization composed primarily of immigrants or descendants of immigrants from El Salvador, with members operating in the State of Maryland, including in Baltimore City and Baltimore County, and throughout the United States. In Maryland and elsewhere, MS-13 members are organized in “cliques,” smaller groups that operate in a specific city or region. MS-13 members are required to commit acts of violence to maintain membership and discipline within the gang. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible. In Baltimore City and Baltimore County, MS-13 maintained rivalries with the 18th Street Gang, the Cruddy Boys, the Highlandtown Boys, the Surenos Gang, and the Bloods gang, among others.
Constanza-Galdomez and Pesquera-Puerto allegedly were members or associates of the Carlington Locos Salvatrucha (CALS) clique and Valenzuela-Rodriguez and Orellana-Hernandez allegedly were members of the Huntington Criminales Locos Salvatrucha (HCLS) clique. The indictment alleges that, from June 2019 through at least October 2021, the defendants participated in the racketeering activities of MS-13, including two murders, four attempted murders, drug trafficking offenses, and witness tampering.
As detailed in the indictment, on April 25, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Orellana-Hernandez and other members and associates of MS-13 conspired to assault Victim 1, whom they suspected was a rival gang member. That same day, they allegedly assaulted Victim 1 in Baltimore, by striking him with machetes multiple times. Other members and associates of MS-13 subsequently reported the assault to MS-13 leadership. On May 14, 2020, Valenzuela-Rodriquez and another MS-13 member allegedly attempted to lure Victim 2 to Patterson Park, where Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, and other MS-13 members and associates attempted to murder Victim 2 by stabbing him with a knife.
The indictment alleges that on May 29, 2020, the defendants lured Victim 3, whom they suspected of associating with rival gang members, to a park in Cockeysville, Maryland, where they stabbed her multiple times, murdering her. Another MS-13 member served as a look-out to make sure they were not arrested by law enforcement while they murdered Victim 3.
On June 5, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Valenzuela-Rodriguez, Orellana-Hernandez, and other MS-13 members and associates allegedly lured Victim 4, whom they suspected was a rival gang member that cooperated with law enforcement, to an area near the CSX Bayview Yard in Baltimore, where they murdered her. As detailed in the indictment, Victim 4 was stabbed numerous times with sharp objects. After the murder, members and associates of MS-13 reported the murder to MS-13 leadership in an effort to get credit for participating and to increase their status within MS-13.
The indictment also details the conspiracies to commit murder and the attempted murders of two other victims. Specifically, the indictment alleges that the defendants conspired to murder Victim 5, whom they believed was a rival gang member. On June 6, Constanza-Galdomez and other MS-13 members forced Victim 5 to go to an area in Baltimore, where Victim 5 was stabbed multiple times. Similarly, in June 2020, the defendants and other MS-13 members conspired to murder Victim 6, who had been previously “greenlit” (ordered to be killed for a serious violation of MS-13 rules). On June 6, 2020, Constanza-Galdomez, Pesquera-Puerto, and other MS-13 members and associates forced Victim 6, at knifepoint, to go to Dundalk, Maryland to murder him. The defendants then attempted to murder Victim 6 by stabbing him multiple times with knives. Both Victim 5 and Victim 6 survived the attacks.
Further, the indictment alleges that from 2019 through 2020, the defendants conspired to distribute marijuana, cocaine, and fentanyl, to raise funds for MS-13 to purchase drugs and weapons for the gang and to send proceeds of the drug sale to MS-13 members and associates in Maryland and other states and in El Salvador to support the gang.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences of life in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
Anyone with information about MS-13 is encouraged to provide their tips to law enforcement. The FBI and Homeland Security Investigations both have nationwide tiplines that you can call to report what you know. You can reach the FBI at 1-866-STP-MS13 (1-866-787-6713), or you can call HSI at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI, HSI, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Baltimore City Police Department, and the Baltimore County and Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Offices for their work in the investigation and thanked the United States Marshals Service for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Anatoly Smolkin and Trial Attorney Matthew K. Hoff of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section, who are prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to 10 Years in Federal Prison and Ordered to Pay Restitution of More Than $20,000 to the Minor Victim He Sex Trafficked for His Prostitution BusinessRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Peter J. Messitte today sentenced Sirron Little, age 32, of Washington, D.C., to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking of a minor to engage in commercial sex acts. Little recruited the victim, a homeless 15-year-old girl, to work for him as a prostitute. Judge Messitte also ordered Little to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $20,122.20. Upon his release from prison, Little will also be required to register as a sex offender in the places where he resides, where he is an employee, and where he is a student, under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act (SORNA).
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his plea agreement, Little recruited the victim to work for him as a sex worker in April 2018, when she was 15 years old and homeless. The victim worked for Little, engaging in sex acts for money, until December 4, 2018. Little used his cell phone to communicate with the victim regarding the prostitution business, to post scantily clad photos of her on online dating services to solicit commercial sex clients and to advertise the victim as a prostitute, and to arrange “dates” with commercial sex clients, in Washington D.C. and in Maryland. Little initially had the victim meet clients for “car dates” or had someone drive the victim to a client’s residence. Eventually, Little moved the sex trafficking operation to motels in Prince George’s County, Maryland. In addition to meeting clients for car dates and at hotels, Little directed the victim to walk along a specific street in Maryland to solicit clients directly.
As detailed in the plea agreement, Little directed the victim where to meet the clients, what services the victim would provide, and the agreed-upon payment for the sex acts. The victim would typically see multiple clients per day, generating as much as $1,500 in a day. Little required the victim to give him all the proceeds she received and threatened to stop providing the victim with food, transportation, and shelter if she did not meet the monetary goals he set for her. Little physically assaulted the victim on multiple occasions, threatened her with a firearm on at least one occasion, and engaged in sex acts with the minor victim on multiple occasions.
On December 4, 2018, the victim called emergency services and reported that Little had threatened her with a firearm and had an open warrant and that she feared for her safety. When law enforcement responded to the hotel where the victim and Little were staying, the victim advised that she was having a fight with Little and that he was armed. Little was arrested and a loaded .40-caliber handgun was seized from the hotel room, along with a 20-round box of ammunition and two cellular phones.
The case was investigated by the FBI-led Maryland Child Exploitation Task Force (MCETF), created in 2010 to combat child prostitution, with members from10 state and federal law enforcement agencies. The Task Force coordinates with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and the Maryland State Police Child Recovery Unit to identify missing children being advertised online for prostitution.
MCETF partners with the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.mdhumantrafficking.org/.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christopher Sarma and Jennifer Wine, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/human-trafficking and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Eleven Defendants Facing Federal Charges Relating to Unemployment Insurance Fraud Scheme with More Than $1.6 Million in LossesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned a superseding indictment adding two new defendants to the nine defendants previously charged in relation to a Maryland and California unemployment insurance scheme. The superseding indictment charges the defendants with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and stealing a post office key. The superseding indictment was returned on November 30, 2022. Charged in the superseding indictment are:
Michael Akame Ngwese Ay Makoge, a/k/a “2Hype”, age 28, of Laurel, Maryland;
Dementrous Von Smith, a/k/a “Meecho” and “El Meecho”, age 26, of Waldorf, Maryland;
Nadine Mahoro Mwamikazi, age 25, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
Sky Tiffany Lawson, age 28, of Bowie, Maryland;
Christopher Thomas Yancy, a/k/a “Lil Bhris”, age 30, of Laurel, Maryland;
Sayquan Leon Bridges, a/k/a “Quan”, age 27, of Bowie, Maryland;
Christian Malik Adrea, a/k/a “Lil Leak”, age 24, of Mitchellville, Maryland;
Stephawn Malik Watson, a/k/a “O-Dawg”, age 27, of District Heights, Maryland;
Aiyanna Mone Washington, a/k/a “Yanna”, age 27, of Glenarden, Maryland;
Trez Anthony Hendy, a/k/a “Torch,” age 29, of Silver Spring, Maryland; and
Tayonna Sonora Johnson, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland.The superseding indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division (USPIS); Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General (DOL-OIG); and Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police (MSP); and Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division.
The 46-count indictment alleges that, from February 2020 to October 2021 the defendants conspired to impersonate victims to submit fraudulent claims for unemployment insurance (UI) benefits in Maryland and California. As part of the scheme to defraud, the defendants allegedly obtained the birthdates, social security numbers, and other personal identifying information of numerous victims which they used to prepare and submit fraudulent applications for UI benefits. According to the indictment, the applications contained false information, including the victims’ contact information, states of residence, and availability for work. These fraudulent applications allegedly caused financial institutions to load UI benefits onto debit cards and mail the cards to physical addresses provided and monitored by the defendants. The indictment alleges that once the defendants received the fraudulently obtained benefits on the debit cards, they used them for cash withdrawals and other transactions for their own financial benefit. As alleged in the indictment, the defendants submitted over 200 fraudulent UI claims, resulting in more than $1.6 million in losses.
Further, the indictment alleges that in October 2021, Yancy unlawfully possessed a Postal Service key and intended to improperly use the key.
If convicted, all the defendants face a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the conspiracy and for each count of wire fraud in which they are charged; and a mandatory two years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence imposed, for aggravated identity theft. Yancy also faces a maximum sentence of 10 years for unlawfully possessing a U.S. Postal Service key. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
An indictment is not a finding of guilt. An individual charged by indictment is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty at some later criminal proceedings.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the USPIS, DOL-OIG, the Anne Arundel County Police Department, HSI, MSP, and ATF, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked the United States Marshals Service, the Prince George’s County Police Department, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department and the Charles County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McGuinn, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Prince George’s County Felon Sentenced to More Than Seven Years in Federal Prison for Armed Robberies of Convenience StoresRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Tiffany Renea Edmundson, age 34, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, yesterday to 94 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for three armed commercial robberies and for violating her supervised release for a previous federal conviction on the same commercial robbery charge. Judge Grimm also ordered Edmundson to pay $1,035 in restitution to the victim businesses.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to her plea agreement, beginning late on August 30, 2020, to the early morning hours of August 31, 2020, Edmundson robbed three Prince George’s County convenience stores at gun point. In each robbery, Edmundson stole cash and in the third robbery she also stole approximately $535 in lottery tickets. Following the third robbery, PGPD identified the vehicle used in the robbery as a white Hyundai Sonata bearing a Virginia license plate.
Approximately 15 minutes after the third robbery was reported, officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Sonata, but the driver refused to stop and sped away, with police following. The Sonata subsequently crashed in the 3100 block of Bellbrook Court in Temple Hills, Maryland. Police pursued Edmundson as she ran away, tossing a blue/black book bag towards the rear of a nearby house. Edmundson was arrested and the book bag was recovered. The bag contained a cell phone, stolen lottery tickets, cash and a Maryland driver’s license that displayed Edmundson’s name. Edmundson was wearing clothing that matched the description given by the victims of the clothing worn by the person who committed the robberies. On September 3, 2020, a search warrant was executed for the Sonata, which was leased to Edmundson. Law enforcement recovered a neon yellow and orange glove and a black ski mask with a silver spider web pattern, that matched the mask and gloves worn during the robberies.
Law enforcement recovered a total of approximately $323 in cash from the Sonata, from Edmundson’s person, and from her book bag.
At the time of the robberies, Edmundson was on federal supervised release for a previous armed robbery conviction. The conditions of her supervised release included mandatory conditions that she not commit any new crime and that she not own, possess, or have access to a firearm. By committing the convenience store robberies, Edmundson violated those conditions of her supervised release.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Engelking and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Defendant in Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy Sentenced to Life in PrisonRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Jose David Navarro Cervellon, age 41, of Norcross, Georgia, today to life in federal prison, on charges related to a murder-for-hire that occurred on November 30, 2016, in Hyattsville, Maryland. On July 20, 2022, after an eight-day trial, a federal jury convicted Navarro for a murder-for-hire conspiracy. Navarro was also convicted for the use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of a murder-for-hire and for murder resulting from the use, carrying, brandishing and discharging of a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Postal Inspector in Charge Damon E. Wood of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to court documents and the evidence presented at his trial, Navarro was an associate of co-defendant Miguel Angel Ayala Rivera, the leader of the Pinos Locos Salvatrucha clique La Mara Salvatrucha, also known as the MS-13 gang (“MS-13”) and co-defendant Miguel Antonio Renderos, whom Navarro knew from El Salvador. In November 2016, Renderos was looking for someone to murder Victim 1 in exchange for $10,000. Navarro introduced Renderos to Ayala Rivera, who agreed to commit the murder.
The evidence presented at trial proved that Renderos wanted Victim 1 to be killed because in 2012, after Renderos allowed the victim to move into the basement of Renderos’s home, Victim 1 began to have a romantic relationship with Renderos’s wife. With Navarro serving as the middleman between Renderos and Ayala Rivera, the defendants exchanged phone calls to arrange the murder.
As detailed at trial and in court documents, between November 1 and November 30, 2016, Navarro paid for a hotel room for Ayala Rivera and another MS-13 member, Luis Cruz Hernandez, at a hotel in College Park. During that time, Ayala Rivera, Navarro and Cruz Hernandez conducted surveillance of Victim 1 in and around Victim 1’s residence. On November 30, 2016, Navarro drove Ayala Rivera and Cruz Hernandez to Victim 1’s residence, where Ayala Rivera shot and killed Victim 1. After the murder, Navarro drove Ayala Rivera and Cruz Hernandez to collect payment from Renderos for the murder of Victim 1.
Co-defendants Miguel Angel Ayala Rivera, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, and Miguel A. Renderos, age 48, of Hyattsville, Maryland, each pleaded guilty to their roles in the murder-for-hire and are awaiting sentencing. In a related case, Luis Cruz Hernandez, age 28, of Silver Spring, Maryland, previously pleaded guilty to his role in the murder-for-hire and was sentenced to 51 years in federal prison.
This case is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys William D. Moomau and Leah B. Grossi, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Prince George’s County Man Pleads Guilty to a Federal Wire Fraud Conspiracy to Obtain over $750,000 in COVID-19 CARES Act Loans and Unemployment Insurance BenefitsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Jaleel Phillips, age 25, of Capital Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to a federal wire fraud conspiracy, in relation to a scheme to unlawfully obtain COVID-19 relief loans and unemployment benefits.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge Troy W. Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Amaleka McCall-Brathwaite of the Small Business Administration - Office of Inspector General, Eastern Region, and Acting Special Agent in Charge Quenton Sallows, of the Mid-Atlantic Region, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG).
According to his plea agreement, electronic records linked Jaleel Phillips and his co-conspirator to a number of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications (PPP), Economic Injury Disaster loan applications (EIDL), and unemployment insurance claims. As detailed in the statement of facts, Phillips and his co-conspirator created fictitious aliases, used the personal identifying information of real people, and used defunct corporate entities or new business entities with no actual business operations to apply for EIDL and PPP loans, and unemployment benefits.
Phillips admitted that as part of the conspiracy, several financial accounts and email accounts were opened using aliases that had been used to apply for the fraudulent benefits, including “Kenneth Williams,” “Allen Gator,” “Lawrence Robinson,” and “Jordan Gilmore.” The fraudulently obtained PPP and EIDL loans and unemployment insurance claims were deposited into the bank accounts opened in the names of the aliases. The money was then withdrawn by Phillips and his co-conspirator through ATM withdrawals and purchases made on the associated debit and credit cards or transferred between the various financial accounts established in the aliases’ names. For example, Phillips engaged in multiple online and in-store transactions using debit cards embossed with the names of multiple fake identities and tied to bank accounts used in the fraud. Phillips admitted that he had access to accounts and debit cards receiving more than $750,000 in fraudulently obtained COVID-19 benefits.
“This was a brazen scheme of staggering proportions,” said Darrell J. Waldon, IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agent in Charge of the Washington D.C. Field Office. “The defendant and his co-conspirator prioritized their own greed, submitting a number of fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan applications, Economic Injury Disaster loan applications, and unemployment insurance claims. Today’s plea sends a clear message that the IRS Criminal Investigation Special Agents and our law enforcement partners, remain vigilant and will vigorously pursue those who attempt to enrich themselves through fraudulent means.”
Jaleel Phillips faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for the wire fraud conspiracy. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. No sentencing date has been set by the Court.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DOL-OIG, IRS-CI, SBA-OIG, FDIC-OIG, and the Mississippi Attorney General’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, who is prosecuting the federal case. He also thanked the Office of Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch-Public Integrity Division, for its assistance.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to report fraud, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/report-fraud.
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Member of Baltimore Gang Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Racketeering Conspiracies, Including Murders, Attempted Murders, Carjackings, and Armed RobberiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Rashaud Nesmith, a/k/a Shaud, age 21, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 40 years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for a racketeering conspiracy charge in connection with Nesmith’s participation in a group that conspired to commit multiple armed carjackings and robberies throughout Baltimore City, as well as for a second racketeering charge in connection with his participation in the violent street gang known as Cruddy Conniving Crutballs or Triple C, a group that conspired to commit other violent acts, including attempted murder and murder, in Baltimore City.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF); and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
“Rashaud Nesmith’s mayhem is over and he’s now being held responsible for his actions,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “I want to express my appreciation to our law enforcement partners for the tremendous investigation that led to this prosecution. We will hold accountable those who commit violence in our communities, but we also offer a helping hand to assist at-risk individuals to avoid this result.”
“Rashaud Nesmith participated in murders, non-fatal shootings, carjackings, armed robberies, and more. The victims were innocent, simply going about their lives in the city and attacked without provocation. Now he will spend decades in prison what he’s done,” said ATF Baltimore Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby. “By applying the crime gun intelligence model of investigating, ATF and our law enforcement partners will continue to do everything in our power to remove violent offenders from Baltimore's streets.”
“I want to extend my gratitude to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and all of our law enforcement partners for their tireless efforts. This case is another great example of the collaborative work in using all the tools in our toolbelt to continue to identify, arrest and convict violent offenders,” said Commissioner Michael Harrison. “I hope that this sentence will bring some closure to the families, friends and loved ones.”
Nesmith admitted that in connection with the carjacking and robbery conspiracy, he participated in a carjacking, two armed robberies and an attempted armed robbery. During the commission of the crimes, two victims were shot and killed, and one victim was shot and seriously injured. Specifically, Nesmith participated in a carjacking on April 19, 2019, where a firearm was brandished; the July 23, 2019 robbery of Devon Chavis during which at least one member of the conspiracy discharged a firearm, striking and killing Chavis; the August 1, 2019, attempted robbery of Kendrick Sharpe, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a gun, striking and killing Sharpe; and the August 8, 2019 robbery of a victim, during which at least one member of the conspiracy fired a gun, striking and severely injuring the victim. In addition, Nesmith knew that his co-conspirators would commit other acts that he did not participate in, including a carjacking on June 12, 2019, where an individual was shot and killed, and five additional carjackings committed from June 12, 2019, through July 29, 2019.
Nesmith also admitted to participating in the Triple C conspiracy. According to Nesmith’s plea agreement, as a member of Triple C, Nesmith and other gang members engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity between 2015 and 2020, including more than a dozen murders and numerous non-fatal shootings, robberies, and carjackings, in order to promote the reputation of Triple C and to command respect from the neighborhood. Other spin-offs of the gang are “SCL” and recently, “TRD.”
As detailed in the plea agreement, the gang benefitted financially from, and affected interstate commerce by, selling narcotics, murdering drug dealers, taking contract killings, and engaging in street robberies. Nesmith acknowledged that as part of his activities with Triple C, he distributed controlled substances, including crack cocaine. Triple C members also robbed dice games for cash and occasionally carjacked vehicles. Members divided the proceeds of the robberies and murders among members who participated, and they often contacted each other to commit a robbery if that member needed money.
Also, according to the plea agreement, Triple C members routinely used social media to identify and locate victims and to communicate with each other and share information concerning possible retaliation for violent crimes committed by gang members. Triple C members and associates used at least 14 firearms to commit crimes, often trading firearms with each other or other groups to avoid detection through ballistic evidence. They limited conversations about criminal plans to members of Triple C and critiqued each other after committing crimes regarding ways to improve their actions. Nesmith admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that members of the conspiracy would commit additional murders, attempted murders, carjackings, and robberies.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in these investigations and thanked the FBI and the Office of the Baltimore City State’s Attorney for their assistance in the investigations and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and Brandon K. Moore, who prosecuted the case.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 15 Years in Federal Prison for Sex Trafficking at Least Three WomenRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III today sentenced Ryan Odell Oliver, a/k/a “Dre,” “Fame,” and “Foreign,” age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 15 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for sex trafficking at least three victims.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Oliver’s guilty plea, in December 2018 a female victim (Victim 1) texted a non-profit sex trafficking prevention agency that she was forced into prostitution and was being held against her will by Oliver. An Alexandria, Virginia Police Department undercover detective followed up on the report and made a commercial sex date with Victim 1 in order to find her. Officers located Victim 1 at the location given for the sex date. Oliver was also at the location, but fled before he could be arrested. A second female (Victim 2) was also found at that location.
During the investigation, law enforcement spoke with three women whom Oliver was trafficking or attempting to traffic. Victim 1 and Victim 2 told law enforcement that they were trying to leave but Oliver refused to let them go. The victims stated that Oliver had trafficked Victim 1 and a third woman, Victim 3, for his prostitution business and was attempting to sex traffic Victim 2. Oliver physically and sexually assaulted Victim 1 and Victim 2. Victim 1 and Victim 3 worked for Oliver in the Washington D.C. and Maryland area, including surrounding states. Oliver advertised all three victims online for commercial sex dates and kept all of the money made by his victims on their commercial sex dates. Oliver also arranged for a tattoo artist to tattoo his nicknames “Fame” and “Foreign” on one of his victims.
As detailed in his guilty plea, Oliver gave Victim 1 daily quotas for commercial sex dates and refused to provide for Victim 1 if she did not meet the quotas. Oliver also made Victim 1 take pictures of other sex trafficking victims to advertise them for commercial sex dates. Oliver used violence against Victim 1 when she did something he thought was wrong and Oliver told Victim 1 that she was his property. Victim 3 advised that Oliver provided her with drugs, including heroin.
According to Oliver’s plea agreement, after meeting Victim 2 on a social media platform in December 2018, Oliver paid for a car to drive Victim 2 from Pennsylvania to his Baltimore residence. There, Oliver forced Victim 2 to have sex with him and choked Victim 2 when she would not comply with his sexual demands. After the assault, Victim 2 met one of Oliver’s co-conspirators, now deceased, who took her to a hotel, forced her to watch another sex trafficking victim conduct a sex date, and warned Victim 2 not to try to escape because Oliver would find her and that Oliver had a gun.
Oliver was arrested on January 11, 2019, in Baltimore. A search warrant executed at his residence recovered three cell phones, a hand-held recorder, a laptop, a ledger, a 9mm firearm, and ammunition. Additionally, law enforcement discovered images of Victim 1 and Victim 3 on Oliver’s phone.
This case was investigated by law enforcement agencies that are members of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, formed in 2007 to discover and rescue victims of human trafficking while identifying and prosecuting offenders. Members include federal, state, and local law enforcement, as well as victim service providers and local community members. For more information about the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, please visit http://www.justice.gov/usao/md/priorities_human.html.
Report suspected instances of human trafficking to HSI's tip line at 866-DHS-2ICE (1-866-347-2423) or by completing its online tip form. Both are staffed around the clock by investigators.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HSI, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen E. McGuinn, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Two Maryland Men Convicted After a Two-Week Trial for Federal Charges Related to an Armed Heroin and Fentanyl Distribution Conspiracy Operating in Washington CountyRead the Press Release
Baltimore – A federal jury convicted Jarvis Antonio Coleman-Fuller, age 35, of Hagerstown, Maryland and Eric Tyrell Johnson, a/k/a E, age 38, of Owings Mills, Maryland, late on November 17, 2022, on federal charges related to a conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, specifically fentanyl and heroin in Washington County, Maryland.
The guilty verdict was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James C. Harris of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Washington County Sheriff Douglas Mullendore; Chief Paul “Joey” Kifer of the Hagerstown Police Department; and Washington County States’ Attorney Charles P. Strong.
According to the evidence presented at their two-week trial, beginning in about April 2019 and continuing to about November 2019, the defendants and their co-conspirators conspired to distribute heroin and fentanyl in the Washington County area. During the investigation, law enforcement seized narcotics, including at least 1.3 kilograms of fentanyl, five firearms, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and more than $12,534 in cash. Witnesses testified that Johnson and Coleman-Fuller distributed fentanyl and illegally possessed firearms. Johnson and Coleman-Fuller both had previous felony convictions and were prohibited from possessing firearms and ammunition. The trial evidence also proved that Coleman-Fuller possessed a firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking crimes.
Eight co-defendants have previously pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing.
Coleman-Fuller and Johnson each face a mandatory minimum sentence of at least five years in federal prison and up to 40 years in prison for the drug charges and up to 10 years in federal prison and up to life in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Coleman-Fuller also faces a mandatory minimum of five years in federal prison, consecutive to any other sentence, and up to life in federal prison for possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties, after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Deborah K. Chasanow has scheduled sentencing for Coleman-Fuller and Johnson for March 10, 2023 at 9:30 a.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, HSI, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office, the Washington County Narcotics Task Force, and the Washington County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution Mr. Barron also thanked the Baltimore County Police Department and the Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s Office for their assistance in the case. Mr. Barron commended Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christina A. Hoffman, Joan C. Mathias, and Adeyemi Adenrele, who are prosecuting this case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psn.
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Silver Spring Dentist Sentenced to More Than Two Years in Federal Prison for Scheme to Fraudulently Obtain Medicaid Funds by Recruiting Medicaid Beneficiaries Through the Payment of Kickbacks and BribesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang today sentenced Edward T. Buford III, age 70, of Silver Spring, Maryland, to 30 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit mail fraud and healthcare fraud. Judge Chuang also ordered Buford to pay $1,267,630 in restitution.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Wayne Jacobs of the Federal Bureau of Investigation - Washington Field Office Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services; Special Agent in Charge Michael McGill of the Social Security Administration - Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Division; and Daniel W. Lucas, Inspector General for the District of Columbia.
Buford was a licensed dentist in Washington, D.C. and the owner and Chief Executive Officer of International Dental Associates, Inc. (IDA), a dental clinic located in Washington, D.C. According to his guilty plea, from January 2013 to May 2018, Buford led a scheme to file fraudulent Medicaid claims for dental services to Medicaid beneficiaries and recruited Medicaid beneficiaries to fuel the scheme through the payment of kickbacks and bribes.
Buford caused the submission of Medicaid claims for a variety of dental services, including dentures. As part of the conspiracy, Buford paid kickbacks to patient recruiters in exchange for referring Medicaid beneficiaries to IDA for dental services. At Buford’s direction, the recruiters offered cash bribes to beneficiaries to visit IDA and accept dental services. Medicaid paid substantially more for dentures than for many other dental services, including dental cleanings. Buford paid larger cash kickbacks to recruiters—approximately $50 per beneficiary—for beneficiaries that agreed to be fitted for dentures, and typically paid the recruited beneficiaries $20 to be fitted for dentures. Buford knew that Medicaid would not have paid the claims had it known they were procured through kickbacks and bribes.
As detailed in the plea agreement, even though dentures required multiple visits to fit and deliver, Buford caused the recruiters and beneficiaries to be paid only for the initial visit—after which Buford could bill Medicaid for the dentures—and numerous beneficiaries never returned to IDA after receiving the cash bribe. Buford stored hundreds of undelivered dentures on IDA’s premises, many of which had been billed to and paid for by Medicaid. As part of the scheme, Buford maintained a post office box in Silver Spring, Maryland as IDA’s billing address and received the fraudulently obtained payments at that location.
Based on the amount that Medicaid paid to Buford and IDA for dentures that were not delivered, the actual loss to Medicaid was at least $1,267,630.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, HHS-OIG, the D.C. Office of the Inspector General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and SSA-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica C. Collins and Kelly O. Hayes, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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United States Attorney Erek L. Barron Announces Awards RecipientsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron announced that twenty-two employees of the United States Attorney’s Office and the Department of Justice, four law enforcement officers, and two civilians were honored today with the Office’s most prestigious awards. At a ceremony held to announce the awards this morning at the United States Courthouse in Baltimore, U.S. Attorney Barron also introduced 24 new Assistant United States Attorneys and other employees who have joined the Office since last year.
During today’s awards ceremony, U.S. Attorney Barron also announced that every criminal federal prosecutor in the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office will be assigned a firearms case in addition to their regular caseloads. This is the most expansive anti-firearms initiative in terms of resource commitment in the history of the United States Attorney’s Office.
“It is a pleasure to be able to recognize and celebrate the impactful work done by today’s award recipients,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Since my arrival as U.S. Attorney just over a year ago, we have hired and promoted the most diverse supervisory and legal staff in the history of the Office and we have increased our efforts to reduce violent crime through innovative and coordinated strategies with our law enforcement partners. I believe that assigning at least one firearms case to every criminal Assistant United States Attorney and Special Assistant United States Attorney demonstrates to the community and to our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners our continued commitment and focus on making Maryland communities safer. We have also committed to keep our communities safer by establishing a Violent and Organized Crime Section, including 30 new state-funded prosecutors and administrative staff positions; by establishing a Civil Rights and Special Victims’ Section; by being named a national Department of Justice COVID-19 CARES Act Strike Force and an Elder Justice Strike Force; as well as expanding our National Security and Cyber Crimes Section.”
Annual Awards
The following awards were announced by United States Attorney Barron:
Gary Jordan Award
Recipient: Assistant United States Attorney Kathleen O. Gavin
Gary P. Jordan served with distinction for many years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, as First Assistant from March 29, 1987 until his death on October 25, 1996, and as interim U.S. Attorney in 1993. This is an honorary award presented annually to an employee for exemplary performance that demonstrates the highest traditions of the office: integrity, ingenuity, dedication to public service and fairness.
Deborah A. Johnston Profile in Courage Award
Recipient: Assistant United States Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan
In her 23 years as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, Chief of the Southern Division and Senior Litigation Counsel in the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Deborah A. Johnston fearlessly took on the most challenging prosecutions in pursuit of justice. Established in 2019, the Deborah A. Johnston Profile in Courage Award is presented to one or more assistant U.S. attorneys who demonstrate extraordinary courage and commitment to duty while representing the United States of America.
Barnet D. Skolnik Award
Recipients: Assistant United States Attorney Kenneth Clark
Assistant United States Attorney Anatoly SmolkinBarnet D. (Barney) Skolnik was an Assistant U.S. Attorney who led teams that prosecuted numerous white-collar criminals and corrupt public officials in the 1970s, including Vice President Spiro T. Agnew. This is an honorary award presented annually to one or more Assistant U.S. Attorneys who demonstrate outstanding professionalism, determination and creativity in a case of unusual public significance.
Employee of the Year Award
Recipient: Information Technology Specialist Derek Johnson
The Employee of the Year Award recognizes sustained superior performance and outstanding achievements by a non-attorney employee. The award also recognizes the recipient's professionalism, dedication, and comprehensive knowledge in their area of expertise.
Pete Twardowicz Award
Recipients: Special Agent Adam Eaton, Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Special Agent Robert Petrole, Defense Criminal Investigative Service
Special Agent August Merker, Homeland Security InvestigationsThe Pete Twardowicz Award was established in honor of Eugene P. (Pete) Twardowicz, who rendered many years of outstanding service to the U.S. Attorney’s Office as an IRS criminal investigator and a Special Investigator for this Office. This award recognizes law enforcement agents or officers for outstanding cooperation and achievement while working with the U.S. Attorney’s Office on a significant case.
Excellence in Civil Advocacy
Recipient: Assistant United States Attorney Vickie LeDuc
The U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Civil Advocacy, established in 2007, is presented annually to an Assistant U.S. Attorney for outstanding advocacy in civil litigation.
Excellence in Prosecution of Fraud
Recipients: Assistant United States Attorney Harry M. Gruber
Assistant United States Attorney Paul A. RileyThe U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Prosecution of Fraud, established in 2007, is presented annually to an Assistant U.S. Attorney for outstanding work in prosecuting fraud.
Excellence in Prosecution of Violent Crime
Recipients: Assistant United States Attorney Patricia C. McLane
Special Assistant United States Attorney Patrick KibbeThe U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Prosecution of Violent Crime, established in 2007, is presented annually an Assistant U.S. Attorney for outstanding work in prosecuting violent crime.
Rod J. Rosenstein Award
Recipient: Detective Carl Walder, Baltimore County Police Department
The Rod J. Rosenstein Award, established in 2017, is presented annually to a state and/or local investigator whose cooperative efforts and excellent work reflect the highest traditions of the law enforcement profession.
Excellence in Prosecution of Organized Crime
Recipients: Assistant United States Attorney Timothy Hagan
Assistant United States Attorney William Moomau
Assistant United States Attorney Christopher Sarma
Julie Finocchiaro, Trial Attorney, Department of Justice
Alex Gottfried, Trial Attorney, Department of JusticeThe U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Prosecution of Organized Crime, established in 2007, is presented annually to an Assistant U.S. Attorney for outstanding work in prosecuting organized criminal activity.
Excellence in Legal Support
Recipient: Paralegal Specialist Lesley Dunlap
Paralegal Specialist Stacey ThompsonThe U.S. Attorney’s Award for Excellence in Legal Support, established in 2007, is presented annually to one or more non-attorney employees for outstanding work in support of the mission of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Outstanding Contributions to a Law Enforcement Initiative
Recipients: Assistant United States Attorney David Salem
Assistant United States Attorney Ellen Nazmy
Assistant United States Attorney Shabnam Aryana
Assistant United States Attorney Bijon Mostoufi
Special Assistant United States Attorney Jonathan TsueiThe U.S. Attorney’s Award for Outstanding Contributions to a Law Enforcement Initiative, established in 2007, is presented annually to one or more employees for outstanding work in support of an initiative of the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
Carl S. Lackl Award
The Carl S. Lackl Award for Exemplary Perseverance and Fortitude in Pursuit of Justice was established in 2008 in honor of Carl Stanley Lackl, Jr. Mr. Lackl witnessed a murder in Baltimore in 2006 and agreed to testify against the suspect he identified. After the suspect was arrested by police and charged in state court with the murder, he used a contraband cellular telephone to contact co-conspirators and arranged to murder Mr. Lackl, who was shot to death outside his house in front of his daughter. All of the conspirators were convicted on federal charges.
This year the award was presented to two women who assisted with a case in the Greenbelt Office.
New Employees
In addition, United States Attorney Barron welcomed new employees who joined the office last year. Assistant United States Attorneys: Adeyemi Adenrele, Ariana Arnold, Shabnam Aryana, Michael Aubin, Steven Brantley, Geonard Butler, Joel Crespo, Ryan Dietrich, Ariel Evans, Darren Gardner, Robert Goldaris, Melissa Goldmeier, LaShanta Harris, Coreen Mao, Colleen McGuinn, Calvin Miner, Bijon Mostoufi, Christopher Sarma, Matthew Shea, Alicia Shelton, Beatrice Thomas, John Truex-Chung, Joseph Wenner, Michael Wilson. Special Assistant United States Attorneys: Keelan Diana, Jared Engelking, Jacob Gordin, Patrick Kibbe, Jeffrey Maylor, Alena Mosier, Nicholas Potter, Joshua Rosenthal, Laura Ruppersberger, Sarah Simpkins. Administrative Staff: Robin Blumenshine, Marissa Crockett, Fernando Dominguez, Juliette Frase, Brandon Haynes, Anna Jones, Jose Lopez-Berrios, Jill Pegues, Aleta Sacksteder, Angelina Thompson, Scott Wilson.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to Nine Years in Federal Prison for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a School Zone and for Possession with Intent to Distribute Fentanyl and Other DrugsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III sentenced Vashawn Watkins, age 22, of Baltimore, Maryland, today to nine years in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for federal charges of illegal possession of a firearm in a school zone and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Baltimore City Sheriff John W. Anderson; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from October 2020 through March 1, 2021, Watkins was engaged in drug trafficking involving large amounts of fentanyl and other controlled substances. Watkins and his associates operated a stash house in the unit block of Clovelly Street in Pikesville, Maryland, where they processed fentanyl and other drugs, mixed the drugs with cutting agents, and packaged the drugs for re-sale. Watkins and his associates then drove the packaged drug products to drug shops operated by their drug trafficking organization, along Stricker Street, School Street, and Gilmor Street in Baltimore. Watkins sometimes oversaw the drug trafficking operations at the Stricker Street drug shop.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on February 11, 2021, while Watkins was overseeing operations at the Stricker Street drug shop, law enforcement officers saw Watkins place a firearm inside a vehicle parked in the 1500 block of North Stricker Street. Law enforcement obtained a search warrant for the vehicle and recovered a loaded .45-caliber firearm. Also found inside the vehicle was Watkins’ state-issued identification card. Watkins admitted that he knowingly possessed this.45-caliber loaded firearm within 1,000 feet of a public elementary school.
On March 1, 2021, Watkins was seen leaving a residence in the 1500 block of Stricker Street and taking possession of approximately one kilogram of fentanyl from an associate who had brought the drugs from the Pikesville stash house. Watkins took the fentanyl into the residence. Law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant for the residence, recovering the drugs, which were in close proximity to Watkins. Law enforcement also recovered two loaded 9mm handguns from the residence. A search warrant was subsequently executed at the Pikesville stash house and law enforcement recovered 6.8 kilograms of fentanyl, along with cutting agents and other drug paraphernalia.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA, the Baltimore City Sheriff’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason D. Medinger, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Coercion and Enticement of a Minor to Produce Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Deborah L. Boardman sentenced Steven Martin Bickling, age 48, of Baltimore, Maryland to 12 years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for coercion and enticement of a minor to produce child pornography.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in 2018 Bickling visited a website that offered live chat rooms with foreign women. After hearing children in the background of chat rooms, Bickling asked a female performer to show her daughter nude for $50. After agreeing to Bickling’s request, the female performer posed her prepubescent daughter on video chat as Bickling masturbated. Bickling estimated that this conduct occurred 12 to 15 times within a two-year period.
As stated in his plea agreement, on August 19, 2020, Baltimore City detectives and members of the FBI Violent Crimes Against Children Task Force executed a search and seizure warrant at Bickling’s residence. Bickling was present at the time. During an interview with law enforcement, Bickling admitted that he possessed pornographic videos of children between five and twelve years of age saved on his laptop. Bickling also informed law enforcement that he paid for access to a restricted child pornography website.
A subsequent review of Bickling’s email account revealed numerous conversations in which Bickling solicited images or videos of female children engaging in sexually explicit conduct. For example, in an email communication on May 7, 2019, Bickling wrote “I watch a lot of child prn . . . I like when they cry.” In chats dating back to 2018, Bickling solicited live video sessions of adult men engaging in explicit sexual activity with their younger sisters or nieces.
As detailed in his plea agreement, a forensic analysis of the items seized from Bickling’s residence revealed a total of 21 images and 50 videos that depicted minors, including prepubescent minors, engaged in sexually explicit conduct.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse. Led by the United States Attorney’s Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who sexually exploit children, and to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit www.justice.gov/psc. For more information about Internet safety education, please visit www.justice.gov/psc and click on the "Resources" tab on the left of the page.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Colleen McGuinn, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron Announces End of Year Strategies to Reduce Violent CrimeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – At a press conference yesterday, U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron, joined by federal, state, and local partners announced new initiatives to fight violent crime in Maryland. These efforts build on previous successes and are intended to prevent and reduce violent crime in Baltimore City. Partners at yesterday’s announcement included:
U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron;
Governor Larry Hogan;
Colonel Woodrow W. “Jerry” Jones III, Superintendent, Maryland State Police;
Colonel Kevin Anderson, Chief, Maryland Transportation Authority Police;
Colonel Joseph Conger, Baltimore County Police Department; and
Deputy Chief Gerard Fleming, Anne Arundel County Police Department.This announcement was also following consultation with federal, state, and local partners including Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison.
U.S. Attorney Erek Barron stated, “I have consulted and discussed these plans with Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott, who provided ideas regarding strategy and implementation. I have also been in close communication with Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison who welcomed these new initiatives and our ongoing partnership.”
As discussed at the press conference, as part of our continued partnership with federal, state, and local law enforcement, we are initiating a Feeder Route Task Force, which draws upon the federal resources of the United States Attorney’s Office in tandem with the Maryland State Police, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Anne Arundel County Police and Baltimore County Police. If you are driving with a gun or drugs on a Maryland road know that task force members will be on the lookout. Prosecutors in the United States Attorney’s Office will screen any related traffic stops for potential federal prosecution.
One of the cornerstones of the Department of Justice’s Project Safe Neighborhoods is Community Outreach and Prevention. U.S. Attorney Barron, Governor Hogan, and Secretary Green of the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services also announced a new strategy focusing on a “knock and talk” initiative involving unannounced home visits to parolees by a team that includes law enforcement and a social worker, to provide opportunities for education and job training and to connect parolees and their families with needed services while in their communities.
In addition, the U.S. Attorney’s Office is sponsoring and attending reentry events for returning citizens; participating in call-ins for those at risk of re-offending; and engaging the community members and youth through gang and internet safety training.
“All of us in law enforcement are committed to trying new and innovative ways to reduce violent crime. As we end 2022, we must continue to focus on preventing and reducing violent crime,” U.S. Attorney Barron concluded.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Charge for Illegal Possession of a Firearm in a School ZoneRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Malcolm Goods, age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal charge for illegal possession of a firearm within a school zone.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to Goods’ guilty plea, on September 12, 2021, Baltimore Police officers received a call for an armed person at the intersection of Pennsylvania and Cumberland Avenues in Baltimore. The person was carrying a gun, wearing a white construction hat and orange safety vest, and riding a bicycle. An officer monitoring a closed-circuit television camera located an individual, later identified as Goods, matching that description in the 600 block of Cumberland Avenue.
When officers arrived on scene, Goods got on a bicycle and rode on the sidewalk for a few blocks. Near the 1600 block of N. Carey Street, officers pulled over next to Goods told Goods to stop. They needed to speak with him because riding his bicycle on the sidewalk was prohibited by a local ordinance. The area is about one block away from Sandtown-Winchester Achievement Academy, a Baltimore public elementary and middle school. Goods initially agreed to stop, then rode away on the bicycle.
After briefly losing sight of Goods, officers found him knocking on someone’s front door and placed him into custody. An officer saw the grip of a firearm in Goods’ waistband and recovered a.40 caliber pistol with an obliterated serial number, loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition. During his arrest, including after he was read his Miranda rights, Goods made several spontaneous, incriminating statements which indicated that he was aware that he possessed a firearm.
Goods and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Goods will be sentenced to two years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for March 3, 2023 at 2:00 p.m.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Brandon Moore and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Sarah Simpkins, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Southwest Baltimore “NFL” Gang Member Sentenced to 25 Years in Federal Prison for a Racketeering Conspiracy, Including Committing a MurderRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – On November 8, 2022, U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Darran Malik Butler, age 23, of Baltimore, to 25 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for participating in a violent racketeering conspiracy, specifically, the NFL Criminal Enterprise, including committing a murder. The term NFL stands for Normandy, Franklin, and Loudon, which are three adjacent streets that run through the Edmondson Village. Members of NFL have social and family ties to the Edmondson Village neighborhood in southwest Baltimore.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from at least 2018 through March 26, 2020, Darran Butler was a member of the NFL Criminal Enterprise, which engaged in a pattern of criminal racketeering activity including murder, narcotics trafficking and smuggling, illegal firearms possession, bribery, witness intimidation, and witness retaliation. Butler participated in illegal activities with other NFL Enterprise members, including committing a murder on the enterprise’s behalf. As detailed in Butler’s plea agreement, in October 2018, a co-conspirator solicited Butler to murder Leonard Shelley so that the co-conspirator and Butler could collect a bounty that had been placed on Shelley. On October 31, 2018, Butler and a co-conspirator followed Shelley into a convenience store and shot Shelley numerous times, killing him. Following the murder, Butler posted a picture on Instagram of himself holding the bounty proceeds for Shelley’s murder.
More than 30 defendants in this and related cases have pleaded guilty to their roles in the racketeering conspiracy.
This case was made possible by investigative leads generated from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives’ (ATF) National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). NIBIN is the only national network that allows for the capture and comparison of ballistic evidence to aid in solving and preventing violent crimes involving firearms. NIBIN is a proven investigative and intelligence tool that can link firearms from multiple crime scenes, allowing law enforcement to quickly disrupt shooting cycles. For more information on NIBIN, visit https://www.atf.gov/firearms/national-integrated-ballistic-information-network-nibin.
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. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. PSN is an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.
This case is also part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach that leverages the strengths of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies against criminal networks.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the DEA, the Montgomery County Department of Police and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service; the City of Rockville Police Department; the Baltimore County and Howard County Police Departments; the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; the Maryland State Police; the West Virginia State Police; the Virginia State Police; the Warren County (VA) Sheriff’s Department; the Winchester (VA) and Front Royal (VA) Police Departments; and the Frederick County and Howard County State’s Attorney’s Offices for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys John W. Sippel, Jr., James T. Wallner, and Robert I. Goldaris, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Baltimore Robber Sentenced to More Than 10 Years in Federal Prison for Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of Drug Trafficking and a Related Drug ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Billy Wesson, age 20, of Baltimore, Maryland, late yesterday to 125 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession with intent to distribute cocaine and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Wesson also participated in a series of armed robberies of convenience stores.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.According to his guilty plea, between August 4 and August 7, 2020, Wesson and a co-conspirator committed three armed robberies of convenience stores. In the first robbery on August 4, the store clerk began to run to the rear of the store when she saw the robbers enter. Wesson chased after the employee, caught up with her and walked her back to the cash register, which she opened at gunpoint. In the second robbery on August 6, Wesson approached a store employee from behind and placed the gun to the back of the employee’s head, telling her to “go to the register and open it.” Wesson walked the employee to the register area and again ordered her to open the register, which she did. In the third robbery on August 7, which was committed less than an hour after the second robbery, Wesson pointed a gun at a store employee immediately upon entering the store. Wesson ordered the employee to open the register, which he did, but the employee could only open the first cash drawer and not the second drawer. As in the two previous robberies, Wesson took the cash from the drawer and fled the store.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on the evening of August 8, 2020, four Baltimore Police Department officers were conducting routine patrol in an unmarked vehicle in 5100 block of Midwood Avenue in the Winston-Govans neighborhood in Northwest Baltimore. There was a party in the area and individuals were in the street and on the sidewalk. The officers saw an individual, later identified as Wesson, wearing a satchel across the right side of his body and conducting a “security check,” indicating that Wesson was armed.
The officers stopped and began to get out of their car to approach Wesson. Wesson fled, followed by the four officers. As he ran from the officers, Wesson threw his satchel on the sidewalk not far from one of the homes on Midwood Avenue, where it was almost immediately recovered by law enforcement. The satchel was searched and was found to contain a loaded firearm that matched the gun used in the robberies. The satchel also contained multiple baggies of cocaine packaged for street-level distribution.
Wesson was caught and searched. On Wesson’s person, law enforcement recovered $279 in cash—proceeds from his drug trafficking—and suspected marijuana. Wesson was arrested and subsequently admitted that he possessed the firearm in connection with and in furtherance of his illegal business selling cocaine and that he knew he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
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, an evidence-based program proven to be effective at reducing violent crime, is the centerpiece of the Department of Justice’s violent crime reduction efforts. Through PSN, a broad spectrum of stakeholders work together to identify the most pressing violent crime problems in the community and develop comprehensive solutions to address them. As part of this strategy, PSN focuses enforcement efforts on the most violent offenders and partners with locally based prevention and reentry programs for lasting reductions in crime.United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Paul A. Riley and Colleen McGuinn, who prosecuted the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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Fraudster Pleads Guilty to Participating in an $800,000 Elder Fraud ScamRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Michael Odell Anderson, age 64, of Crystal Beach, Florida and Dun Lorring, Virginia, pleaded guilty today to a federal charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, in relation to his participation in an elder fraud scam.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Thomas J. Sobocinski of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Baltimore Field Office.
According to his plea agreement, from April 2020 to December 2020, Anderson conspired with others to persuade elderly victims to give them thousands of dollars under false pretenses. Specifically, members of the conspiracy called elderly victims posing as a police officer, lawyer, or relative and convinced victims to send money for the purported legal expenses of a loved one, generally a grandchild, who had been incarcerated in connection with a car accident or traffic stop involving a crime.
If victims provided cash as directed by conspirators, conspirators fabricated additional reasons for them to send more money, claiming the additional funds were necessary for their grandchild’s legal expenses, bail costs, fines, or to pay damages. Conspiracy members continued to call victims and demand additional funds, regularly obtaining tens of thousands of dollars from the retirement savings of victims. Additionally, conspirators falsely told the victims that the money they sent would be returned to them at a later date. To conceal the crime, the co-conspirators often told the victims that there had been a “gag order” placed on the case requiring secrecy and that the victim could not share the information with others.
Anderson admitted that he and other conspirators posed as bail bondsmen or couriers and received cash directly from the victims, taking approximately seven percent of the proceeds as their payment and distributing the remaining fraud proceeds to other conspirators. To conceal their identities, Anderson and the other conspirators used fake names and would not park directly in front of the victims’ homes when retrieving cash from the victims. When Anderson was recruited into the conspiracy in April 2020, he traveled to the Maryland area to perpetrate the scheme, collecting money from victims in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, and other states. As part of the conspiracy, Anderson recruited additional participants to join the conspiracy and assist in retrieving cash from the victims. Anderson directed the recruited conspirators to pay him a percentage of their earnings from the fraud scheme.
For example, Anderson, posing as a bail bondsman, traveled to Sykesville, Maryland on December 4, 2020, and collected $29,000 in cash from Victim 3, who had received a call from a co-conspirator telling her that her nephew had been arrested and needed money for his bail. The next day, Victim 3 received another call and was told that she needed to pay an additional $10,000 in cash for bail money. Anderson again traveled to Victim 3’s home to collect the cash and was arrested while attempting to retrieve the money.
As a result of the scheme, Anderson and the other conspirators caused at least 49 victims to pay at least $842,670 through materially false pretenses, representation, and promises. Of that amount, approximately $578,170 was not returned to the victims
As part of his plea agreement, Anderson will be required to pay restitution in the full amount of the victims’ losses, which does not exceed $578,170 and to forfeit any property or assets derived from, or obtained as a result of, his criminal activity, including $70,327 seized from Anderson’s residence on December 18, 2020.
Anderson faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after taking into account the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for March 16, 2023, at 11:00 a.m.
The Department of Justice runs the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), has an interactive tool for elders who have been financially exploited to help determine to which agency they should report their incident, and also has a senior scam alert website. Victims are encouraged to file a complaint online with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at this website or by calling 1-800-225-5324. Elder fraud complaints may be filed with the FTC at www.ftccomplaintassistant.gov or at 877-FTC-HELP.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI for its work in the investigation and thanked the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean R. Delaney, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/elder-justice-initiative.
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Federal Jury Convicts Silver Spring Man on Gun and Drug Conspiracy ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Late yesterday a federal jury convicted Darryl Colton Frazer, age 34, of Silver Spring, Maryland, on federal gun and drug conspiracy charges. Frazer’s co-defendant, Shamire Moore, age 31, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty on October 31, 2022, to possession with intent to distribute marijuana and to possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The guilty verdict and plea were announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Toni M. Crosby of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD).
According to the evidence presented at his three-day trial, on July 25, 2019, MCPD officers investigating a recent shooting approached Frazer and co-defendant Shamire Moore after noting that Moore appeared to match the description of an individual involved in the shooting. When Frazer and Moore saw the officers, they ran into a nearby residential area. Officers followed them and found Frazer in a nearby apartment building.
Witnesses testified that Frazer was ordered to stop and to drop the black bag that he was carrying. Instead, Frazer threw the black bag from the stairwell and away from himself. The black bag was immediately recovered by police, and Frazer was arrested. The black bag contained: a loaded 9mm semi-automatic pistol; 103 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags; a digital scale, and latex gloves.
At the time of his arrest, Frazer was on supervised release for a previous federal conviction. Frazer also knew that as a result of his previous conviction, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition.
According to Moore’s plea agreement, officers found Moore lying on the ground in a nearby wooded area. They ordered Moore to stand up and surrender, but instead, Moore scaled a fence and jumped onto an adjacent government property. Moore was eventually caught and arrested after a struggle. The black bag that Moore was carrying contained a loaded .38 caliber revolver, 106 grams of marijuana packaged into four separate plastic bags inside a larger Ziploc bag, and a digital scale, among other items. During a search of Moore’s clothing and effects, law enforcement also recovered $579 in cash, which represented proceeds of Moore’s drug trafficking offense. Moore admitted that he possessed the marijuana with intent to distribute it and that the firearm was in furtherance of drug trafficking since it was intended, at least in part, to defend his drug inventory and drug proceeds.
Frazer faces up to 20 years in federal prison for his conviction on charges of participating in a drug conspiracy, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, and being a felon in possession of a firearm. Separately, Frazer will be facing a maximum of two years in prison for violation of his supervised release in his previous federal case.
Moore and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Moore will be sentenced to at least five years, but not more than six years, in federal prison.
U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm has not scheduled a sentencing for date for Frazer or Moore.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and gun violence, and to make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. On May 26, 2021, the Department launched a violent crime reduction strategy strengthening PSN based on these core principles: fostering trust and legitimacy in our communities, supporting community-based organizations that help prevent violence from occurring in the first place, setting focused and strategic enforcement priorities, and measuring the results.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Montgomery County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Adam K. Ake and Joel Crespo and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Kibbe, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and resources available to help the community, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
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