District of Maryland
Press releases recorded for this federal judicial district.
Husband and Wife Plead Guilty to Conspiracy in Relation to Fraudulent Tax Filings of Maryland Auto Body Repair ShopRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Ercin Kalender, age 60, of Alexandria, Virginia and Lizette Kalender, age 44, of Alexandria, Virginia pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy in relation to tax fraud within their corporate filings and business taxes. As part of their plea agreements, the Kalenders have been ordered to pay $2,219,602 in restitution.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office.
According to their guilty pleas, Ercin Kalender owned and operated Butch’s, a very successful Capital Heights, Maryland auto body shop. Lizette Kalender worked at the autobody shop as a manager and bookkeeper. In that capacity, she handled tax reporting matters and regularly worked with an outside tax preparation and accounting agency, which prepared the taxes for Butch’s and the personal tax returns for Ercin and Lizette.
For the fiscal tax years of 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018, Butch’s reported its income and expenses to the federal government by filing Forms 1120 with the Internal Revenue Service. During this period, the Kalenders conspired with each other to include materially false information on their Form 1120s filed with the IRS on behalf of Butch’s. The false information included on the Form 1120s included a significantly lower report of gross income and taxable income.
The Kalenders jointly worked to divert revenue from Butch’s and avoid significant revenues being deposited into Butch’s corporate bank accounts and reported to the IRS. As part of the conspiracy, the Kalenders kept two sets of financial records for Butch’s, one that reported the actual revenues and profits of the business and a second set that reported lower figures which were used for tax purposes. The Kalenders’ conspiracy to submit false tax returns also involved cashing checks, received at Butch’s at a Prince George’s check cashing facility (Business A). The checks cashed at Business A were not reported on Butch’s tax returns and resulted in the underreporting of Butch’s annual income for fiscal years 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 by more than $6.6 million. The corresponding tax loss to the IRS for the four years was $2,219,602.
As stated in their plea agreements, in August 2018, the Kalendars sought to sell Butch’s. As part of the investigation, an undercover federal agent posed as a potential buyer and had contact with the Kalenders. During their conversations, Ercin and Lizette explained the profitability of Butch’s and revealed their practices of the underreporting of revenues and income from Butch’s. During one conversation, while Lizette was present, Ercin informed the uncover agent that he had a regular practice of taking checks intended to pay for auto body repair work and cashing them at Business A. Some of the checks were made payable to Butch’s while other customer checks were written to Butch’s customers, or jointly payable to Butch’s and the customers.
Further, Ercin explained that while Butch’s filed tax returns showed $2.2 million in gross receipts, the actual gross receipts were closer to $3.1, $4.2, and $3.9 million for the fiscal years for 2015, 2016, and 2017; respectively. He also stated that his father had done this for years before he had taken over Butch’s operations and that his father used Business A to cash checks for 30-35 years. Ercin continued to explain the conspiracy by informing the undercover agent that he regularly cashed $50,000-60,000 at a time in off the books checks at Business A but estimated that he had reduced the amounts in recent years to approximately $30,000-35,000 cashed per visit to Business A. Ercin also informed the agent that Lizette also reported sizeable W-2 income, which helped them evade scrutiny by the IRS.
While working with the outside tax preparation and accounting agency, Lizette deliberately hid the money flowing through Business A. Lizette sent bank statements for the corporate accounts, check stubs, credit card statements, payroll records, and other business records but withheld the revenue received through the checks cashed at Business A. Thus, underreporting taxable income to the tax preparation and accounting agency.
During conversations with the undercover agent, Lizette showed records to the undercover agent displaying total sales of $4.3 million and $3.9 million for the fiscal years 2017 and 2018. Lizette also talked about pulling out invoices for additional customers from business records to cause business records to match their bank records.
As detailed in their plea agreements, the Kalenders knowingly caused a portion of the employee’s wages to be paid in cash and falsely reported the wages of Butch’s employees on Forms 941 filed with IRS. In a conversation with the undercover agent, Ercin stated that he paid all his employees’ extra compensation in cash to avoid tax obligations except for one secretary who was not paid under the table. This system of paying employees in cash deprived the State of Maryland of tax revenue and subverted the taxation systems of the IRS and Maryland.
In 2019, after the Kalenders became aware of the IRS’s investigation, Butch’s reported gross receipts of more than $4.5 million, an increase of more than $2.2 million over the fiscal year 2018.
Ercin Kalender and Lizette Kalender face a maximum sentence of five years in prison followed by three years of supervised release for conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled Ercin and Lizette’s sentencing hearings for May 26, 2022, at 10 a.m. and 11 a.m.; respectively.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Harry M. Gruber, 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.
# # #
Baltimore Man Facing Federal Arson Charges for Allegedly Setting a House on Fire While Three People Were InsideRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was filed yesterday charging Luther Moody Trent, age 21, of Baltimore, Maryland, for a federal charge of malicious destruction of property used in and affecting interstate commerce by fire, in connection with an arson at the rented home of his former girlfriend.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Maryland State Fire Marshal Brian S. Geraci; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Chief Niles R. Ford of the Baltimore City Fire Department.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, on May 21, 2021, at approximately 1:30 a.m., a fire was reported at a residence in the 1900 block of Linden Avenue in Baltimore. The fire moved along the exterior and into the rear of the residence where it set a raised wooden deck ablaze, and then moved inside the building, doing substantial damage to the residence, as well as damaging the adjoining property. The home was rented to three individuals, Victim 1, Victim 2, and Victim 3, all of whom were in the residence at the time of the fire. Baltimore Fire Investigators determined that the fire was intentionally set and that the origin of the fire was under the wooden deck in the back of the residence.
A Baltimore Police detective interviewed Victim 1 shortly after the arson. Victim 1 told the detective about threatening text messages she had received from Trent, with whom she had prior volatile romantic relationship, resulting in police being called on at least one occasion. An order of protection had also been issued in favor of Victim 1. The detective was able to find video of a prior incident with Trent and Victim 1 in March 2021. Upon viewing Trent in the video, the detective realized that Trent had approached him earlier at the scene of the arson and identified himself as “Trey Johnson.” At the time, Trent was shirtless, wearing glasses and jeans, and inquired about his cousin, whom he claimed resided in the residence. The detective noted that “Trey Johnson” was acting nervous and left the scene shortly thereafter driving a two-door black Honda Accord. Victim 1 confirmed that Trent drives a two-door black Honda and indicated that his cousin had not lived at the residence in several months.
Law enforcement recovered video surveillance recordings from a variety of sources and vantage points in the area of the fire. In one surveillance video, a figure is seen walking up the street toward the residence at approximately 1:30 a.m., just prior to the fire. Two minutes later, just after the fire was set, an individual, who appears to be shirtless, is seen running down the street, away from the residence. Other video surveillance footage shows a black two door Honda circling the area after the fire.
If convicted, Trent faces a mandatory minimum sentence of five years and maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for malicious destruction of a commercial property by fire. 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. Trent is currently detained on related state charges. An initial appearance in U.S. District Court has not yet been scheduled.
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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF, the Maryland State Fire Marshal’s Office, the Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City Fire Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok, 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.
# # #
Washington, D.C. Man Sentenced to Five Years in Federal Prison for Stolen Identity Tax Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paul W. Grimm sentenced Devell Lincoln, age 56, of Washington, D.C. to five years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiring to commit theft of public money, theft of public money and aggravated identity theft.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Sally Luttrell, Assistant Inspector General for Investigations, U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General.
According to court documents and the evidence introduced at trial, from 2011 to 2013, Devell Lincoln conspired with Stephanie Twyman and others to cash tax refund checks fraudulently obtained by filing false federal income tax returns in the names of other individuals with the IRS. In total, the conspirators cashed more than $500,000 in fraudulent refunds at a check-cashing business and Lincoln deposited more than $150,000 in fraudulent refunds using bank accounts under his control.
From 2011 to 2013, false federal income tax returns were filed with the IRS using the names and Social Security numbers of unwitting taxpayers and seeking fraudulent refunds. When the refunds were received, Lincoln and his co-conspirators cashed the checks at a check-cashing business. In addition, from 2010 to 2014, Lincoln deposited fraudulent refunds into bank accounts under his control. While two of these accounts were in Lincoln’s name, one bank account was held in the name of a third-party, who was deceased, and one was in the name of a company registered under the deceased person’s name, with the deceased person as the signatory.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Department of the Treasury - Office of Inspector General, and the Justice Department’s Tax Division for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Kansas Man Facing Federal Charges in Maryland for Making Threats to Harm the President of the United States and United States Secret Service AgentsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A criminal complaint was filed on January 28, 2022, charging Scott Ryan Merryman, age 37, of Independence, Kansas, for federal charges of making threats against the President of the United States and interstate communication containing a threat to harm. Merryman is expected to have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore today at 3:45 p.m. before U.S. Magistrate Judge Pamela Meade Sargent.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Bo Keane of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Brandon Bridgeforth of the United States Secret Service – Kansas City Field Office.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Merryman has made threats against the President of the United States and several United States Secret Service Agents and traveled from his home in Kansas to Maryland. The affidavit alleges that in a series of telephone calls on January 25 and January 26, 2022, Merryman advised law enforcement officers that he was en route to Washington, D.C. to see the President and that he was going to “cut the head off the snake in the heart of the nation.”
As detailed in the affidavit, during an in-person interview with a Secret Service agent on January 26, 2022, in Hagerstown, Maryland, Merryman allegedly reiterated his plans to travel to Washington, D.C. to “cut the head off the snake in the heart of the nation.” During a consent search of Merryman, the agent found no weapons, but Merryman did have a loaded magazine containing three bullets that he was carrying on his person, and a spotting scope in his backpack.
Later that day, Merryman called the Secret Service agent with whom he had spoken in Kansas and told the agent that he had finished speaking with the agents that the Kansas agent “had sent for him and that they had given him the answer.” He told the Kansas agent that the agents in Hagerstown had told him “not to take the bullets to the White House,” then stated, multiple times, “I’m coming for you b***h.” The affidavit alleges that during the course of the conversation, Merryman also stated, “Well, I have a bullet with your name on it,” among other threats.
The affidavit includes a series of increasingly threatening messages Merryman allegedly posted on social media from January 25, 2022, through January 27, 2022. In addition, the affidavit alleges that Merryman contacted the White House switchboard on January 27, 2022, and made threats against the President, using the same telephone number he used to contact the Kansas Secret Service agent. Merryman allegedly stated the threats to a White House operator and to a Secret Service Special Agent to whom his call was referred.
If convicted, Merryman faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for making threats against the President of the United States and a maximum of five years in federal prison for interstate communication containing threats to harm. 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the United States Secret Service Baltimore and Kansas City Field Offices for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Justice Department’s National Security Division for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas M. Sullivan, who is prosecuting the federal case.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, and its efforts to protect national security, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/anti-terrorism.
# # #
Upper Marlboro Woman Pleads Guilty to Wire Fraud in Connection with Mortgage Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Tammy Jones, a/k/a “Tammy Taylor”, age 53, of Upper Marlboro, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to wire fraud in connection with a mortgage fraud scheme. As part of her plea agreement, Jones will be required to pay $111,377.12 in restitution.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge Shawn Rice of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of Inspector General.
According to her guilty plea, in May 2011 Jones purchased a home in Brandywine, Maryland. To finance the purchase of the home, Jones obtained a mortgage for $360,660 from Lender 1, which was backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA).
In 2017, Jones sought and received a loan modification for her FHA-insured mortgage through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Partial Claim Program, which is a loan modification program for FHA-insured mortgages. As part of the Partial Claim Program, HUD works to restructure the borrower’s mortgage payments using a partial claim which allows the borrower to stay in the home. A lender files a “partial claim” with HUD for a portion of the outstanding mortgage balance and HUD makes payment to the lender on behalf of the borrower for that portion of the mortgage. In exchange, HUD receives a security interest in the property in the amount of the balance that was paid to the lender and the borrower agrees to repay HUD for the amount of the partial claim. Thus, the lender is effectively “made whole” by the partial claim payment from HUD. When the borrower sells the home, the borrower is ultimately responsible for the balance of the partial claim to remove the lien held by HUD.
As stated in her plea agreement, in or around June 2017, Jones sought and received a loan modification through the HUD Partial Claim Program for her Brandywine, Maryland home. HUD made a partial claim payment to Servicer 1 (who serviced Jones’s FHA-insured mortgage) of $111,377.12 on behalf of Jones. In exchange, Jones granted HUD a security interest in the Brandywine, Maryland property for $111,377.12, the amount of the partial claim payment made by HUD. Jones also entered into a loan modification agreement with the mortgage lender, in which Jones owed $352,151.01 in principal and agreed to make monthly payments of $2,564.96.
In 2018, Jones sought to sell the Brandywine, Maryland property for $429,900. To close the sale of the property, employees of a settlement company sought proof that Jones’s lien from HUD and the FHA had been released.
In fact, the lien had not been released. Jones thereafter created false and fraudulent documents to make it appear as though the lien had been released in order to facilitate the sale of the Brandywine, Maryland home as part of the scheme.
Specifically, Jones created a fraudulent email account, purporting to be an employee of a company contracted by HUD to service loans on HUD’s behalf. Jones, posing as an employee of the HUD contractor, told an employee of the settlement company that the lien on the Brandywine, Maryland home had been released and Jones created and attached a bogus lien release document. Jones thereafter continued to contact the settlement company while posing as an employee of the HUD contractor. Jones also submitted a fraudulent Certificate of Satisfaction to the settlement company, which permitted the sale of the Brandywine, Maryland property on or about October 19, 2018.
After the sale of the Brandywine, Maryland property closed, the individual who purchased the home from Jones was notified of the outstanding lien on the property in 2019. Investigation revealed that Jones had falsified documents and fraudulently posed as an employee of the HUD contractor in order to further her scheme to defraud HUD.
In total, Jones caused a net loss of $111,377.12 to HUD, which represents the partial claim that HUD paid on behalf of Jones in September 2017.
Jones faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to three years of supervised release for wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for May 20, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended HUD-OIG for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Caitlin R. Cottingham, 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.
# # #
Waldorf Air Force Lieutenant Pleads Guilty to Transportation of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Jason Daniel Ort, age 36, of Waldorf, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to transportation of child pornography.
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 Brigadier General Terry Bullard, Commander Air Force Office of Special Investigations.
According to his guilty plea, between September 28, 2020, and October 1, 2020, Ort knowingly transported videos containing child pornography from Maryland to New York.
As stated in his plea agreement, on October 2, 2020, the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office of New York (OSCO) received a complaint from an adult complainant (Individual 1) that Ort had placed a black spy camera in Individual 1’s bedroom while visiting the individual’s home. On October 1, 2020, Individual 1 located the camera, which contained an SD card. Upon review of the SD card’s contents, Individual 1 discovered a video of a minor female using the bathroom and lifting up her dress to wipe herself. Individual 1 observed a video of Ort entering the bathroom and adjusting the camera. According to military records, Ort is a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force stationed in Maryland and was scheduled for leave during that time to visit Individual 1’s residence in New York.
In an interview with OSCO officers, Ort admitted to placing the camera in Individual 1’s bedroom and that he placed the camera in several other locations, including in a bathroom at another residence in Pocomoke City, Maryland. Ort said that he watched the videos for sexual pleasure and knew that his actions were wrong.
As a result of their investigation, OSCO seized multiple electronic items in New York, including the spy camera containing the SD card and Ort’s laptop. A subsequent forensic review of the SD card revealed at least 10 video files depicting minor females using the bathroom and bathing. Ort recorded these videos using the spy camera placed in the bathroom of the Pocomoke City, Maryland residence in and around December 2019 and January 2020. The camera appeared to be positioned under the sink, facing the toilet and the shower. Throughout the videos, four minor females were recorded with their genitals exposed while either showering or using the toilet.
A forensic review of the Ort’s laptop seized in New York revealed hundreds of files constituting child pornography. Some of the files depicted prepubescent minors engaged in sex acts.
As detailed in his plea agreement, on November 16, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Ort’s Waldorf, Maryland residence and recovered numerous electronic devices including a 1 TB digital hard drive, a 500 GB hard drive, and a second laptop with a 1 TB hard drive.
Upon review of one of the hard drives, law enforcement found duplicate video files to those found on the SD card depicting the minor victims. The files were located under the folder labeled “Jason’s Photos\OTS Flight 2-10 (Pictures & Video)\EMLEX (Emergency Management Leadership Exercise)\Info Assurance.”
Further, a forensic review of the second laptop located at Ort’s residence revealed a search for “production of child pornography charge” and “Citizen’s Guide to U.S. Federal Law on Child Pornography” on October 7, 2020.
Ort and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Ort will be sentenced to between 10 years and 15 years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for May 4, 2022, at 2 p.m.
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. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office of New York for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Collins 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Seizes Domain Name Purporting to be the Website of the U.S. Department of LaborRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has seized “US-dolbids.com” which purported to be the official website for the United States Department of Labor.
The seizure of the domain was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Christopher Cooper of the Division of Advanced Technology and Analytics, U.S. Department of Labor - Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department; and Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department.
According to the affidavit filed in support of the seizure, the domain US-dolbids.com claimed to be the official website of the U.S. Department of Labor and claimed to accept bids from potential contractors for ongoing government projects. In order to bid for a purported government contract, the fraudulent domain instructed users to log into a portal with the user’s email address and password. In reality, the website intended to steal a user’s email login credentials for nefarious purposes and financial gain. Additionally, the domain mimicked stylistic designs and language as the authentic U.S. Department of Labor website, including a purported link providing “Coronavirus Resources” for “responding to COVID-19.”
Individuals visiting the site now will see a message that the site has been seized by the federal government and be redirected to another site for additional information.
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 U.S. Department of Labor- Office of Inspector General, HSI, the Baltimore County Police Department, and the Baltimore City Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Aaron S.J. Zelinsky and Sean Delaney, 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.
# # #
Canadian Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography and Extortion in Relation to Five Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Muhammad Luqman Rana, age 32, of City of Vaughan, Ontario, for the federal charges of production of child pornography and extortion by threat to injure the reputation of another. The indictment was returned on December 11, 2019 and unsealed yesterday upon his extradition from Canada.
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; and Chief Mark Saunders of the Toronto Police Services (Canada).
According to the 10-count indictment, from June 2014 to June 2016 Rana persuaded, induced, and coerced five minor victims, residing in Maryland, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Washington and New York, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and extorted the victims by threatening to injure their reputation.
Rana is made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore today before U.S. Magistrate Judge David Copperthite and is detained pending trial.
If convicted, Rana faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for production of child pornography and up to two years of imprisonment for extortion by threat to injure the reputation of another. The maximum statutory penalty for all of the charged conduct is 160 years in federal prison. 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 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 and Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. commended the FBI and the Toronto Police Services for their work in the investigation. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Canada to secure the arrest of Rana in Canada and his extradition to the United States. Mr. Barron and Mr. Polite thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin and Jennifer Leonardo of the Justice Department’s Criminal Child Exploitation and Obscenity Unit, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Canadian Man Charged with Production of Child Pornography and Extortion in Relation to Five Minor VictimsRead the Press Release
A federal grand jury in Maryland returned an indictment in December 2019, which was unsealed today, charging a Canadian man with production of child pornography and extortion.
According to court documents, Muhammad Luqman Rana, 32, of Vaughan, Ontario, from June 2014 to June 2016, persuaded, induced, and coerced five minor victims, residing in Maryland, Oklahoma, Wisconsin, Washington, and New York, to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography and extorted the victims by threatening to injure their reputation.
Rana is charged with five counts of production of child pornography and five counts of extortion by threat to injure the reputation of another. If convicted of all counts, Rana faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum of 160 years in federal prison. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
Rana made his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore today before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite.
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 Thomas J. Sobocinski of the FBI’s Baltimore Field Office; and Chief Mark Saunders of the Toronto Police Services made the announcement.
The FBI and the Toronto Police Services are investigating the case. The Justice Department’s Office of International Affairs worked with law enforcement partners in Canada to secure the arrest of Rana in Canada and his extradition to the United States.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin for the District of Maryland and Senior Trial Attorney Jennifer Toritto Leonardo of the Criminal Division’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS) are prosecuting the case.
This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and CEOS, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state, and local resources to better locate, apprehend, and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit http://www.justice.gov/psc.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
After Three-Month Federal Trial Four MS-13 Gang Members Convicted of Racketeering Conspiracy Involving Multiple MurdersRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – On January 24, 2022, a federal jury convicted Milton Portillo-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Little Gangster,” age 26; Juan Carlos Sandoval-Rodriguez, a/k/a “Picaro,” age 22; Oscar Armando Sorto Romero, a/k/a “Lobo,” age 22; and Jose Joya Parada, a/k/a “Calmado,” age 20, for a racketeering conspiracy and for racketeering, connected to their participation in La Mara Salvatrucha, a transnational criminal enterprise also known as MS-13. Portillo-Rodriguez, Sandoval-Rodriguez, and Sorto Romero were each also convicted of multiple counts of murder in aid of racketeering.
The convictions 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; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations, Baltimore Office; Chief Jason Lando of the Frederick City Police Department; Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins; Frederick County State’s Attorney J. Charles Smith, III; Chief Amal E. Awad of the Anne Arundel County Police Department; Anne Arundel County State’s Attorney Anne Colt Leitess; Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department; Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy.
“The brutal and tragic violence perpetrated by these defendants and their fellow MS-13 gang members is totally unacceptable. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland and our local, state and federal partners are working together to remove these violent gang members to keep our communities safe from the threat of MS-13,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We will continue to work to bring to justice these transnational gangs, and we welcome the continued support from members of our communities in order to carry on our work against MS-13.”
“These convictions mark a profound victory for the people of Maryland, who do not deserve to be intimidated by the reprehensible actions of these criminals,” said James R. Mancuso, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Baltimore. “Hopefully this prosecution and the sentences facing these defendants will deter others from joining criminal organizations. We thank all of our federal and local law enforcement partners for their hard work in making these convictions happen.”
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. The defendants were members of the Fulton Locos Salvatruchas (“FLS”) and Parque Vista (“PVLS”) cliques.
The evidence at the three-month trial established that between 2015 and 2017, the defendants engaged in drug trafficking, extortion, and brutal acts of violence against suspected rivals of the gang in an effort to increase MS-13’s power in the Frederick County, Montgomery County, and Anne Arundel County areas of Maryland.
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, 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, from 2015 through 2017, the Fulton clique of MS-13 sought to increase its presence in Frederick, Wheaton, and Annapolis, Maryland through numerous acts of violence, extortion, and drug sales. Trial evidence focused on the defendants’ participation in four grisly murders of those suspected of association with rival gang members carried out in 2017. First, on March 31, 2017, the gang lured a 17-year old from Annapolis to Wheaton Regional Park, where they stabbed him over 100 times, dismembered him, removed his heart, and buried him in a clandestine grave. Two days later, the gang kidnapped another individual from Silver Spring, Maryland and brought him to a wooded area in Frederick, where he was killed with knives and machetes before being buried in a shallow grave. On June 24, 2017, the gang used a female associate to lure a 21-year old woman into a car and then took her to a wooded area in Crownsville, where she was killed, her body was dismembered, and she was buried in a clandestine grave. Finally, on August 5, 2017, the gang lured another victim to Quiet Waters Park in Annapolis, where he was hit in the head with a hammer and slashed with a machete until he died. He was also buried in a grave in the park.
According to trial evidence, these murders were all intended to maintain and increase the status of MS-13, as well as allow individual MS-13 members to maintain or increase their status within the gang.
As a result of this guilty verdict, more than 30 defendants have been convicted in this and a related case.
Portillo-Rodriguez, Sandoval-Rodriguez, and Sorto Romero each face a mandatory sentence of life in prison for each of the murder in aid of racketeering charges. Joya Parada faces a maximum sentenced of life in prison for the racketeering conspiracy and for racketeering. Chief U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar has scheduled sentencing for Joya Parada for April 8, 2022, at 10 a.m.; Sandoval Rodriguez for April 22, 2022, at 4 p.m.; Sorto Romero for May 6, 2022, at 10 a.m.; and Portillo Rodriguez for May 13, 2022, at 10 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 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 commended the FBI; HSI; the Frederick Police Department; the Frederick County Sheriff’s Office; the Anne Arundel, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County Police Departments; and the Anne Arundel, Frederick, Montgomery, and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys for their work in the investigation, and the Baltimore County Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kenneth S. Clark, Zachary Stendig, and Anatoly Smolkin, 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.
# # #
Felon Caught with Narcotics and Handgun Sentenced to Nine Years in Prison for Possession of FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Yesterday U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Eric Coleman, age 37 of Baltimore City, Maryland, to nine years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. 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, on May 7, 2020, Coleman and several others were standing on a sidewalk when they were observed by Baltimore Police Department detectives patrolling in the area. When the detectives were noticed, a lookout alerted Coleman and the others of BPD’s presence.
When the BPD detectives made a U-turn, Coleman quickly turned the right side of his body away from view, walked away from the group of other individuals, and kept his right arm stiff against his body. The detectives believed that Coleman’s actions were consistent with the characteristics exhibited by an armed person and stopped their patrol vehicle.
As detectives exited the vehicle, Coleman began to flee on foot and eventually threw a firearm with his right arm while running.
During his apprehension and arrest, the detectives discovered a 9mm handgun in the area where he threw it, as well as an extended magazine that Coleman had dropped as he ran. Coleman also possessed a satchel containing 42 gel caps of heroin, 33 gel caps of fentanyl, 29 glass vials of cocaine, and several bags of marijuana.
After his arrest, Coleman placed a consensually recorded jail call in which he discussed his arrest and the handgun. Specifically, Coleman stated “I couldn’t leave without it, yo. I told everybody that I’d rather get caught with it than without it. I got caught with it.”
As stated in his plea agreement, investigators subsequently executed search warrants on Coleman’s cellphone and social media accounts. As a result of the search warrants, investigators located several images and videos in which Coleman possessed a handgun. Investigators also discovered pictures and videos relating to the sale of narcotics.
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 and the Baltimore Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard P. Gallena and Assistant U.S. Attorney Patricia C. McLane, 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.
# # #
Six Men Facing Federal Drug Trafficking Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was unsealed today charging six men for a drug trafficking conspiracy which allegedly distributed cocaine and other drugs in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties as well as the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The criminal complaint was filed on January 13, 2022. Charged in the criminal complaint are:
Fabricio Alexis Rivera, a/k/a “Breeze,” age 30, of Rockville, Maryland;
William Reyes Garcia, a/k/a “Will,” age 31, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
Adrian Josue Velasquez, a/k/a “AJ,” age 31, of Lanham, Maryland;
Rodney Ricky Rivera, a/k/a “Rodney,” age 27, of Beltsville, Maryland;
Noel Reyes, Jr., a/k/a “June,” age 28, of Bowie, Maryland; and
Joey Garcia King, a/k/a “Joe,” age 43, of Silver Spring, Maryland.The defendants will have initial appearances today beginning at 12:30 p.m., in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt before U.S. Magistrate Judge Gina L. Simms.
The criminal complaint was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Jarod Forget of the Drug Enforcement Administration - Washington Division; Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“These arrests mark a significant victory for Homeland Security Investigations, the Montgomery County Police and for the state of Maryland,” said James R. Mancuso, Special Agent in Charge of HSI Baltimore. Investigations like this highlight the strength of our partnerships with other federal and local law enforcement organizations. This operation would not have been possible without the hard work of our partners at the Montgomery County Police, the Prince George’s County Police, U.S. Attorney’s Office, Drug Enforcement Administration, Maryland State Police, ATF and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.”
According to the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, the drug trafficking organization (DTO) allegedly run by F. Rivera, Reyes Garcia, and Velasquez is a tiered organization with multiple members who participate in drug trafficking. Drug customers would contact the DTO leadership, normally via phone or text message. The DTO leadership was engaged in the high-level distribution of cocaine to lower-level dealers. Customers who contacted the phones used by the leaders typically purchased controlled substances—usually cocaine—in amounts consistent with individuals who are re-distributing the drugs. The affidavit alleges that the defendants participated in the drug conspiracy between at least September 2020 and December 2021.
As detailed in the affidavit, during the investigation several packages containing approximately 15.65 kilograms of cocaine were seized by law enforcement. The packages were shipped from Brownsville, Texas to an address associated with the DTO, Business 1 in Beltsville, Maryland. The same sender was found to have sent additional packages, which investigators believe also contained narcotics, to Business 1 and to Velasquez’s residence. Tracking information obtained from the shipping company revealed that IP addresses associated with Reyes Garcia and Velasquez queried the tracking numbers on the seized packages containing cocaine as well as the additional packages. In October 2021, law enforcement seized an approximately two-kilogram package of cocaine that was sent to Reyes, Jr. Intercepted communications following the seizure allegedly showed that this package of cocaine was intended for distribution by the DTO.
The affidavit includes conversations between the conspirators allegedly discussing DTO business, collecting drug debts, arranging drug transactions, and arranging travel to Texas to obtain narcotics for transportation to Maryland.
The six defendants were arrested on January 20, 2022, based on arrest warrants issued from the criminal complaint. As part of these arrests, law enforcement executed search warrants at 21 locations associated with charged and uncharged DTO members, seizing: approximately 4.2 kilograms of cocaine; approximately 280 pounds of marijuana; a distribution quantity of phencyclidine; and approximately 12 firearms, including a ghost gun, handguns, and a rifle. In total, as part of this investigation, law enforcement has seized approximately 22 kilograms of cocaine intended for distribution by this DTO. Other DTO members were arrested on related state charges that will be prosecuted by the Montgomery County and Prince George’s County State’s Attorneys’ Offices.
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering 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.
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 HSI, the DEA, the Montgomery County Police Department, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation and thanked the Maryland State Police, the ATF, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the Montgomery County State’s Attorney John McCarthy and Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Aisha Braveboy and their offices for their assistance in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Rajeev R. Raghavan, and Joel Crespo, 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.
# # #
Baltimore Non-Profit Owner Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges Related to the Gambling of Federal Funds Intended for His Youth Focused Non-Profit and for Filing False Tax ReturnsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Tyrone Sherrod, age 49, of Aberdeen, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of wire fraud and filing a false tax return.
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; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Bo Keane of the United States Secret Service - Baltimore Field Office.
“Sherrod gambled away federal grant funding intended to uplift Baltimore youth.” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Our office will continue to prosecute individuals who blatantly misappropriate federal funds intended for our youth and communities and use it to line their own pockets.”
According to his plea agreement, Sherrod owned and operated a non-profit that provided after-school and summer education and sports programs at a Baltimore elementary school from 2015 through 2019. In 2015, Sherrod applied for a grant funded by the U.S. Department of Education through the Maryland State Department of Education to help support those programs and was awarded approximately $1.1 million sub-program federal funding initiative to be paid over three years. The amounts to be paid each year were based on a detailed budget that accompanied the grant application. For each period, Sherrod’s non-profit received a 15% advance payment. The remaining funds were reimbursed every month after Sherrod submitted payroll registers, receipts, and a detailed budget summary referred to as a Project Invoice Summary.
Between 2016 and 2018 Sherrod electronically submitted 19 Project Invoice Summaries that falsely reported a total payroll of $746,005.02. Sherrod’s actual non-profit payroll during this period was $212,622.55. The falsities in the Project Invoice Summaries included the overstatement of wages earned, hours worked, and time periods of employment.
For example, on May 22, 2018, Sherrod submitted a project invoice summary for the month of April 2018. In that summary, Sherrod reported that his payroll totaled $54,200.85, when in reality, the actual payroll paid during this month was $1,000.
As stated in his plea agreement, Sherrod lost a significant amount of the grant funds intended for his non-profit gambling at casinos. For example, on March 5, 2018, Sherrod’s non-profit received a $39,747.29 payment in grant funds. The same day, Sherrod wrote three checks to cash totaling $28,500. Later that day, Sherrod entered a Maryland casino and gambled using $52,270, losing $34,345.
As detailed in his plea agreement, between 2016 and 2018, during the time Sherrod’s non-profit received grant funding, Sherrod incurred approximately $547,000 in gambling losses. During that same time frame, Sherrod withdrew $552,405 in cash from one casino’s ATM.
Additionally, Sherrod caused the filing of a false Form 1040 Individual Income Tax Returns for the years 2016, 2017, and 2018. Sherrod hired a certified personal accountant (CPA) to prepare tax returns and provided the CPA with documents containing fraudulent statements. For example, Sherrod provided the CPA with an Employee Expense Sheet that detailed fraudulent receipts and expenses for Sherrod’s work as a mentoring coach for the non-profit. Within the document, Sherrod treated himself as a contractor to influence the CPA to attach a Form Schedule C to each of the returns. Sherrod admitted that he did not inform the CPA of the grant funding. As a result of underreporting his gross receipts, Sherrod had additional tax due and owing of $148,088.
Sherrod faces a maximum sentence of three years in federal prison for filing a false tax return and a maximum of twenty years in prison followed up by three years of supervised release for wire fraud. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell has scheduled sentencing for June 17, 2022 at 2 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the IRS, and the United States Secret Service. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Sean R. Delaney and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky 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.
# # #
Ijamsville Man Sentenced to Seven Years in Federal Prison for Distribution of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced David William Jai Herder, age 41, of Ijamsville, Maryland, to seven years in federal prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, for distribution of child pornography. Judge Gallagher also ordered Herder to pay restitution totaling $45,000 to identified victims abused by others to produce the child pornography that Herder subsequently distributed, received, and/or possessed.
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 Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.
According to his guilty plea agreement, in January of 2020 investigators at the Federal Bureau of Investigation received information regarding the trading of child pornography in several chat groups on a messaging application. Herder was identified as one of the individuals participating in the trading and distribution of child pornography images. For example, in June of 2020, Herder distributed at least two images of child pornography, both depicting prepubescent females between the ages of four and nine years old. Records received from the messaging application and Internet service provider resolved to the residence where Herder was living.
On August 27, 2020, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Herder’s residence, seizing several electronic devices, including two phones and a tablet. It was determined that Herder used one of the phones to access his messaging account when engaging in the distribution and receipt of child pornography. Further investigation of the phone revealed between 150 and 300 image and video files documenting the sexual abuse of minors, including prepubescent minors, sadistic and masochistic abuse, and other depictions of violence. Evidence was presented at today’s sentencing hearing that Herder possessed a total of 887 videos and 597 image files of child pornography and that he distributed a total of 100 videos and 70 image files depicting the sexual abuse of minors.
According to Herder’s plea agreement, Herder informed investigators that he created the instant messaging account associated with the child pornography and that he used chatrooms to distribute, as well as receive, child pornography. Herder also detailed that he had been looking at child exploitive material one to two times a day for sexual pleasure, preferring children 6-7 years old and older.
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 and 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 Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Judson T. Mihok 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Elkton Man Pleads Guilty to Production of Child Pornography of Two Minor Females Entrusted in His CareRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Johnny William Kyte, Jr., age 62, of Elkton, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to production of child pornography.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; the Cecil County State’s Attorney James Dellmyer; and Chief Carolyn Rogers of the Elkton Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on September 10, 2020, the Elkton Police Department responded to a complaint reporting that images of child pornography had been located within Kyte’s residence. Kyte resided at his Elkton, Maryland residence for over 20 years. However, at the time that the complaint was reported, Kyte was not residing at his residence as he was serving a 36-month jail sentence for a third-degree sex offense at the Ceil County Detention Center.
After the execution of numerous search warrants, the Elkton Police Department and the Department of Homeland Security Investigations discovered several digital devices controlled and owned by Kyte that contained images of child pornography. The devices included a 1 Terabyte USB external hard drive and a 128 Megabyte SD card.
Evidence recovered from the devices revealed that from August 13, 2014 to July 4, 2017, Kyte produced sexually explicit images of two prepubescent females. Kyte used a variety of devices to produce the images including at least two digital cameras, a cell phone camera, and other devices. The child pornographic images depicted the genitalia of two prepubescent females and contained various identifying home items within Kyte’s residence in the background of the pictures. The minors depicted in the images had been entrusted in his care at the time the images were produced.
Kyte admitted that he employed, used, persuaded, induced, enticed, and coerced the two minor victims to participate in the sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing child pornography.
Kyte faces a minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for production of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled sentencing for April 22, 2022 at 9:15 a.m.
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 HSI, the Office of the State’s Attorney for Cecil County, and the Elkton Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine Duey and Colleen McGuinn, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Continues Fight Against Human TraffickingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland - January is Human Trafficking Awareness Month. As a founding member of the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force, the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office pledges to continue to combat human trafficking by working with our partners to investigate and prosecute traffickers and rescue victims. The Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force (MHTTF) was formed in 2007 by the U.S. Attorney's Office, the Attorney General of Maryland, and the State's Attorney for Baltimore City to serve as the lead investigative, prosecutorial, and victim services coordinating body for anti-human trafficking activity in the State of Maryland. The MHTTF is a multidisciplinary team of agencies and organizations committed to a victim-centered approach in the fight against human trafficking in Maryland. Our record of success in rescuing and serving a range of labor and sex trafficking victims is irrespective of gender, nationality, sexual orientation, or age. Our communities, including the vulnerable victims who are the targets of traffickers, benefit greatly from awareness of the types of human trafficking; indicators of human trafficking; and resources available to survivors of human trafficking.
Human trafficking is defined as using force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or engage in commercial sex acts. Human trafficking also encompasses the use of minors in commercial sex acts regardless of whether force, fraud or coercion was used. Often, traffickers make false promises of a job or pose as benefactors to lure their victims and force them into human trafficking. Although human trafficking is usually associated with commercial sex, labor trafficking is just as prominent. Forced labor is a category of human trafficking in which individuals are coerced into legitimate and illegitimate industries, including domestic service, massage parlors, agriculture, restaurants, hotels, and manufacturing sweatshops. According to the U.S. State Department, human trafficking is now the second highest grossing criminal enterprise, with more than $150.2 billion per year earned from the use of forced labor.
Human trafficking has many faces. Victims can be of any age, race, gender, nationality, and come from any socioeconomic group. Human traffickers often target the most vulnerable, including individuals who suffer from disenfranchisement, social exclusion, or economic vulnerability (including individuals who have a history of domestic violence, substance abuse, reside in an unstable living situation, and youths in foster care or the juvenile justice system). Foreign-born individuals face unique challenges, such as language barriers and economic instability, leaving them at the mercy of their traffickers.
Maryland is not exempt from the horrors of human trafficking. The close proximity between areas of affluence and poverty, a substantial immigrant population, and other factors create favorable conditions for human traffickers (and their customers) to exploit the vulnerable—including children, recent immigrants, the drug-addicted, and those facing housing instability. Maryland’s central location on the Eastern Seaboard makes it both a pass-through state and a destination for human traffickers. The Interstate 95 corridor’s numerous hotels, rest stops, truck stops, and bus stations are prime locations for traffickers to exploit their victims. According to the National Human Trafficking Hotline, 529 phone calls, text messages, webchat, online tip reports, or emails indicating human trafficking instances were reported in Maryland in 2020. Additionally, the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported 136 cases of human trafficking in Maryland for the year 2020. To view the National Human Trafficking Hotline reported cases for Maryland, visit https://humantraffickinghotline.org/state/Maryland.
An effective way to combat human trafficking is to connect with fellow community members and look for key signals and indicators. Common indicators that a person could be a victim of human trafficking include (but are not limited to) a disconnection from social groups, dangerous or unsuitable living conditions, bruises in various stages of healing, and apparent coaching on what to say in response to questions. Other ways to combat human trafficking are by attacking the conditions that lead to trafficking, such as poverty, addiction, and homelessness; educating yourself and others on trafficking indicators; and reporting suspicious activity to the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1(888)-373-7888. You can also text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733. Visit the Department of Homeland Security and Investigation’s Blue Campaign for more indicators of human trafficking. For more information on human trafficking in Maryland, please visit the Maryland Human Trafficking Task Force’s website.
Federal Prosecution of Human Trafficking Cases – Examples in 2021
United States v. Aaron Crawford: On October 6, 2021, Aaron Crawford, age 37, of Washington, D.C., pled guilty to two counts of sex trafficking of a minor. According to his plea agreement, from April 2019 to December 2019, Crawford recruited, harbored, and transported two minor victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Specifically, Crawford posted a juvenile victim (Victim 1) in online advertisements for commercial sex and provided lodging in two locations for Victim 1 where Victim 1 conducted sex “dates.” Victim 1 was 15-years-old and had been reported missing for two months at the time. Crawford instructed Victim 1 to send sexually explicit images to him for the online advertisements; these images constituted child pornography. Upon further investigation, law enforcement located numerous communications on Crawford’s phone between Crawford, Victim 1, and sex procurers between November 5, 2019 and December 6, 2019. Crawford sent “johns” the addresses where Victim 1 was kept on 182 occasions. The majority of the communications were related to facilitating prostitution in various locations in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
Further, in January 2020, law enforcement officers were advised that a 16-year-old female (Victim 2) had been trafficked by an individual known as “Fly.” In an interview with law enforcement, Victim 2 positively identified Crawford as the individual she knew as “Fly.” Crawford first met Victim 2 in March 2017 when Victim 2 was 13-years-old. Later, after they met again in April 2019, Crawford introduced Victim 2 to an adult female who encouraged Victim 2 to work as a prostitute. After Victim 2 engaged in commercial sex dates, Crawford declined to share the profits with Victim 2. Victim 2 then left with the adult female. When they met again in August 2019, Victim 2 performed sex acts for customers at Crawford’s direction at an apartment complex and a parking lot. When Victim 2 declined to engage in further commercial sex dates, Crawford raped Victim 2 and threatened to kill her if she did not engage in more sex dates. Victim 2 escaped soon thereafter when Crawford left the apartment complex where he was keeping her.
Crawford faces a term of imprisonment between 10 and 23 years in federal prison. His sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2022 at 2:00 pm.
United States v. Kamal Dorchy: On May 27, 2021, Kamal Dorchy, age 46, of Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced to eight years in federal prison, followed by 15 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit sex trafficking. According to his plea agreement, from September 2016 to July 2017, Dorchy used Internet websites to post prostitution advertisements and recruit sex workers for his prostitution business through advertisements for massage work or prostitution. In his guilty plea, Dorchy admitted to recruiting a 17-year-old minor victim to work for him in his prostitution business in July 2017. Further, Dorchy arranged prostitution dates for the minor victim by posting ads on Internet websites, including for dates in Maryland. When Dorchy could not be present for the minor victim’s prostitution dates, he employed his cousin to act as “security.”
United States v. Xavier Lee: Xavier Lee, a/k/a “X,” age 41, of Elkton, Maryland, pleaded guilty to the federal charge of sex trafficking of a minor on February 25, 2021. According to his plea agreement, for the past decade Lee operated an illicit prostitution business for financial gain, including a website where Lee posted advertisements of women whom he made available for 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. Further, Lee admitted that he had sexual contact with Minor Victim 5. Minor Victim 5 was 14 years old when he first engaged in sexual acts with Minor Victim 5. Investigators recovered eight videos from Lee’s electronic devices, which were recorded by Lee and documented the sexual abuse of Minor Victim 5. Some videos depicted Minor Victim 5 engaged in sexual acts with Lee or with another adult man. Finally, Lee admitted that in 2013, Lee also instructed Minor Victim 4, who was sixteen to seventeen years old, to do prostitution dates. These prostitution dates were arranged through Lee’s website. Lee was aware of Minor Victim 4’s true age during the time because Minor Victim 4 advised Lee of her true age.
United States v. Charles Nabit: On September 27, 2021, Baltimore businessman Charles Nabit, age 66, of Baltimore, Maryland, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell also ordered Nabit to pay a fine of $55,000 and a special assessment of $5,100. Nabit, who owns residences and resides in Bethany Beach, Delaware and Deerfield Beach, Florida, is the owner of Westport Group, LLC. and previously owned Mountain Manor Treatment Center, a comprehensive drug treatment center in Baltimore. Nabit regularly paid money for commercial sex with women that he knew regularly used narcotics or were severely addicted to narcotics, including one victim who died from a drug overdose, and another victim that Nabit supplied with cocaine. As stated in his plea agreement, Nabit regularly paid for commercial sex with at least seven women who regularly used narcotics or suffered from serious substance abuse disorders. Additionally, Nabit regularly transported victims to and from his Baltimore office for commercial sex and, in one instance, paid a victim (Victim 6) to travel with him for commercial sex dates. Despite Victim 6 discussing her addiction struggles on several occasions, Nabit paid Victim 6 with monetary payment and cocaine.
United States v. Gerald Marshall: On May 4, 2021, Gerald Marshall, age 31, of Baltimore, Maryland was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. Marshall admitted that he conspired to traffic two minor girls, ages 15 and 17, to engage in commercial sex acts. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel ordered Marshall to pay $2,405 in restitution to each of the minor victims. According to Marshall’s plea agreement, beginning in or about January 2018, Marshall conspired with co-defendant Sean Dean, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland to recruit, harbor, transport, and/or maintain three females, including two minors, to engage in commercial sex acts. In furtherance of the sex trafficking enterprise, Marshall rented hotel rooms in Timonium and Laurel, Maryland to be used by the victims to engage in commercial sex acts. Marshall and Sean Dean transported the victims to the various hotels where they would stay for multiple days. While in the hotel rooms, at Dean’s direction, the victims used a website to advertise themselves for commercial sex acts. The advertisements contained pictures of the victims in provocative poses and provided contact information for clients to use to secure a “date” with the victims. The victims were required to share a portion of the proceeds from any commercial sex acts with Dean.
United States v. Sean Dean: On July 9, 2021, Sean Dean, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for conspiracy to engage in sex trafficking of a minor. According to Dean’s plea agreement, from December 2017 until January 2018, Dean recruited, harbored, transported, and/or maintained five females, including four minors ranging from 15 to 17 years old, to engage in commercial sex acts. Dean utilized social media and cellular telephones to recruit, monitor, direct, and communicate with the four girls and the woman. In furtherance of his sex trafficking enterprise, Dean and Gerald Marshall rented hotel rooms for victims to engage in commercial sex acts and transported the victims to various hotels for commercial sex acts. Dean and Marshall transported three of the minor girls and the woman to a hotel in Timonium. The victims were at the hotel for approximately one week and met with multiple customers per day to engage in commercial sex acts. The victims shared a portion of the proceeds earned from their commercial sex acts with Dean and Marshall.
United States v. Adolph J. Scott: In August 2021, a federal grand jury returned an indictment charging Adolph J. Scott, age 36, of Spring Lake, North Carolina, for the federal charges of sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion; interstate transportation of an individual to engage in prostitution; and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances. According to the three-count indictment, from at least January 2020 to February 2021, in the District of Maryland, the Eastern District of North Carolina, and elsewhere, Scott recruited, enticed, transported, advertised, and solicited Victim 1 to conduct sexual acts for his financial benefit. Specifically, the indictment alleges from January 23, 2021 to January 24, 2021 that Scott transported Victim 1 from Maryland to North Carlina with the intent that Victim 1 would engage in prostitution and sexual activity. The indictment further alleges that Scott also possessed controlled substances with intent to distribute including: a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of fentanyl, a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of heroin, and a mixture or substance containing a detectable amount of cocaine. 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 v. Feliciano De-Jesus Diaz-Martinez: On November 18, 2021, a federal trial jury convicted Feliciano de Jesus Diaz-Martinez, a/k/a Alex, age 43, of Owings Mills, Maryland, of sex trafficking of a child, enticement of a minor to engage in prostitution, sex trafficking by force, fraud and coercion, and distribution of a controlled substance. According to the evidence presented at his nine-day trial, from 2016 through May 2019, Diaz-Martinez, a Guatemalan national in the United States illegally, caused more than eight individuals, including minors, to engage in commercial sex acts for his own financial benefit by means of force, fraud, and coercion. Trial testimony confirmed that Diaz-Martinez knew that Victim 1 was 16 years old when he first caused her to engage in commercial sex acts. Victim 1 continued to work for Diaz-Martinez until she was approximately 18 years old. The evidence proved that nearly all of the victims that Diaz-Martinez caused to engage in commercial sex acts suffered from serious substance abuse disorders, including addictions to heroin, crack cocaine, and Xanax. Diaz-Martinez took half or all of the money earned by the victims working for him, and sold some of the victims narcotics, often at prices significantly higher than he paid to purchase the drugs. Several victims testified that Diaz-Martinez frequently demanded that they engage in sex acts with him, free of charge, and that he retaliated against the victims if he was not personally satisfied with the sexual encounter.
Federal Grant Funding
In December 2021, the Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs and its component, the Office of Victims of Crime, gave $600,000 to the University of Baltimore School of Law and Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Service (MVLS), the largest provider of pro bono civil legal services in Maryland. The MVLS will use funds over the course of three years to extend the reach of their Human Trafficking Prevention Project in Baltimore City and into more rural areas of Maryland, as well as to increase the number of staff who will deliver free legal services and full representation to survivors.
Training
In 2021, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partners conducted 14 training events for law enforcement and other professionals fighting human trafficking, training a total of 725 individuals including through the Human Trafficking Investigators Seminar and the Human Trafficking Professionals Seminar, both of which occurred in October 2021.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland has deployed many resources in the fight against human trafficking and we will continue to make the investigation and prosecution of human trafficking cases a priority.
# # #
Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby Facing Perjury and False Mortgage Application Charges Related to Her Purchase of Two Vacation PropertiesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury today returned an indictment charging Marilyn J. Mosby, age 41, of Baltimore, Maryland, on federal charges of perjury and making false mortgage applications, relating to the purchases of two vacation homes in Florida.
The defendant will have an initial appearance in U.S. District Court in Baltimore, but the hearing has not yet been scheduled.
The indictment 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 the four-count indictment, on May 26, 2020 and December 29, 2020, Mosby submitted “457(b) Coronavirus-Related Distribution Requests” for one-time withdrawals of $40,000 and $50,000, respectively, from City of Baltimore’s Deferred Compensation Plans. In each request, the indictment alleges that Mosby falsely certified that she met at least one of the qualifications for a distribution as defined under the CARES Act, specifically, that she experienced adverse financial consequences from the Coronavirus as a result of being quarantined, furloughed, or laid off; having reduced work hours; being unable to work due to lack of childcare; or the closing or reduction of hours of a business she owned or operated. In signing the forms, Mosby “affirm[ed] under penalties for perjury the statements and acknowledgments made in this request.” The indictment alleges that Mosby did not experience any such financial hardships and in fact, Mosby received her full gross salary of $247,955.58 from January 1, 2020 through December 29, 2020, in bi-weekly gross pay direct deposits of $9,183.54.
Further, the indictment alleges that on July 28, 2020 and September 2, 2020, as well as on January 14, 2021 and February 19, 2021, Mosby made false statements in applications for a $490,500 mortgage to purchase a home in Kissimmee, Florida and for a $428,400 mortgage to purchase a condominium in Long Boat Key, Florida. As part of both applications, Mosby was required to disclose her liabilities. Mosby did not disclose on either application that she had unpaid federal taxes from a number of previous years and that on March 3, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) had placed a lien against all property and rights to property belonging to Mosby and her husband in the amount of $45,022, the amount of unpaid taxes Mosby and her husband owed the IRS as of that date. In each application, Mosby also responded “no” in response to the question, “Are you presently delinquent or in default on any Federal debt or any other loan, mortgage, financial obligation, bond, or loan guarantee,” even though she was delinquent in paying federal taxes to the IRS.
Finally, according to the indictment, one week prior to closing on the Kissimmee vacation home, on or about August 25, 2020, Mosby executed an agreement with a vacation home management company giving the management company control over the rental of the property she ultimately purchased in Kissimmee. On September 2, 2020, Mosby signed a “second home rider” which provided, among other things, that the borrower occupy and use the property as their second home; that the borrower maintain exclusive control over the ownership of the property, including short-term rentals, and not subject the property to any…agreement that requires the borrower either to rent the property or give a management firm or any other person or entity any control over the occupancy or use of the property; and that the borrower keep the property available primarily as a residence for their personal use and enjoyment for at least one year, unless the lender otherwise agrees in writing. The indictment alleges that by falsely executing the “second home rider” Mosby could obtain a lower interest rate on the mortgage for the property than she would have received without it.
If convicted, Mosby faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each of two counts of perjury and a maximum of 30 years in federal prison for each of two counts of making false mortgage applications. Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties. 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.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and IRS-CI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise, Sean R. Delaney, and Aaron S.J. Zelinsky, 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.
# # #
Statement of U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron on the Death of Former U.S. Attorney Stephen H. SachsRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron issued the following statement on the death of former U.S. Attorney Stephen H. Sachs:
Steve Sachs was one of the most respected public servants in Maryland’s history and a personal mentor to me and many others. A brilliant attorney, Sachs spent years in public service, first as an Assistant U.S. Attorney, then as U.S. Attorney and subsequently as Attorney General for Maryland. In 1968, while Sachs was U.S. Attorney, he prosecuted the Catonsville Nine, Vietnam protestors who stole draft records from the Catonsville Selective Service office and burned them in the parking lot. While in private practice and during the Watergate scandal, Sachs represented FBI Director L. Patrick Gray. His commitment to the rule of law and passion for justice are legendary and continued to his passing. Those traits continue to inspire all of us who serve in the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office. We offer our sincerest condolences to Steve Sachs’ children, grandchildren, family, and friends.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office, its priorities, and history, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/history.
# # #
Former New Mexico School District Employee Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Stealing and Reselling Apple Products Meant for Native American School Children and for Tax FraudRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake sentenced Kristy Stock, age 46, of Waterflow, New Mexico to 18 months federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for federal charges of interstate transportation of stolen goods and tax fraud.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to Stock’s plea agreement, and other court documents, beginning in 2014, defendant James Bender agreed to allow a good friend, defendant Saurabh Chawla, and a relative of Chawla’s, SC2, to sell goods and merchandise through Bender’s eBay accounts. Chawla’s eBay account had previously been suspended due to security concerns. From May 2014 through August 2019, Bender and Chawla conspired so Chawla could use Bender’s eBay and PayPal accounts to sell stolen goods and merchandise.
Stock worked for the Central Consolidated School District in New Mexico from 2010 to 2019 and was responsible for overseeing a program to provide Apple iPods to school children with the intent of benefitting Native American children living on tribal reservations in New Mexico. On behalf of the school district, Stock directed federal grant monies be used to make bulk purchase orders of iPods, ranging from 100 to 250 units per order, two to three times each year.
Stock admitted that from 2013 to 2018 she stole more than 3,000 iPods purchased by the school district and sold them on eBay to Chawla and others for her personal benefit. From October 2015 to 2018, Stock and Chawla dealt directly with each other, in emails, texts, and phone calls. Stock repeatedly advised Chawla of the items she had obtained, providing details such as the model, color and number of Apple products available. Chawla and Stock then negotiated a price, and Stock shipped the items to Chawla’s relative on the Eastern Shore in Maryland. Chawla paid Stock through PayPal. Stock admitted that she received more than $800,000 in illegal proceeds from selling stolen iPods worth more than $1 million. After his relative received the stolen goods from Stock, Chawla listed them for sale online through eBay at a substantial markup.
Stock also admitted that she filed false tax returns for calendar years 2012 to 2017, which failed to report significant amounts of taxable income, causing a tax loss to the United States of $270,821.
Saurabh Chawla, age 36, of Aurora, Colorado, and James Bender, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland, were sentenced to 66 months and to a year and a day in federal prison, respectively. Additionally, Chawla was sentenced to pay restitution to the Internal Revenue Service in the amount of $713,619, and to sign an order of forfeiture requiring him to forfeit a 2013 Tesla Model S, $2,308,062.61 from accounts held in his name, and the sale of property in Aurora, Colorado.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the IRS-Criminal Investigation and HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Harry M. Gruber and 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.
# # #
Bowie, Maryland Nurse Practitioner Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Distribute and Dispense OxycodoneRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Justina Aburime, age 53, of Bowie, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to one count of conspiracy to distribute and dispense oxycodone and one count of distribution and dispensing of oxycodone.
The guilty plea 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; and Special Agent in Charge Maureen Dixon, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.
According to her guilty plea, from February 2017 to February 2020, Aburime conspired with others, including Thomas Charles Johnson, to distribute and dispense oxycodone outside the scope of professional practice and not for a legitimate medical purpose at Personal Touch Medical Spa, LLP (PTMS), a Largo, Maryland pain management clinic.
As licensed and registered nurse practitioners under the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the state of Maryland, Aburime and Johnson were legally authorized to prescribe controlled substances for legitimate medical purposes.
During her employment with PTMS, Aburime wrote oxycodone prescriptions without a legitimate medical need and outside the scope of professional practice. Aburime allowed an unauthorized person to write oxycodone prescriptions using her medical credentials. Specifically, Aburime allowed PTMS’s owner—who was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances—to prescribe oxycodone to individuals using pre-signed blank prescriptions bearing Aburime’s name and DEA registration number.
In some instances, Aburime was traveling outside the United States at the time of treatment or did not see the patient who was prescribed oxycodone using her credentials. Further, Aburime agreed that she prescribed oxycodone to patients when there was no legitimate need and without considering alternative treatment options. Aburime also agreed that she increased oxycodone dosage over time without a medical justification.
Co-defendant Thomas Charles Johnson, Jr. pled guilty to conspiracy to distribute oxycodone on October 28, 2021 and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 17, 2022 at 12:00 p.m.
Aburime faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for each count. U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis has scheduled sentencing for April 26, 2022 at 1:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the DEA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services- Office of Inspector General for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Jessica C. Collins and Elizabeth Wright, who are prosecuting the case.
For more information on the dangers and effects of opioids, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach. 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.
# # #
Washington, D.C. Man Facing Federal Charges in Maryland for Carjacking and Brandishing a Firearm During a Crime of ViolenceRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A federal criminal complaint was filed on January 7, 2022, charging James Albert Borum, age 19, of Washington, D.C., for carjacking and for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence.
The criminal complaint 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 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 the affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Borum is alleged to have participated in a series of carjackings committed in Montgomery and Prince George’s Counties in June 2021. As detailed in the affidavit, location monitoring data for an ankle bracelet that Borum was wearing at the time and cellular location information for Borum’s phone allegedly put him in the area of each of the three carjackings and an attempted carjacking. In addition, surveillance images from the locations of the crimes, witness and victim statements, forensic evidence, and items recovered from a search warrant executed at Borum’s residence on July 1, 2021, allegedly indicate that Borum participated in the carjackings. As detailed in the affidavit, at the time of the June carjackings, Borum was on pre-trial supervision with the condition that he be subject to location monitoring with an ankle bracelet in connection with an unrelated carjacking charge pending in D.C. Superior Court.
Specifically, the affidavit alleges that on June 4, 2021, Victim 1 was beaten and carjacked by two males, who also stole his Apple iPhone 8. 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 the search on July 1, 2021.
On June 10, 2021, the affidavit alleges that two individuals committed an armed carjacking in Silver Spring, Maryland. After Victim 2 had parked his car, he began walking into a nearby apartment courtyard. Two individuals followed Victim 2 and approached him as he was in the courtyard. According to the affidavit, one of these individuals pointed a handgun at Victim 2’s forehead and stated, “I’ll kill you. Give me the keys,” while the second individual stood behind Victim 2. Victim 2 gave one of the individuals his keys and the carjackers drove away in Victim 2’s car. At the time of the carjacking, Victim 2 had $950 in his vehicle. The day after the carjacking, an unknown number texted Borum asking him what car he was in. Borum replied that he was in a “2 door Honda.” The vehicle taken from Victim 2 in the carjacking was a two-door Honda Accord.
As detailed in the affidavit, two individuals attempted to carjack Victim 3 in a parking garage in the 8700 block of Cameron Street in Silver Spring. During the attempted carjacking, Victim 3 saw her colleague pulling into the parking lot and told the two males that her colleague was coming and that she would not call the police if they left her alone. Both males fled. As they ran away, Victim 3 got into her colleague’s vehicle and as they left the garage, they saw the males running away and Victim 3 took a photo of them from behind. Victim 3 gave law enforcement a description of her attackers, including that one of the attackers had on an ankle monitor, a distinctive white hooded sweatshirt and a white facemask that was not covering his face.
According to the affidavit, surveillance footage obtained from the Rhode Island Avenue, Silver Spring, and Wheaton Metro stations both before and after the attempted carjacking shows Borum and a second individual wearing clothing that matched the descriptions Victim 3 provided and pictured in the photograph taken by Victim 3. The footage also shows Borum wearing an ankle monitor. The Silver Spring Metro station is located approximately 0.4 miles from 8700 Cameron Street.
Finally, on June 23, 2021, Victim 4 was carjacked by two men as he was entering his car. The first man allegedly approached Victim 4 from behind and held a black handgun at the left side of Victim 4’s head and repeated, “Give me the keys!” Victim 4 handed the man his keys and wallet. The man got into the driver’s seat and a second man jumped into the front passenger seat. The carjackers then fled in Victim 4’s vehicle. As alleged in the affidavit, Victim 4’s vehicle was located five days later parked on the same block as Borum’s residence and Borum’s fingerprints were identified on the car.
If convicted, Borum faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in federal prison for carjacking and a mandatory minimum sentence of seven years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison, consecutive to any other sentence, for using, carrying, and brandishing a firearm during and in relation to a crime of violence. 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. Borum is currently detained in Washington, D.C. and no court appearance in Maryland has been scheduled yet.
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.
This case is a result of the Regional Carjacking Prosecution Task Force, which was created to ensure the prosecution of individuals who engage in carjacking and robberies in multiple jurisdictions. Federal and state prosecutors and law enforcement are working together to ensure that investigations and prosecutions encompass all of a perpetrator’s crimes, even if they are committed in multiple jurisdictions. Members of the Regional Carjacking Prosecution Task Force are the United States Attorney’s Offices for Maryland and for the District of Columbia; the Montgomery County State’s Attorney’s Office; the Prince George’s County State’s Attorney Office; and the Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia. This cross-border partnership between federal and state prosecutors’ offices mirrors similar collaboration among the police departments in Prince George’s and Montgomery Counties, Washington, D.C., and among the FBI and ATF.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Prince George’s County 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 Dana J. Brusca, 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/regional-carjacking-prosecution-task-force.
# # #
Previously Convicted Sex Offender Pleads Guilty to Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jason Wade Harley, age 49, of Frederick, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession of child pornography.
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 Frederick County Sheriff Charles A. “Chuck” Jenkins.
According to Harley’s plea agreement, on February 24, 2020, four suspected child pornographic images were uploaded to the internet. The internet platform to which the images were uploaded reported the upload to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Harley’s name and email address was listed under the information of the subscriber that uploaded the child pornographic material. Investigators determined that several of the images distributed on the internet platform depicted the sexual abuse of infants and prepubescent minors, and that the upload was linked to Harley’s account.
On August 28, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant at Harley’s residence. As a result of the executed search warrants, investigators located a SIM card within a cell phone that contained two videos of children engaged in sexually explicit activity as well as 499 images of child pornography, including images that depicted the sexual abuse of infants and prepubescent minors. That same day, Harley admitted to investigators that he sent images of child pornography to online accounts and that he has sexual fantasies involving children.
As stated in his plea agreement, investigators also executed a search warrant for Harley’s online accounts. Following the review of Harley’s internet activity, investigators discovered evidence that Harley searched multiple phrases including “young sluts.” On another internet account, investigators discovered 11 additional images of child pornography and conversations between Harley and another internet user. Within the online communications, Harley stated that he possessed 260 pictures and 130 videos of child pornography in a hidden vault and expressed his interest in sexual abuse of children.
Harley faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of 20 years in prison followed by up to lifetime of supervised release for possession of child pornography. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for March 31, 2022 at 11:00 a.m.
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 Frederick County Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine L. Duey and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce King, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Nine MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
A federal judge in the District of Maryland unsealed a superseding indictment today charging nine members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) with racketeering conspiracy involving murder, extortion and money laundering. MS-13 is an international criminal organization and one of the largest street gangs in the United States.
The superseding indictment charges Hernan Yanes-Rivera, 20; Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, 24; Brayan Alexander Torres, 28; Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, 24; Brian Samir Zelaya Mejia, 23; Miguel Angel Ramirez, 21; Jorge Isaac Argueta Chica, 21; and Diego Fabrisio Angel-Artiga, 22, with racketeering conspiracy. The superseding indictment also charges Yanes-Rivera, Torres, Rivas Rodriguez, Zelaya Mejia, Ramirez, Argueta Chica and Angel-Artiga with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.
“MS-13 uses violence and intimidation to prey upon vulnerable communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to dismantling MS-13 and protecting all communities from the harm alleged in this indictment.”
“Witness retaliation will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron for the District of Maryland. “As alleged in the superseding indictment unsealed today, these MS-13 members not only extorted money from community members to support the gang — both in Maryland and in El Salvador — they also allegedly killed an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland and our local and state partners are working together to remove violent gang members to keep our communities safe from the threat of MS-13.”
According to court documents, in the United States, MS-13 is organized into branches or “cliques.” These defendants were allegedly members or associates of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, an MS-13 clique operating primarily in the Adelphi, Maryland area. As alleged, the defendants extorted multiple victims, from whom they collected extortion payments, or “rent,” on a regular basis. Several of the defendants allegedly illicitly transferred this money to MS-13 associates in El Salvador.
The superseding indictment also alleges that Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez, acting at the direction of senior MS-13 members, murdered an individual in retaliation for the victim’s cooperation with law enforcement.
If convicted, the defendants face statutory maximums ranging from 20 years to life imprisonment for the racketeering conspiracy and 20 years for the extortion conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations and Prince George’s County Police Department are investigating the case. Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations and Montgomery County Police Department provided valuable assistance.
Trial Attorney Brendan Woods of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and Joel Crespo of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland are prosecuting the case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Maryland MS-13 Gang Members Indicted for Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – A superseding indictment charging members of La Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) with racketeering conspiracy involving murder, extortion, and money laundering was unsealed today as to eight defendants. A federal grand jury in Maryland returned the indictment on December 22, 2021. The superseding indictment charges the following defendants with racketeering conspiracy:
Brayan Alexander Torres, a/k/a “Spooky,” 28, of Adelphi, Maryland;
Agustino Eugenio Rivas Rodriguez, a/k/a “Cipitio,” “Chuchin,” “Angel,” “Terrible,” and “Small,” 24, of Silver Spring, Maryland;
Hernan Yanes-Rivera, a/k/a “Shrek,” “Recio,” and “Garra,” 20, of Adelphi;
Franklyn Edgardo Sanchez, a/k/a “Freddy,” “Magic,” “Miclo,” and “Delinquente,” 24, of Adelphi;
Brian Samir Zelaya Mejia, a/k/a “Flaco,” “Catrachito,” “Calacas,” “Chispa,” and “Directo,” 23, of Hyattsville, Maryland;
Miguel Angel Ramirez, a/k/a “Majin Buu” and “El Gordo,” 21, of Adelphi;
Jorge Isaac Argueta Chica, a/k/a “Timido” and “Enano,” 21, of Gaithersburg, Maryland; and
Diego Fabrisio Angel-Artiga, a/k/a “Stewie,” 22, of Hyattsville.The superseding indictment also charges Yanes-Rivera, Torres, Rivas Rodriguez, Zelaya Mejia, Ramirez, Argueta Chica, and Angel-Artiga with conspiracy to interfere with commerce by extortion.
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 R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“Witness retaliation will not be tolerated,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “As alleged in the superseding indictment unsealed today, these MS-13 members not only extorted money from community members to support the gang—both in Maryland and in El Salvador—they also allegedly killed an individual who was cooperating with law enforcement. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland and our local and state partners are working together to remove violent gang members to keep our communities safe from the threat of MS-13.”
“MS-13 uses violence and intimidation to prey upon vulnerable communities,” said Assistant Attorney General Kenneth A. Polite, Jr. of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Criminal Division is committed to dismantling MS-13 and protecting all communities from the harm alleged in this indictment.”
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 Montgomery County, Prince George’s County, and Frederick 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, both to maintain membership and discipline within the gang and against rival gangs. One of the principal rules of MS-13 is that its members must attack and kill rivals, known as “chavalas,” whenever possible.
These defendants allegedly were members or associates of Weedams Locos Salvatrucha, an MS-13 clique operating primarily in the Adelphi, Maryland area. As alleged, the defendants extorted multiple victims, from whom they collected extortion payments, or “rent,” on a regular basis. Several of the defendants used the “rent” proceeds and other gang revenues to unlawfully transfer money to MS-13 associates in El Salvador. The superseding indictment also alleges that Yanes-Rivera and Sanchez, acting at the direction of senior MS-13 members, murdered an individual in retaliation for the victim’s cooperation with law enforcement.
If convicted, the defendants face maximum sentences ranging from twenty years to life in federal prison for the racketeering conspiracy and twenty years in federal prison for the extortion conspiracy. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors. The defendants are expected to have arraignments beginning next week in U.S. District Court in Greenbelt.
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, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation, and thanked the Montgomery County Police Department and Immigration and Customs Enforcement – Enforcement and Removal Operations and for their assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Joseph Baldwin and Joel Crespo, and Trial Attorney Brendan Woods 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.
# # #
Foreign National Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud in Relation to Multiple Religious InstitutionsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Marius Vaduva, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. As part of his plea agreement, Vaduva will be ordered to pay at least $1,320,829.23 in restitution.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Postal Inspector in Charge Charles Wickersham of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Shimon R. Richmond of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Toni Dezomits of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.
According to his guilty plea, beginning in June 2018 to January 2021, Vaduva and his co-conspirators conspired to steal checks from the U.S. mail intended for religious institutions and deposit the illegally obtained funds into multiple fraudulent bank accounts at various victim financial institutions. Conspirators, including Vaduva, conducted the thefts by driving to roadside mailboxes of churches and other religious institutions and removing the mail, specifically targeting donation checks.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Vaduva and other co-conspirators fraudulently opened bank accounts at victim financial institutions under false identities. Conspiracy members often opened fictitious bank accounts with the aid of a conspiracy member that was an employee at one of the victim financial institutions. In addition, Vaduva and his co-conspirators used at least two extended family members who were minors to assist in the account openings.
Vaduva and co-conspirators then withdrew cash from the fraudulent bank accounts through ATMs and spent the illegally obtained proceeds using debit cards associated with the bank accounts. Additionally, Vaduva deposited stolen checks in fraudulently opened bank accounts held in others’ identities. Vaduva opened at least nine fraudulent accounts between October 24, 2019 to November 20, 2019. The same nine fraudulent accounts received a total of 119 stolen checks totaling approximately $41,528.99. Vaduva also deposited at least four stolen checks totaling approximately $2,120.69 into other bank accounts. Those checks had been stolen from religious institutions in North Carolina and Virginia.
Further, upon his arrest in February 2021, Vaduva’s cell phone contained images of at least 21 stolen checks, totaling $10,119.68.
In total the conspiracy stole at least approximately $1,320,829.69 from 3,075 stolen checks.
Co-conspirators Daniel Velcu, age 43, of Baltimore, Maryland; Marian Unguru, age 36, of Baltimore, Maryland; and Vali Unguru, age 19, of Baltimore, Maryland, previously pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. Nicole Gindac, age 52, of Dania Beach, Florida pled guilty to the same charge and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison. Mateus Vaduva, age 29, of Baltimore, Maryland pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on February 18, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
Vaduva faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for June 2, 2022 at 2:00 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Cary (North Carolina) Police Department, and the Williamson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, 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.
# # #
Elkton Fentanyl Drug Dealer Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Fentanyl Distribution Charges Relating to a Fatal OverdoseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Jude Ellen L. Hollander sentenced Robert Allen Valladares, age 37, of Elkton, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for distribution of fentanyl, and two counts of possession with intent to distribute fentanyl.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police; Cecil County State’s Attorney James A. Dellmyer; Cecil County Sheriff Scott Adams; and Chief Carolyn Rogers of the Elkton Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, in December 2019, the Cecil County Drug Task Force received information from a confidential informant that identified Valladares as a Cecil County controlled substances dealer acting under the alias of “Rob Valley” and provided his cell phone number.
On February 8, 2020, the Elkton Police Department was dispatched to a residence in reference to an overdose death. Upon arrival, an officer made contact with the victim’s father who stated that his son was deceased in his bedroom from, what he believed to be, an overdose. Emergency medical services arrived and pronounced the victim deceased shortly after. According to the victim’s family, the victim was recently discharged from a recovery house and appeared to be recovering well.
Upon further investigation into the victim’s death, law enforcement learned that the night before the victim’s death, the victim asked his father to take him to his friend “Rob’s” house to obtain suboxone strips. Once the victim’s father drove him to Valladares’ residence, the victim went inside for approximately two minutes and returned to his father’s vehicle. The victim’s father knew Valladares and had meet him previously.
An autopsy performed on the victim’s body revealed the cause of death to be a mixed drug intoxication of acyrl fentanyl, fentanyl, desproprionyl fentanyl, methamphetamine and xylazine.
A subsequent forensic data extraction of the victim’s four cell phones located in the victim’s room revealed that the victim had called Valladares one day before his death.
As stated in his plea agreement, on February 13, 2020, investigators executed a search warrant on Valladares’ residence. As a result of the search warrant, investigators seized prescription alprazolam pills, a digital scale, mail addressed to Valladares, five blue wax bags stamped “Facetime” containing suspected fentanyl, additional empty blue wax bags stamped “Facetime,” and a cell phone. Analysis of three of the blue wax bags stamped “Facetime” revealed the substance to be fentanyl.
A subsequent forensic data extraction of Valladares’ cell phone revealed that it contained over 80,000 text messages and messages consistent with the distribution and sale of controlled substances.
On May 4, 2020, a traffic stop was conducted on a vehicle leaving the Valladares residence. A K-9 scan resulted in the discovery of baggies containing fentanyl in the car. The driver advised that he had been purchasing drugs from Valladares for the past three to four months. Analysis of the substance within the bags seized from the car was confirmed to be fentanyl.
As a result of a search warrant executed at Valladares’ Elkton, Maryland residence on May 19, 2020, law enforcement located 38 bags of fentanyl. Valladares admits that he possessed the fentanyl with the intent to distribute it.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Maryland State Police, Office of the State’s Attorney for Cecil County, Cecil County Sheriff’s Office, and the Elkton Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Mary W. Setzer, 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.
# # #
Baltimore County Hit Man Sentenced to 12 Years in Federal Prison for Murder-For-Hire and Extortion ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander today sentenced Stepfen Gerard Gaither, age 30, of Randallstown, Maryland, to 12 years in federal prison, followed by four years of supervised release, for a murder-for-hire conspiracy and for interstate communications with intent to extort, in connection to the extortion and planned murder of a Baltimore County restaurant owner and his partner over a debt, as well as to possession with intent to distribute more than 40 grams of fentanyl and heroin.
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 Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department
According to his plea agreement and other court documents, Gaither was hired by codefendant Clement Robert Mercaldo, Jr. to send messages threatening victims and their families in order to extort money. As part of the plan to extort, Mercaldo paid Gaither to vandalize a victim’s car and set fire to a victim’s house. Later, Mercaldo agreed to pay Gaither to murder a victim. Gaither also possessed with the intent to distribute 723 pills containing fentanyl and heroin that were marked as Oxycontin.
“Stepfen Gaither terrorized several victims, including sending threatening messages, setting one victim’s house on fire while they were at home, and plotting the murder of a restaurant owner,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “I commend the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department whose investigative work stopped Gaither and his co-conspirator before they succeeded in their murder-for-hire. This sentence sends a strong message that threats and violence will not be tolerated and will lead to jail time.”
“This case serves as a reminder to those offenders who are a menace in our neighborhoods by committing violent acts, that the FBI continues to protect the public and hold accountable those who have such bold disregard for the law and more importantly human life,” said Thomas J. Sobocinski, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Baltimore field office.
Between 2008 and 2017, Mercaldo, a former restaurant owner, loaned over $1 million to the victim. The victim made payments to Mercaldo until 2019, when he was unable to make further payments. As a result, Mercaldo was in significant financial distress and sold his personal belongings in order to continue to pay his expenses.
Beginning in March 2019, Mercaldo hired Gaither to assist in his plot to collect the debt through a variety of extortionate means. Mercaldo gave at least $1,000 in cash to Gaither in exchange for Gaither agreeing to send threatening messages to the victim and destroy the victim’s property, with the intent to pressure the victim to repay Mercaldo.
According to Gaither’s plea agreement, on March 10, 2019, Gaither traveled to the victim’s residence to conduct surveillance, and contacted Mercaldo by cell phone while he was at the residence. Just prior to March 28, 2019, Mercaldo traveled to Florida. On the evening of March 28, 2019, Gaither again traveled to the victim’s residence and used an object smashed the windows of the victim’s car, while the car was in his driveway. Mercaldo returned from Florida on March 29th, when he supplied Gaither with another cash payment. Mercaldo also provided Gaither with the phone number to the victim’s restaurant. Immediately before and after the windows were smashed, Gaither used an anonymous texting application to threaten the victim. The messages referenced a debt and threatened the victim’s wife. In the first few days of April 2019, Gaither also placed calls to the victim in which he took responsibility for smashing the windows and then threatened the victim’s wife.
On April 10, 2019, at Mercaldo’s request, Gaither, using the same number used to contact the victim, sent Mercaldo a message falsely purporting to be from a person from Delaware who was trying to collect money and threatening Mercaldo’s son. Mercaldo asked Gaither to send this message so that Mercaldo could show it to the police when he was questioned about the victim’s smashed windows and other threats. On April 12, 2019, Mercaldo was interviewed by a detective from the Baltimore County Police Department, regarding the destruction of property at the victim’s residence. Mercaldo falsely told the detective that he too had been receiving threatening messages from a person identifying themselves as “Robin.” Mercaldo then showed the detective the fake message Gaither sent him two days earlier, which included a screen shot of Mercaldo’s son playing lacrosse at his high school. Mercaldo also provided detectives with a false story about his loan to the victim, claiming that he obtained the money he loaned the victim from an unnamed person in Michigan, who loaned the money to Mercaldo at a high interest rate, and that Mercaldo pays this person in cash on the first of the month after receiving an anonymous text message providing the location to meet for the transaction. Additionally, Mercaldo told the detective that he returned home from Florida on March 29, 2019 to find that the windshield of his Mercedes was also smashed, although he did not report it to the police. Mercaldo stated that he believed that the smashing of his windshield was related to the smashing of the victim’s windshield. In truth, Mercaldo’s windshield was damaged by a rock from another car and was repaired on March 14, 2019, two weeks prior to the vandalism of the victim’s car.
From April 2019 through July 2019, Mercaldo withdrew more than $5,000 in cash from his bank account, which he paid to Gaither, who deposited similar amounts of cash into his bank account. For example, on April 26, 2019, May 7, 2019, and May 15, 2019, Mercaldo withdrew a total of $4,000 cash from his bank account in Maryland, and between May 3rd and July 19th, Gaither deposited $2,514 into his account. The purpose of the payments was for Gaither to set fire to the victim’s home.
After conducting surveillance at the victim’s house on July 29 and August 1, 2019, at Mercaldo’s direction, in the early morning hours of Sunday, August 4, 2019, Gaither traveled to the victim’s house, where he again conducted surveillance. While the victim and his wife were asleep upstairs, a rear basement window at the house was broken and a flammable liquid was ignited. Gaither left the area when he heard emergency vehicles responding to the fire.
The victim and his wife were awoken by the smoke detectors and escaped the fire with the family cat. Although no injuries were sustained to the family or emergency responders, the fire caused significant damage to the residence and destroyed much of the victim’s personal property. As a result of the damage, the victim and his wife were forced to move out of their home and to live elsewhere. In the days immediately following the arson, Mercado withdrew $1,500 cash from his bank account and gave it to Gaither, who deposited $1,290 in cash into his account.
The arson at the victim’s residence in August 2019 caused an estimated $302,774.89 of damage to the dwelling and contents, and a loss to the insurance company of $353,340.66 as a direct result of the fire.
In August and September 2019, Gaither sent numerous threatening text messages from anonymous texting applications to the victim and his business partner. The messages demonstrated that they were being followed. The threats referenced a debt, and many of the messages threatened to harm the victims and their families. For example, on August 30, 2019, Gaither sent a message to the victim, which referenced the arson as part of the efforts to collect the debt Mercaldo continued to instruct Gaither to send threatening messages and on October 22, 2019, the business partner received the message, “This is the third check you and your partner gave me that bounce i talked to him and he gave me your address saying you is stealing from him and do what i have to do to get my money from you he even gave me pictures of your wife and kids.”
On October 26, 2019, Gaither used the anonymous texting application to arrange for and receive a cash payment from the business partner. The payment was observed and recorded by law enforcement. Immediately after receiving the money, Gaither purchased an Apple watch, and deposited cash into his bank account. Gaither and Mercaldo subsequently exchanged text messages for several days about this payment, with Mercaldo stating that the victims told him a payment was made to Gaither and Gaither adamantly denying receiving any money from the victims.
Starting on October 29, 2019, and continuing through at least the end of January 2020, Mercaldo and Gaither began discussing “plan b” – the murder of one or both of the victims for their lack of payment. For example, on November 3, 2019 Mercaldo sent a text to Gaither, “Hope you whack his ass!” On November 8, 2019, Mercaldo texted Gaither, “Nail em plz !!” In January 2020, Gaither conducted surveillance at the residences and business of the victims, taking images and videos and during some of the videos, he narrated how he planned to follow and attack the victim. During two of the videos Gaither is seen holding two different handguns in his vehicle during surveillance. Gaither sent these videos and images to Mercaldo as attachments to numerous text messages, during, and immediately after, many of the incidents of surveillance. Gaither and Mercaldo continued to communicate about the victims and the debt through March 2020 and as late as May 30, 2020.
Gaither and Mercaldo were arrested on June 23, 2020 and remain detained. During the search of Gaither’s house on June 23, 2020, investigators recovered a loaded handgun and ammunition in a safe in Gaither’s dresser drawer. Also found during the search was a permit to carry a handgun – dated April 2, 2020. In the same bedroom, on the top shelf of the closet was a second safe, containing 732 pills marked as 30 mg OxyContin, which has a street value of approximately $22,000. The pills were seized and analyzed by the Baltimore County Police Department Forensic Services Laboratory, and it was determined that the pills contained a detectable amount of fentanyl and heroin. Next to the safe in Gaither’s bedroom closet was a Glock handgun box containing two boxes with a total of 68 rounds of .9mm caliber ammunition.
An examination of Gaither’s phone revealed drug trafficking activity, going back at least three years, including text messages discussing the wholesale purchase and sale of narcotics, including messages in June 2020, just days before Gaither’s arrest. The phone also contained images of large quantities of apparent narcotics, and two June 2020 videos of the defendant using a digital scale to weigh apparent crack cocaine. Gaither’s phone contained numerous images and videos of firearms over several years.
Clement Robert Mercaldo, Jr., age 62, of Timonium, Maryland pleaded guilty to his role in the murder-for-hire on August 5, 2021 but died prior to being sentenced.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Paul E. Budlow, 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.
# # #
Laurel Man Pleads Guilty to Enticement of a MinorRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Kyle Elio Ripper, age 24, of Laurel, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to enticement of a minor.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Sheriff Joseph Gamble of the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office.
According to his guilty plea, on January 17, 2020, the Talbot County Sheriff’s Office was investigating a complaint, and during the course of that investigation, law enforcement discovered evidence that an adult male had sexual contact with a 14-year-old male (Minor Victim 1).
As detailed in his plea agreement, on March 10, 2020, law enforcement executed search warrants at Ripper’s Laurel, Maryland residence and his vehicle. As a result of the executed search warrants, investigators seized several electronic devices including a laptop containing a 500 GB internal hard disk drive, a 2 TB hard drive, and a cell phone. Upon further investigation and review of Ripper’s devices, investigators discovered that Ripper had communicated with minors via the internet and engaged in sexual relations with at least two minor victims.
Specifically, on December 28, 2019, Ripper engaged in a sexual conversation with Minor Victim 1 in which Ripper requested that the minor send him an image of Minor Victim 1’s genitals. Ripper also requested to film a sexual encounter with the victim. Ripper traveled to the victim’s residence, engaged in sexual relations with the minor victim, and recorded the sexual encounter on his cell phone. Additional evidence from Ripper’s cell phone revealed that in January 2020, Ripper also communicated with a 16-year-old male victim (Minor Victim 2). During their communications, Ripper requested and received at least one sexual image of Minor Victim 2. According to communications on Ripper’s phone, Ripper traveled to Minor Victim 2’s residence to pick up the victim, and then he took the victim to Ripper’s Anne Arundel County, Maryland residence, and engaged in sexual acts with Minor Victim 2.
Additionally, upon forensic review of Ripper’s hard drives and laptop, investigators discovered evidence of Ripper’s sexual abuse of Minor Victim 1 and Minor Victim 2, as well as Ripper’s possession of thousands of images and videos depicting the sexual abuse of children. For example, Ripper’s computer contained over 4,000 images and videos of child pornography, including a nine-minute video depicting the sexual abuse of a female toddler and multiple videos depicting the sexual abuse of an infant.
As stated in his plea agreement, Ripper admitted that he knew Minor Victim 1 was 14-years-old before engaging in sexual acts with the victim and he admitted to driving to the minor’s residence to engage in sexual relations with Minor Victim 1 on two occasions. Ripper also admitted to having sex with Minor Victim 2.
Ripper faces a minimum sentence of 10 years in prison and a maximum of life in prison followed by up to a lifetime of supervised release for enticement of a minor. U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher has scheduled sentencing for March 21, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
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 HSI and the Talbot Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Christine L. Duey and Abigail Ticse, 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/project-safe-childhood and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Maryland United States Attorney’s Office Announces Supervisory AppointmentsRead the Press Release
Erek L. Barron, the United States Attorney for the District of Maryland, announced today several new senior supervisory appointments. The following personnel changes were made following an office-wide internal review and a competitive interview and assessment process:
- Thomas Corcoran and Tarra Deshields were appointed as Chief and Deputy Chief, respectively, of the Civil Division;
- Kristi O’Malley was appointed as a Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division;
- Kelly Hayes and Jessica Collins were appointed as Chief and Principal Deputy Chief, respectively, of the Southern Division;
- Brandon Moore and Elizabeth Wright were appointed as Deputy Appellate Chiefs of the Appellate Division;
- Kathleen Gavin and Aaron Zelinsky were appointed as Chief and Deputy Chief, respectively, of the National Security and Cyber Crime Section; and
- Frank Burch was appointed as a Supervisor in the Victim-Witness Assistance Unit.
“I am proud to report that in our first 100 days we're now more diverse in our senior management team than at any time in the history of our Office. This diverse set of professionals adds greater depth of experience and perspective to our decision-making and makes our Office stronger, and more fully representative of the people of the District of Maryland,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron.
These individuals join a management team that includes: First Assistant United States Attorney, Phil Selden; Executive Assistant United States Attorney, Ayn Ducao; and Senior Counsel to the United States Attorney, Stephen Schenning. Former Acting U.S. Attorney and First Assistant Jonathan Lenzner has been serving as senior advisor to the DEA Administrator Anne Milgram, but will start a detail next week as Chief of Staff to FBI Director Christopher Wray. “With these leadership appointments, the public can be assured that the Office will maintain its traditions and the highest standards of professionalism well into the future while also working to reflect Marylanders and the communities were are sworn to protect and represent,” added United States Attorney Barron. A brief professional biography of each of these appointees is attached to this release.
In addition to these supervisory appointments, United States Attorney Barron announced that the Office has created a Hiring Committee, led by Senior Counsel Steve Schenning and Assistant United States Attorney Christine Goo, to assist the Office in recruiting and hiring the best qualified candidates to serve as Assistant United States Attorneys (AUSAs) in the District of Maryland. Under Steve and Christine’s leadership, the Hiring Committee, will seek to expand both the candidate pool and ultimately broaden the diversity of perspectives and abilities within the Office.
# # #
Thomas Corcoran
Chief, Civil DivisionTom Corcoran is the Chief of the Civil Division for the District of Maryland, overseeing attorneys in Baltimore and Greenbelt, who defend federal agencies when sued in court, prosecute civil enforcement activities in fraud matters and collect debts owed to the United States.
During his tenure with the Office, Tom previously served as Deputy Civil Chief, Affirmative Civil Enforcement Coordinator and Civil Healthcare Fraud Coordinator. During his tenure in the Civil Division, Tom has focused his practice on affirmative civil investigations of corporations, individuals, physicians, universities, and hospitals under the False Claims Act as well as civil investigations of pharmacies, distributors, and providers under Controlled Substances Act.
Prior to joining the Office, Tom practiced at two Baltimore law firms, Shapiro and Olander and Baxter, Baker, Sidle and Conn. Tom started his legal career in Columbia, South Carolina at the law firm of Nelson, Mullins, Riley and Scarborough. Tom received his undergraduate degree, with high honors, from Cornell University, where he was also a member of the Cornell Men’s Lacrosse Team. He received his Juris Doctor from Tulane University School of Law, cum laude, where he was the Notes and Comments Editor on the Tulane Journal of International and Comparative Law.
Tarra Deshields
Deputy Chief, Civil DivisionTarra Deshields is the Deputy Chief of the Civil Division for the District of Maryland. Her portfolio includes both defensive cases and False Claims Act litigation and she serves as the Office’s Affirmative Civil Enforcement and Health Care Fraud Coordinator.
During her tenure with the Office, Tarra has handled 14 trials. She has handled a variety of Criminal Division and Civil Division cases including, but not limited to, Export Act violations, racketeering offenses, mortgage, bank and tax fraud, immigration offenses, bank robbery and firearms offenses, as well as medical malpractice and employment discrimination actions. Tarra has also negotiated numerous False Claims Act settlements.
Before joining the Office, Tarra began her legal career as an Assistant State’s Attorney in the Montgomery County, Maryland State’s Attorney’s Office and as an Assistant Attorney General at the Maryland Attorney General’s Office, where she wrote numerous appellate briefs, and twice authored amicus briefs, both criminal and civil, in the United States Supreme Court. Tarra has also argued 10 times before the Maryland Court of Appeals. Tarra clerked for the Honorable Charles E. Moylan Jr. for the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and her law degree from the University of Baltimore School of Law.
Kristi O’Malley
Deputy Chief, Criminal DivisionKristi O’Malley serves as the Deputy Chief of the Criminal Division for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During her tenure with the Office, Kristi has previously served as the Principal Deputy Chief and Chief of the Greenbelt office and Deputy Criminal Division Chief as well as the Office’s Project Safe Childhood and Human Trafficking Coordinators, Intern Coordinator and Civil Rights Coordinator. As an Assistant United States Attorney, Kristi has handled 15 jury trials. She has prosecuted a variety of cases including, but not limited to, the production of child pornography, human trafficking, bank robbery, sanctions violations, mortgage and foreclosure rescue fraud, identity theft, narcotics and firearms related cases and civil rights crimes.
Prior to joining the Office, Kristi clerked for the Honorable Emmet G. Sullivan in the United States District Court for the District of Columbia and was an associate with a national law firm where she focused on white collar criminal defense. Kristi received her undergraduate degree from Claremont McKenna College, summa cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and her Juris Doctor from the University of Virginia where she was a member of the Order of Coif and was a Notes Development and Executive Editor for the Virginia Journal of International Law. Kristi has also taught at the Georgetown University Law Center.
Kelly Hayes
Chief, Southern DivisionKelly Hayes is the Chief of the Southern Division of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During her tenure with the Office, Kelly has served as the Office’s Identity Theft Coordinator, Health Care Fraud Coordinator, Deputy Appellate Chief, and Deputy Chief and Principal Deputy Chief for the Southern Division. She has prosecuted a variety of cases including, but not limited to, carjacking, Hobbs Act robbery, production of child pornography, wire, bank and health care fraud, as well as fatal overdoses.
Prior to joining the Office, Kelly clerked for the Honorable Janis L. Sammartino in the Southern District of California and was an associate at Ropes & Gray in Washington, D.C. Kelly received her undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland at College Park, summa cum laude, and her Juris Doctor from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she earned Highest Honors, was a Chancellors’ Scholar, and served as the Comments Editor for the New Carolina Law Review.
Jessica Collins
Deputy Chief, Southern DivisionJessica Collins is the Deputy Chief of the Southern Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During her tenure with the Office, Jessica has served as the Office’s Health Care Fraud Coordinator and has prosecuted a variety of cases, including but not limited to, wire, mail, health care and tax fraud, aggravated identity theft, narcotics offenses involving opioids and drug trafficking and firearms offenses.
Prior to joining the Office, Jessica clerked for the Honorable J. Frederick Motz and the Honorable Catherine C. Blake in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and for the Honorable Henry F. Floyd on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. She also was an associate at a national law firm and served as a trial attorney at the Department of Justice’s Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, where she prosecuted health care fraud cases throughout the United States. Jessica received her undergraduate degree from Tulane University, cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa, and her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law, magna cum laude, where she was also a Florence Allen Scholar, a member of the Order of Coif, and was a Notes Editor for the New York University Law Review.
Kathleen Gavin
Chief, National Security and Cyber Crimes SectionKathleen Gavin is the Chief of the National Security and Cyber Crimes Section for the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Kathleen investigation and prosecuting cases involving terrorism, counterespionage, export violations and cybercrimes. Kathleen also serves as the Anti-Terrorism Advisory Council (ATAC) Coordinator. The ATAC was formed to prevent terrorist attacks; to ensure effective information sharing between law enforcement, public agencies, and private entities to help combat terrorism; and to ensure adequate management plans are in place in the event of a terrorist attack.
In her role as the Chief of the National Security and Cyber Crimes Section, Kathleen draws on her more than 30 years of experience in the Office. During her tenure with the Office, she has served as the Deputy Chief and Chief of the Fraud and Corruption Section. Kathleen has also prosecuted a variety of fraud and political corruption cases, as well as a variety of national security matters, including but not limited to, RICO conspiracy, extortion, bribery, mail and wire fraud, tax violations, obstruction of justice and Arms Export Act violations. Kathleen was awarded the United States Department of Justice’s National Director’s Award for Superior Performance, the United States Attorney’s Office’s Barney Skolnik Award, three times, for Excellence in the Prosecution of Fraud and a Special Achievement Award. Her convictions have been affirmed by the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and the United States Supreme Court.
Prior to joining the Office, Kathleen was an associate at Venable, LLP where she practiced commercial and employment litigation. Kathleen received her undergraduate degree, with Distinction, from the University of Virginia, where she was also four-year member of the Virginia Women’s Lacrosse Team and was recognized with the Most Valuable Player Award. She received her Juris Doctor, with Honors, from University of Maryland Law School.
Aaron Zelinsky
Deputy Chief, National Security and Cyber Crimes SectionAaron is the Deputy Chief of the National Security and Cyber Crimes Section of the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During his tenure with the Office, has served in the Office Major Crimes section and Fraud and Public Corruption Section, where he has served as a Computer Hacking and Intellectual Property coordinator (CHIP), Covid Fraud Co-Coordinator, and Procurement Collusion Strike Force Coordinator.
Prior to joining the Office, Aaron worked at the United States State Department, where he served as Special Assistant to State Department Legal Adviser Harold Koh. Aaron clerked for Justices John Paul Stevens (Ret.), Anthony Kennedy on the United States Supreme Court, the Honorable Thomas B. Griffith on the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and for Chief Justice Dorit Beinsich of the Israeli Supreme Court. Aaron received his undergraduate degree from Yale College and his Juris Doctor from Yale Law School, where he was an Articles Editor of the Yale Law Journal. Aaron has also worked as an Assistant Special Counsel to Robert S. Mueller, III. He has taught at the University of Maryland Law School and Peking University.
Brandon Moore
Deputy Chief, Appellate DivisionBrandon is the Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During his tenure with the Office, Brandon has served in the Violent Crime and Gangs Unit and as a member of the Office’s Sentencing Issues Review Board. Brandon has prosecuted a variety of cases, including but not limited to, homicide, carjacking, Hobbs Act robbery, and RICO conspiracy as well as multiple appellate matters before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Prior to joining the Office, Brandon clerked for the Honorable George L. Russell, III, and the Honorable Theodore D. Chuang in the United States District Court for the District of Maryland, as well as for the Honorable Andre M. Davis on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. After his clerkships, he worked as a litigation associate at Gallagher, Evelius & Jones, LLP. Brandon received his undergraduate degree from Towson University, cum laude and his Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland Law School, cum laude, where he was managing editor of the Maryland Law Review.
Elizabeth Wright
Deputy Chief, Appellate DivisionElizabeth Wright is the Deputy Chief of the Appellate Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
During her tenure with the Office, Elizabeth has served as one of the Office’s Opioid Coordinators and a Professional Responsibility Officer as well as being a part of the Sentencing Issue Review Board. As a federal prosecutor, Elizabeth has handled nine jury trials. She has prosecuted a variety of cases including, but not limited to, credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft, Social Security fraud, contraband cigarette trafficking, drug distribution, firearms related crimes, money laundering and Hobbs Act robbery. Elizabeth has also argued five times before the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit.
Prior to joining the Office, Elizabeth clerked for the Honorable Gary A. Feess in the United States District Court for the Central District of California and for the Honorable A. Wallace Tashima on the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She also was an associate at a national law firm where she focused on Foreign Corrupt Practices Act investigations as well as environmental and appellate litigation. Elizabeth also previously worked as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia. She also previously served as the national coordinator for human trafficking matters for the Department of Justice’s Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section. Elizabeth received her undergraduate degree from Yale University, cum laude and with distinction and her Juris Doctor from Yale Law School where she was a member of the Yale Law & Policy Review. Elizabeth has previously taught at the Department of Justice’s National Advocacy Center.
Frank Burch
Supervisor Victim SpecialistFrank Burch is the Supervisor Victim Specialist for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland.
Frank manages the Victim Specialists working in the Baltimore and Greenbelt offices.
During his tenure with the Office, has served as a Victim Specialist in Baltimore. Frank previously served as a Law Enforcement Coordination & Victim-Witness Specialist where he assisted the Law Enforcement Coordinator in developing, implementing and coordinating several programmatic activities with a focus on combating Human Trafficking.
Prior to joining the Office, Frank earned a Bachelor of Arts in Government and Public Policy from the University of Baltimore and a Master’s Degree in Negotiations and Conflict Management from the University of Baltimore, cum laude.
Federal Jury Convicts Baltimore Defense Attorney for Money Laundering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury has convicted attorney Kenneth Wendell Ravenell, age 61, of Monkton, Maryland, of conspiracy to commit money laundering conspiracy charge.
The conviction was announced by First Assistant United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Phil Selden; Special Agent in Charge Darrell J. Waldon of the Internal Revenue Service - Criminal Investigation, Washington, D.C. Field Office; and Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office. The United States Attorney has recused himself from this case.
The trial evidence proved that Ravenell received drug proceeds from clients and associates who engaged in drug trafficking. Evidence was presented that Ravenell also used bank accounts of the law firm where he practiced to launder more than a million dollars and used the law firm’s bank accounts to receive drug payments and make payments to attorneys retained to represent other members of the conspiracy and make various investments on behalf of a drug trafficker client concealing and misrepresenting the source of the funds and promoting the client’s unlawful activity. According to trial evidence, Ravenell also received substantial cash payments derived from drug sales as compensation for laundering money.
The jury acquitted Ravenell of racketeering conspiracy and narcotics conspiracy charges. The jury also acquitted Ravenell and attorney Joshua Reinhardt Treem, age 73, of Columbia, Maryland, on federal charges of a conspiracy to commit offenses against the United States, falsification of documents, and obstructing an official proceeding. The jury acquitted Sean Francis Gordon, age 45, of Crownsville, Maryland, a private investigator who worked for both Ravenell and Treem of those same charges.
Ravenell faces a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison for the money laundering conspiracy. U.S. District Judge Liam O’Grady of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia, who presided over this case in the District of Maryland, scheduled sentencing for Ravenell on May 14, 2022, at 11:00 a.m.
First Assistant United States Attorney Phil Selden commended the IRS-CI, the DEA, the Maryland Transportation Authority Police Department, the Phoenix (Arizona) Police Department, and the Arizona Financial Crimes Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Selden thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Leo J. Wise and Zachary Ray, and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Derek Hines, who are prosecuting the case.
# # #
Supervisor of Bank Fraud Conspiracy Pleads Guilty to Conspiracy to Commit Bank FraudRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Chesterfield Stewart V, age 22, of Germantown, Maryland, pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to his guilty plea, from February 2020 to December 2020, Stewart conspired with others to recruit individuals and use their bank accounts to receive fraudulent check deposits and share the recruited individuals’ personal identifying information and bank account information amongst co-conspirators and others. Once the co-conspirators obtained the individual’s bank information, Stewart and another co-conspirator produced and obtained counterfeit checks and then deposited those fraudulent checks into the individual’s bank account.
After the counterfeit checks had been deposited, co-conspirators traveled to numerous financial institutions and withdrew the funds from the individual’s account before the financial institution could determine that the source of the checks were fraudulent and the checks were counterfeit. As a result of the conspiracy, the intended loss within the scope of the conspiracy and reasonably foreseeable to Stewart was more than $250,000 but not more than $550,000.
For example, on March 12, 2021, a co-conspirator deposited a counterfeit check in the amount of $73,019.42 into Individual 1’s bank account. Then, on March 14, 2020, Stewart, two co-conspirators, and Individual 1 traveled to three different financial institutions where Individual 1 obtained three cash advances from their bank account in the amounts of $10,000, $10,000, and $5,000. The total actual loss to Individual 1’s financial institution after the collection fees was $24,976.36.
Additionally, on March 18, 2020, co-conspirators provided Individual 2’s bank account information to Stewart. The co-conspirators thereafter deposited a counterfeit check into Individual 2’s bank account in the amount of $15,000. That same day, Stewart, three co-conspirators and Individual 2 traveled to a Rockville, Maryland financial institution where, at the direction of Stewart and another co-conspirator, Individual 2 obtained a cash withdrawal from their bank account in the amount of $1,500. Co-conspirator 2 also made an ATM withdrawal in the amount of $300 from Individual 2’s bank account at the financial institution.
The following day on March 19, 2020, the co-conspirators conducted three separate money transfers to a co-conspirator’s mobile banking app account, for a total of $1,450, and transferred an additional $500 to another individual. The total actual loss to the financial institution was at least $3,750.
As part of his plea agreement, Stewart will be ordered to pay at least $28,726.36 in restitution.
Stewart faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in prison followed by five years of supervised release for conspiracy to commit bank fraud. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for June 8, 2022 at 10:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes, who is prosecuting the case.
# # #
Great Hills Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Daiquan Malik Barnett, age 25, of Great Mills, Maryland, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron.
According to his plea agreement, on September 17, 2019, Barnett facilitated the sale of a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle—a transaction surveilled and recorded by ATF. Barnett acted as the middle man in the transaction and facilitated the transaction by communicating the price of the weapon and the meeting place for the sale. While discussing his personal firearm during the meeting, Barnett lifted his shirt and showed the clear outline of a semiautomatic weapon with an extended magazine.
After the meeting, Barnett proceeded to drive to a fast-food restaurant where law enforcement blocked Barnett’s vehicle while he sat in the line of cars for the drive through window. Upon seeing law enforcement, Barnett unsuccessfully attempted to flee by backing up. In the process of attempting to flee, Barnett crashed his vehicle into a civilian’s vehicle parked behind him.
Upon his capture, officers recovered 20.68 grams of cocaine, .99 grams of fentanyl, and oxycodone pills with a total weight of 1.934 grams. Barnett agrees that he possessed the cocaine, fentanyl, and oxycodone with the intent to distribute them. Additionally, Barnett possessed a total of $723 on his person. Of the funds recovered, $200 were ATF funds that were Barnett’s cut from the sale of the semiautomatic rifle. The remaining funds were proceeds of Barnett’s drug trafficking.
As stated in his plea agreement, law enforcement also recovered several items from the vehicle Barnett was operating, including a semi-automatic pistol, an extended magazine with 13 rounds of 9mm ammunition, one 9mm caliber drum magazine loaded with 53 rounds of 9mm caliber ammunition cartridges, two digital scales, torn baggies, gloves, brass knuckles, and St. Mary County’s court documents bearing Barnett’s name.
Barnett knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms and agrees that he possessed the firearm and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. Barnett was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition from a previous drug-related conviction.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the ATF and the St. Mary Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
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.
# # #
Great Hills Man Sentenced to over Six Years in Federal Prison for Federal Firearm and Drug Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis sentenced Daiquan Malik Barnett, age 25, of Great Mills, Maryland, to 78 months in federal prison, followed by five years of supervised release, for possession of controlled substances with intent to distribute, possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and St. Mary’s County Sheriff Tim Cameron.
According to his plea agreement, on September 17, 2019, Barnett facilitated the sale of a semiautomatic, assault-style rifle—a transaction surveilled and recorded by ATF. Barnett acted as the middle-man in the transaction and facilitated the transaction by communicating the price of the weapon and the meeting place for the sale. While discussing his personal firearm during the meeting, Barnett lifted his shirt and showed the clear outline of a semiautomatic weapon with an extended magazine.
After the meeting, Barnett proceeded to drive to a fast-food restaurant where law enforcement blocked Barnett’s vehicle while he sat in the line of cars for the drive through window. Upon seeing law enforcement, Barnett unsuccessfully attempted to flee by backing up. In the process of attempting to flee, Barnett crashed his vehicle into a civilian’s vehicle parked behind him.
Upon his capture, officers recovered 20.68 grams of cocaine, .99 grams of fentanyl and oxycodone pills with a total weight of 1.934 grams. Barnett agrees that he possessed the cocaine, fentanyl and oxycodone with the intent to distribute them. Additionally, Barnett possessed a total of $723 on his person. Of the funds recovered, $200 were ATF funds that were Barnett’s cut from the sale of the semiautomatic rifle. The remaining funds were proceeds of Barnett’s drug trafficking.
As stated in his plea agreement, law enforcement also recovered several items from the vehicle Barnett was operating, including a semi-automatic pistol, an extended magazine with 13 rounds of .9mm ammunition, one .9mm caliber drum magazine loaded with 53 rounds of .9mm caliber ammunition cartridges, two digital scales, torn baggies, gloves, brass knuckles, and St. Mary County’s court documents bearing Barnett’s name.
Barnett knew he was prohibited from possessing firearms and agrees that he possessed the firearm and ammunition in furtherance of his drug trafficking activity. Barnett was prohibited from possessing a firearm or ammunition from a previous drug-related conviction.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the ATF and the St. Mary Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joseph R. Baldwin, who prosecuted the case.
This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. 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.
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.
# # #
Florida Man Sentenced to over Four Years in Prison for Bank Fraud and Wire Fraud Conspiracy Involving the Theft of More Than 2,000 Checks Intended for Religious InstitutionsRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang sentenced Nicolae Gindac, age 52, of Dania Beach, Florida, yesterday to 54 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud and wire fraud, in connection with a conspiracy to steal and deposit checks intended for religious institutions. Judge Chuang also ordered Gindac to pay restitution, along with co-conspirators, in the amount of $1,096,660.11.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Postal Inspector in Charge Daniel A. Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; Special Agent in Charge Shimon R. Richmond of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG); Chief Marcus Jones of the Montgomery County Police Department; Chief Toni Dezomits of the Cary, North Carolina, Police Department; and Sheriff Dusty Rhoades of the Williamson County, Tennessee, Sheriff’s Office.
According to his plea agreement, from at least June 2018 to January 2021, Gindac and at least five co-conspirators stole and negotiated checks from the U.S. mail intended for religious institutions. Gindac’s co-conspirators executed the thefts by driving to roadside mailboxes and directly removing the mail from the religious institutions’ mailboxes.
As part of the scheme to defraud, Gindac and other co-conspirators opened fraudulent bank accounts at several victim financial institutions under false identities and negotiated stolen checks by way of ATMs. Gindac deposited stolen checks into fraudulent bank accounts held in the names of his family members, including a minor family member, and others. Gindac and his co-conspirators subsequently withdrew the stolen funds and spent them using debit cards associated with fraudulently opened bank accounts and other bank accounts.
As detailed in his plea agreement, Gindac deposited or was present when at least $64,811.03 was deposited into 13 fraudulent accounts. The fraudulent accounts received a total of approximately $139,057.58 from 143 stolen checks.
On February 6, 2021, law enforcement arrested Gindac and recovered approximately $7,930.38 in cash, as well as a yellow-gold and diamond-encrusted Rolex men’s watch. Gindac also used some of the stolen proceeds of the conspiracy to purchase a BMW 745i Sport sedan.
In total, the conspiracy received at least $1,065,282.53 from 2,477 stolen checks.
Two co-conspirators were recently extradited to the United States. Vlad Baceanu, age 37, was extradited from Romania, and Florin Vaduva, age 30, was extradited from the United Kingdom. They had their initial appearances on November 24 and November 22, 2021, respectively. Co-conspirators Marian Unguru, age 36, Vali Unguru, age 19, and Daniel Velcu, age 43, all of Baltimore, Maryland, and Mateus Vaduva, age 29, of Hollywood, Florida, have pleaded guilty to their roles in the conspiracy and are awaiting sentencing. Co-defendant Marius Vaduva, age 27, of Hollywood, Florida, has a re-arraignment scheduled on January 6, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. In addition to Vlad Baceanu and Florin Vaduva, one other co-conspirator is awaiting trial.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, HSI, the FDIC Office of Inspector General, the Montgomery County Police Department, the Cary (North Carolina) Police Department, and the Williamson County (Tennessee) Sheriff’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Elizabeth Wright, 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.
# # #
Capitol Heights Man Pleads Guilty to Possession with Intent to Distribute Controlled Substances and Federal Firearm ChargesRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Billy Lorenzo Bush, age 37, of Capitol Heights, Maryland, pleaded guilty on December 20, 2021 to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, on June 8, 2020, officers discovered Bush passed out and unresponsive in the driver’s seat of a vehicle that was involved in a single-vehicle accident. Bush was the sole occupant in the vehicle. Upon further inspection, officers saw baggies of marijuana spilling out of a backpack and a handgun on the front passenger seat.
After additional PGPD officers arrived on the scene, officers broke the driver’s side window to unlock the doors and remove Bush from the vehicle. As a result of the search of Bush’s vehicle, officers recovered a .40 caliber handgun loaded with 15 rounds of ammunition, 1,100.80 grams of marijuana, digital scales, empty baggies, and 47.55 grams of a substance containing PCP. Bush became responsive upon his removal from the vehicle and was subsequently taken into custody. When officers searched Bush incident to his arrest, officers found 102.29 grams of a substance containing eutylone on his person.
Bush agrees that he possessed the marijuana and eutylone and intended to distribute them to others. Bush also agrees that he possessed the .40 caliber firearm in furtherance of his drug trafficking activities.
Bush and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Bush will be sentenced to no less than 77 months and no more than 120 months in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for March 9, 2022 at 9:00 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the ATF and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica C. Collins, who is prosecuting the case.
These cases are 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.
For more information on the Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office’s Project Safe Neighborhoods program (PSN), a unified and comprehensive strategy to combat gun crime that combines local, state and federal law enforcement efforts; community outreach; and public awareness, please visit https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/project-safe-neighborhoods-psnexile.
# # #
Maryland U.S. Attorney’s Office Collects over $26 Million in Civil and Criminal Actions for U.S. Taxpayers in FY 2021Read the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron announced that financial collections in criminal and civil actions in Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 in the District of Maryland reached $26,206,937.09. The U.S. Department of Justice keeps statistics on a fiscal year basis, closing the books each September 30.
“Thanks to the hard work and dedication of employees of the U.S. Attorney’s Office and our partner agencies, funds recovered far exceed the cost of operating the office,” said Maryland U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “We will continue to hold accountable anyone who seeks to profit from illegal activities.”
According to statistics from the Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland’s Asset Recovery Unit, which handles both Asset Forfeiture and Financial Litigation, recovered $18,363,220.59 in FY 2021, in criminal debts owed to the U.S. government and to federal crime victims, including restitution, criminal fines, and felony assessments, which was applied directly to restitution owed to victims of crime and other criminal penalties. It also finalized forfeiture on $8,135,791.30 in assets and obtained another $60,513,818.00 in forfeiture money judgments, all of which are eligible to re returned to victims to satisfy restitution once liquidated. In FY 2021 $1,881,580 in forfeiture proceeds were transferred to the Clerk of the United States District Court in Maryland to be paid to victims as restitution.
The statistics show that the District’s Civil Division recovered $7,843,716.50 in cases handled solely within this Office, in civil actions in Maryland including affirmative civil enforcement cases—in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected penalties imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal health, safety, civil rights or environmental laws—and debts collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Homeland Security. These cases include the successful resolution of investigations or qui tam actions against St. Jude Medical, Inc., Creative Computing Solutions, Inc. and Dr. Njideka Udochi.
Additionally, the District of Maryland worked with other U.S. Attorney’s Offices and components of the Department of Justice to collect an additional $37,689,449.53 in cases pursued jointly with these offices. Of this amount, $12,231.39 was collected in criminal actions and $37,677,218.14 was collected in civil actions, including cases resolved under the False Claims Act on behalf of victim agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Education.
The U.S. Attorney’s Offices, along with the Department’s litigating divisions, are responsible for enforcing and collecting civil and criminal debts owed to the United States and criminal debts owed to federal crime victims. The law requires defendants to pay restitution to victims of certain federal crimes who have suffered physical injury or financial loss. While restitution is paid to the victim, criminal fines and felony assessments are paid to the Department’s Crime Victims’ Fund, which distributes the funds to state victim compensation and victim assistance programs.
The largest civil collections were from affirmative civil enforcement cases, in which the United States recovered government money lost to fraud or other misconduct or collected fines imposed on individuals and/or corporations for violations of federal healthcare laws. In addition, civil debts were collected on behalf of several federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Internal Revenue Service, the Small Business Administration, and the U.S. Department of Education.
For more information, the Department’s Annual Statistical Reports on prior fiscal years can be found on the Internet at: https://www.justice.gov/usao/resources/annual-statistical-reports.
# # #
Information Technology Contractor Agrees to Pay More Than $1.3 Million to Settle Federal False Claims Act Allegations of OverbillingRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Virginia-based Telophase Corporation (“Telophase”) has agreed to pay the United States $1,389,509 million dollars to resolve federal False Claims Act allegations that it overbilled the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (“NASA”) for labor hours worked and for labor rates and costs in excess of those actually incurred.
The civil settlement was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron, and Assistant Inspector General for Investigations (AIGI) Robert Steinau of NASA’s Office of Inspector General.
“Federal contractors are required to bill for costs actually incurred, and to be truthful in the claims they submit to federal agencies,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Companies that submit false bills to the government must be held accountable.”
“The NASA Office of Inspector General is proud of the exceptional work from our agents and partnership with the United States Attorney, District of Maryland in aggressively investigating these allegations,” said AIGI Steinau. It is through these partnerships that we will continue to pursue and hold those accountable that attempt to defraud NASA.”
Telophase is a provider of information technology and cyber-security services, operations engineering for monitoring tools and automation, quality and compliance management, environmental engineering, and education and training initiatives to both the public and commercial sectors. Telophase was awarded a Cost-Plus Fixed-Fee (“CPFF”) subcontract for services to be provided to the Applied Engineering and Technology Directorate of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. This contract type reimburses the contractor for actual project costs, plus a fee.
The settlement resolves allegations that, between April 1, 2016 through December 31, 2018, Telophase caused the submission of false claims to NASA by billing NASA for: labor hours in excess of the hours that Telophase could demonstrate that its employees and contractors actually worked; labor rates higher than the rates actually paid to its employees and contractors; labor costs in excess of Telophase’s actual recorded costs; and indirect rates that were higher than those actually incurred.
The claims resolved by this settlement are allegations. The settlement is not an admission of liability by Telophase, nor a concession by the United States that its claim is not well founded.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended NASA’s Office Investigations for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Tarra DeShields who handled 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/affirmative-civil-enforcement and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md.
# # #
Baltimore Heroin Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Conspiracy ChargeRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Larry Gardner, a/k/a “Little Larry,” age 40, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute controlled substances, including heroin.
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; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Baltimore District Office; and Postal Inspector in Charge Daniel A. Adame of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service - Washington Division.
According to his guilty plea, between November 2019 and December 2020, Gardner participated in a drug trafficking organization (DTO) that distributed large quantities of controlled dangerous substances, including heroin, in the Baltimore area.
As detailed in the plea agreement, between June and November 2020, federal agents assigned to the Baltimore Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force Strike Force intercepted hundreds of electronic and wire communications between Gardner and the leader of the DTO which revealed that Gardner was a mid-level distributor of heroin and that the DTO leader was his source of supply.
Gardner exchanged coded text messages with the DTO’s leader negotiating the price and amount of heroin. After one such exchange on November 4, 2020, a covert camera captured the DTO leader entering an apartment in downtown Baltimore used as a stash house, then leave eight minutes later. A few minutes later, agents conducting surveillance outside Gardner’s residence saw the DTO leader arrive and intercepted a message from the DTO leader to Gardner stating, “Here cuz”. The DTO leader rang the bell at Gardner’s residence and Gardner answered the door and accompanied the DTO leader to his car, where they conducted the heroin transaction.
On December 16, 2020, law enforcement conducted a search at Gardner’s residence, which was occupied at that time by Gardner, his wife, and three minor children. Law enforcement recovered a ballistic vest, a kilogram press and more than 1,000 empty gel capsules in the basement. In the bathroom, officers found white residue around a toilet and on the floor next to the toilet; plastic bags containing a white powder substance; and at least one plastic bag with a crystalline white rock-like substance that was subsequently analyzed and identified as approximately 19 grams of cocaine.
Gardner admitted that it was reasonably foreseeable to him that the conspiracy involved the distribution of between 100 and 400 grams of heroin.
Gardner and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Gardner will be sentenced to five years in federal prison. U.S. District Judge Ellen L. Hollander has scheduled sentencing for February 24, 2022 at 11:30 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 make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Project Safe Neighborhoods 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 prosecution was brought as a part of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) Co-located Strike Forces Initiative, which provides for the establishment of permanent multi-agency task force teams that work side-by-side in the same location. This co-located model enables agents from different agencies to collaborate on intelligence-driven, multi-jurisdictional operations against a continuum of priority targets and their affiliate illicit financial networks. These prosecutor-led co-located Strike Forces capitalize on the synergy created through the long-term relationships that can be forged by agents, analysts, and prosecutors who remain together over time, and they epitomize the model that has proven most effective in combating organized crime. The specific mission of the Baltimore OCDETF Strike Force is to reduce violent, drug-related, and gang crime in the Baltimore area and surrounding region.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI, the DEA, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service for their work in the investigation and thanked the Baltimore Police Department for its assistance. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey J. Izant, 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.
# # #
Texas Man Pleads Guilty to Months’ Long Cyberstalking Campaign Sparked by an Unrequited Love InterestRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Desmond Babloo Singh, age 20, of Temple, Texas, pleaded guilty today to two counts of cyberstalking.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Melissa R. Hyatt of the Baltimore County Police Department.
According to his guilty plea, from April 18, 2020, to November 24, 2020, Singh used more than 100 different social media accounts, phone accounts, and various electronic communication tools to send harassing messages to Victim 1. The hundreds of public social media posts, text messages, and private social media messages included threats of death, bodily injury, sexualized violence, and racial slurs. Many of the accounts created and used by Singh incorporated Victim 1’s name, making it appear as if the accounts were owned and operated by her.
Earlier in 2020, Singh sent Victim 1 online communications expressing his romantic interest in her. After Victim 1 rebuffed Singh’s advances and asked him not to contact her, Singh commenced a months’ long cyberstalking campaign against both Victim 1 and Victim 2, the latter of whom Singh viewed as a romantic rival.
Singh frequently used the fraudulent accounts he created to denigrate Victim 1’s character, appearance, and make the assertion that Victim 1 was “obsessed” with him. Singh’s harassing conduct included, among other things, numerous implied threats of bodily injury or death. For instance, Singh used a fraudulent social media account to send Victim 1 an image in which the faces of her and her family members were superimposed on the faces of several individuals hanging from nooses. In another edited picture, Singh superimposed Victim 1’s mother’s face on the body of a grieving woman at a grave site.
On or about July 19, 2020, Victim 1 received a “follow” request on a social media platform from an account that Singh created. On this account, Singh had posted pictures of Victim 1 and her family home. Additionally, Singh posted Victim 1’s parents’ address in Maryland and stated there would be a party there the following day. The following day, July 20, 2020, a Baltimore County Police Department employee received an anonymous email telling law enforcement to investigate a possible bomb at the parents’ home. Law enforcement officers responded to the residence only to learn that the bomb threat was a hoax. The federal investigation into Singh’s conduct revealed that Singh had solicited another individual to “swat” Victim 1’s parents’ home.
In furtherance of his harassment campaign against Victim 1, Singh also posted Victim 1’s personal information online including her birthdate, name, personal phone number, school, social media identities, and other identifying information online. This form of online harassment is commonly referred to as “doxing”.
During the investigation of Singh’s harassment campaign, investigators discovered notes in Singh’s phone that documented his plans to harass Victim 1 including the plans to physically assault Victim 1’s family members, post over 10,000 messages relating to Victim 1’s friends, harass Victim 2, and take pictures of Victim 1 in real life.
Singh not only harassed Victim 1, but he also harassed Victim 2 whom he perceived to be a romantic rival. Similar to Victim 1, Singh created numerous social media accounts incorporating Victim 2’s real name and publicly posted his personal information. Using an anonymous account, Singh posted a video of an unidentifiable person knocking on Victim 2’s former residence with a caption telling Victim 2 to answer the door. Later, Singh later posted the same video on an online platform which included Victim 2’s name, the former address of Victim 2, and a statement stating that he went to Victim 2’s residence to fight Victim 2.
Singh faces a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison for each count of cyberstalking followed by three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett has scheduled sentencing for April 5, 2022 at 2:30 p.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the HSI and the Baltimore County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher M. Rigali, 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.
# # #
Nigerian National Pleads Guilty to A Covid-19 Unemployment Fraud Scheme and an Unrelated Elder Fraud SchemeRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – Oluwaseyi Akinyemi, a/k/a “Paddy Linkin”, a/k/a “Joseph Kadin”, age 35, of Hyattsville, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to two counts of mail fraud relating to a social media advanced fee fraud scheme that targeted elderly victims.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent-in-Charge Troy Springer, of the Washington Regional Office, U.S. Department of Labor Office of Inspector General; Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Chief Malik Aziz of the Prince George’s County Police Department.
“This office will prosecute anyone misusing this pandemic crisis to line their own pockets,” said U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron. “Akinyemi not only took fraudulent advantage of a nursing care patient, a national health crisis, and an employment crisis, but he also caused significant financial harm to 13 elderly victims.”
According to his guilty plea, from July 10, 2018 to April 29, 2019, Akinyemi and at least one co-conspirator conspired to engage in a social media based elder fraud scheme. Members of the conspiracy targeted elderly victims on social media platforms, impersonating accounts of the victim’s friends in order to vouch for their fraudulent financial scheme and convince the victim to send money in hopes of receiving a financial reward. Within the scheme to defraud, the conspiracy members presented themselves as agents of real and fictitious government programs that offered supposed financial benefits to qualifying individuals.
Once the victims demonstrated interest, other members of the conspiracy utilized a new account or persona to represent themselves as an agent of an agency or community fund. The victim was then instructed to send money in a mail service system to the agency for “taxes and fees.” Believing that they would receive a financial reward, the victims sent cash, money orders, gift cards, and other valuable items through mail services to Akinyemi as well as other members of the conspiracy in order to obtain a financial reward. Akinyemi received packages under the aliases of Paddy Linkin,” “Flex,” “Joseph Kadin,” and “Anna Marcos,” in addition to other aliases. After receiving the fraudulently obtained funds, Akinyemi delivered the fraudulently obtained cash to co-conspirators in Nigeria.
Victim 1, who was 78 years old and lived in Texas, received an application via social media to apply to a purported federal government grant program. The application was accompanied by a message from a person whom Victim 1 believed was a friend, vouching for the program. Victim 1 was told by members of the conspiracy that he had been approved for $100,000 in grant funds, but that in order to receive the grant funds Victim 1 needed to pay taxes. Victim 1 sent multiple packages of money, including to Akinyemi. In order to induce Victim 1 to continue to send money, members of the conspiracy sent Victim 1 electronic “certificates.” One of these certificates was a “Certificate of Completion” bearing the Internal Revenue Service seal, stating that it was from the “Federal and State Tax Institutes.” Victim 1 also received a certificate with a U.S. flag on it with the words “Federal Grants” next to it which included Victim 1’s full name and the text: “Federal Government Grants for the sum of $5,000,000.” After receiving these certificates, Victim 1 continued to send money to Akinyemi and other members of the conspiracy. In total, Victim 1 sent between approximately $70,000 to $80,000 to Akinyemi.
Victim 2, who was 71 years old and lived in Indiana, received a message from someone they believed to be a high school friend regarding a “Strengthening Community Fund.” In reality, a member of the conspiracy was posing as the victim’s high school friend. Ultimately, the conspiracy member told Victim 2 that they received money from the fund in the recent past and that there were different amounts for which a person could apply. The member of the conspiracy then provided Victim 2 with the contact information for a fictitious agent representing the “Fund.”
After Victim 2 contacted and sought information regarding the Fund, a member of the conspiracy masquerading as an agent asked Victim 2 if they were ready to apply. When Victim 2 communicated their desire to do so, the member of the conspiracy sought biographical information from Victim 2, including their monthly income. Once Victim 2 provided this information, the member of the conspiracy informed Victim 2 that they had been “approved.” Victim 2 applied for $80,000, which Victim 2 believed would cost $800 in fees. Victim 2 then sent approximately $50,000 in fictitious fees and taxes in order to obtain money from the fictitious fund.
Victim 3, who was 69 years old, sent $9,720 to Akinyemi based on instructions from a member of the conspiracy. Victim 3 received a check in the mail for $9,770 that she was instructed to cash. The victim then deposited the check into her bank account and subsequently sent the funds to Akinyemi’s Landover Residence, as instructed. The check sent to Victim 3 was issued by Company 1 located in Tacoma, Washington. Company 1 was the victim of a fraud scheme that caused several unauthorized fraudulent checks to be generated and issued on behalf of Company 1.
Law enforcement’s subsequent review of Akinyemi’s phone revealed communications of Akinyemi discussing receipt of these funds from Company 1 through Victim 3. The chat conversation contained Akinyemi’s Landover Residence, his alias (“Paddy Linkin”), a mail service tracking number, and a dollar amount. Akinyemi and the co-conspirator also discussed the percentage of the proceeds that Akinyemi would take as part of his participation in the conspiracy.
During an interview with law enforcement on April 15, 2019, Akinyemi confirmed that he had received packages from victims throughout the country, detailed the scheme to defraud, and informed investigators that individuals in Nigeria were responsible for soliciting the victims to send money to him. Further, Akinyemi stated that he received approximately $80,000 in the mail in the year prior to his interview.
As part of the scheme to defraud elder victims, Akinyemi and his co-conspirators defrauded at least 13 victims, caused significant financial hardship to victims, and caused a loss of at least $478,145.07.
In an unrelated scheme, Akinyemi and other co-conspirators illegally obtained unemployment and COVID-19 related benefits by filing fraudulent unemployment claims under the names of living and deceased victims.
Throughout the scheme, Akinyemi and his co-conspirators used his Landover, Maryland residence as the mailing address for the fraudulent unemployment insurance debit cards. Additionally, the conspiracy listed the home address of a Washington D.C. client whom Akinyemi provided at-home nursing care in order to receive the fraudulently obtained funds in the mail.
As stated in his plea agreement, 10 Maryland Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (“PUA”) claims were filed with the state of Maryland totaling an intended loss of more than $170,000.
As a result of an executed search warrant on April 15, 2021 at Akinyemi’s Hyattsville, Maryland residence, law enforcement found two unemployment insurance debit cards in the names of Victim 24 and Victim 25. The unemployment insurance claims for Victims 24 and 25 were filed using the address of Akinyemi’s D.C. nursing care client.
In total, Akinyemi and his co-conspirators used the identities of 19 real individuals to file fraudulent unemployment insurance and PUA claims, caused an actual loss of more than $7,000, and projected an intended loss of $250,000 in state and federal benefits.
Akinyemi faces maximum 20 years in federal prison for each count of mail fraud followed by up to three years of supervised release. U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang has scheduled sentencing for April 11, 2022 at 11 a.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.
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from its 22 member Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
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 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 HSI, DOL-OIG, and the Prince George’s County Police Department for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Rajeev R. Raghavan, 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.
# # #
Karon Foster Sentenced to 40 Years in Federal Prison for Participating in a Violent Racketeering ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher today sentenced Karon Foster, age 27, of Baltimore, Maryland, to 40 years in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to participate in racketeering activity, for a carjacking conspiracy, and for aiding and abetting a carjacking resulting in death.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge L.C. Cheeks, Jr. 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, beginning in April 2019, Foster was part of an enterprise that engaged in a pattern of deadly racketeering activities, including a series of armed carjackings, armed robberies, attempted armed robberies, and the pawning of stolen goods. Specifically, between April 19, 2019 and August 8, 2019, Foster and his crew committed 13 specific violent crimes in Baltimore, including: eight armed carjackings, including one on June 12, 2019, resulting in the murder of a victim, and five armed robberies and attempted robberies, including two in which victims were murdered. Three victims were murdered by Foster’s crew during the time of the conspiracy, and a fourth victim was paralyzed as a result of an armed robbery.
“Over four months in 2019, Karon Foster and his crew were responsible for 13-armed carjackings and robberies throughout Baltimore, including three that killed innocent victims and another that left a victim paralyzed,” said U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron. “Foster and his co-conspirators used firearms and fear to steal cars, property and most tragically the lives of other human beings. This case reflects the collaboration and commitment of federal, state, and local law enforcement to hold accountable violent offenders like Foster and his co-conspirators. Four months of violence will result in at least three decades in federal prison for Karon Foster; hopefully others like him will take notice, choose to put down the guns, and take a different path.”
The plea agreement details a series of violent crimes committed by Foster and his co-conspirators, including a carjacking on June 12, 2019. As two individuals were talking outside, Foster and other members of the enterprise drove up in a stolen vehicle and parked directly across the street from them. Four men exited the vehicle, two of whom possessed firearms. Members of the enterprise approached one of the individuals and announced a robbery. The first individual ran away while the second person resisted the robbers’ commands. That person was shot several times and subsequently died from his injuries. The individual who ran away later returned to the scene and discovered that his/her car and the victim’s body were both gone, and only the victim’s shoes remained at the scene. Foster aided and abetted the enterprise by driving the stolen vehicle to and from the scene of the attempted robbery and the victim’s murder.
Members of the conspiracy not only promoted their activities on social media, but they also shared proceeds of their exploits. As part of the enterprise, Foster pawned items stolen from victims. Members also concealed enterprise activities by hiding, destroying, or disposing of evidence.
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 Baltimore Police Department, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Patricia C. McLane and 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-psnexile and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Former Child Protective Officer Sentenced to over Seven Years in Federal Prison for Receipt and Possession of Child PornographyRead the Press Release
Greenbelt, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher sentenced Haitian national Jean Buteau Remarque, age 40, of Greenbelt, Maryland, today to 90 months in federal prison, followed by 10 years of supervised release, for two counts of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography. The jury convicted Remarque late on March 25, 2021 after a four-day trial. Judge Gallagher also ordered that, upon his release from prison, Remarque must 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 James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore; and Colonel Woodrow W. Jones III, Superintendent of the Maryland State Police.
According to testimony presented at his four-day trial, Remarque previously held positions at the International Bureau of Children’s Rights in Montreal, Canada, and as a Child Protective Officer for the United Nations in Africa. In May 2018, law enforcement received information that Remarque was engaging in sexually explicit conversations with a 15-year-old female. In addition, Remarque was believed to have sexually explicit images of prepubescent minors on his cell phone. On July 17, 2018, a federal search warrant was executed at Remarque’s residence in Greenbelt. Investigators recovered an external hard drive that contained files that had been copied from one of Remarque’s phones. The evidence presented at trial proved that on November 16 and November 22, 2017, Remarque received sexually explicit images of minors. Further, the evidence showed that the files included a collection of approximately 311 images and two videos of child pornography, including sexually explicit images depicting prepubescent minors.
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 and the Maryland State Police for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Timothy Hagan, 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.
# # #
Calvert County Felon Convicted After Four Day Trial for Illegal Possession of a FirearmRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal jury convicted Earl Leroy Griffin, Jr., age 45, of Sunderland, Maryland, late on December 17, 2021, for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The conviction 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; Calvert County Sheriff Mike Evans; and Calvert County State’s Attorney Robert Harvey.
According to the evidence presented at his four-day trial, on September 5, 2019, law enforcement executed a search warrant at Griffin’s residence and on his vehicle as part of a drug investigation. In Griffin’s locked vehicle, law enforcement recovered a stolen .40 caliber handgun, loaded with 14 rounds of ammunition; powder cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana; and three Maryland driver’s licenses bearing Griffin’s name and photo. The vehicle was registered to Griffin. When he was searched incident to his arrest, Griffin had the keys to his vehicle and $1,870 in cash in his pockets.
Griffin had four previous felony drug convictions and knew that as a result, he was prohibited from possessing a firearm and ammunition. This conviction qualifies Griffin for armed career criminal status.
The jury acquitted Griffin on charges of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances and possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking.
As an armed career criminal, Griffin faces a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison and a maximum of life in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. U.S. District Judge George J. Hazel has scheduled sentencing for April 19, 2022 at 10:00 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 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 DEA, the Calvert County Sheriff’s Office, and the Calvert County State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation and prosecution. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Michael Morgan and Timothy F. Hagan, Jr., 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.
# # #
Owner of Maryland Export Business Pleads Guilty to Federal Charges of Attempting to Smuggle Items Out of the U.S. Without the Required Export LicenseRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Jorge Orencel, age 65, of Silver Spring, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to federal charges of attempting to smuggle goods out of the United States without the required export license. Orencel owned and operated Sumtech, an export business located in Fulton, Maryland.
The guilty plea was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Special Agents in Charge Jonathan Carson and Nasir Khan of the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry Security, Office of Export Enforcement, New York and Washington Field Offices, respectively.
According to his guilty plea, Orencel owned and operated Sumtech, which advertised itself on the Internet as specializing in the distribution of American merchandise, including “high technology laboratory devices,” to South America, Asia, and the Middle East.
As detailed in the plea agreement, in October 2016, Orencel began communicating with Co-conspirator 1, an individual representing herself as an employee of a company in Hong Kong, regarding Co-conspirator 1’s desire to purchase five ionization chambers and one fission chamber from Company A, which manufactured gas-filled nuclear radiation detectors. Co-conspirator 1 advised that Company A, located in New York, required an end user statement and export license if they knew the goods were to be shipped to other countries, and suggested to Orencel that he not mention that the goods would be shipped to Hong Kong. Orencel agreed and got a quote from Company A for prices on the items requested by Co-conspirator 1, falsely telling officials from Company A that the request was from a customer in Argentina, South America.
After communicating with Co-conspirator 1, on October 26, 2016, Orencel sent a Sumtech purchase order to Company A for the ionization chambers and the fission chamber, along with an End User Statement on Sumtech letterhead and a Statement by Ultimate Consignee and Purchaser, which falsely indicated that the end user and ultimate destination was a company in Argentina. On February 7, 2017, Orencel emailed Co-conspirator 1 that he had received the ionization chambers but not the fission chamber. Orencel stated that although Company A had indicated that the fission chamber was regulated because it contained nuclear material, Orencel had obtained a ruling from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission that the item was not barred from export due to the small amount of nuclear material contained within the chamber. The following day, Orencel sent an email to Co-conspirator 1 advising that Company A had not built the fission chamber and would not do so until Orencel agreed that the fission chamber would be transported via UPS SCS, a shipping service provided by the United Parcel Service (UPS) which would pick an item up directly from the seller, such as Company A, and ship it directly to the user. Orencel stated to Co-conspirator 1, “This is a very difficult vendor…seems like they are a little suspicious and of course we have not said that the unit is for Hong Kong.”
As detailed in the plea agreement, on February 24, 2017, law enforcement agents from the Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry Security, Office of Export Enforcement visited Orencel at Sumtech. The agents provided Orencel copies of reference materials regarding export rules and regulations and reviewed the materials with Orencel. Orencel told the agents that he was very familiar with U.S. export laws and his company always obtained export licenses when required.
Shortly after that visit, on March 3, 2017, Orencel shipped the ionization chambers to an address in Hong Kong, despite his statements to Company A that the items were destined for Argentina and would not be re-exported.
On August 22, 2017, shortly after Company A advised Orencel that the fission chamber was completed and ready for pickup by UPS for shipment to the end user, Orencel executed a Shipper’s Letter of Instruction falsely certifying that the fission chamber was detection equipment with a value of $930 and the ultimate consignee and destination was in Argentina. In fact, Orencel knew that the fission chamber was valued at $9,300 and that he planned to export the item to Hong Kong. If Orencel had correctly stated the value of the item, which was more than $2,500, he would have been required to file a Shipper’s Export Declaration, which, in turn, would have alerted the Department of Commerce and other authorities to the existence of the shipment and allowed them to track the export and confirm compliance with licensing and other export requirements.
On August 25, 2017, Orencel emailed Co-conspirator 1 that UPS had picked up the fission chamber from Company A and discussed how to get the item shipped to Hong Kong, since the paperwork was issued with the name of a fake end-user. Co-conspirator 1 suggested contacting a freight forwarder in California, that had previously assisted in a similar situation. Orencel advised that he was trying to convince the shipper in New York to move the package to Maryland so he could pick it up and export it to Co-conspirator 1. Law enforcement authorities detained the package at the UPS facility in New York before it could be shipped any further.
Orencel admitted to law enforcement in a voluntary interview on October 30, 2017, that he never intended to ship the fission chamber to Argentina and had only listed Argentina as the final destination to convince Company A to release the fission chamber for shipment. Further, Orencel stated that he planned to contact UPS after it had picked up the fission chamber from Company A and direct UPS to change the shipping address to Hong Kong. Orencel admitted that he also knew he was required to file a Shipper’s Export Declaration and export information in the Automated Export System, since the value of the fission chamber was more than $2,500.
Orencel faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for attempted smuggling of goods. U.S. District Judge George L. Russell, III has scheduled sentencing for February 22, 2022 at 9:30 a.m.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Industry Security, Office of Export Enforcement for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Kathleen O. Gavin and Abigail Ticse, 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.
# # #
Fraudster Sentenced to over Three Years in Federal Prison for Bank Fraud ConspiracyRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge Richard D. Bennett sentenced Erwin Boateng, age 32, of Glen Burnie, Maryland, to 42 months in federal prison, followed by three years of supervised release, for conspiracy to commit bank fraud in connection with a scheme in which the conspirators opened bank accounts using the stolen personal identifying information of other individuals, transferred or deposited funds obtained using stolen or altered checks, then quickly withdrew the funds. Judge Bennett ordered Boateng to forfeit $24,758.79.
The sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron and Special Agent in Charge James R. Mancuso of Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Baltimore.
According to Boateng’s plea agreement, from September 1, 2015, through June 28, 2016, Boateng and others opened more than three dozen bank accounts using the stolen personal identifying information of other individuals or in the names of businesses. Boateng and his co-conspirators fraudulently transferred funds or deposited stolen and altered checks, then quickly transferred the fraudulently obtained funds to other accounts or withdrew the funds in cash. The total intended loss was approximately $374,076.90 and the amount successfully withdrawn was $188,176.24.
For example, on November 6, 2015, at the direction of a co-conspirator, Boateng opened a savings and a checking account at the Greenbelt, Maryland branch of a credit union, identifying himself as the brother of identity theft victim M.H., whom Boateng claimed was sponsoring his credit union membership. On November 12, 2015, Boateng and others caused a fraudulent ACH credit in the amount of $31,343.12 to be deposited into Boateng’s checking account. Boateng then withdrew $4,500 in cash and $10,000 in the form of a cashier’s check payable to Erwin Boateng from the account.
As detailed in the plea agreement, the illegally obtained proceeds from the fraudulent transactions were split between the co-conspirators.
Boateng pleaded guilty to the bank fraud conspiracy in September 2019, but subsequently engaged in a second fraud scheme, while on pre-trial release. Specifically, according to information provided during today’s sentencing hearing, Boateng attempted to open an investment account utilizing a fraudulent $9 billion “Secured Funding Bond.” Boateng represented that he wanted to deposit the bond in an investment account as collateral for a $500 million loan from the investment firm. The loan was to be used to finance “economic development in Africa” through Boateng’s Spherepoint International Group. The investment firm determined the documents were fraudulent and did not open any accounts. An individual who was attempting to assist Boateng was notified and she, in turn, notified law enforcement.
In addition to Boateng, four other co-conspirators pleaded guilty to their roles in the fraud scheme. David Livingston Attoh, age 34, a citizen of Ghana residing in Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced to three years in federal prison; Kabir Tunji Are, age 43, a Nigerian citizen residing in Silver Spring, Maryland, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison; Kwaku Boateng Blay, age 38, a citizen of Ghana residing in Beltsville, Maryland, was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison; and Franck Ulrich Noche Nsiyabuze, age 31, of Laurel, Maryland, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron praised the HSI for its work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorneys Judson T. Mihok and Mary W. Setzer, 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.
# # #
Cocaine Supplier Pleads Guilty and is Sentenced to over 10 Years in Federal Prison for Cocaine Trafficking ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – U.S. District Judge George L. Russell sentenced Jack Anderson IV, age 45, of Tucson, Arizona, to 126 months in federal prison after Anderson entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine.
The guilty plea and sentence was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Harford County State’s Attorney Albert J. Peisinger, Jr.; Assistant Special Agent in Charge Orville O. Greene of the Drug Enforcement Administration; Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler of the Harford County Sheriff’s Office; and the Harford County Narcotics Task Force comprised of members of the Harford County Sheriff's Office, Aberdeen Police Department, Bel Air Police Department, and Havre de Grace Police Department.
According to Anderson’s plea agreement, on May 17, 2019, members of the Harford County Narcotics Task Force conducted an investigation into co-conspirator Che Jaron Durbin, age 43, of Aberdeen, Maryland, after receiving notification that a parcel containing one kilogram of cocaine was shipped by Anderson from Tucson, Arizona to Durbin in Aberdeen, Maryland. Detectives learned from the United States Postal Inspection Service that the parcel was scheduled to be delivered to an Aberdeen, Maryland apartment.
After the parcel was delivered, detectives continued to watch the Aberdeen, Maryland apartment. Soon after, investigators observed a woman, later identified as Jameka Cara Thompson, leaving the apartment and place the parcel in her vehicle.
Shortly after Thompson arrived at her destination, detectives detained her and executed a search warrant on her vehicle. Upon searching the parcel, detectives recovered one kilogram of compressed cocaine.
On January 22, 2020, law enforcement was informed that a parcel had been sent by Durbin to Anderson in Arizona. The parcel was believed to contain cash. Investigators then arranged to have the parcel sent back to Maryland for further investigation. Upon examination of the parcel, investigators discovered $82,300.00 within a box originally labeled as high-end headphones.
As stated in Anderson’s plea agreement, in February 2020, law enforcement began to conduct a wiretap investigation on several narcotics dealers in Harford County, Maryland, including Durbin. As a result of the investigation, Anderson was identified as Durbin’s cocaine supplier.
Further, in May 2020, law enforcement while conducting surveillance observed Durbin and Anderson meet at a Tucson, Arizona hotel room, where they met for a brief period of time. Soon after the meeting, Durbin traveled to the Tucson, Arizona Airport where he was seen meeting with Thompson and driving her back to his hotel room. Thompson ultimately obtained a bulk supply of cocaine from Anderson at the Arizona hotel.
Based on the surveillance by task force detectives of Durbin, Thompson, and Anderson, in Arizona, law enforcement obtained and executed a search warrant on Thompson’s vehicle after she arrived back in Harford County, Maryland. As a result of the search warrant, officers seized an additional 1.4 kilograms of cocaine.
Anderson agreed that based on his role in the conspiracy he was involved in the distribution of at least five kilograms but less than fifteen kilograms of cocaine.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the Harford County State’s Attorney’s Office, the DEA, Harford County Sheriff’s Office, and the Harford County Narcotics Task Force for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant Special 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 www.justice.gov/usao-md and https://www.justice.gov/usao-md/community-outreach.
# # #
Three Men Facing Federal Indictment for a Murder-For-Hire Conspiracy and Related ChargesRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Daquante Thomas, a/k/a “Glock,” age 19, of Baltimore, Maryland; Jourdain Larose, a/k/a “JBlacc,” age 26, of Ellicott City, Maryland, and Tyrik Braxton, a/k/a “Son-Son,” age 25, of Baltimore, Maryland, for 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. The indictment was returned on December 15, 2021. The defendants are expected to have initial appearances at a later date in U.S. District Court in Baltimore.
The indictment was announced by United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron; Acting Special Agent in Charge LC. Cheeks, Jr. of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Baltimore Field Division; Chief Lisa Myers of the Howard County Police Department; and Howard County State’s Attorney Rich Gibson
According to the indictment, Larose was a member of the Crips street gang and trafficked in controlled substances. As detailed in the indictment, Larose accused 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. Juan Ross was arrested on drug and weapon charges on September 5, 2020, but was released on bail after being interviewed by police. On October 4, 2020, Juan Ross was shot and killed in the area of Basket Ring Road in Columbia, sustaining multiple gunshot wounds to the head.
The five-count indictment alleges that Larose solicited others to kill Juan Ross and that Thomas and Braxton accepted payment from Larose to commit the murder. As detailed in the indictment, the defendants allegedly used interstate commerce facilities, specifically cellular telephones and a vehicle, in the commission of the murder-for-hire.
Larose allegedly provided a gun to a conspirator on September 12, 2020, for the purpose of killing John Ross. Prior to October 4, 2020, when the conspirator had not committed the murder yet, the indictment alleges that Larose solicited Braxton to commit the murder instead. Braxton then allegedly enlisted Thomas and Conspirator 2 to kill Juan Ross for Larose.
According to the indictment, on October 4, 2020, after text messaging each other about the address where they could find the victim, Braxton, Thomas, and Conspirator 2 drove to the area of Basket Ring Court in Columbia to locate Juan Ross, then drove to a drug store nearby. A short time later, Thomas and Conspirator returned to the area of Basket Ring Court, shot and killed Juan Ross and drove away together.
A few hours later, Braxton allegedly texted Larose that he had something important to discuss, and Larose told Braxton to Facetime him. As detailed in the indictment, on October 7, 2020, Braxton texted Larose, “It’s going to be hot as sh** out here” to which Larose responded, “It already is bro.”
If convicted, the defendants face a maximum sentence of life in prison for use and discharge of a firearm resulting in death, for the murder-for-hire conspiracy, and for use of interstate commerce facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire. 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 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. Attorneys Kim Y. Oldham and Lindsey N. McCulley, 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.
# # #
Statement of U.S. Attorney Erek L. Barron on the Ambush Shooting of Baltimore Police OfficerRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Statement from United States Attorney for the District of Maryland Erek L. Barron:
“Today’s cowardly ambush shooting of a Baltimore Police Department patrol officer in the line of duty is a tragic example of the risks facing law enforcement officers every day in the performance of their duties to keep our communities safe. My thoughts and prayers are with the officer and the officer’s family for a swift and full recovery. We will not tolerate this type of senseless violence. Those who perpetrated this attack must be found and prosecuted. I encourage anyone with information to contact the Baltimore Police Department. To the men and women of the Baltimore Police Department and all Maryland law enforcement, please know that all of us at the U.S. Attorney’s Office stand with you and thank you for your bravery and devotion to justice.”
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.
# # #
Baltimore Woman Facing Federal Indictment for Allegedly Obtaining More Than $1.6 Million in Federal Funds Intended to Relieve Financial Distress Caused by the Covid-19 PandemicRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Nichelle Henson, age 35, of Baltimore, Maryland, for false statements and bank fraud in connection with fraudulent applications Henson allegedly filed to obtain Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans in the names of multiple businesses. The indictment was returned on December 7, 2021 and unsealed today. Henson will have her initial appearance virtually on Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 2:15 p.m., before U.S. Magistrate Judge A. David Copperthite.
The indictment 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 Brian D. Miller, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery (SIGPR).
“It is reprehensible that fraudsters try to take advantage of this global pandemic to line their own pockets,” said United States Attorney Erek L. Barron. “As charged in the indictment unsealed today, Nichelle Henson allegedly fraudulently obtained more than $1.6 million in federal funds at the expense of honest business owners who were actually experiencing financial distress as a result of COVID-19. The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners are committed to investigating, stopping, and prosecuting these crimes.”
“We are pleased that SIGPR is getting results for the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Task Force,” said Brian D. Miller, Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery.
According to the 18-count indictment, Henson incorporated businesses with the State of Maryland, including Crowns Construction, LLC; Nichelle Henson Campaign, LLC; One Stop for Services, LLC; Your Friendly Tax Preparation Services, LLC; Women Entrepreneurs Can Succeed, LLC, and Peace of Mind Services Inc. Henson often opened bank accounts in the names of businesses she incorporated and obtained Tax Identification Numbers (TINs) from the IRS for the businesses. In tax year 2019, Crowns Construction, LLC; Nichelle Henson Campaign, LLC; Your Friendly Tax Preparation Services, LLC; and Peace of Mind Services, Inc. and Women Entrepreneurs Can Succeed LLC, had no employees. Henson filed forms with the IRS for tax year 2019 indicating that One Stop For Services LLC had three employees, but no forms indicating the required taxes were withheld or deposited with the IRS for those employees.
The indictment alleges that beginning in April 2020, Henson filed fraudulent applications on behalf of her businesses through the EIDL and PPP programs, which were intended to provide emergency financial assistance to Americans suffering from the economic effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Specifically, the indictment alleges that Henson made false statements on six fraudulent applications filed on the Small Business Administration’s website to obtain EIDL grants. Henson allegedly obtained a total of $18,000 for two of the applications, but the remaining four application were declined. As detailed in the indictment, Henson’s alleged false statements included that the businesses had between five and fourteen employees, had gross revenue of at least $36,000 and up to more than $1.3 million, and that the cost of goods sold was between $13,000 and $700,000 for the various businesses.
The indictment alleges that Henson also submitted six fraudulent applications to obtain a total of $998,590 in loans under the PPP program. The applications allegedly contained false statements, misrepresentations and omissions related to her purported businesses including their existence, address, payroll expense, and number of employees. Henson allegedly opened bank accounts specifically to receive PPP funds, did not disclose that she had incorporated other businesses, and falsely promised to spend PPP funds on allowable expenses, such as payroll, business rent and business utilities. In fact, the indictment alleges that Henson used the funds on personal expenses such as personal plastic surgery, home renovations for herself and relatives, rent and utilities for personal residences, and family expenses.
As detailed in the indictment, the Economic Aid to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act (Economic Aid Act), which was part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 package, extended the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) to include a second round of funding to certain businesses that received funding under the original PPP, referred to as “Second Draw PPP Loans.”
Henson filed six PPP Second Draw Borrower applications, again allegedly including false statements and misrepresentations as to her businesses, number of employees, that the initial PPP loan was used to pay allowable expenses, and including fraudulent documentation, such as IRS forms that had never been filed with the IRS. As a result, the indictment alleges that Henson attempted to obtain $818,750 in Second Draw PPP loans and actually received $676,250.
Further, the indictment seeks the forfeiture of any proceeds obtained as a result of the crime, including $678,073.82 seized during the investigation from six bank accounts in the names of some of Henson’s businesses, as well as a money judgment in the amount of proceeds obtained as a result of the scheme to defraud.
If convicted, Henson faces a maximum sentence of 30 years in federal prison for each of the 12 counts of bank fraud and a maximum of five years in federal prison for each of the six counts of making a false statement. 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.
The Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force was established to serve the American public by promoting transparency and facilitating coordinated oversight of the federal government’s COVID-19 pandemic response. The PRAC Fraud Task Force brings together agents from its 22 member Inspectors General to investigate fraud involving a variety of programs, including the Paycheck Protection Program. Task force agents who are detailed to the PRAC receive expanded authority to investigate pandemic fraud as well as tools and training to support their investigations.
United States Attorney Erek L. Barron commended the FBI and the Office of the Special Inspector General for Pandemic Recovery, which conducted the investigation on behalf of the Pandemic Response Accountability Committee (PRAC) Fraud Task Force, for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Joyce K. McDonald, 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.
# # #
Baltimore Drug Dealer Pleads Guilty to Federal Drug Trafficking Charges Related to a Fentanyl DeathRead the Press Release
Baltimore, Maryland – Khalil Shaheed, age 28, of Baltimore, Maryland, pleaded guilty today to possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking, and possession of a firearm by a felon.
The guilty plea 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; Commissioner Michael Harrison of the Baltimore Police Department; and Harford County Sheriff Jeffrey R. Gahler; Carroll County Sheriff James DeWees.
According to his guilty plea, after the investigation of a fatal overdose victim in Harford County, Maryland, investigators examined the victim’s cell phone activity and noted that the victim purchased heroin from a contact labeled “T” on at least seven occasions. The last date the victim purchased heroin from “T” was on October 14, 2017, three days before the victim’s death. In the last conversation, “T” directed the victim to meet them in a Baltimore, Maryland grocery store bathroom.
As result of an investigation into the overdose, investigators began to conduct physical surveillance on Shaheed. On November 9, 2017, investigators watched Shaheed depart from his Baltimore, Maryland residence and travel to a gas station. Before parking the vehicle, Shaheed circled the parking lot, stopped at a gas pump, and then parked directly in front of the gas station store. Upon parking, Shaheed stood outside his vehicle, stood next to his car while appearing to look for someone. Minutes later, Shaheed entered the gas station and went directly to the bathroom while a detective followed him. As the detective entered the bathroom, Shaheed quickly exited the bathroom with another male subject. Shaheed proceeded to exit the store without making any purchases.
Believing that a drug deal had just occurred, law enforcement obtained a court order to install a GPS device on Shaheed’s vehicle.
As stated in his plea agreement, on November 16, 2017, investigators executed a search warrant on Shaheed’s residence and vehicle. As a result of the search warrants, officers discovered a .9mm handgun, cocaine, and heroin packaged for distribution in his vehicle. In his residence, officers found a .25 caliber handgun, $12,452.36 in cash, ammunition, and additional drugs. In total, law enforcement seized approximately 82 grams of cocaine, 55 grams of heroin and 7 grams of fentanyl. Additionally, officers seized Shaheed’s cell phone that indicated his phone number was the same number as the contact saved as “T” in the victim’s cell phone.
On November 6, 2019, a federal grand jury indited Shaheed on charges related to the distribution of fentanyl to the deceased victim, possession with intent to distribute controlled substances in November 2017, and possession of the firearms. An arrest warrant was issued based on these charges.
On November 20, 2019, federal investigators located Shaheed at his last residence and observed activity indicative of drug trafficking activity in plain view. Shaheed was arrested while officers executed a search warrant that resulted in the discovery of six bags of cocaine and a .25 caliber handgun.
Shaheed and the government have agreed that, if the Court accepts the plea agreement, Shaheed will be sentenced to between eight years and twelve years in federal prison for possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession of a firearm by a felon. U.S. District Judge Catherine C. Blake has scheduled the sentencing hearing for March 18, 2022 at 10:30 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 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.
Mr. Barron commended the DEA, the Baltimore County Police Department, the Harford County Sheriff’s Office, the Anne Arundel County Police Department and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and the Baltimore City State’s Attorney’s Office for their work in the investigation. Mr. Barron thanked Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Oldham and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Jeffrey M. Hann, a cross-designated Baltimore City Assistant State’s Attorney, 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.
# # #